Retiring Longford principal looks back on twenty-five years of treasured memories

Photographs, memories and well-wishes from as far as Switzerland were shared in honour of a Longford teacher at her retirement function in the Rustic Inn.

For 25 years, Mrs Kathryn Keenan from Abbeyshrule, gave her all to the Emper National School in Westmeath, where she worked as principal and formerly as a teacher.

Last Friday, Emper NS and Emper Community hosted a retirement mass and an evening of celebration to honour Mrs Keenan’s remarkable journey.

Mrs Keenan got her passion for education from her family. Growing up, education was “always seen as a priority” in their lives.

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“Of course, parents are our primary educators. I inherited a wonderful value of education from my parents, uncles and aunts; many of whom were teachers. My mother and uncle were primary school principals and if you like informal mentors during my early teaching career; my passion for education stemmed from them. We were surrounded by education and the importance and value of education. I’m also privileged to have worked with so many inspirational and dedicated teachers down through the years,” said Mrs Keenan.

She learned a valuable lesson from her mother - to apply the three P’s.

“Persistence, perseverance and practice. Education opens many doors to so many opportunities for people,” she said.

Looking back fondly on her career, Mrs Keenan said she would carry forward with her a treasure trove of memories, with events that gave her a “rich tapestry of experiences that so many have woven together”.

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“It was such an honour, working with children,” she said. “They gave me a great treasure trove of memories, from the first day of every year to the end of year celebrations, all their community development projects, their tours, the teaching of the curriculum.

“It was such an honour and privilege, working with children. We always put the ‘Children First’ in Emper N.S,” she said. “We thank children for their laughter, curiosity, and the boundless energy they bring to our classrooms. It has been a privilege to watch our pupils grow, learn, and explore the world with such enthusiasm.

"Their inquisitiveness, confidence, assertiveness and creativity remind us every day why we do what we do. It is important to remember that education goes way beyond the boundaries of the classroom; it lives in the friendships made, the challenges overcome, and the passions discovered. Mrs Keenan reminds the pupils to keep chasing their dreams, and remember to enjoy every step of the journey. ‘Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí’ is our Emper N.S. motto.”

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Over the years, Mrs Keenan, who also taught in Killoe, Colehill, Tashinny and Kenagh, saw the education landscape change - mostly for the better.

“It is fair to say that there is equal opportunity of education readily available and accessible to every child in the country,” she said.

Speaking of some examples, she offered: “The more from a ‘chalk and talk’ approach to ensuring that the voice of the child is listened to and feeds into the school programmes. The advance of technology which is used to greatly enhance the teaching & learning, the support services that the Department of Education have offered in terms of OIDE, various partnerships like the NPC Partnership Schools Ireland, the Heritage in the Schools’ scheme, Music Generation, the Arts Council add great depth to and compliment the curriculum. The Primary Curriculum Framework emphasises the importance of curriculum integration, inclusive practice, inquiry-based learning and playful pedagogy. It allows for individual school agency and autonomy; identifying and responding to the emerging priorities for children's learning. Schools really benefit from collaboration and networking.”

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Even though she is retiring, Mrs Keenan hopes to still be engaged with education.

“I’ve no immediate plans for the future, but it would be a privilege to remain involved in education going forward,” she said.

If there is one country she would love to visit in the near future, it would be France.

“I just love the French language, the culture, the people. There are so many places to visit; festivals, art and historical museums, variety of landscapes, and of course the French culture is unique.

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Some of the traditions, particularly in the north of France, are very similar to our Irish traditions here, particularly in Brittany.”

If she can offer one piece of advice to someone who wants a career in education, it would be that every day is a learning day - and a day filled with opportunities.

“Try to use a holistic approach to education. It's about catering for the needs of the individual and using the curriculum to build on the skills and the abilities of each individual pupil. Focus on the positives.

Be sincere and prepare well. “He who fails to plan, plans to fail” and remember the importance of collaboration,” Mrs Keenan said.

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