Nostalgia and anecdotes from yesteryear took centre stage in north Longford on the weekend of July 30 and 31 as past pupils from Fardromin National School in Ballinamuck held a long awaited school reunion. We hope you enjoy this selection of photographs captured by Shelley Corcoran and don't forget to tag and share with your friends! READ MORE BELOW PHOTO Over the course of two days, former students from the former first level educational facility, held a number of events as old friendships were renewed and long standing memories re-explored. The highlight was arguably the launch of a special commemorative book in Ballinamuck's ’98 Hall by accaimed writer John Connell. “The whole weekend was just amazing,” said an enthused committee member Catherine Carthy. “We are all still waking up from it all to be honest. “I don't know how many people came in the end, but it was so well supported and couldn''t have gone any better.” Located in the townland of Fardromin, Ballinamuck, and near the Co Leitrim border, the school opened in 1878 and closed in 1968, with students then amalgamating with Drumlish N.S. Preparations for last weekend's eagerly awaited reunion began a year and a half ago after much goading and encouragement from local lady and past pupil Cissie Bohan. Thanks to her can do approach alongside fellow past pupil Fergus Gorman, the pair reached out to other past pupils to determine what appetite, if any, there was for a reunion to be held. Down Memory Lane | Longford students step out in style for their graduation ball in 2006 Down Memory Lane | A gallery of beautiful pictures from Longford Leader archive of 2006 Granard Show Down Memory Lane | A lovely gallery of pictures from 2006 Longford Show and Country Fair The response, as Catherine outlined, was as immediate as it was profuse. “I saw an advert which was in the Leader and it kind of went from there,” she said. “We started around January 2021 in lockdown and had our first socially distanced meeting in a car park during
PICTURES | Longford folk reel in the years and anecdotes from yesteryear take centre stage at Fardromin NS reunion
Caption: John Connell, Mary Carleton Reynolds and Editor of book Fergus Gorman Picture: Shelley Corcoran
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Caption: Cousins; James Whitney, Hugh Donnelly, Mary Keogh, James and Áine Donnelly, Annie Whitney, Breege and Mary Chapman, Kathleen Donnelly, Kathleen Whitney and Tony Donohoe Picture: Shelley Corcoran
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Down Memory Lane | Lovely gallery of photos from big Longford Association in Dublin celebration a decade ago Down Memory Lane | Stylish gala ball to mark St Mel’s College, Longford 150th anniversary celebration Down Memory Lane | Gallery of pictorial gems from 2007 Longford Rose and St Mel's College 1987 All-Ireland winning team reunion Caption: Committee: Aidan Kelleher, Elizabeth Moore, Sean Lennon, Fergus Gorman, Cissey Gorman Bohan, Elicha Crosby, Cathy Carthy and Lillian Walsh Picture: Shelley Corcoran
