The fondness that the community of Portarlington has for Pat Galvin was very much evident on Friday afternoon as he attended his last day of school, bringing to an end a 35-year working career in the town’s boys primary school.
Students, teachers and parents were all on hand in Scoil Phadraig to bid a fond farewell to Mr Galvin, who has retired as principal, a role he filled for the past 15 years.
He had taught in the school for 20 years prior to that, arriving to Portarlington in 1988 from his native Dingle. He went on to make a significant contribution to the town.
“It’s a very emotional day,” said Pat in his address to the large gathering in the school’s hall.
“I could be here for a week telling stories. I’ve had 35 wonderful years and it has been a privilege to lead this school community.
“I remember well leaving Dingle and driving up to Portarlington in my battered Ford Fiesta. The only thing I knew about Portarlington was that it was a place that the train stopped on the way up from Kerry when we were heading to Croke Park to win All Irelands!”
An All Ireland minor football winner with Kerry in 1982, he also won a Kerry senior football championship with West Kerry in 1984.
Though he remains an intensely proud Kerry man, he did transfer to play with Portarlington and won a senior championship with the club in 1995.
His wife Mary (nee Bennett) comes from a staunch Portarlington family and his sons Daragh and Iarlath have played senior with Portarlington while his daughter Eva was a star player on the Laois ladies football team that won last year’s All Ireland intermediate final in Croke Park.
“I could not have come to a better town,” he added in his speech. “I was made to feel so welcome. The people of the town have a huge sense of community and a welcoming nature which would be hard to find anywhere.
“I met my wife Mary shortly after arriving in Port. We have three grown up children who are proud Portarlington and Laois people. However I constantly remind them of their 50% Kerry bloodline!”
Looking back on his time in the school, Pat said that the proudest day was in 2019 when they moved from their old premises on Patrick Street, on the Offaly side of the town, to their beautiful new premises beside Portarlington GAA grounds.
It is home to almost 600 pupils and almost 60 staff.
“One of the most memorable days for me was the day we marched behind the school band as we moved from Patrick Street to Canal Road. The people and business people of the town lined the streets that day in a massive show of goodwill towards our school.”
“As I look back on my time here I am filled with a profound sense of pride and nostalgia,” he added.
“The countless faces of the students who have passed through, the dedicated teachers, SNAs and staff who have worked alongside me and the countless memories of laughter and learning – all of these have made my journey as the principal of Scoil Phadraig truly unforgettable.”
Acting principal Stephen Terry also paid tribute to Pat, saying he always gave him “great help and guidance” and was “a great mentor”.
Mr Terry said that “his generosity with time” was one of “his greatest gifts as a leader”.
“Pat was always open to staff, parents and pupils and it’s amazing what he has done here. This (new school) and the facilities are not by chance. We have the best possible school here for the boys. We have a highly-motivated dedicated staff.
“We were lucky to have Pat here as our principal and we’ll be sad to see him go. The place won’t be the same without him.
“But we know if we continue the way you did, we’ll be fine.”
There was a range of presentations made to Pat on the day, including a framed Kerry jersey, signed by the 2022 All Ireland-winning team, a framed Scoil Phadraig jersey signed by all the members of the Cumann na mBunscol teams, Scoil Phadraig jerseys (with 1988-2023 on the front and O Gealbháin on the back), a framed painting of the new school and a specially crafted ceramic plate with a Kerry crest, a Laois crest, an O’Neill’s football, a tin whistle and a pint of Guinness on it.
There was also numerous references to Pat’s involvement in the staff v students soccer matches, where he invariably got red cards, and a framed photo of him being hoisted shoulder high, Maradona style, with the trophy after one of those games.
And as well as a video tribute from the students, there was also a farewell song.
As they’d say in his native West Kerry, “Ní bheidh a leithéid aris ann.” They won’t see the likes of him again.
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