Muriel Wall-Coughlan has made an incredible contribution to education – and her remarkable 51-year teaching career was celebrated in Scoil Bhride in Knockmay today as she officially retired as school principal.
Having started working way back in 1973, she has worked right up until she can legally work no more.
Qualified at a young age, Muriel began teaching in her native Castletown initially before moving to the new Knockmay school in Portlaoise in 1986, which was then based on Church Avenue in the town.
There were just five staff in the school at that time; today it has 72 staff and over 750 pupils, the biggest in Portlaoise.
She has worked as a teacher, as deputy principal and as principal in the school and she was given an emotional send off today by the school community – students, past and present staff, parents and members of the Board of Management.
She became deputy principal in 2008 and principal in 2012, when she took over from the late Ted Laffey. Indeed there have been only three principals of the school in its history – Rita McNamara being the first, who Muriel worked under in those early years.
“When I started here in 1986, all I had as a teacher was a piece of chalk and my voice,” she said in her speech in the school hall.
Today the event to mark her retirement was being streamed live and watched by two of her three children overseas, as well as by the remainder of the school body back in their classrooms.
“I’ve been here for two openings – 1986 and 2017 – and I want to thank everyone who helped me along the way. They have always been happy years.
“I want to thank the students, staff, parents and grandparents.”
The many tributes from her colleagues were heartfelt. “You commanded respect and you encouraged hard work,” said Deirdre Fleming who added that Muriel recovered from a serious health setback “with increased enthusiasm and vigour” and that she was “an excellent communicator” who displayed great vision.
“You supported all the staff at all times,” she added. Michael McEvoy said that she “was at the forefront of everything that has happened in this school”. “You had many talents and qualities,” he added. “You were calm, confident, assured and a wonderful organiser.”
Eimear Cleary said she was “most approachable and supportive” while Niamh Clancy praised her “openness, teamwork and respect”.
In his address, deputy principal John Fennell calculated that she had taught over 1,400 pupils during her time in the school and acknowledged her “resilience”, “teak toughness” and “decisiveness”.
“Thank you for the huge part of your life you have devoted to this school.”
Niall Kavanagh, chairman of the Board of Management and whose own four children had attended the school, also addressed the gathering as did Elaine Duff, who is the new chairperson of the Parents Council and a past pupil herself.
With an array of musical performances, there were also tributes to Muriel from two of the students – Joy Mayula and Blazej Bera – and a number of presentations.
“Best wishes for the next chapter,” read a video message from the students, “may it be filled with joy and relaxation”.
After a career of that length – and one that has touched on so many lives – it is most certainly deserved.
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