President pays tribute to Mercy nuns during Navan schools visit

President Mary McAleese was in Navan on Tuesday of last week where she visited the two St Joseph's Convent of Mercy schools in the town, primary and secondary. At the primary school, the President launched a book marking the centenary of the school on its present site, while at the secondary school she dedicated the library and paid a visit to the school oratory which contains the altar from Aras an Uachtaran. Mrs McAleese was greeted at the primary school by principal, Mary Walsh, and the chairperson of the board of management, Geraldine Honan, and a guard of honour provided by the three senior infants classes and their teachers. After meeting the board of management and parents' association, she visited junior infants who entertained her with song 'Ms Polly Had A Dolly'. The President met groups and viewed projects from fifth and a sixth classes based on the history of the school, with teachers Ms Murphy and Mrs Casey, and also met the team involved in producing the school centenary book, Sr Marie Louise Moore, Sr Peter Daly, Marie O'Dea, Nuala Martin, Mary Hogan and Donal Cantwell. Mrs McAleese also met with Sr Bronagh McKeown, Sr Joan Dunne, Sr Eleanor Murphy from the provincial leadership team of the Mercy Northern Province, and met Mary Walsh's three predecessors as principal, Sr Peter Daly, Sr Marie Louise Moore, and Marie O'Dea. Then, Mrs McAleese met with the rest of the school population when she was introduced to the assembly hall by deputy principal Evania Holian. The school choir performed 'The Dublin Saunter' and the specially composed school anthem 'Here's To You' After addressing the pupils, she was thanked by Geraldine Honan and presented with a souvenir copy of the centenary book. At St Joseph's Secondary School, the President visited the school oratory. The altar here previously stood in Aras an Uachtaran and was donated to the school by the President some years ago, as she wished it to go to the Mercy Order. She then visited the library to dedicate it to the memory of Sr Mary Berchmans Lawlor, principal from 1959 to 1973, who had a special love for English. Sr Berchmans always made sure that there was a well-stocked library in the school and, when she finished her time as principal, she became the school's librarian. She was a principal who valued the uniqueness of each individual and believed that education was much more than simply imparting knowledge; she believed that the whole person should be educated. On arrival at the secondary school, the President was met by principal Vincent Donovan, deputy principal Mary Mulligan, and was formally welcomed by head girls, Karen Crowley and Marie Blaney. Mrs McAleese was then introduced to the board of management. Students lined the corridors and the President visited the music room where the All-School Choir sang a piece. In the oratory, the school's liturgical chant group sang. As she made her way around the school, she took time to speak to students and staff and spoke to the transition year class about their Gaisce awards. The President then met the student council, sports council and the successful St Joseph's hockey teams. Mrs McAleese also met the school's reading group, and homework club, as well as the JCSP students, and members of the local active retirement group who have links with Class 2A4 as part of their CSPE project. In the library, the President was introduced by Sr Monica Loughran, chairperson of the board of management, to student representatives, staff representatives and invited guests. She congratulated the Mercy Order on their work in Navan for the past 157 years. She also encouraged the students to grasp all the possibilities available to them, and congratulated the school on its excellent work. Ann Kelleher, representing CEIST, replied to the President, before the library was officially dedicated.