A typical Kilcullen community occasion

Calling up a parent and asking them to bring in two tons of topsoil isn't written in the job profile of your average National School principal.



But that was one of the examples from her typical day quoted by Marion Sherlock, the current holder of that position at St Joseph's NS in Halverstown. She was speaking at the recent Gala Night of Kilcullen Drama Group's production of 'The Beauty Queen of Leenane'.

She thanked all those involved in the evening, the proceeds of which were earmarked for the school, famous locally for its small size and with just 28 pupils on the current roll. Famous also for the quality of its education, not least because of how older children help to teach the younger ones as they come along.

"When people ask me how many parents are involved, I say all of them," Marion said. "If I find someone has a talent that I can use in the school, I'll call on them sooner or later. Maybe they'll be sorry I ever found out what they can contribute, but the reason we have such beautiful children in the school is because they come from such beautiful families."



Bernard Berney, on behalf of the Drama Group, referred to the current difficult times and suggested that an occasion where one small group in a community helped another small one was even more essential now.

"It has always been the purpose of the Kilcullen Drama Group to try and be something else than a collection of eejits who love to expose themselves on stage," he said. "And the way we do that is by being involved in something like tonight."

He recalled some of the people previously involved with the school, including Fr Joseph Furlong. As parish priest in the 50s he had pushed to set the school up when he saw that a significant number of children, in the days before school buses, had to make their way on foot the several miles to and from Kilcullen NS.

"He came to the conclusion that this wasn't right, and in his own inimitable fashion he harassed the County Council and relevant Government ministers, and the Board of Works. As a result, the school was established in 1959 and the community of Kilcullen has been reaping the benefits ever since."

Mrs Margaret Kevitt, better known as Peg Touhy, served as the school's first principal for 36 years. "Sometimes there were nine pupils in the school, other times there were 30," Bernard said, "but for all those years she was the one who made it survive. She was a wonderful and gifted woman who laid a very solid foundation for today's school."

He said that Halverstown seemed to 'attract very special people' as teachers, noting in particular Mary O'Mahony and Esther Reddy who had also served as principals. "Others who played their part were Nuala Collins before she got 'demoted' to Kilcullen, Marion Brennan from Old Kilcullen, Carmel Browne, and Mary Domican who has been working with the school for a long time."

Bernard also acknowledged the 'myriad' of other people who had made the school what it is, including the key involvement of the 'O'Neills of The Shoulder', the family who donated the land and without whom the school wouldn't exist at all.

"The school has had a roll of pupils from 1959, the names of whom represent honourable and beautiful people," he said. "They are people who have contributed handsomely to the community of Halverstown, and many of them have also reached out, and helped, the people of Kilcullen."



Peg Touhy was spared blushes because she arrived after Bernard's paean of praise for her and her successors. But once she had been brought up to say her own words of thanks for the occasion that was in it, the moment seemed just right to call everyone in for the performance of 'Beauty Queen', another example of local talent and commitment.

Once again, it was a typical Kilcullen community occasion. A community blessed in being able to have so many of them. And I'm long enough here to be entitled to say that.

Brian Byrne.


All the pictures here.