45 Years of Dedicated Service

One of the school’s most loved and respected members of staff Mrs Mary Treanor  retired in April. She had given over 45 years of dedicated service to St Colman’s Abbey Primary School

As the longest serving member of staff to date she was quite simply an institution in her own right. At a retirement function held in the Canal Court Hotel attended  by many retired colleagues  Mr Sweeney paid a glowing tribute to Mrs Treanor .

He said that the late Brother Mc Quillan made no error of judgement when he employed the 17 year old Mary Murphy as school secretary on the 1^st July 1970.  From then on Mrs Treanor had survived five changes of principal and numerous changes of educational reform. Her job had evolved from banging out letters on the manual typewriter to the sophisticated technological wizardry of Financial Management of schools, SIMS and NISTR.

Mrs Treanor's personal qualities needed no embellishment as the office had always been a haven of calm, efficient industry whilst providing support to each and every member of staff. No task was too much trouble – the typing, the phone calls, the time sheets, the files, the requisition and the data. She knew how to deal with the worried parent, the upset child, the traumatised teacher and the invasive ETI.

And of course Mrs Treanor had a close connection with the Christian Brothers, and the ethos of the school’s founder Blessed Edmund Rice was one that she cherished and lived. Everyone recalled with pride when Mrs Treanor was entrusted with his relic following the departure of the Christian Brothers from Newry.  This was an honour that Mrs Treanor truly deserved through selfless dedication not only to school but the wider community.

 As Blessed Edmund Rice said, ‘Were you to know the merit and value of only going from one street to another to serve a neighbour for the love of God, we should prize it more than silver and gold.’

This is how Mrs Treanor lives her life with countless acts of kindness to neighbours, family, friends and staff past and present.

Mrs Treanor exemplified the ideal that a school is more than the acquisition of academic success, it is a community where values are actively lived.

Recalling that this was a bittersweet occasion Mr Sweeney on behalf of all retired staff and present staff  wished  Mrs Treanor health and happiness in the years ahead. Her colleagues and all the boys on whom she showered warm smiles and kind words would feel her loss.

Mr Sweeney finished by reminding all present that Mrs Treanor had been an integral part of the Christian Brothers’ legacy in Newry and her contribution would always be remembered. He hoped that her memories would be the memories of all present:

A happy staff

Warm Smiles

Kind Words

Adults and children respected and respectful

Genuine treasured friendships

Wishing Mrs Treanor  a well earned rest he added…

Go neiri an t-adh leat agus Fad saol agat