Touching tributes have been paid to a legendary school principal as he retired after a 40-year career.
Students and staff at Coláiste Rís in Dundalk, Co Louth staged an outdoor – and socially distanced – ceremony to honour Padraig Hamill, the former principal of the school, who stepped down in 2019.
The 150-year-old school – located in the heart of Dundalk – uploaded a touching video yesterday of a ceremony that saw a tree planted in honour of the one-time principal.
Mr Hamill, according to the school, first entered Coláiste Rís as a first-year student over 40 years ago, before departing as principal in 2019.
Plans to celebrate his career were put on hold as Covid-19 gripped Ireland and the world, but last week the mixed-gender institute staged a touching ceremony in his honour.
Footage of the celebration posted on YouTube shows a tree being planted in honour of the Mr Hamill, who spent 28 years as a teacher in the school before taking over as headmaster in 2010.
The Louth native, who has a long association with Geraldines GAA Club in the area, was clearly moved by the tributes he received.
“I’m absolutely bowled over,” he told a gathering of teachers, students and friends.
“The single most important thing about Coláiste Rís for me is the people – our staff and our students,” said the audibly moved Dundalk man.
“I would honestly say that today is one of those brilliant days in my life – I couldn’t ask for better.
“If you gave me a gift of €10,000 to spend on a fabulous holiday, it wouldn’t have moved me as much as what has happened here today.
“So thank you very much – I’m bowled over.”
On social media, tributes poured in from people who’ve known and worked with Mr Hamill down through the decades.
One hailed his “empathy, understanding and support over the years”, while another called him “understanding, approachable, upright and encouraging.”
Another simply called him a “wonderful man.”
