Lord Mayor expressed his delight at returning “home”, addressing the student body and teaching staff, including his former teachers who returned to school for the day
Cork post-primary boys’ school Coláiste Chríost Rí welcomed past pupil and current Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr. Kieran McCarthy to the school for a special tribute event on Tuesday 5th December.
On arrival the Lord Mayor was greeted by the principal Pádraig Mac An Rí and invited to review a number of prize-winning local history projects completed by Junior Cycle students as part of the Cork Schools’ Heritage initiative. The students researched local historical sites, events and people of interest, to build awareness and ensure the preservation of Cork’s rich cultural heritage.
The entire school community gave the Lord Mayor a warm welcome as he addressed the gathering. He spoke with optimism and encouraged all students to embrace the same values that he acquired in Coláiste Chríost Rí as a student. He urged all to strive for personal excellence, to seek out the things in life that most interests each individual student and to care for the most vulnerable in our society, our local community and our planet.
Transition year student, Diarmuid O’Donovan – recent winner of Best Delegate at the “Model United Nations” presented a framed photo to the Lord Mayor as a memento of his time in the school and Padraig Mac An Rí, presented a pen and phone holder, uniquely fashioned from the wood of an old school desk, created onsite by talented craftsman and Woodwork teacher Michael de Faoite. There was also cause for further celebration as the Lord Mayor reminisced with a number of his former teachers including Tony Power, Tom Daly, Frank Mulvihill, Gerry Duggan and Br. Patrick Fitzgibbon, who all stepped out of retirement, coming back to school for his special day.
Principal Pádraig Mac An Rí says, “It was an excellent day and as a school we were delighted to pay tribute to our Lord Mayor Cllr. Kieran McCarthy. He is a proud past pupil, a great advocate for Coláiste Chríost Rí and a consistent supporter of the work that we do here.”