Hard knocks, fun times and vital lessons in the vocational school

I remain firmly rooted to the concept of vocational education, both for the brightest and intellectually endowed students, but also for the people who need and deserve that vital second chance in life. In my Macra na Feirme years Mountbellew Vocational School and its many teachers, in particular Peggy Mannion of Clonberne, formerly Peggy Crehan of Newbridge, provided great help and many an agenda was typed and photocopies made for a multiplicity of activities that Macra organised in Galway back in the 1960s. For myself I can only say that my life was enriched by my attendance at St Jarlathâ€â„¢s VS, Mountbellew, and thankfully so many of the lads and girls that made up the class of 1957/58 are still around and in good health. I couldnâ€â„¢t conclude any article on Mountbellew Vocational School without paying tribute to another great warrior of vocational education in the person of former Principal Mattie Kilroy who was instrumental in expanding the role of vocational education, not alone in the academic boundaries of the school itself, but by his active participation in rural development activities in countless projects across several parishes over many decades which will be remembered for years to come. As has happened down through the years, vocational education has had to re-invent itself to meet current and future educational demands and this baton has landed on the lap of a new young energetic principal in the person of Ann Marie Carroll from Ballygar. There is a new buzz nowadays around and about the Vocational School in Mountbellew and if one is to judge by the reaction of both parents and students, Coláiste an Chreagáin, as it is now known, will have a very bright future indeed. Paul Connaughton was a TD for East Galway for over 30 years and was a Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture from 1982 to 1987. [/private]