Tributes paid as vice-principal retires after 44 years service
The landmark occasion was celebrated with a lunch at the school for all staff to recognise and thank Liam for his sterling service in numerous roles.
Vice-principal Liam Ó Murchu who is retiring after 44 years pictured with the staff of the school at St Francis College, Rochestown. Included is Marie Ring, principal. Picture: David Creedon
LAST week saw the end of an era at St Francis College, Rochestown as Liam Ó Murchú retired after a remarkable 44 years of service to the school.
The landmark occasion was celebrated with a lunch at the school for all staff to recognise and thank Liam for his sterling service in numerous roles.
Liam Ó Murchú with Stephen Bermingham, Emer Murphy, Eoghan Buckley and Paul O’Reilly, members of the PE department. Liam was the first PE teacher at the school.
Liam started in Rochestown College in 1978 as an Irish and PE teacher.
He was in the vanguard of PE teachers when he qualified from Thomond College in Limerick as it was the first time a course was run to qualify teachers in that discipline.
Teaching staff at St Francis College, Rochestown, in 1978 when Liam Ó Murchú joined the school. Back: Fr Eolan, Adrian Groeger, Liam Ó Murchú, Fr Danjoe, Oliver Mills, Matt O’Dea, Fr Donatus, Jim Morey, Fr Roderick, Colin Cullen, Br Edward, Joe Coughlan. Front: Padraig Lane, Richard O’Neill, Fr Aengus, James Kelleher, vice-principal; Fr Peter, principal; Margaret O’Callaghan, Fr Gilbert, Jack Barrett and Tom O’Flaherty.
It was an auspicious year for Liam as he won a club All-Ireland football championship with Thomond College with teammates including Pat Spillane.
It was also the year he met his future wife Eileen and started teaching at St Francis College.
Liam is synonymous with the school and served as a teacher and Gaelic football coach for 39 years and is well known throughout Cork and Munster GAA circles for his association with second level Colleges GAA.
Neasa Cotter media co-ordinator with Liam Ó Murchú.
He was involved in all grades in the GAA as the school progressed from lower level competitions when the school had smaller numbers through to the current times with the school playing in the Harty and Corn Uí Mhuiri competitions, one of only two schools in Munster to compete in the top grade in both competitions in the same year. Liam’s time in Roco has seen many developments. When he first joined the school it served as a boarding school with day pupils and had many Capuchin fathers on the teaching staff.
Vice-principal Liam Ó Murchú with principal Marie Ring and deputy principals Patrick Croke and David O’Donovan. Picture: David Creedon
The school had lower numbers in the 80s and 90s but has gone from strength to strength in recent decades with an explosion in the school’s popularity.
The school currently has 800 boys and will be getting a state of the art multi-million euro extension in the coming years.
In later years Liam stepped up to a management role as a deputy principal and with his renown work ethic and grá for the college helped give great leadership in recent times as schools countrywide had to navigate the troubled waters of the Covid pandemic.
Past pupils and now teachers with Liam Ó Murchú at the retirement lunch: Fr Silvester O’Flynn, Alan Cadogan, Rónán Lucey, Dave Dillon, Denis McDonnell, Eoin O’Flaherty, Mark Dolan and Eoghan Buckley.
Liam’s contribution was recognised and celebrated on the day with speeches by current principal, Marie Ring; deputy principals Pat Croke and Eamonn Hennessy as well as teacher Deirdre O’Connor also sharing stories and recollections of Liam’s long and distinguished career at the secondary school.
Mr Hennessy said: “It was also remarkable how many past pupils and parents reached out to send messages of congratulations and thanks for all the work that Liam did for generations of Rochestown students and teachers. Go raibh maith agat Liam.”
App?
