Celebrations for Coláiste BrÍde
By Aideen O'Flaherty
A CELEBRATION marking 50 years since Coláiste Bríde moved to its current location on the New Road was held in the school on Thursday, where staff and students took part in a variety of activities, and past pupils spoke about their memories of going to school in the old school building.
The 50th anniversary of the school moving from the convent into a building in its current location also coincided with the school’s annual Presentation Day, which celebrates the work of Nano Nagle, who was both the founder of the school and of the Presentation Sisters.
he Presentation Sisters meet Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo
The school’s population has grown substantially since it was moved from the convent to the New Road 50 years ago, when the students carried their desks over to the new school from the convent.
The celebration consisted of a number of lively events, including a dance performance from the male teaching staff, and a performance from the school choir.
Two past principals Sr Margarita and Sr Rosario were also in attendance, while the papal nuncio was a special guest during the festivities.
Louise Ronan, the deputy principal of Coláiste Bríde, told The Echo: “The students were key to everything, and they were phenomenal – their behaviour was impeccable.
“It was a very collaborative event, a team of teachers worked around the clock to pull it off.”
A cake, which was baked by a member of the school’s teaching staff, featured a display of Nano Nagle teaching in the location of the first school she founded on Cove Lane, sitting on a chair with a lantern beside her, and four students sitting around her with books in their hands.
Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo is greeted by the students from Coláiste Bríde
Ms Ronan added: “We reiterated the core values of our school, which are about what we want to see in the world.
“Presentation Day is a fabulous day in our calendar year, and it’s about the girls, and also about the Presentation Sisters coming to provide education to people in Clondalkin.
“They were powerful, strong women.”
Reflecting on how the day went, Ms Ronan said: “We’re so proud of our girls, and we’re so proud of the community spirit in Clondalkin, and that the teachers gave [so much to make it such a successful day].”
