Local Faces: Breeda Bonner

This week’s subject is born, bred and buttered Clondalkin, by Ken Doyle.

Erstwhile Clondalkin based teacher, school principal, Councillor and an awful lot more besides, Breeda Bonner has been doing her bit and then some for Dublin 22 for more years than she’d care to remember.

We were delighted to have a chat with her on the eve of her latest local passion project, Clondalkin’s St Brigid’s festival.

More of that anon, but Breda will tell us about her early years. Unsurprisingly, Clondalkin features heavily.

“I always say I’m true Clondalkin but my family has roots in Wicklow and Donegal so my friends say I’m not part of the club,” she laughs.

“My family moved to Clondalkin in the late 50s and in 1962 I was born, at home, so I consider myself a true Clondalkin-ite even if my pals don’t!”

“I remember growing up in the area was quite idyllic. You’d get together with your friends in the morning and go off walking. Who knows where, could be Lucan, could be Tallaght and these were all country walks. You’d come home when it was dark, have your dinner and do it all again the next day.”

“I went to school at Scoil Mhuire and then Scoil Íde. Even at school, I knew my career path because I wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember.”

So it was that Breeda emerged from St Pat’s some years later with all of her qualifications. All she needed now was to find a school to employ her.

Breeda Bonner tells us about the upcoming St Brigid’s Festival

Breeda, being Breeda found a home for her talents soon enough, in St Bernadette’s, a new school in Quarryvale. And you don’t need me to tell you – that’s in, ahem, well, Clondalkin.

“At that time in the early 80s, Quarryvale was seriously underdeveloped. It seemed like people were chucked into the area from all over the place and there were no facilities for the residents whatsoever. I’m delighted to say that this changed over time, but we had some testing times in the early days.”

“I became Principal in 1997 and although the job came with a huge amount of new challenges I absolutely loved it. As Principal you have to wear many hats as you’re involved in every aspect of the running of the school. My ethos was always the same though, from the day I started my teaching career, the most important thing is that the kids get the best education possible.”

After twenty years as Principal of St Bernadette’s, Breeda decided to retire from teaching to possibly do something else. Politics wasn’t necessarily the dream, but as Breeda will tell us, it was quite a natural step.

“My grandfather was James Everett, a TD in Wicklow as was my uncle Liam Kavanagh, so I’ve been a member of the Labour Party all my life.”

“I started just helping out with various things for Robert Dowds, our local Labour councillor and then when Robert was elected to the Dáil, I was co-opted into the role and I spent eight happy years as a councillor in Clondalkin.”

I’d struggle to list Breeda’s achievements in the area but they include playing a major part in the establishment of Clondalkin Tidy Towns (naturally she’s still very much involved and considers this possibly her finest hour locally), and the Round Tower Centre, starting the first ladies Gaelic Football team in Round Towers, and now of course, being a leading force for the St Brigid’s Festival.

Organisation of the festival itself is led by the formidable Caitríona Leavy who Breeda compares to St Brigid herself!

Breeda Bonner is a former councillor and school principal

“It was natural that I got involved because I’ve been visiting St Brigid’s Well since I was a child and when I taught, I always made sure that the students got a chance to visit and learn about it.”

“We will be doing the traditional walk from town and all the things we normally do, but the programme for the weekend has blossomed into a really spectacular, entertaining and spiritual event.”

“For example, last year, we had the Mummers of Fingal perform for us and they were great so Caitríona and I thought we could form our own Mummers troupe. So we did. We’re called Cleanairí Chluain Dolcain and I’d like to thank Damien in the Laurels for giving us the space to make our costumes.”

“We’ve got so many musical guests and craft groups and various other attractions coming to join us. It’s going to be a wonderful few days and we’re already planning even more for next year’s event.”

Breeda speaks with huge affection and appreciation for all of the people who are coming together for the Festival and will ensure a warm welcome for anyone who comes along to the proceedings.

As our conversation concludes, Breeda puts an important date in my diary. The festival will be covered in the bilingual TV programme Na Féilte Tine. Imbolg on RTE 1 TV on Bank Holiday Monday, February 3 after the 6 one news. It will be really worth watching she assures me.

It’s safe to say that as long as Breeda’s going, she’ll be working to make Clondalkin an even better place, retirement or not. Her enthusiasm and affection for the place is infectious.

“The St Brigid’s Festival will be a reflection of that and I urge you not to miss it.