Amidst all the joy of Christmas dinners, Nativity performances, Nursing home visits and Christmas jumpers, we had an assembly this morning tinged with a little more sadness as we said goodbye to a long-serving member of staff in Mr Seamus Byrne.
Seamus has been the Caretaker of St. Patrick's Primary School for the last 14 years. His official job title was "Building Supervisor," but as Mr McKinley pointed out, Caretaker is a much more appropriate title for a man who showed great care, respect and friendship to all pupils in our school. It appeared to us all that the part of the job Seamus enjoyed most was his interaction with the children, whether it was in Breakfast Club, or as he patrolled the halls throughout the day, or even when he stepped in as Lollipop Man on occasions. He has been a much-loved member of staff, providing all of us with many laughs along the way.
Seamus has had a near lifelong association with all things St. Patrick as he was a pupil himself in Banbrook School before moving with the school to the current site of St. Patrick's Primary School on St. Brigid's Hill. Many will know Seamus from his years as the Sacristan of St. Patrick's Cathedral, a role he felt privileged to hold. His work life then continued, and eventually ended, with us here in St. Patrick's Primary School when he joined us in February 2009. Now, almost 15 years later, we say goodbye to a man we have loved having look after us for all these years.
We wish Seamus a long, happy and healthy retirement, spent with his wife Denise (herself a former member of staff), his children, grandchildren and extended family. The final verse of the poem he was presented with this morning feels like an appropriate way to say goodbye.
"So as he takes his leave, we thank him for his care,
For his friendship and his kindness, for always being there.
We'll miss the sight of the Peugeot, surely now he'll take the bus,
But we offer all our prayers for him and St. Patrick pray for us."
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