Trevor Quinn
Oliver Feeley has retired from the position of Deputy Principal in St Nathy’s College, Ballaghaderreen, after 34 years’ service at the school. He was appointed Deputy Principal in 1998 and held that position until his retirement on November 6 last.
Mr Feeley worked at St Nathy’s from August 1977 and gave many years of dedicated service to the school. Throughout his teaching career he taught many different subjects, including English, mathematics, Irish, history, geography, religion and Latin, and witnessed some vast changes.
Speaking to The Mayo News, Mr Feeley said: “I have many happy memories … I loved teaching all of my subjects, but teaching Leaving Certificate Maths gave me the most satisfaction. I always had a great interest in Maths, and I still am very interested in it.”
Mr Feeley, who also worked as Gaelic football coach, said that the school’s successful capture of the All Ireland Colleges B Title in 2000 was another personal highlight.
Another highlight was former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and his Cabinet’s visit to the school in January 2000. That occasion was the first time the Cabinet had ever met outside of Dublin. The meeting was held as an Information Seminar which focused on aspects of the National Development Plan. “That visit by the Cabinet was very historic and significant for the school,” Mr Feeley said.
Oliver Feeley was also a student at the school in the late 1960s and early ’70s, and he has witnesses big changes in the school, which moved from being a Diocesan Boarding School to a thriving co-educational school catering for over 600 students.
Speaking about his plans for retirement, Mr Feeley said he will take some weeks off in the run up to Christmas before deciding on his next course of action. He hinted that after this sabbatical there may be some options in the mathematics area that he would be willing to consider.
