Mayo school pays tribute following passing of former principal

OUR Lady's Secondary School in Belmullet has paid tribute to its former Principal, Sr Canice Burns who died on Sunday.

Sr Canice served as principal of Our Lady's Secondary School for a total of 18 years having been first appointed to the post in 1960. She continued as principal until 1969 and returned in 1972 and managed the school until she retired to the Convent in Ballycastle in 1981.

A Mercy Sister, Sr Canice was born in Belmullet, the daughter of Mary Anne and William Burns, who served as Superintendent, and was educated at the Ursuline Convent in Sligo. She qualified as a secondary school teacher at Sion Hill Training College in Dublin and began her teaching career as a domestic science teacher.

When she took over as principal in Belmullet, she had a teaching staff of seven catering for 150 pupils and upon her retirement, there were 22 teachers and 360 pupils.

While she retired as principal, Sr Canice continued to dedicate her life to education and supported Our Lady's by voluntarily teaching art classes and by providing learning support classes until 2005.

In 2015, she was given the honour alongside An Taoiseach Enda Kenny to officially open the newly renovated Our Lady's school building.

In a message on the school's Facebook page, Our Lady's Secondary School expressed sympathy to Sr Canice's family and colleagues for her service to education in Belmullet.

“Today, we share the sad news of the passing of our former principal, Sr Canice Burns. We thank her for her dedication and her leadership which has benefited our school and community. We send our deepest condolences to her brother Liam and her nieces, nephews and extended family members. We also extend our sympathies to the Sisters of Mercy and her many colleagues and friends in Árd Bhríde in Castlebar. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam,” the post read.

Sr Canice will lie in repose at McGowan’s Funeral Home, Ballina, this evening, Tuesday, June 25 from 6pm with removal at 7.30pm to St Patrick’s Church, Ballina arriving at 8pm.

Funeral Mass on Wednesday, June 26 at 11.30am in St Patrick’s Church, Ballina, followed by burial in the Convent Cemetery, Ballina.