Our columnist Frank Brandon on the retirement of Creggs National School’s principal, Sharon Shannon’s recent local concert, and the disappearance of the spare wheel
It’s Wednesday of last week, and I am off to one of the two big events that are taking place in Creggs during the week in question.
Most weeks, things are quiet enough out here. But as they say about the buses – after waiting for ages for one, two of them come along together!
After more than 40 years teaching in the parish – 25 of which were spent as principal of Creggs National School – Ger Dowd is retiring and a Mass to celebrate his career is being held in the school. Fathers Aggar and Adejo are the celebrants, and if proof was ever needed as to how highly thought of Ger is in the community, it was definitely provided; the people turned out in force and the large school hall was filled to capacity.
For those of us who have lived around Creggs all our lives, and who are past (long past in some cases…) pupils of the school, the changes that have taken place there under Ger’s stewardship are bordering on the miraculous.
The old two-roomed building has been transformed into a state-of-the-art modern school, which has, among other things, a hypnotherapy pool, sensory rooms, an astroturf pitch, and the aforementioned large hall, which hosts lots of different types of events.
It is a renowned venue for pupils with special needs. Along with four mainstream classes, it has three special education classes.
As Ger takes his leave of the school where he spent such a large part of his life, I’m sure a great consolation for him is the quality of the staff he is leaving behind. Every single one of them, without exception, is a credit to the school.
There is no doubt that whoever succeeds Ger will have a hard act to follow, but I’m sure they will be well up to the task!
And so on Wednesday, after a beautiful Mass, we had speeches and presentations and all kinds of stuff to show Ger and his family – wife Helen, and children Shane, Ronan, Caoimhe and Ciara – how much we all appreciate them. Everyone wishes Ger and his family well for the future.
As one of the keenest (and best) sportsmen around, I have no doubt Ger will enjoy his retirement. The offer from Duff and myself to try and help him become a better golfer still stands!
Among the highlights was a presentation to Kathleen McDonagh, wife of the great Galway footballing legend Mattie, whom Ger succeeded as school principal.
After the formalities were over, we all tucked into delicious food and other nice things, and after a couple of slices of gorgeous apple tart, along with a bun or two, I decided not to check my sugar level until next Monday or Tuesday…
Anyway, well done Ger! You transformed Creggs National School so much, and in doing so, made a huge difference to the lives of so many people. Your contribution to not only the school, but to the entire community, will never be forgotten. I wish you a long and happy retirement!
Funnily enough, his brother Kieran also retired in the same week, and it is safe to say that he worked similar miracles down in Tarmon, as he had a retirement ‘do’ on Friday as well. I wish Kieran and his family well for the future too.
I am reliably informed that if the weather isn’t suitable for golf, their other brother, Sean, has plenty of jobs lined up for the pair of lads on the farm, so they won’t be idle!
Sharon hits right note in Creggs
As I said earlier, there was another big event taking place in Creggs last week, and that was the Sharon Shannon concert. It was also held in the school hall, this time on Saturday night.
After almost two weeks of extreme heat and sunshine, the rain arrived back with a vengeance during the afternoon and early evening, but thankfully as we approached door opening time at 7 pm, it started to ease up.
By the time the event started at 8 pm, the place was packed, and the show kicked off with a performance by two local girls: Louise Keegan on the keyboard, with vocals by Eve Smith. They did three songs and everyone agreed that the music and the singing was top class. The girls got a tremendous reception from the large crowd.
After that, it was time for the main act, and our recently-retired teacher Ger Dowd, who was the MC on the night, introduced the trio of Sharon, Gerry ‘Banjo’ O’Connor and Alan Connor. For the next two hours or so they treated us to an absolutely fantastic show.
We all know about Sharon and her world-recognised prowess as a musician, but the other two lads are also hugely talented in their own right. The enjoyment all three of them got from their performance was infectious, and there is nothing better than seeing such brilliant artists being so happy at their work.
During the interval, Sharon chatted with loads of people from the audience while successfully selling and signing copies of CDs and books and happily posing for selfies and photos. While all that was going on, we had loads of ticket sellers busily selling tickets for the raffle before the band were back on stage, launching into the second half of the show.
About halfway through that half, to our great delight they invited my late brother Peadar’s grandchildren – Molly, Eanna and Roisin – to join them on stage, and they played a lovely set with them.
In fairness, the children are very good musicians in their own right, but I imagine no matter what they achieve in music, they will never forget the night they played with the great Sharon Shannon!
Again, as with Louise and Eve, they too got a well deserved and hugely enthusiastic reception!
Anyway, the show finished about 10.30 pm, and once again Sharon spent ages talking and posing with members of the audience.
In fairness to her, everyone that wanted anything was accommodated, and it’s no wonder that she is regarded as one of the nicest people in showbusiness.
Looking back on it now, the whole thing was a great success. There was a huge crowd who were treated to a brilliant show, and everyone, audience and performers alike, seemed to thoroughly enjoy it.
When all was done, a few of us managed to get a pint or two in Mikeen’s, and I have to say it was great to meet up with old friends from bygone days. A lot of local folk put in a big effort to get the whole thing over the line, so well done to all of them; to Martina, aided by Mike, who did an amazing job with the sound, to all who supported it by buying tickets for the show, to those who sponsored the raffle prizes, and really to everyone who helped in any way. Could this be the start of having the odd concert regularly in the hall, which Sharon on several occasions said was a beautiful venue? Who knows!
Again, well done to all who had the stage so well decorated and well lit. I told you before, but if you see that Sharon and friends are playing anywhere around the place – especially if you haven’t seen them already – get along to wherever the concert is! You will not be disappointed.
Ger Dowd (second from left), who has just retired as principal of Creggs NS, is a community giant in the area who has contributed to positively on a range of fronts. Ger is pictured at a Disability Awareness Day at Creggs RFC earlier this summer. Photo: Michael Finan
And finally…
Just like the two buses coming together, this week I was contacted by two separate people who wanted me to raise the same topic.
Each of them had recently upgraded their cars to, as they described, very expensive motors, and both were amazed (as was I) to discover that these cars had no spare wheel.
Both of them didn’t find out until they actually had a puncture and found themselves stranded on a country roadside in their brand-spanking-new car! It’s safe to say they were none too happy, and they wondered why the manufacturers deem spare wheels to be superfluous!
The other person must have actually looked in the boot and found out that way, and took the very wise step of looking up breakers’ yards and actually buying a second-hand wheel. Now at least if he breaks down, he won’t be stranded.
The downside is that there is no specified place for the wheel, so he has to leave it loose in the car boot.
He told me that in his new car there is a tiny compressor unit that you plug into the cigarette lighter thing (that’s if there is one of those) so you can pump up your tyre, but that you could have your dinner (and even have cooked it) while it was doing so. He also said there is something like a tube of toothpaste in there as well! What that is for, neither he nor I know, as there was no mention of a toothbrush…
Now I have no idea when it was decided that new cars didn’t need spare wheels, but thankfully my 20-year-old Lexus has its own one. So whatever else might cause me problems, a puncture will not ground me, thankfully!
Anyway, happy motoring to you all!
‘Til next week, bye for now!
