This community and this part of Cavan are heirs to a long tradition of education. We owe this tradition to the Sisters of St Clare who first came to Ballyjamesduff in 1872. Bishop Conaty had asked them to found a primary school and they did so shortly after they came. Almost a century later, in 1962, another bishop of Kilmore, Bishop Quinn, asked the sisters to found a secondary school and once again they answered the call. In that same year the Department of Education gave permission for a secondary school and Sr Bonaventure, who happily is with us today, set about the task of establishing a school and became the first Principal.

From those small beginnings the school grew, became co-educational some years later, and expanded its curriculum and facilities to include a comprehensive range of subjects. Eventually the growing numbers of pupils could no longer be accommodated in prefabs and in 1976 approval was obtained from the department of education to build a new school on a green field site provided generously by the sisters.

The new school opened in 1982. By then Sr Patricia had succeeded Sr Bonaventure as Principal and she led the school in this new phase of its development. Another important development at this time was the transfer of the school into the patronage of the diocese of Kilmore. The school continued to flourish under the leadership of its first lay principal Michael O’Callaghan who took over the reins in 1987. He was succeeded by Alaqoque O’Reilly in 2002, who in turn was succeeded by the current principal Mr Sean Fegan.  Today St Clare’s is one of the larger schools in the county with more than 400 pupils and is once more opening a new extension to cater for the continuing growth of its student body.

I congratulate all those involved in this new extension, but especially the current Board of Management under the chairmanship of Fr Kelleher. I congratulate the Principal, Mr Fagan and his staff. The spectacular growth of the school in the past ten years is in no small part due to the leadership and energy of Mr Fagan and the dedication and professionalism of his staff. I think this is the 5th phase of the building programme that has been going on for the past 10 years to cater for the ever increasing number of students.

The school carries on the spirit of service and care that has always been central to its ethos as a Catholic school rooted in the tradition and spirituality of St Francis and St Clare. Faith in God and in Christ is central to its philosophy of life. The teaching and values of Christ permeate everything it does. The school is not just a facility delivering educational outcomes. It is a community of people who share the gifts of the Spirit that they have received for the good of everybody. St Paul says in the second reading:

 

 

Some of the gifts St Paul mentions are very important in the life of a school – obviously the gift of teaching, which is found in abundance here, but also less specialised gifts – the gift of serving, encouraging, the gift of a generous spirit. There are lots of others, but I love the last one, even if I don’t always exemplify it – the gift of being cheerful. That is so important on a cold, grey day in January!

 

I have experienced the Ethos of St Clare’s for myself on my visits there. I have seen it in the warm welcome and hospitality that is so characteristic of the school. I have seen it in the preparation and participation by staff and students in the prayer and worship that I have taken part in. I have seen it in the professionalism and dedication of the staff, in the spirit of care for every student and especially for those most in need of care and support. I have seen it in the excellence of the students’ achievements, whether those achievements were academic, artistic, sporting or religious. I have seen it above all in the good relationships in the school community, the relaxed atmosphere and mutual respect and that are the acid test of any school ethos.

Today is a day for celebration and thanksgiving. We celebrate the wonderful achievements of St Clare’s College over the last half century. We thank God for the brave sisters who founded this school in difficult times. We thank God also for the generosity and talents of successive Boards of Management who have steered this school successfully over the past 50 years. You have done this on a voluntary basis and in doing so you have shown great generosity and real leadership as members of this community. We thank God for the priests in this area who have been involved with the school, both as members of the Board of Management and providers of pastoral care.  We thank God for the gifts of our teachers and staff down the years and for the Principals and Vice Principals past and present for your leadership. Your dedication and commitment, and that of your staffs, have made this school what it is. You have reason to be enormously proud of what you have achieved – in academic excellence, pastoral care, in sports and above all in the character and quality of the pupils you have formed. We thank God today also for the support of the Department of Education in funding this school. That funding has been generous and is greatly appreciated. However, it is never enough to meet the needs of a growing school. And so enormous credit must go to the parents and people of this community who have been a tower of strength in supporting the school over the years and who have raised a huge amount of funds to meet its needs.

The final word goes to the students. Schools are first and last about students. The past students of St Clare’s now number thousands. They are scattered far and wide, at home and abroad. They are found in all walks of life. Their alma mater can be justly proud of them. The present students have inherited a great tradition and are building on it and making their own unique contribution to it. You enjoy new facilities and technologies that earlier generations couldn’t have dreamed of. You also face new challenges and I am confident that, like your predecessors, you will meet those challenges and pioneer new achievements.

In today’s Gospel Jesus said: “You are the light of the world”. St Clare’s College has been a shining light of knowledge and learning for 50 years. My prayer today is that St Clare’s will continue to light the way for our young people to maturity, that it will flourish and to be a vibrant and valuable centre of learning and care at the heart of this community in the future as it has been in the past. Go mairfidh sibh an gcéad.