Junior Infant’s Artwork

The Junior Infants have been very busy coming up to Christmas! Their amazing artwork is on display by the school office.

4th Class Stars

4th class worked very hard on these superb pieces of art. They are on display in one of our corridors for the whole school to see!

Super Outdoor Performance by the Barrack Street Band

Nespresso machine one of our brilliant prizes donated to us by Irwin’s Pharmacy.

More amazing prizes for our raffle!

Christmas Raffle!!

It’s that time of year again where we have our wonderful Christmas Raffle! Take a look at our lovely hampers and prizes up for grabs this year. Tickets will be €2 for a strip and €5 for 3 strips on sale next week. The draw will take place next Friday the 18th of December.

1st and 2nd Class Artwork

The first and second classes have been very busy and creative setting up winter art displays in the corridors and classrooms.

Ms Long, our new principal visited our school. She met some of the Junior Infants. She is looking forward to joining us in our school on the 6th of January.

Advent is time of preparation and waiting for the birth of Jesus.

The candles on the Advent wreath symbolize hope, love, joy and peace.

A candle is lit every Sunday for the month of Advent until Christmas Day.

The Cork City Hospitals Children’s Club are having a fundraiser on the 11th of December. Please see image all the details if you would like to take part!

Going forward, we will be using the email address: tgnsoffice@tgns.ie

Please use this if you wish to make contact with the school via email. Thank you!

Wishing all of our students and their families a happy and safe midterm break.

Remembering some spooky celebrations from the past and present.

Sometimes we dress up for other occasions too. Have a look at some of these pictures from the past.

…..only some of the many fun times we got to dress up for lots of great reasons.

Dear students, staff and parents/guardians,

It is with lots of amazing and happy memories that I say the fondest of farewells to each and every one of you as Principal of Scoil an Athar Matiiú, Togher GNS. 

Words could not express how much I have enjoyed being part of this school community. I have taught many and been taught by many here for 36 wonderful years. It is all about the people and the relationships. I have met amazing staff, students, parents and guardians in this community. People I grew to respect, trust and be very much the better person for knowing. It was such  a fortunate day for me when, Bn Eibhlís Uí Shuilleabháin,  gave me the opportunity to become a permanent member of staff in Togher GNS back in 1985. I will be forever grateful for that gift she bestowed upon me. 

There is a season ….to retire. Some have asked me why I am retiring. I think I have done the best I can here for the last 36 yrs, the last 8 years as Principal. I think it is time to know that someone else with fresh ideas, new energy for the job, new perspectives will be great for the next chapter in the history of this school. My own family is grown up now (will always be my babies) and beginning new chapters in their own lives. I suppose I want the freedom to be part of their new beginnings too. There are adventures out there that I would like to experience and the freedom to try too. I suppose there is no definite answer but I just know this is my time to retire.

I know my roots have always been here, as I am the third generation of women in my family who have been connected with Togher GNS. My  grandmother and mother both attended Togher GNS and I was fortunate enough to spend my working career here. My own two daughters were the fortunate fourth generation to attend our school. I also believe the encouragement and support I got growing up in this neighbourhood has made me who I am, blessed with parents who believed the world was ours to make of it what we could, with good choices and lots of hard work.

Togher is a great community. There is a heart here and a sense of community that grows in richness yearly. In my lifetime it has grown from a very small, rather rural area of Cork to a vast suburb but always connecting those living here with a sense of belonging and community. May this sense of place and the people always be at the heart of Togher.

Togher GNS is a very special school. The education of the children, academically, socially and personally, is always to the forefront of this school. Every decision, every plan and every interaction puts the wellbeing of the girls first. ‘An Páiste Croí-lár na Scoile’ is not just a ‘wordy’ motto for us, it is a way to live in this school community.

I would just like to finish my letter to you by saying ‘thank you’ to all I have met throughout the years as amazing parents and guardians of our students. To the many wonderful members of staff I have worked with, it has been a privilege to co-work with you all. To the many students I have taught, I know there may have been times when you did not agree with me on certain things (especially discipline) but I hope your memories of school are full of great positive thoughts, friendships, aspirations, revelations about yourself  and learning.It was a privilege to teach each one of you. To the present school community, even though we are challenged with all that this pandemic is sending our way, your return to school with the positivity, hope and joy of being back together. It has been inspirational and a true reflection of the resilience and commitment of each of you to the school and to each other. This is what makes this school community a very special place.

Finally, I wish my successor all the happiness I have experienced in this school community. As soon as it is known to us, we will let our community know who has been appointed as the new Principal. I will retire on 23rd October. I know I will miss you all greatly but happy knowing that you will all continue to work together and support each other, as it is the people and the relationships that make a great school. I know your new Principal will receive a warm Togher welcome and lots of support in their role.

Wishing you all happiness in the future and keep yourselves safe,

Kindest regards,

Karen Bn Uí Shuilleabháin.

Thanks to the L’Arche Community for giving us these gifts for our school. They will really brighten our days. Looking forward to lots more fairies joining us!

Michalina’s Project on Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Great News – Training at The Barrs is back. All welcome.

A special booklet from Fr. Ben for our Confirmation Candidates and their families.