On Friday 3rd April, just as the spring term came to an end, Mrs McInerney, who was both a teacher and a parent in our school, lost her battle with cancer and slipped away. We first got to know Colette as a parent, when she and her family moved to Waterford. Soon after that, she became a colleague, teaching mainstream classes, and in recent years teaching as part of the Special Educational Needs team, where she touched the lives and hearts of many children. Colette had a beautiful smile, and her cheerful and positive nature radiated throughout the school. She was generous with her time, with her teaching resources, with her knowledge and expertise, and even with her lunch! Music was a big part of Mrs McInerney’s life in school – playing the keyboard in Prayers, auditioning and training soloists for the Nativity play, preparing children for the Family Services in the cathedral, leading dance routines for the musical in Garter Lane, and teaching children to play the tin whistle. Her passion and dedication for the education and development of the children in our school was remarkable. When school re-opens, we will be able to celebrate Mrs McInerney’s life and honour her memory together. For now, each of us remembers her, and misses her dearly, as a teacher, a colleague and a friend.
