By 
HOW good does a school have to be for former pupils to willingly return and help out? That question was answered last Thursday at Sacred Heart College, where nine former pupils were back in the building… this time as members of staff.
Some are only recently out of education themselves, while others were pupils during the early years following the amalgamation of St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s.
All were drawn back by the same sense of connection.
Eamon McMahon, one of the first year groups at Sacred Heart College, returned after years of working with young people.
“I was here from 2003 to 2008 as a pupil, so I’ve been around the place a long time,” he said.
“Some of the teachers who taught me have since left, but there are still familiar faces like Mr McKenna in geography, Mr Devine, Mr Deehan in technology and Mr Kerr in science. I came back over a decade ago as a classroom assistant because I was already working with young people through Omagh St Enda’s and the youth club.”
Parnell Scott, the most recent member of staff, said Sacred Heart College played a key role in shaping his career path.
He said encouragement from teachers in music and drama pushed him towards further study and added that he hopes to help current pupils develop their own drama skills.
“I started in 2006, left in 2013… and my interest in acting really started here. I didn’t know what I wanted to do at the time, but being involved in the end-of-year show gave me a taste for it.”
Former pupil Chloe Gormley said returning as staff offered a new perspective.
“You definitely see things differently from the staff side,” she said. “As a student, you think the world is against you – but the teachers were great,” she laughed.
“You appreciate how much goes on behind the scenes and how much staff are trying to do for the students.”
Sarah O’Brien summed up the experience, saying the number of former pupils now working at the school spoke volumes.
“All of us were pupils here at different times and have now come back as staff,” she said.
“That says a lot about the impact Sacred Heart College has had on us growing up.”
