Former St Brigid’s pupils reunite to celebrate 60th birthdays

IT was a night of fond memories and rekindled friendships, as a group of former St Brigid’s, Omagh, school pupils came together to reunite and celebrate their 60th birthdays at the Omagh Golf Club.

The reunion saw the pupils, who commenced studies together in September 1975, share laughter and long-forgotten stories of the past, as well as catching up on all news from the present.

One of the members told the Ulster Herald that the special event gave all involved the chance to ‘reminisce about teachers, friends, school trips,good memories and antics they got up to in their days in St Brigids’ all of 48 years ago.

“With trepidation in September 1975, these 11-year-old girls came from Gortin, Greencastle, Drumquin, Killyclogher, Fintona, and, of course, Sister Mary’s own girls from the Convent Primary in Omagh to start a new era in their life in St Brigid’s School,” she reflected. “For many, it was the first time they had even seen the school, and they bravely followed the crowd from the bus depot, up the Kevlin Road.

“Those, who were more familiar, came via the ‘chicken run’.

“They had to pass the Christian Brothers School and St Pat’s Boys school.

“Upon arrival, they were greeted by a small, but mighty woman, Mother Stanislaus,” she continued. “This special person was to make a huge impact on all the lives of these girls.

“No-one could silence 600 girls for assembly like she could by just holding up her index finger!

“Even after these girls left St Brigid’s, she remembered their names when she met them, and often arrived at wakes and funerals of many families.”

Sadly, since the ladies last met 20 years ago, they have lost three of their classmates, Linda Brown (née Logue), Geraldine Colgan (née Nixon) and Anne-Marie Mosey (née Armstrong), however these ladies are very much still in the hearts and memories of all in attendance at the recent reunion in Omagh.