Sion Mills Primary School bids farewell to beloved principal

SION MILLS Primary School bade a fond farewell last week to their beloved head teacher, Oonagh McNelis as she announced her retirement.

An Eskra native, Mrs McNelis had spent the last eight years of her 40-year career in education as principal of the village school and remarked that she has felt ‘blessed’ to be part of life in Sion Mills.

“I’ve loved every minute of it to be honest,” she said.

“I’ve had an absolutely wonderful time as principal of Sion Mills Primary School. The staff, the children and the community have all been amazing and I absolutely feel truly blessed to have been a part of it all. I hope that I’ve made a difference to their lives as much as they’ve made a difference to mine. I feel it’s now time to pass the baton on to the next generation.”

Mrs McNelis was treated to an – initially somewhat secret – assembly where staff and pupils alike acknowledged her contribution with stories, poems and songs – in particular, ‘We Will Miss You’ in the style of the Queen classic ‘We Will Rock You’.

In recognition of her stature in the running community, Mrs McNelis was then taken outside and invited to run towards a finish line, flanked by the children, to receive a ‘winner’s plaque’ as a final thank you.

Reflecting on the highs and lows of her career in Sion, she commented, “There have been many highs including working with the hugely supportive staff and board of governors who welcomed me with open arms into their midst; that warm welcome cannot be over-valued and made every day in Sion Mills PS a good one.To be honest, the best high I have gotten here is when a child or parent has come to me and said that the school has made a positive impact on their lives, which is what I hope the school will continue to do going forward. One thing I love in particular about Sion Mills is that we have always accepted children from any denomination; religion has never been a barrier to being a pupil here ever since the school was established in the 19th Century. We’re currently seeking integrated status, it’s unfortunate I won’t be principal when it happens, but Sion Mills has always fostered that integration.”

Although not officially retired until the end of August referred to her departure by saying, “For the first time in a long time I’ll be able to take a holiday in September. I’ll also be able to spend more time with my daughters and grandchildren, although I still enjoy running and have signed myself for an event in London; so I won’t be playing granny all the time.”