Pictured: Tony O'Grady, Fr Michael Wall, Professor Eugene Wall, Dr Anne O'Byrne and Seán de Brún, who are all scheduled to retire from MIC this academic year. Not pictured: Dr Úna Bromell, Dr Noreen O'Loughlin, Brendan Barry, Jane Griffin, Dr Finn Ó Murchú, Bernie Bergin.
Eleven Mary Immaculate College (MIC) staff members were thanked for their contribution and service to the College over a combined two hundred and sixty-nine years at MIC!
Professor Eugene Wall, President of MIC and Séan de Brún, Head of Department of Language and Literacy Education at MIC, both leave the College with just shy of 44 years' service, each having joined the College on 1 September 1980.
Dr Úna Bromell, Lecturer in MIC's Department of History, specialising in American History, retires after 26 years at the College.
Tony O'Grady and Dr Noreen O'Loughlin both retire with a quarter century of service to the College. Dr O'Loughlin was a Lecturer in Mathematics Education and Tony worked as an Analyst Programmer with MIC's ICT Department.
Brendan Barry and Dr Anne O'Byrne both began working at MIC on 1 September 2000 and their retirement was celebrated just shy of 24 years on from that date.
Fr Michael Wall took up a full time position with the College a month later, on 1 October 2000, and he retires as Chaplain and Lecturer in the Department of Theology & Religious Studies.
Jane Griffin, Computer Lab Assistant, retires from the College after 19 years.
Bernie Bergin, Clerical Officer at MIC Thurles, joined the College shortly after the incorporation of St Patrick's College and retires just short of eight years later.
Dr Finn Ó Murchú, Head of School at MIC Thurles, also retires after nearly eight years at the helm of the Thurles campus.
Addressing staff, Professor Wall thanked the retirees for their hard work and dedication to the College during their time at MIC. He said: "The high quality and high standard of dedicated service provided by you all, down through the years, has contributed to the College's excellent reputation. You should be very proud of your achievements and the very positive impact you have made during your career at MIC.
"I would like you all to know that you are held in very high regard by all of those who had the pleasure of working and interacting with you. I wish to thank you most sincerely for your outstanding service to the College community. You will be missed."
Also speaking was Professor Niamh Hourigan, who congratulated all of the retiring staff members but in particular paid tribute to Professor Wall, saying: "I want to take a moment to celebrate and appreciate everything that Eugene has done for MIC and the contribution that he's made. On so many levels, the values that we aspire to as an institution - to be compassionate, to be fair, to be kind, values that are linked to the mission of the College - are led by Eugene. In corporate literature, they talk about the tone and the top and Eugene certainly set the tone at the top - a wonderful one which was reflected by the lovely and warm atmosphere we see here today and around the College more generally every day."
The MIC Community Choir, led by Dr Paul Collins from MIC's Department of Music, performed beautifully on the day, including some songs from Professor Wall's favourite singer, Leonard Cohen. The event ended with a beautiful rendition of Nella Fantasia, Time to Say Goodbye, If You Love Me, Smile, and O Holy Night by Dr Anne O'Byrne, who has treated the College community to performances and countless events, ceremonies and services over her twenty five years at MIC.
A separate celebration was held at MIC Thurles where the retirements of Bernie Bergin and Dr Finn Ó Murchú were specifically marked. Here, some beautiful music was performed by Des Carswell, Lecturer in Education, followed by Senior Academic Administrator, Paula Hourigan and her daughter, Aisling.
