When Sr Dolores Walsh returned to Tullamore in the early 1970s to take over as principal of the Sacred Heart School she brought with her a wealth of ideas influenced by her years in California.
The Sacred Heart School (or SHS as it has always been known by its pupils past and present) is believed to have been the first school in the country to introduce a Student Council, a concept that did not become the norm nationally until 1998.
The 50th anniversary of the Student Council in the SHS was the perfect opportunity to celebrate a concept that was decades ahead of its time and to mark the school’s role “at the heart of education, at the heart of the community,” so it was decided to publish a book.
Initial meetings were enthusiastic and optimistic and as time marched on it became obvious it was going to be more than a labour of love and was going to be a publication of some heft as contributions began to pour in.
The book’s coordinator Jacinta Gallagher Carroll cajoled and persuaded past pupils from the 1970s through to 2023 to put pen to paper and recall their Student Council and SHS experiences. The contributions varied from succinct recollections to albums of newspaper cuttings to poems and sometimes poignant essays.
The memories and photographs were bountiful, but copy had to be cut, deadlines had to be imposed and images rejected because they just would not reproduce well, apologies had to be made to those who sent old newspaper cuttings and photos of photos that we did not include.
Eventually the publication expanded to memories of the school over the past 50 years and articles celebrating the school’s many successes in academic, sporting and extracurricular activities.
There have been national basketball and camogie titles, along with choir and orchestra awards as well as silverware for public speaking, debating, baking, cooking, art.
The main theme of the many contributions to the book is the empowerment felt by the girls who served on the Council. For most it was their first experience of democracy, the elections and then once in office, the structure of organising meetings, agreeing policies and then acting on them.
The list of achievements for the Student Councils over the decades ranges from uniform changes, fund raising, interacting with local charities and special needs groups, international exchanges and the introduction of radical changes such as the provision of period products for free in all school bathrooms.
Former members of the Student Council have gone on to an impressive range of careers in academia, business, media, entertainment and all walks of life.
But the common theme running through the book is the impact of Sr Dolores and her vision of a student body in which the students would advocate for their peers.
Sr Dolores had entered the Mercy convent in Tullamore in 1939. She taught in the old St Philomena’s school (the now St Mary’s Youth Centre) before leaving for Costa Mesa in California in 1959 where she had the experience of seeing a good Student Council in action in Mater Dei High School, Santa Ana, California. She returned to Ireland in the 1970s with many initiatives and new ideas which she soon implemented as principal of the SHS.
It was her ability to see potential in students and to get the best out of everyone she taught, that earned the respect of her students and colleagues, one of whom said about her “she reminded teachers to focus on the good and try to leave the bad stuff behind” when dealing with a student who may have made mistakes in the past.
The first Student Council coordinator was Jacinta Cox, who remained in the post for 31 years and features repeatedly in the tributes from former pupils. In the book she writes about the significant commitment, motivation and levels of responsibility undertaken by Student Council members. “They freely gave of their time to represent the student body. They strove to improve life within the school, building on each other’s efforts, whilst liaising with the Principal, staff and other students.
“Each Student Council brought their own unique skill base and talents, resulting in a variety of projects reflecting the students’ interests at that time. Projects ranged from award-winning Year Books to dazzling fashion shows; challenging treasure hunts to the never to be forgotten school discos. School Bazaars were always a huge success as were the fun-filled Christmas Spirit weeks. Of course, the focus was not only inward. The Student Council raised significant funds for a number of charities including Sr. Veronica’s Christmas Appeal, sponsoring children’s educational needs in Malawi and the Sr. Frances Zambia Project Fund. Another great project which continues to this day, is the running of a Christmas party for special children in Tullamore.”
The current coordinator Lavinia Reynolds is a former pupil of the SHS who served as PRO of the Student Council, an experience she describes as “transformative” thanks to the then Coordinator Julie Coughlan who succeeded Jacinta Cox.
“Students were actively encouraged to voice their opinions, participate in committees, and contribute to policy development. This level of student involvement was something that I had only witnessed in the SHS.
“As I continue in this role, I am humbled by the legacy of the remarkable women who have guided and inspired me, reminding me of the significance of our collective voices. I believe wholeheartedly in the importance of every student’s voice and, above all, the power of every voice, as we strive to create an inclusive and empowering school community.”
The book, we hope reflects the pride of past pupils, current and former staff in the Sacred Heart School and the Student Council. The SHS remains “at the heart of education, at the heart of the community.”
The book will be launched on the 19th October in the Bridge House Hotel at 7pm. All welcome. The book will be available to purchase on the night. We expect to have it for sale online and in our shop from 20 Oct.
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