*Donal Cahir.
KILNAMONA native Donal Cahir has been appointed as the acting principal of St Flannan’s College.
Chairperson of the Board of Management at St Flannan’s College, Leonard Cleary in correspondence issued to parents in the past week confirmed that Deputy Principal Cahir will serve as Principal in an acting capacity. The permanent post is to be advertised for open competition “shortly”.
At the beginning of June, Fr Ignatius McCormack announced he was to retire as Principal of St Flannan’s College. A native of Kilcolman, Co Offaly, Fr Iggy first joined the staff of St. Flannan’s in 2001 as a teacher. He later served as Dean of the Boarding School before becoming Principal in 2017 when he succeeded Carmel Honan, the first female Principal of the Ennis secondary school.
Pending the appointment of a permanent successor, Donal will fill the post. Cleary in his correspondence said this decision is “following the implementation of National guidelines /procedures in relation to a vacancy for the post of Principal, and in consultation with the three Deputy Principals”.
Mr Cahir is currently one of the three Deputy Principals alongside Gráinne Lynch who became the first female Deputy Principal in the school’s history and Newmarket-on-Fergus native Michael Donnellan.
Prior to his elevation to Deputy Principal, Donal taught construction studies and technical graphics. He had been heavily involved with hurling teams at all levels in the school including their Harty Cup teams. He lined out with Kilnamona prior to their amalgamation with neighbouring Inagh and was midfield on their team which won the Senior B title in 2001, captained by two-time All-Ireland winner Fergal Hegarty. Donal was manager of the first Inagh/Kilnamona team to win the U21A championship in 2007.
Cleary outlined, “This is at an important time when the school community now prepares to return after the summer break. On behalf of the Board of Management, I would like to thank all three Deputy Principals for their consensus decision and Donal for agreeing to assist the Board of Management and School Community with this important role during the recruitment process.
“I know that Donal is assured of all of our support and best wishes. Following a Board of Management meeting this week, and progress on the various procedures and processes prescribed Nationally in preparation for a recruitment process, the post of Principal will be advertised for open competition shortly”.
St. Flannan’s College, which takes its name from the 7th-century patron saint of the Dál gCais, can trace its origins back to Springfield House in 1846, before it relocated to the current school 30 years later. The school underwent a significant expansion during the 1960s and again in 2003, with the development of a new wing featuring extensive new facilities. Co-educational classes were introduced in 2002.
