St Francis NS Staff – June 2022 (photo courtesy of Paula Kavanagh Photography)
Standing: Hannah Watters, Daniel McKeever, Gabby Nelson, Osaretin Osaghae, Lisa Young, Carmel Pinto, Alison Gray, Sarah Gray, Brigitte Nelson, Oreena Lawless, Elaine O’Rourke, Deirbhile Savage, Emma Hennessy, Amanda Reilly, Helena Stapleton, Aoife Stanley, Peter McGrane, Jonathan Williams, Louise Dillon, Megan Treadwell, Aine Murphy
Seated: Helen Clinton, Sophie Twibill, Realtein McCann, Niamh O’Connell, Roisin McKevitt, Ciara Bond, Anne Donaghy, David Sheppard, Aideen Carroll, Annmarie Sweeney, Emma Kellegher, Ciara Whately
Missing from photo: Sarah O’Gradaigh, Suzanne O’Hare, Sarah-Jane McKenna, Ciara Hanratty, Colmcille McCárthaigh, Yvonne O’Connor, Rachel Rice, Emily Hodgins, Fiona Murphy
Staff Profiles
Administration and Support
Principal
Oreena Lawless
- Favourite movie: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
- Favourite drink: Tea
- Favourite holiday destination: The West of Ireland
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: An explorer
- Favourite school subject: Gaeilge/ English/ Science/ History/ Music/ Art . . . .
- Favourite novel: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by CS Lweis
- Any other fun facts about you: I sing when I’m cooking!
Deputy Principal
Elaine O'Rourke
- Favourite movie: Shawshank Redemption
- Favourite holiday destination: Anywhere!
- Superpower: Sleeping
- Favourite cake or pastry: All of them!
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: A primary school teacher
- Favourite school subject: Maths, PE, English and SESE
Secretary
Brigitte Nelson
- Favourite movie: Blade Runner (Director’s Cut)
- Favourite drink: Gin / Red Wine / Coffee
- Favourite holiday destination: Anywhere with sunshine, an uncrowded beach and cocktail service!
- Superpower: School Secretary!
- Favourite cake or pastry: Jambon
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: A belly dancer
- Favourite school subject: French and English
- Favourite novel: That is a hard call – I love reading and could not possibly pick a favourite
- Any other fun facts about you: I speak 6 languages. I am a world record holder 🙂
Admin
Jonathan Williams
- Favourite movie: V for Vendetta
- Favourite drink: Rooibos tea
- Favourite holiday destination: Reykjavík, Iceland
- Superpower: Inhuman patience
- Favourite cake or pastry: Rusks
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: A bartender
- Favourite school subject: SESE
- Favourite novel: Pontypool Changes Everything
- Any other fun facts about you: I couldn’t talk until I was 4. I am originally from South Africa and I went back there for 3 years when I was 17. I created a coloured card game to teach algebra, which was a success with 3rd and 4th Class children
School Caretaker
Peter McGrane
Keyholder
Ronan Campbell
Special Needs Assistants
Suzanne O’Hare
Sarah O'Gradaigh
- Favourite movie: Dirty Dancing
- Favourite drink: First cup of tea in the morning!
- Favourite holiday destination: Lanzarote, Spain
- Favourite cake or pastry: Baileys cheesecake
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: A nurse
- Favourite school subject: Geography
- Favourite novel: Where the Crawdads Sing
- Any other fun facts about you: I was part of the first cohort of SNA’s in Ireland to graduate from UCD’s national SNA training programme! Graduated 25th February, 2022
Lisa Young
- Favourite movie: Mrs Doubtfire
- Favourite drink: Red wine
- Favourite holiday destination: Greek Islands
- Superpower: The ability to see the good in people.
- Favourite cake or pastry: All cake except chocolate!
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: I still haven’t grown up!
- Favourite school subject: English literature
- Favourite novel: Lord of the Flies
Carmel Pinto
- Favourite movie: Miracle on 34th Street
- Favourite drink: Coffee
- Favourite holiday destination: Portugal
- Superpower: Getting everyone in the Christmas spirit
- Favourite cake or pastry: Pastel de nata (Portuguese tart)
- Favourite novel: A Christmas Carol
- Any other fun facts about you: I love anything to do with Christmas
Alison Gray
Fiona Murphy
- Favourite holiday destination: Spain
- Superpower: Being kind
- Favourite cake or pastry: Pink slice from the Home Bakery
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: Ballerina/Actress
- Favourite school subject: Art
- Favourite novel: Little Women
Rachel Rice
- Favourite movie: Pearl Harbour
- Favourite drink: Coke Zero
- Favourite holiday destination: Disneyland Pairs
- Favourite cake or pastry: Home Bakery sweet cream cake
- What you wanted to be when you grew up:
- Favourite school subject: Geography
- Favourite novel: Rachael’s Holiday by Marien Keyes
Emily Hodgins
- Favourite movie: Forrest Gump
- Favourite drink: Lyons Gold Blend tea
- Favourite holiday destination: Croatia
- Favourite cake or pastry: Lemon meringue pie
- What you wanted to be when you grew up:
- Favourite school subject:
- Favourite novel: The Choice by Edith Eger
- Any other fun facts about you: In a past life, I lived in a boat!
Maria Lyons
Special Education Teachers
Helen Clinton
- Favourite TV shows: Derry Girls, The Inbetweeners, The Apprentice, Ant and Dec
- Favourite drink: Coffee (AM), Red wine (PM)
- Favourite holiday destination: Italy
- Superpower: Time travel
- Favourite cake or pastry: Red velvet cake
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: A Primary School Teacher or a solicitor
- Favourite school subject: Gaeilge, Maths, PE
- Favourite novel: Two for Stew by Laura Numeroff
Sarah Gray
- Favourite movie: Mamma Mia and Cinema Paradiso
- Favourite drink: Sparkling water, slice of lime and lots of ice!!
- Favourite holiday destination: Greece and Italy
- Superpower: Hypnosis – specialisation in hypnotising children to read
- Favourite cake or pastry: Chocolate Eclairs with fresh cream and scones
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: A primary school teacher
- Favourite school subject: Maths, Gaeilge and Art
- Favourite novel: Too many to mention but I do enjoy a variety of Irish classic literature the most
- Any other fun facts about you: I can do a headstand! I can speak 4 languages and I can play some piano, tin whistle and flute
Emma Kellegher
Niamh O'Connell
- Favourite drink: Diet coke
- Favourite holiday destination:
- Favourite cake or pastry: Cinnamon swirls
- What you wanted to be when you grew up:
- Favourite school subject: Science and PE
- Any other fun facts about you: I wanted to be a midwife and work with mums and babies when I was little and I did actually qualify and work as a midwife before I became a teacher. I have helped lots of babies be born locally and have even ended up teaching some of them!
Debbie Lundy
- Favourite movie: A Star is Born
- Favourite drink: Gin and tonic
- Favourite holiday destination: Austria for skiing
- Superpower: Being happy
- Favourite cake or pastry: Pink vanilla slice
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: A teacher
- Favourite school subject: Art
- Favourite novel: I love too many to pick one
Class Teachers
Síológa A
Ciara Whately
- Favourite movie: The Martian
- Favourite drink:
- Favourite holiday destination: County Clare
- Favourite cake or pastry: Chocolate cake
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: A Formula 1 driver
- Favourite school subject: Maths
- Favourite novel: Harry Potter Series
Síológa A
Yvonne O'Connor
- Favourite movie: The Blind Side
- Favourite drink: Wine – red, white, sparkling. I’m not fussy!
- Favourite holiday destination: Amalfi Coast, Italy
- Superpower: I have the ability to unleash a child’s superpower
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: A teacher.
- Favourite school subject: French
- Favourite novel: The Seven Sister Series by Lucinda Riley
- Any other fun facts about you: I love to swim in the sea
Síológa B
Sophie Twibil
Junior Infants A
Megan Treadwell
- Favourite movie: 10 Things I Hate About You
- Favourite drink: Captain Morgan
- Favourite holiday destination: Bali, Indonesia
- Favourite cake or pastry: White chocolate chip cookies
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was 4
- Favourite school subject: Gaeilge
- Favourite novel: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Junior Infants B
Emma Hennessy
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Senior Infants A
Louise Dillon
- Favourite movie: The Mighty Ducks Trilogy
- Favourite drink: Coke Zero
- Favourite holiday destination: Dubai/anywhere hot!
- Favourite cake or pastry: Sticky Toffee pudding
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: Teacher
- Favourite school subject: Maths
- Interests: Badminton, Gaelic, Paddleboarding, Baking, going to the gym and Swimming
- Any other fun facts about you: I lived in London for 6 years and Dubai for 3. I love hot weather!!
Senior Infants B
Ciara Hanratty
- Favourite movie: The Notebook
- Favourite drink: Mint Milkshake
- Favourite holiday destination: Santorini – anywhere hot and near the sea 🙂
- Favourite cake or pastry: Chocolate fudge cake or chocolate biscuit cake
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: A musician
- Favourite school subject: Music, Art and English
- Favourite novel: Where the Crawdads Sing
1st Class A
Réaltein McCann
1st Class B
Colmcille MacCárthaigh
- Favourite movie: The Darjeeling Limited
- Favourite drink: Oreo milkshake
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: Zookeeper
- Favourite school subject: Gaeilge or Art
- Favourite novel: The Stranger
2nd Class A
Annmarie Sweeney
2nd Class B
Helena Stapleton
- Favourite movie: Mary Poppins
- Favourite drink: Water
- Favourite holiday destination: San Francisco
- Superpower: Optimism
- Favourite cake or pastry: Chocolate brownie
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: A primary school teacher. I told my teacher on the first day of school
- Favourite school subject: English
- Favourite novel: The Secret Garden
- Any other fun facts about you: I love set dancing and singing outside school
3rd Class A
Aoife Stanley
3rd Class B
Aideen Carroll
- Favourite holiday destination: Alvor, Portugal. Also Paris, Bath, England and India
- Favourite cake or pastry: Eton mess or pavlova
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: I wanted to work for a circus as a child. That or be a farmer
- Favourite school subject: English
- Favourite novel: Shantaram
4th Class A
Megan Glynn
- Favourite movie: The Greatest Showman
- Favourite drink: Apple juice
- Favourite holiday destination: Anywhere hot!
- Favourite cake or pastry: Sticky toffee pudding
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: Primary school teacher
- Favourite school subject: Maths, SESE and PE
5th Class A
Róisín McKevitt
5th Class B
Hannah Watters
- Favourite movie: Hocus Pocus
- Favourite drink: Tea
- Favourite holiday destination: Anywhere!
- Favourite cake or pastry: Croissant, Lemon Drizzle cake,
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: Primary School Teacher
- Favourite school subject: English, Maths, Art, SESE
- Favourite novel: The Thursday Murder Club
6th Class A
David Sheppard
6th Class B
Anne Donaghy
Staff On Leave
SNA
Amanda Reilly
Teacher
Sarah Jane Burns
- Favourite movie: A Star is Born
- Favourite drink: Strawberry Daiquiri
- Favourite holiday destination: Perth, Australia
- Superpower? Telepathy
- Favourite cake or pastry: McCloskey’s Bakery’s finest
- What you wanted to be when you grew up: A primary school teacher
- Favourite school subject: Music
- Favourite novel: PS I love You
- Fun facts: My favourite cuisine is Chinese. I am very passionate about the gym and keeping fit. My favourite season is Autumn. My favourite ice cream flavour is mint chocolate. I love to play the violin in my spare time.