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

School Administration

Oreena Lawless

Principal

principal@stfrancisns.ie

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!

Elaine O’Rourke

Deputy Principal

deputy@stfrancisns.ie

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

Brigitte Nelson

Secretary

secretary@stfrancisns.ie

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 🙂

Jonathan Williams

Admin

jonathan@stfrancisns.ie

Favourite movie: Inside Man
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

Class Teachers

Ciara Whately

Síologa A

mrswhately@stfrancisns.ie

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: Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Sophie Twibill

Síologa B

misstwibill@stfrancisns.ie

Megan Treadwell

Teacher – Junior Infants A

misstreadwell@stfrancisns.ie

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

Emma Kellegher

Junior Infants B

misskellegher@stfrancisns.ie

Louise Dillon

Senior Infants A

missdillon@stfrancisns.ie

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!!

Ciara Hanratty

Senior Infants B

mrshanratty@stfrancisns.ie

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

David Sheppard

1st Class A

mrsheppard@stfrancisns.ie

Réaltein McCann

1st Class B

missmccann@stfrancisns.ie

Megan Glynn

2nd Class A

missglynn@stfrancisns.ie

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

Aoife Stanley

2nd Class B

mrsstanley@stfrancisns.ie

Helena Stapleton

3rd Class A

mrsstapleton@stfrancisns.ie

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

Aideen Carroll

3rd Class B

misscarroll@stfrancisns.ie

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

Elaine O’Rourke

4th Class A

deputy@stfrancisns.ie

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

Sarah Jane McKenna

4th Class B

mrsmckenna@stfrancisns.ie

Favourite movie: A Star is Born
Favourite drink: Strawberry daiquiri
Favourite holiday destination: Perth, Australia
Superpower: Telepathy
Favourite cake or pastry: Ham and Egg Mc Closkeys 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
Any other fun facts about you: 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 and I love to play the violin in my spare time.

Anne Donaghy

5th Class A

mrsdonaghy@stfrancisns.ie

Hannah Watters

5th Class B

misswatters@stfrancisns.ie

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

Róisín McKevitt

6th Class A

missmckevitt@stfrancisns.ie

Colmcille MacCárthaigh

6th Class B

mrmaccarthaigh@stfrancisns.ie

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

Special Education Teachers

Debbie Lundy

SET

misslundy@stfrancisns.ie

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

Helen Clinton

SET

mrsclinton@stfrancisns.ie

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

SET

missgray@stfrancisns.ie

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

Niamh O’Connell

SET

mrsoconnell@stfrancisns.ie

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!

Aine Murphy

SET

mrsmurphy@stfrancisns.ie

Yvonne O’Connor

SET

mrsoconnor@stfrancisns.ie

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

Special Needs Assistants

Suzanne O’Hare

SNA

suzanne@stfrancisns.ie

Sarah O’Gradaigh

SNA

sarah@stfrancisns.ie

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