Outpouring of goodwill and appreciation for Clare man as he departs Limerick school

Mike O’Hara’s 13 years as principal of Scoil Pól in Kilfinane, County Limerick was very lucky for the parish and school community.

The Clare man oversaw a fourfold increase in pupils, school extensions and All-Ireland success to name but three achievements under his leadership.

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English teacher Mchael Organ penned a piece on behalf of acting principal Eoin Walsh, all the staff and students and school community. He said this month marked the end of a thirteen and a half year era, as Mr O’Hara officially retired as principal of Scoil Pól.

“The outpouring of goodwill and appreciation, coupled with the tinge of sadness amongst the Scoil Pol community upon hearing of his retirement, is a testament to the high esteem in which Mike is held. Regardless of what metric is used to assess his performance as leader of Scoil Pol, the conclusion is one of incredible success,” said Mr Organ.

Upon taking the position in September of 2011, Mr O’Hara was quick to state that Scoil Pol was a “hidden gem” and the greatest secret in the Ballyhouras.

“It was a secret that he was unwilling to keep. With that, Mike embarked on a mission to ensure that all that would listen would hear of the very best of what Scoil Pol had to offer. What followed was thirteen and a half years of remarkable change in the Scoil Pol community. Today, Scoil Pol is regarded as one of the best schools in Limerick and beyond, a status that is in no small part due to Mike O’Hara.”

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Positivity and proactivity are two attributes that accompany Mr O’Hara everywhere he goes. “Upon hearing of students who wished to attend the school, but were having logistical issues around transport, Mike began purchasing what has now become a fleet of buses carrying students to and from Scoil Pol.”

As student numbers grew, 2016 saw Mr O’Hara initiate and oversee the first of two major extensions that has seen the footprint of the school nearly double in size.

“The 2016 extension included the construction of the hub, which accommodates special classes in the school. Mike regards the hub as one of the biggest and most treasured achievements of his time in Scoil Pol. A second extension followed, officially opening in 2024, to unveil state-of-the-art facilities that would be the envy of any school community in Ireland.”

Despite his dedication to investing in the facilities of the school, it is Mr O’Hara’s investment in people that defines him as the leader he is.

“His dedication to having an ‘open door’ policy ensured that he was always on hand to support those who needed it. With school enrolment growing from 180 students to 720 students today, the needs for increasingly varied interests was accommodated through the ever growing list of subjects available and a host of lunchtime and after-school clubs and activities. As a proud hurling man, we have no doubt that both Scoil Pol and his native county of Clare holding All-Ireland titles at the same time is a source of great pride to him.”

Mr Organ said any tribute to Mr O’Hara would be incomplete without discussing him beyond his role of principal.

“While well-earned terms such as ‘educator’, ‘leader’, ‘guide’ and ‘role model’ have been used to describe Mike’s status in the professional world, it is his friendship and compassionate nature in supporting students, families and colleagues that is perhaps to strongest legacy he has left us all in Scoil Pol.”

Scoil Pol gave Mr O’Hara a send-off that he will never forget as students and staff lined the corridors.

✨️ .'✨️
After a fruitful 13 years at the helm, the time has come to say farewell to Mr.O'Hara. Go n-éirí an bóthar leat agus go raibh míle míle maith agat arís! ✨️ pic.twitter.com/vlxUAJEtXS

— Scoil Pól, Kilfinane (@ScoilPol) December 19, 2024

The retiring principal walked from the phase two extension down as far as the phase one extension. The sound of the clapping would have started an avalanche in the Ballyhouras during the recent snowfall. Mr O’Hara’s final walk through the school was video and shared on social media.

At the end of the clip it says: “Thank you from everyone at Scoil Pol.”