Kinsale Community School basked in glorious sunshine today for the visit of President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, to unveil the 1916 Proclamation in the school grounds.
A Guard of Honour was provided by children from the local primary schools as President Higgins was welcomed by school Principal, Fergal McCarthy and Sr. Rita Twomey, Chairperson of the Board of Management.
Following the unveiling of the Proclamation, created by local firm Graepels, President Higgins met with Leaving Cert students where he unveiled plaques in both his name and that of his wife, Sabina Coyne on the school Wall of Fame. After meeting students in the ASD unit, Leaving Cert students formed a Guard of Honour to welcome the President to the new state-of-the-art gym. Addresses by Chairperson of the Board of Management Sr Rita Twomey and Principal Fergal McCarthy preceded an inspirational speech by President Higgins who highlighted the fact that Irish people have a long history of emigration and sending money home and that everybody who comes here is welcome. The Head Boy Cathal Flynn and Head Girl Victoria Bollard also made a presentation of specially commissioned Kinsale Silver to the President. The master of ceremonies for the event was Ger Hogan, Deputy Principal.
The President’s visit coincided with the launch of KCS as a Microsoft Showcase School, Munster’s first.