March 2017 - Laois Retired Primary Teachers
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March 2017
Greetings members and apologies for long gap since last communication. Blaming Covid ennui and lack of news really.
Also no news is good news and it seems we have done well through the Covid period with no Covid related deaths of members to be reported. With the Covid pandemic still continuing the RTAI National body has recommended that we do not have any meetings/gatherings until a review in September so I will let you know if there are any developments on that front.
I have also been prompted to send an email due to a phone request for help that I received ( as Secretary of the Laois branch) this morning which some of you might be able to assist . A lady, Grainne is trying to recruit a home tutor for her nephew Cathal who has been diagnosed with cancer and will be undergoing treatment which means he cannot attend formal school which he was due to commence (Junior Infants) this September. Initially he has been allocated 5 hours of Department paid home tuition but the family is currently unsuccessful in recruiting someone for the post and Grainne was hoping that I might know of a retired teacher who might be interested in assisting. She is hoping for the tuition for Tuesday and Wednesday mornings (2hrs 30 mins x 2) in the boys home in the Mountmellick area. Membership of the Teaching Council is required as per Department rules. If you are interested in the post and fulfill the criteria please contact Grainne at 087-9544915. Also if anyone knows of a (recently) retired teacher who is not a member of the RTAI who might be interested in the position it would be great if you could pass on this information.
Sean Mullaney (Runai RTAI Laoise 2021) rtailaois@gmail.com 087-6324547
(Laois website www.rtailaois.com Administrator paddybates42@gmail.com)
Hope everyone enjoying retirement with no regrets.If you were at the RTAI AGM in December last you may recall I was elected as Secretary replacing Mary McCarthy and finally Ive recovered from shock/surprise to make a start on the duties.Thanks to Mary for her help with transition as I gradually moved into the role.
Just a reminder (to those on my email contact list) that the monthly informal/casual Meeting/Get-together takes place on Tuesday next (4TH APRIL) in the Maldron Hotel,Portlaoise commencing at 2.30pm.
Our Mountmellick based member Michael Linehan has kindly agreed to entertain us with another TABLE QUIZ as he did at the February Meeting so all are welcome to come along and exercise your memories and brain power.No obligation.
Also I want to give you preliminary notice of our formal SUMMER MEETING which will have our General Secretary Billy Sheehan in attendance.It is fixed for THURSDAY 1ST JUNE in THE LAOIS EDUCATION CENTRE commencing at 1130.
The AGM of the RTAI (national)took place in the Gresham Hotel,Dublin on Tues.7th March at which Laois was very well represented.Chairman John Mulhare attended with myself (Secretary).3 other members of our Laois branch were present in other capacities and I wish to congratulate all 3 on their elections to the National Committee-Sheelagh Coyle was elected Vice President and next year will take the overall chains of office.Mary McCarthy was elected to the Executive Committee to represent our district and Joe Hickey was re-elected to the National Standing Orders Committee.
A number of our members took part in a golf outing at Rathdowney Golf Club on Friday 10 th March and I wish to thank our member Paud O Reilly and Mary McCarthy for their organisation of same.A further Golf Outing has been fixed for Roscrea Golf Club on Thursday 7th September (Tee Box 11.30-12.30)
The RTAI Website is now up and running at www.rtaiireland.ie and the Laois section is at www.rtailaois.com Thanks to Paddy Bates for his work on the Laois site to date.
Best Wishes SEAN MULLANEY (seanmullaney@eircom.net 0876324547