October 25th 2006
National Educational Welfare Board and Cork City Council award students with exemplary attendance

1,000 Cork City Pupils with unbroken school attendance

"I am delighted to congratulate and commend the students here today for achieving the remarkable feat of unbroken school attendance” the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Michael Ahern said today (Wednesday 25th October 2006) at an awards ceremony in Cork City Hall.

The annual school attendance awards ceremony, which has been a tradition in Cork city now for over a century, was organised by the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), the agency with responsibility for encouraging and supporting regular school attendance, in conjunction with Cork City Council.

Four pupils received awards for fourteen years unbroken school attendance meaning they never missed a day in primary or post primary school.  They were: Olive Conroy, Christ the King Secondary School; Emma Fitzgerald, St Angela’s College; Alexander Hogan, Christian Brother’s College; Cliona Twohig, Scoil Mhuire

Ten students from five cork families also received awards for unbroken school attendance ranging from 8 to 13 years. They were: Katie Margaret Collins and Mary Collins, Christ King Secondary School; Marie Ann Barry, St Aloysius and Padraig De Barra Gaelcholaiste Mhuire; Ruth McCluskey, Scoil an Spioriad  Naoimh and Sarah McCluskey,  Mount Mercy College; Pamela Murray, St Vincent’s Convent School and Philip Murray, St Finbarr’s Seminary and Tracey O’Donavan and Gillian O’Donavan, North Presentation Secondary School.

Over the coming weeks over 950 other pupils throughout Cork City will also receive certificates for unbroken attendance, ranging from 1 year to 7 years perfect attendance. 

Speaking at the ceremony, Dan O’Shea the NEWB’s Regional Manager for Munster said  “The NEWB’s motto is that Everyday Counts in a child’s education and research has shown again and again that regular school attendance lays the foundation to good relationships and a successful life at work.   So children who attend school regularly are more likely to stay in school and so are more likely to be emotionally, financially and socially secure in later life.

"The achievements of the students here today are even more impressive when you take into account that the average primary school students misses 11 days each school year and the average Post Primary Student misses 15 days a year” he added.

Congratulating the students, Lord Mayor Cllr Ahern said: “Cork city is proud of each and everyone of you and as good habits start early, I have no doubt that prospective employers will be impressed to see your perfect school attendance records on with your curriculum vitaes.

"I would also like to take the opportunity to congratulate the other people in your lives who made your perfect attendance possible – your schools and your families.

"Finally, I would like to thank the NEWB for organizing the ceremony here today and for their hard work and endeavours to secure a better education for those experiencing difficulties with school attendance”, he added.

For further information contact:

Elaine O’Mahoney

01 8738603/087 130 8799