A teaching life committed to the High School

Banbridge High School bids farewell to Mrs Margaret Hanna after 38 years of service to the school. She is with Miss Jennifer McClelland, Mr Andrew Bell (Principal), Mr John Hanna, Mr Keith Hanna and Mrs Lisa Marcus.

Margaret, who was head of the Geography department, committed the entirety of her teaching life to the school.

“Banbridge High School was the first school I taught in and I loved it to bits” she said.

“I had to travel each day, but when jobs came up closer to home I refused them because I loved the High School so much.”

Margaret’s experience of teaching is that every day brings something new.

“It’s a fantastic job to be in and so fulfilling to meet pupils in later years and find them in their respective jobs. It’s just lovely.”

Margaret went into teaching, following in the footsteps of her cousins.

“My three cousins all became teachers” said Margaret. “They were a little bit older than me and when I saw them become teachers, I set my mind on it too.”

Margaret describes the High School as her ‘second home’, and since retiring still visits. When I was leaving I could have cried and I miss everybody so much” said Margaret.

At a casual retirement function in the school on November 7, Margaret was presented with a memory book.

“It’s something I will treasure for the rest of my life. The pupils and staff had written things in it like poems and memories and it was beautifully decorated with bows. It’s something I will value more than any present.”

Margaret is already busy in retirement devoting time to Anchor Boys, teaching English to foreigners and a charity New Beginnings which helps orphans in Uganda.