Tributes paid to Dr Finn Ó Mhurchú on the announcement of his retirement

Local TD Jackie Cahill has paid tribute to Dr Finn Ó Mhurchú, Head of School, Mary Immaculate College (MIC), St Patrick’s Campus, Thurles on the announcement of his retirement this week.

Dr Ó Mhurchú is due to retire this coming August.

Deputy Cahill acknowledged the enormous contribution that Dr Ó Mhurchú made to third level education in Thurles and Tipperary and thanked him for his tireless efforts in building MIC Thurles into the major success story that it has become in recent years.

The Fianna Fáil TD said: “Dr Finn Ó Mhurchú can leave Thurles next August when he retires from MIC with his head held high and with a great sense of pride in all he has achieved during his time as Head of Campus in Thurles.

“When Finn took over the management of the St Patrick’s Campus in the heart of our town, there is no denying that the college was on the verge of closing. Not alone did Finn’s leadership and inspiring management style change the fortunes of this historical educational institution, but he also laid the foundations for many generations of students to benefit from his hard work for many decades to come.

“Out of my many visits and dealings with Finn on campus, whether that be with senior members of Government, which included visits from the then-Taoiseach, Micheál Martin TD, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris TD, and the Minister for Education, Norma Foley TD, one thing was abundantly clear; Finn had a deep passion and appreciation for education and the personal advancement of all his students and staff. This was always clear as we walked through the corridors of the college, with Finn naming every student who passed us by name.

“Finn’s determined style of leadership and management has transformed the college over recent years and really solidified MIC Thurles as a centre of excellence for teacher training. This was never more evident than when we secured the Home Economics teacher training course for the campus, which commenced last September.

“From the very first day that I broached the idea of working to secure the Home Economics course for Thurles, Finn was one hundred percent on board. He left no stone unturned and displayed an incredible sense of determination to secure this course for his campus that would ensure the future success and growth of MIC Thurles for many generations to come.”

Deputy Cahill said: “While Finn will continue in his post until his retirement in August, I would like to take this opportunity to thank him most sincerely for all of his work and efforts over the last number of years. Since I got elected to the Dáil in 2016, it has been an absolute pleasure to work closely with Finn and I wish him every success into the future.”