A sporting spirit is remembered at her primary school

Gabija Gataveckaite

AN 11-year-old girl has been remembered by her fellow classmates in a primary school in Crumlin after she passed away last September.

Niamh Kennedy (pictured) was a pupil with cystic fibrosis in the Marist Primary School in Crumlin, who became increasingly ill last summer.

The school unveiled a walkway and a bench, dedicated to the student, in March.

Speaking to Southside People, Orla Gordon, who is a home school community liaison at the school, explained that Niamh took part in every part of school life.

“Niamh was one of the people in the school with cystic fibrosis and she was hugely active in everything,” she said.

“Last year she won the school Spirit of Sport Award, even though she was very sick, she took part in everything.”

The pupil was very popular across the students and staff and is greatly missed.

“She was very lively,” said Ms Gordon. “She had loads of friends and was well liked by everyone. She could talk to anyone, adults or kids.

“It’s absolutely awful and very tragic, she became increasingly more ill last summer. It’s a very big loss for the school and her classmates,” she added.

Niamh didn’t get the chance to start sixth class in September but the school aims to keep her memory thriving through the bench and pathway, which wraps around the school.

The walkway features ‘treasures’, which include fairy doors, terrariums and bug hotels. These were made by fourth class students at the school with guidance from the teachers.

The Garda Band played songs at the unveiling of the purple bench and walkway on the day.

“Her parents, her brother and sister and extended family came to school and we brought them around the walkway,” Ms Gordon explained.

“Her family were all there, so it was a wonderful day. A beautiful sunny day.

“At the unveiling, the principal said that as long as we’re all here, we’ll always remember her, and it couldn’t be more true.”

Niamh’s classmates held a bake sale to raise funds in order to purchase the bench, that was later built bu the the local Men Shed group.

The money raised by the schoolgirls was then donated and a cheque was presented to Niamh’s family at the unveiling of the walkway.

“The money raised from the bake sale, €500, was then donated to Cystic Fibrosis Ireland,” added Ms Gordon.

This was not the only act of remembrance by Niamh’s fellow pupils. The children made their confirmation in February and the student was remembered at the mass too.

“They lit a candle for Niamh and read a reading about her during confirmation mass,” said Ms Gordon.

“The sun shone down, we were all together and happy – Niamh was most definitely smiling down on us,” the school wrote on its website about the day.

“The Garda Band came to the school to mark the special occasion of the launch of Niamh's Walkway – a beautiful enchanting creation which will forever be associated with Niamh and with all that is good and beautiful as she was,” it added.