Niamh's bench is getting pride of place in new Community school

By Brian Moore

WHEN the staff and pupils of the Mercy Heights Secondary School in Skibbereen planned their move to their ned Skibbereen Community School, there was one item they just could not leave behind. ewly construct

‘Even now, we all still think of and miss Niamh, and it was vitally important that the bench which the pupils had created in her memory came with us,’ Karen Sheane-Shanley told The Southern Star.

Niamh Cadogan, a student at the school, died following her battle with leukaemia in March 2012. However, her classmates decided to honour her memory with a bench which was placed on the school grounds so that students both past and present could remember Niamh’s extraordinary life.

‘Niamh was an amazing person and a credit to the school,’ noted Karen. ‘She worked tirelessly for autistic children and lead a local fundraising drive from autistic children in West Cork. The bench was a way for us all to remember Niamh – not only for her good work, but also for the person that she was,’ she continued.

The bench had been unveiled by Boyzone star and follow autism campaigner Keith Duffy in May 2012, and has now been moved to the new school which will officially open at the beginning of September.

‘We are delighted that Niamh will be there at the new school waiting for us to arrive. The bench is very important to us all here at Mercy Heights. Niamh’s memory lives on with us every day and will now become a part of our new start. We know that the bench will become an important addition to the new school and we know Niamh’s memory and achievements will live on into the future for all the students at Skibbereen Community School,’ added Karen.