21.05.2018
Powerscourt NS Celebrates 200 Years of Education
“Continuity does not always impress us. But today it comes across as our strength: 200 years of education; 200 years of commitment from teachers, pupils, rectors, boards of managements and parents. They have been there to live the life of the school, year after year, for 200 years.”
The rich heritage of Powerscourt National School was celebrated last week as pupils and teachers, past and present, marked its 200th anniversary. A week of festivities included pupils and staff stepping back in time and returning to the old schoolhouse in Enniskerry village, burying a time capsule, a school quiz, grandparents’ day and much more.
The celebrations concluded yesterday (Sunday May 20) with a special Eucharist for Pentecost in St Patrick’s Church at which Archbishop Michael Jackson presided and preached, followed by a barbeque in the grounds.
Established in 1818, Powerscourt NS is one of the oldest national schools in the country. Until 2012, when the school’s state of the art building was opened across from the parish church, the school was located in the old schoolhouse in the village and was the oldest school building in continuous use in Ireland.
Many of the school’s 92 pupils were present at the service on Sunday morning and formed the choir for the day. Also in attendance were past pupils and teachers, many of whom have a continued connection with Powerscourt NS through their children and grandchildren.
The Archbishop began his sermon by thanking and congratulating all those associated with the life of today’s school – the rector, the teachers, the pupils, the board of management and the parents. He reminded everyone of a debt of gratitude that was owed to those of earlier generations who had played such a part in the flourishing of a thoroughly local school.
“Continuity does not always impress us. But today it comes across as our strength: 200 years of education; 200 years of commitment from teachers, pupils, rectors, boards of managements and parents. They have been there to live the life of the school, year after year, for 200 years,” he commented.
While celebrating the gift and opportunities of education, Archbishop Jackson said the Day of Pentecost had a number of things to teach us. “Pentecost connects us with Jerusalem and for us as Christian people this is important, if indeed painful, but always prayerful. It is where the church began and emotionally, imaginatively and Scripturally begins ever year for us as Christian people on Pentecost Sunday,” he stated.
Referring to the reading [Acts 2: 1–21] he said Pentecost points to the value of diversity and distinction through the wide range of people who were in Jerusalem for Shavuot who shared energy and understanding at Pentecost. From that, the Archbishop explained, there was development – people who were able to do things they had never done before, people being transformed.
“All of the gifts of Pentecost are with us in the life of Powerscourt National School that we celebrate today: Diversity: being different, letting others be different. Distinction: letting difference hear, letting difference speak. Development: celebrating difference in the life of every new community that forms itself – whether in church or in school, in home or in nation,” he concluded.
