This week sees the celebration of ‘Mary Ward Week’ in all Loreto and Loreto associated schools around the world. Here in Ireland there are five Community Schools that have Loreto connections. These connections are to do with the joint trusteeship that involves the Loreto Education trust on the Boards of Management of each of these community schools. Portmarnock Community School happens to be one such school. We are proud and happy to be part of the Mary Ward Week celebrations here in PCS.

So far this week, the Mary Ward story of the development of Loreto education over four hundred years has been told to the First Year classes at Assembly. Links and connections were highlighted with friends in Loreto schools in our area such as Swords, Balbriggan and St. Stephen’s Green. The First Years also enjoyed a free raffle in honour of Mary Ward.

Thanks to Mr. Higgins, one of our Art teachers, a newly refurbished Mary Ward area has been unveiled in the A Compound. Each day this week Thought for the Day over the PA system has been focusing on one of Mary Ward’s key influential words for Loreto education – they are Freedom, Justice, Sincerity and Joy.

Mary Ward Week will conclude on Friday with a special thought for the day focusing on the value of Reflection in our lives.