Tara Gibney, Bainisteoir

“Tá mé ag obair in An Droichead ó bhí 2015 ann, ag bainistiú agus ag forbairt na seirbhísí Chúram Lae in éineacht leis an Naíonra agus Cumann Iarscoile.”

Thosaigh mé ar mo thuras Gaeilge mar dhuine de na céad páistí a fuair oideachas Gaeilge ar an taobh seo den chathair, agus mo mháthair mar dhuine de bhunaitheoirí An Droichead.

D’amharc mé ar An Droichead i gcónaí mar a bheadh baile ann domsa, le m’óige caite ag teacht agus ag imeacht, ag cuidiú le mo mhámaí ina ról mar mhaoirseoir agus leas-stiúrthóir sa naíscoil, ag cuidiú le glanadh na háite ar mo laethanta saoire ón scoil, nuair a bhí sé lonnaithe in Ionad Pobal an Mhargaidh. Ba bheag a shíl mé go mbeinn ins an ról céanna mé féin lá amháin.

Chaith mé mo chéad tréimhse taithí oibre ag obair ar Bhóthar Ormeau, i seanoifig LORAG, áit ina raibh an Naíonra ag an am. Is cuimhin liom go maith bheith ag súgradh agus ag bunú caidrimh leis na páistí fríd amhráin agus rainn agus gníomhaíochtaí éagsúla an tseachtain sin, ach an rud a sheasann amach dom ná an sos. Ghlac sé mé ar ais go dtí mo thaithí féin i naíscoil Mhic Airt. Níor athraigh an sos thar na blianta sin - Cupán oráiste caolaithe “Koala”, nó bainne agus briosca “Rich tea” no “Digestive”! Ar dóigh! Tá rud inteacht ins an lá sin a chuireann miongháire ar m’aghaidh go fóill nuair a bhím ag smaointeamh air. Cuimhnithe iontacha ó am ar léith - agus tá mé anseo go fóill!

Níorbh fhada go raibh mo chéad phost aosach agam i ndiaidh dom an scoil a fhágáil. Bhí muid ar Ascail Bhaile Phúir i mbotháin fán am sin, agus ba anseo a d’fhoghlaim agus a d’fhorbair mé faoi chúram mo Mhamaí, a chothaigh foghlaim agus deáchleachtais ionaim - rudaí nár cháill mé ariamh. Gabh ar aghaidh 26 bliain: D’oibrigh mé mar stiúrthóir naíscoile ar feadh na mblianta, ag bogadh ar aghaidh faoi dheireadh nuair a tháinig an réamhscoil faoi chúram na scoile. D’fhoscail mé mo chúram lae féin a mhair 6 bliana i dTuaisceart Bhéal Feirste, sular phill mé ar mo ról reatha mar bhainisteoir seirbhísí chúram leanaí in An Droichead, le tuilleadh foghlama agus taithí ar an bhealach. I mbeagan focal, bhí mé ansin ag pointe inteacht, ag achan pointe, ar thuras An Droichead ón Trá Ghearr, go dtí an áit ar chríochaigh mé, ar Shráid Cooke in 2000!

Is breá liom mo phost agus tá mé iontach sásta ins an ról ina bhfuil mé. Sílim go bhfuil mé i m’ionadaí maith do pháistí, agus go bhfuil mé i mo bhainisteoir a roinneann mo chuid eolais agus mo chuid taithí le m’fhoireann ar fad. Is post crua, ach fiúntach é, agus ní thiocfadh liom mé féin a shamhladh i bpost ar bith eile. Is áit iontach í An Droichead le bheith ag obair, ina bhfuil príomhfheidhmnheach agus coiste láidir agus tacúil ann. An Droichead Abú!”

“I have been back In An Droichead from 2015 managing and developing the Day Care services alongside the already Established long running Naíonra & Cumann Iarscoile.

I Started my Irish language journey as one of the very first children to be educated through the Irish medium from this side of town, with my mother being one of the founding members of An Droichead.

I have always considered An Droichead as my home from home for most of my life, with my childhood spent coming and going, helping my mammy in her role as supervisor & co-ordinator of the nursery school, helping her clean the setting on my days off school, when it was based in the Market Community Centre. Little did I know that as I grew, that I would one day assume that role myself.

My very first work experience was spent on the Ormeau Road in the old LORAG office, from which the Naíonra was running at that time. I remember fondly playing and engaging with the children through songs & rhymes and various activities that week, but what stands out for me was the sos break. It brought me straight back to my own experience in Mac Airt nursery, the sos hadn't changed in all them years - cup of orange diluted Koala, or milk bainne, and a rich tea, or digestive biscuits! Great! Something about that even today that makes me smile as I remember this. Great memories from a happy time, and here I was loving it again.

I wasn't long returning to my first Adult job after leaving school. We were in Balfour Avenue in the portacabins by then and it was here that I learned and grew under the supervision of my Mammy, who instilled great learning and good practice in me, that I have carried with me to this day. Fast forward 26 years: I have worked as the Naíscoil supervisor for many years, eventually moving on when the pre-school was taken under the management of the school. I opened my own day care that ran for 6 years in the North of the city before boomeranging back to my current position as childcare services manager in An Droichead, with much more learning and experience along the way. In short, I was there at some stage, at every stage, along An Droichead's journey from the Short Strand, to where we finally settled, in Cooke Street in 2000!

I love my job and am very happy in my role. I consider myself a total advocate for children, and a manager that shares my knowledge & experience with all my staff. It is a difficult yet rewarding job and I couldn't really see me doing anything else. An Droichead is a great place to work with a very strong and supportive CEO and Committee. An Droichead Abú!

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