The principal of a Derry secondary school has sad that she was both delighted and totally surprised to be named Leader of the Year at a top international awards ceremony in London.
St Cecilia's College principal Martine Mulhern travelled to the keynote Investors in People reception on Thursday at Old Billingsgate never expecting to come home with not just one, but two top prizes.
Ms Mulhern won Leader of the Year for an organisation with 2-499 employees, while the school won the 'Excellence in Leadership and Management' award.
“This was an international awards ceremony,” the head teacher explained.
“There were people there from the Philippines, Dubai and Switzerland, and all across the UK, and all of a sudden, this wee school in Creggan was getting the top prize.
“We are just so thrilled,” she added, “it is so great for the school, and so great for the city. We all work really hard at the school, so it is a great validation of that effort. It is lovely to be recognised.”
The principal confessed that had been quite laid-back in their approach to the event as they had not expected at all to win anything.
"We arrived in London late in the afternoon, then 'dootered' down to enjoy the night," she continued.
“To get one award was incredible. To get two was out of this world.
“It was such a special thing too, given that this week is actually the fiftieth anniversary of the school being found - indeed we've just celebrated our anniversary Mass.
“There are actually no pictures of us at the ceremonies - we genuinely didn't expect this, so we hadn't organised anything."
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