A 1950s romance between a school teacher from Ireland and a caretaker from the north of England has resulted in a substantial windfall for a primary school.
The principal of Ashgrove Primary School outside Manchester is trying to trace the lost Irish love of bachelor Ronald Hannaghan who left his life savings, £92,000, to her school in memory of the romance.
School caretaker Mr Hannaghan fell in love with the then school principal, Ms Elizabeth Kelly, over 40 years ago. However, the relationship ended when Ms Kelly had to return to Ireland. He stayed in England to nurse his ailing mother.
Heartbroken, Ronald lived quietly in the town of Macclesfield until he died, aged 72 in March. He told relatives he wanted to leave the money to the school because the year he spent there was the happiest time of his life.
The current headmistress of the school, Ms Dorothy Hulley, told RT╔'s Gerry Ryan Show she would love to find Ms Kelly if she were still alive. "Some of the children's grandparents and ex-members of staff remember a Ms Kelly as a very feisty woman. We think this is the woman Ronald loved."
Mr Hannaghan lived frugally, Ms Hulley said. "He scrimped and saved, using one bar on the electric fire instead of two in winter and wearing a coat to keep warm."
The money he left has been put towards an adventure playground, new musical instruments and a computer suite, which will be named the Ronald Hannaghan Room in his honour.