Madam, - Thank you for PMJ's appreciation of the life of Br Charles Gallagher (January 28th). I was privileged to be a pupil of Br Gallagher at St Canice's CBS during the early 1950s and I speak for many others in voicing a debt to this wonderful educator for launching us into secondary and in many cases tertiary education.
Of the 100 precious Dublin Corporation secondary school scholarships available for the entire city at that time, our class at St Canice's, under Br Gallagher's guidance, won a highly disproportionate 23. After we had peaked for the scholarship examination, held each year at Easter, Bro Gallagher then used the final term to teach crafts and hobbies. This was some 30 years before transition year were invented.
It was not surprising to learn of his subsequent wonderful achievements during a long career devoted to education. At a time when there is little positive comment on Christian Brothers' contributions, it is refreshing and appropriate to recall and salute the remarkable life of Charlie Gallagher. - Yours, etc,
JOHN McMAHON, Lucan, Co Dublin.