24/05/2025
Very sad indeed. May she rest in peace .
In Loving Memory of Sinรฉad Lawlor
Beloved Educator, Principal, Mentor, Colleague, and Friend
It is with deep sorrow that we acknowledge the untimely passing of Mrs Sinรฉad Lawlor, former
teacher, Deputy Principal and Principal of Loreto College, Mullingar following a long illness
bravely borne surrounded by the love of her family and friends.
Sinรฉad embodied everything we value in education and leadership: wisdom, courage, vision,
and heart. A proud Loreto woman and passionate educator, Sinรฉad began her career in Loreto
Mullingar on a maternity contract teaching French, Business, and Economics, and never looked
back. Her natural leadership, sharp intellect, and deep compassion made her not just a teacher,
but a transformative figure in the lives of students and staff alike.
Sinรฉad was never afraid to innovate. A pioneer of school development planning, curriculum
reform, and student-centred learning, her influence can be seen in every corner of Loreto
College. Sinรฉad was instrumental to developments in many schools through her commitment
and dedication to voluntary roles on boards of management. Her time with the PDST saw her
bring that same enthusiasm and skill to schools across the country, before returning home to
Loreto College, Mullingarโwhere her heart always belonged.
Her professional achievements were immense, but what truly defined Sinรฉad was her humanity.
She mentored countless colleagues with grace and generosity. She was a steadying voice in
times of challenge, a fountain of knowledge, a brilliant problem-solver, and a joyful companion.
Her sense of humour, her honesty, and her instinct to support othersโwhether through wise
counsel, shared laughter, or a well-timed quotationโmade her a friend to all who knew her.
To her students, Sinรฉad was a beacon of belief. She never gave up on a girl who needed help.
Her relational skills, quiet strength, and unwavering empathy often made all the difference in the lives of those facing difficulty.
Sinรฉadโs leadership extended far beyond school policies and planning. She created a culture of
care, courage, and curiosity. Together with her close-knit senior management team, Sinรฉad
helped steer Loreto through years of growth and innovation. She approached every challenge
with a no-nonsense attitude, a positive spirit, and a motivating vision.Together, they led with
sincerity, justice, and deep purposeโthe very spirit of Mary Ward.
Outside of her professional brilliance, Sinรฉad was deeply devoted to her family โ her husband
Brian and their beloved boys, Seรกn, Cillian, and Odhrรกn, her parents, her siblings, and the wider
circle of nieces, nephews, and friends who brought such joy to her life. She spoke of them with
deep pride, humour, and affection. Her stories, especially about the โsmalliesโ in Waterford or life
with her sport-mad household, brought smiles to many faces.
Sinรฉad brought light wherever she wentโbe it in the staffroom, on a zoom call, on shared car
journeys, or during quiet prayers in the school chapel. Her resilience through health challenges
in recent years was nothing short of extraordinary. She faced adversity with grace, humour,
faith, and dignity, continuing to guide, inspire and uplift her colleagues even from afar. Her
strength was rooted in her deep personal faith and her remarkably positive outlook. Even in
hardship, she remained a source of strength and light to those around her.
Though she could not serve as principal in the traditional sense, Sinรฉad never stopped leading.
She remained deeply involved, working quietly behind the scenes, sharing her wisdom,
fortitude, and time with the school she loved so dearly. Loreto College Mullingar was not just
where she worked, it was her extended family, her mission, and her mรฉtier.
In remembering Sinรฉad, we give thanks for a life lived with passion, purpose, and immense
generosity of spirit. She leaves behind a school forever shaped by her presence, and a
community strengthened by her love.
She lived the values of Mary Wardโfreedom, justice, sincerity, truth, and joyโin all she did.
Sinรฉad Lawlor leaves behind a legacy of love, leadership, and learning. She shaped the lives of
students, empowered her colleagues, and left an indelible mark on the heart of Loreto College
Mullingar. We will miss her voice, her laugh, her strength, and her spirit, but we are better
because she walked among us.
Ar dheis Dรฉ go raibh a hanam dรญlis.
May her gentle soul rest in peace.
