Cork’s North Pres is a school of many welcomes

A sign of how one of Cork’s oldest communities has been welcoming the city’s newest arrivals was displayed to Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan yesterday.

She was greeted at North Presentation Primary School, in the shadows of the North Cathedral and the famous St Anne’s Church of Shandon, by Jade Sutton and Calvin Curtin, who are the fourth and third generations of their families to attend North Pres.

She was welcomed in 40 different languages, where almost three quarters of pupils are part of Cork’s ‘new Irish’ community, before hearing a song about Annie Moore in Ellis Island, New York, the landing place for emigrants 150 years ago.