Meet Our Staff

Fergal McGlade (Principal)

My name is Fergal McGlade and I am the principal of Lecarrow Community National School. I am originally from County Cavan but now call County Leitrim home. I’ve been working in primary education for over a decade, and I’ve always really enjoyed the variety, energy and sense of community that comes with working in a school.

I’m passionate about making school a place where children feel happy, valued, and confident in themselves. I have a particular interest in STEM and PE, and I love finding ways to get children curious, active, and excited about learning. I believe that encouraging children to make good choices, show kindness and empathy, try their best and be themselves is just as important as what they learn from their books.

Having recently taken on the role of principal, I’m looking forward to getting to know the pupils, staff, parents and wider school community and helping to build a school that everyone can be proud to be part of. I really value an open-door approach and want parents and children to feel that they can come and talk to me.

Outside of school, I enjoy Gaelic football, rugby and keeping active. I’m a big believer in getting involved, giving things a go and enjoying the journey — something I hope to bring into school life too.

Jessica Kilmartin (Acting Deputy Principal)

My name is Jessica Kilmartin, and I am the Acting Deputy Principal at Lecarrow Community National School for the 2026/2027 academic year. I am a native of Athlone, and I have been teaching for 12 years. I have previously taught in Ireland and in Abu Dhabi, returning last year and bringing with me a wealth of international experience and new perspectives that have further enriched my teaching practice.

During my time in Abu Dhabi, I had the opportunity to engage in professional development across a range of modern international programmes and approaches to teaching and learning. I continue to draw on this experience in my classroom today, adapting innovative and effective practices to meet the needs of my pupils.

I have a particular passion for literacy and am committed to continually developing my practice in this area. I regularly engage in professional learning to ensure that my approach reflects current best practice. Over the past year, I have successfully introduced both U.F.L.I. and Talk for Writing in our school, supporting pupils in developing their confidence, creativity and core literacy skills.

Digital literacy and educational technology are also areas of particular interest to me. I believe that developing computational thinking and digital skills is an important part of preparing children for the modern world. I enjoy teaching both plugged and unplugged coding from Junior Infants through to Sixth Class, using resources such as Bee-Bots, block coding and LEGO Prime, which we are fortunate to have available in our school.

I am also a strong advocate for outdoor learning and believe that children benefit enormously from opportunities to learn and explore beyond the traditional classroom environment. I recently completed a course at Dublin Zoo, Cultivating the Next Generation of Conservationists, which has further developed my knowledge of environmental education and conservation. I look forward to bringing this learning into the classroom and encouraging our pupils to develop a deeper understanding of, and respect for, the natural world.

Above all, I am passionate about creating a positive, engaging and inclusive learning environment where every child feels supported, valued and encouraged to reach their full potential.