Member's statement: Marshall Kilgore and Nicola Madden: Retirement

Member's statement by Mr Alan Robinson on 29 June 2026.

MLA: Mr Alan Robinson
Party at the time: Democratic Unionist Party
Date: 29 June 2026
Type: Member's statement
Business: Members' Statements
Heading: Marshall Kilgore and Nicola Madden: Retirement
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5644583

Text

As the school year comes to a close, 2026 will see the loss of two high-profile educators in Roe Valley. Those two individuals have given many valuable years of service to the education system. Marshall Kilgore MBE, principal of Drumachose Primary School in Limavady, will walk out the door for the last time having given over a quarter of a century of service as a principal and spent over 35 years working in primary education. He started his teaching career in 1989 at Londonderry Model Primary School and had been a teaching principal at Donemana Primary School in Strabane before becoming principal of Drumachose . Mr Kilgore is fondly known as the beating heart of the school. He is a man who openly talks about how sport has influenced his life from an early age to the present day. His love of sport has inspired so many others. He has been an incredibly popular head of school and has the respect of many across the education system in the Province. I wish him well and trust that he will enjoy having more time for the sports that he is so deeply fond of, including rugby. I also pay tribute to Nicola Madden, who steps down as head of Limavady Grammar School having served in that role for a decade. Her educational role began in Dunluce School in Bushmills as head of geography. She then joined Dalriada School in 1998 as a teacher of geography. As an educator, she was deeply involved in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme and coached various junior hockey teams. In her role, she led in high-quality teaching and learning that led to impressive pupil achievements. While the two individuals led very different schools, they shared a calling: to provide the best education for young people and to inspire those around them. They have been a steady, reassuring presence for generations of children and trusted colleagues to their staff. They leave an enduring legacy: countless pupils began their educational journey under their care. They have guided their schools with distinction, maintaining high academic standards while ensuring that pastoral care remained at the heart of everything that they did. Both understood that education is about so much more than examinations and qualifications; it is about building character, creating opportunities and believing in young people, often before they believe in themselves. Marshall and Nicola, I hope that you begin your well-earned rest with immense pride in all that you have accomplished. Your schools will undoubtedly miss you, but your legacy will continue through every pupil whose life was enriched because of your years of service. While this is the end of one chapter, it opens the door to exciting new opportunities. I hope that you both have more time to spend with your families and friends, having new adventures, doing long-postponed hobbies and perhaps even having the chance to enjoy a morning without an alarm clock. I thank you for your years of faithful service to education. Thank you for the difference that you have made not only to your schools but to the wider Roe Valley area. I wish you both much happiness, good health and many wonderful years ahead.
May your retirement be as rewarding and fulfilling as the careers that you have left behind.

549 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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