CONGRATULATIONS: Gold award for Nenagh teacher in Warsaw City

By Tom Ryan

Among the nominees for a top Polish Award in Warsaw recently was Tipperary Secondary School Teacher, Mr Cornelius McGrath, for his promotion of the historical links between Poland and Ireland.

Mr McGrath, who teaches in St Mary’s Secondary School, Nenagh, county Tipperary, was nominated for his research into the World War II battle for Warsaw which occurred in 1944.

In this desperate battle, known as the Warsaw Uprising which lasted 63 days in the Polish capital, the wartime Polish Resistance fought valiantly against better equipped Nazi forces, all the while left abandoned by the Russian forces, so called Allies, who were encamped across the River Vistula, and did not come to their aid.

Mr McGrath, who has conducted interviews with up to 50 veterans of this remarkable battle, participants both male and female, who live in as far flung locations as Canada and Australia, was nominated for his innovative teaching methods, where he plays clips from his recordings to give his students first hand accounts of what it was like to be in combat amid the most hopeless odds.

PRESENTATION
Last October Mr McGrath even conducted a short video presentation with his students, where they presented the many historic links between Ireland and Poland, while at the same time calling for peace in the world today.

This video was shared on social media, and caught the attention of the Polish Embassy in Dublin, as well as the Warsaw Rising Museum in Poland.

The subsequent result was BohaterON, a nationwide Polish organisation aimed at commemorating and honouring the participants of the Warsaw Uprising, as well as promoting the history of Poland in the 20th century, decided to nominate the Irish teacher for his dedicated research into the epic story of the Warsaw Uprising.

At a star studded event in Warsaw City, on Friday night, attended by many prominent individuals from the world of politics, academia, journalism, acting, music, and the performing arts, as well as numerous Veterans from the Warsaw Uprising; Mr McGrath found himself on stage with four other nominees in the Teacher Category, for promoting the history of the Warsaw Uprising.

To the Irishman’s great surprise, he was awarded Gold, first place, for his very dedicated work in research and teaching.

Speaking afterwards Mr McGrath stated: “This Award of course belongs to all the incredible Veterans and their families, who have so kindly shared their amazing stories with me. Their willing and eager cooperation is most humbling.”

INTERVIEW
Speaking the following day, in an interview on TV P World, Mr McGrath stated that he hopes to put together a book of all the interviews he has made, which will give a “on the ground perspective” of what it was like to be a participant in the Warsaw Uprising.