Ged Farrell: Tributes to former Keith head teacher and leading member of Catholic Church
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A RETIRED head teacher and prominent member of the Catholic Church in Moray, Ged Farrell, has died, aged 63.
Mr Farrell was head of St Thomas’ RC Primary School, Keith, from 1996 until retiring in 2015.
He joined the staff of St Peter’s RC Primary in Buckie in 1988 and had a spell as acting head there and then at St Thomas’ in 1992, before moving to St Sylvester’s RC Primary, Elgin, as a teacher.
After being appointed permanent head at St Thomas’ in 1996, he also took on the role of acting head at St Sylvester’s for a short time.
Mr Farrell was involved in the Association of Catholic Primary Head Teachers in Scotland, helping organise conferences.
Retiring early, he devoted more time to various duties at his Keith St Thomas’ Church, which included leader of the choir and chairing the pastoral council until stepping aside because of illness.
Spearheading a prayer group, which embraced members of Keith and neighbouring parishes, he attracted Catholics from England, Canada, Qatar and Nigeria to it during the Covid lockdown, while also playing a part in developing prayer groups throughout the Aberdeen Diocese and across Europe.
He was a member of the team of the diocese’s Ogilvie Centre Management for Catechists and Evangelists, and worked with the Dominican Sisters of St Cecilia at Elgin in youth activities and organising adult retreats.
Current pastoral council chair at Keith, Deacon Graeme Morrison, said: “Ged was an inspirational man who touched the lives of many. He will be sadly missed.”
Passionate about music, and playing the guitar, Mr Farrell was a drama coach with the performing arts school Stagestars (Scotland) in Keith for 18 years, and took part in many musicals and variety shows.
In a tribute on Facebook, arts school head Seonaid Clark said: “Ged loved being on stage and was a fantastic actor, but most will remember him for his beautiful and powerful singing voice. He was loved by all his students. We know he will shine bright in heaven, as he did on earth.”
Born in Dundee, Mr Farrell was educated at the city’s St Mary’s RC Primary, Lochee, and Lawside Academy, and studied primary teaching at Craiglockhart College of Education, Edinburgh, where he met his future wife, Margaret.
After teaching in London for seven years, they moved to Keith in 1988. Mrs Farrell was a maths teacher, principal teacher of guidance and depute head at Keith Grammar School, who also retired in 2015.
She said: “Ged spent his whole career in Catholic education. He loved working with kids and loved his music, and dedicated his life to his faith.”
The couple have two sons, Matthew and Francis.
Bishop of Aberdeen, Rt Rev Hugh Gilbert, will join priests from the diocese for a Requiem Mass at St Thomas’ on Wednesday, March 1 at 11am, followed by burial at the town’s Broomhill Cemetery.
