St. Conleth's College 75 Year Quinquennial 2014

The Icon of St. Conleth was presented to the school by the Charleton family, following the graduation of Clara in 2011.

It was commissioned by Clara’s father Peter from the Iconographer to the Metropolitan of Tomsk in Siberia, Ekaterina Platoshechkina

Seventy five years on – Bernard Sheppard could never have

visualised the successful foundations he was setting in place

on the day World War II commenced in 1939. Starting with

twelve pupils, and going from strength to strength each year,

to our current enrolment of four hundred. So much of this is

due to quality and loyalty of our staff throughout those years.

The success of our past pupils in the professions, business

and academia is proof of that.

I would like to thank all those involved in the preparation of this “history” particularly

Charles Latvis and Charles Crimmins and, of course, Ann Sheppard who has been so

important in co-ordinating all our 75th celebrations.

Finally, I welcome our Board of Directors, a new feature which will guarantee the future of

St. Conleth’s. We appreciate their involvement, interest and expertise.

Kevin D. Kelleher

ST. CONLETH'S COLLEGE 1939 - 2014

TABLE

OF

CONTENTS

3

NEW DEVELOPMENTS - NEW ERA 5

A SPORTING LIFE 8

STAFF TRIBUTES 12

Q1 1939 - 1964 16

Q2 1964 - 1989 27

Q3 1989 - 2014 37

GRADUATION PORTRAITS 65

THE SENIOR SCHOOL 123

THE JUNIOR SCHOOL 151

THE STAFF 176

AWARDS 178

REMEMBERED 182

ST. CONLETH’S COLLEGE 1939 - 2014

PUBLISHED BY : ST. CONLETH’S COLLEGE, 28 CLYDE ROAD, BALLSBRIDGE, DUBLIN 4, IRELAND

(01) 66 80022 · ADMIN@STCONLETHS.IE · WWW.STCONLETHS.IE

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR : ANN SHEPPARD · EDITOR : CHARLES LATVIS · EDITORIAL CONSULTANT : RONAN O’KELLY

DESIGN : CHARLES CRIMMINS (CLASS OF 1990) · CRIMMINS VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS · WWW.CRIMMINS.IE

© ST. CONLETH’S COLLEGE 2014


NEW

DEVELOPMENTS

- NEW ERA

by

5

Ann Sheppard

2009 marked the 70th anniversary of St. Conleth’s and in January 2010 a new third floor

extension was opened, providing a new library, music room, conference room, transition year

rooms, Sixth Year area, guidance suite, and resource rooms. The last five years have seen the

fruits of this extension. A dedicated music room has meant that music is now fully integrated

into the curriculum and budding musicians have a place to practise and show off their

talents. A beautifully appointed library means that a love of reading can be encouraged and

the applied, and even the not-so-applied, student has a conducive area in which to study.

The extension also provided room for a new junior school block on the second floor for

Second through Sixth Forms and, in September 2010, St. Conleth’s opened its doors for the

first time to Junior Infants and Senior Infants. The basement of the house was renovated for

what is now the Preparatory school (Junior Infants, Senior Infants and First Form) and it is

thriving under the helm of Dolores Kelly. As a result of this innovation, the student body of

St. Conleth’s has reached 400 pupils for the first time.

And the fruits of the 2007 partnership with Dublin City Council, allowing St. Conleth’s to

purchase an Astro Turf Multi-Play area in Herbert Park, continue to be evident, as each class

in the school now has the opportunity every week to develop their physical education in a

purpose-built arena.

I extend a sincere thank-you to all the parents and past pupils of St. Conleth’s who have

contributed so generously to our development appeal.


PROJECT UGANDA

in 2010 Gavin Maguire headed off with his team on an expedition to Uganda. Although

St. Conleth’s had been going on expeditions since 2001, this time there was a difference.

St. Conleth’s set up a five year partnership with Kitatya Secondary School, a 600 pupil school

in a remote rural area in Uganda and established an exchange of skills project. Since then

approximately 100 pupils from St. Conleth’s have travelled to Uganda and learned planting,

digging, brickmaking, luganda, Ugandan dancing and cooking and the playing of drums.

They were welcomed by the community around Kitatya and visited the homes of the local

people and, most of all, developed an awareness of the developing world which I hope will

serve them well in adult life. I hope too that the pupils from Kitatya will have gained

something from our pupils, improved their fluency in English and learned the importance of

continuing on in education. Each group from St. Conleth’s committed to raising 10,000 euro

for the school. When we first arrived, there was no running water or electricity. We put in

solar panels the first year and now at the end of the project the improvements in the school

are phenomenal. We have put in 40,000 euro but the Kitatya parents and the government

have added to it too. So hopefully the school will go from strength to strength. Congratulations

to all the St. Conleth’s pupils, parents and staff who have contributed regularly over the last

five years to the success of this project.

6

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

St. Conleth’s has long been an Educational Trust but in 2011 the Trustees of

St. Conleth’s appointed a new Board of Directors to manage the school on their

behalf for the benefit of the pupils and their parents and to provide an appropriate

education for each pupil, while maintaining the ethos and tradition of St. Conleth’s

and ensuring its financial viability. The Directors are made up of Past Pupils, Past

Parents, Parents and Past Principals. I retired from teaching in 2011 after 34 years

and was appointed Chief Executive by the Board : I delegate the day-to-day

responsibilities for maintaining the ethos and achieving the objectives, targets

and plans of the school. I also act as Manager of the Secondary School in

accordance with the Education Act 1998. While I very much miss the classroom

and the close contact with the pupils, I am pleased to have the time to concentrate

on providing the best possible environment for the principals and teachers to

focus on teaching and learning.

This new structure consolidates the continuum of St. Conleth’s and we are

extremely fortunate with the interest and expertise of all the members of the

board who willingly give so much of their time.

Pat Kelleher and Ann Sheppard

at the St. Conleth’s 60th Anniversary celebrations

Ann Sheppard and Kevin Kelleher

Trustees : Kevin Kelleher

Michael O’Dea

Ann Sheppard

Directors : Vincent Sheridan (chairperson)

John Rochford

Tim Bouchier-Hayes

Brendan Doyle

Sean Coakley

Sunniva McDonagh

Ms. Sheppard and Mr. Kelleher

with the Directors of St. Conleth’s


7

Substantial Work

in Uganda-Kitatya Staff Quarters

The completed building

WSE

Just as we were looking forward to the Christmas holiday, the dreaded letter

from the Department of Education arrived informing us of a whole school

inspection at the beginning of January 2011. Needless to say, all our teachers

conscientiously worked to have all notes, plans and policies in order, resulting in

a very positive reaction from the inspectorate.

The following were their main findings :

The welcome which is afforded to each and every student on enrolment received

unanimous praise in the parent questionnaires, which also provide a resounding

endorsement of the work of the school.

The school benefits from the commitment and expertise of teachers as educators

and mentors who create a disciplined, caring and happy environment for excellence.

The role of the form teacher is to lead students in their learning, an objective

which is very effectively achieved.

The current unitary manager (Kevin Kelleher) is an educationalist, a visionary

and has a visible and involved presence around the school, with daily interactions

with senior management, teachers and students. His role is pivotal in ensuring

the continuation of the founding principles and values of the school and

contributes significantly to the familial atmosphere in the school.

The principal and deputy principal bring a wealth of knowledge and understanding

of the school and its students’ needs.

Parents appreciate the work ethic of the school and the positive learning

experience provided for their sons and daughters.

The motivational role of the form teacher ensures individual attention to students

and provides students with a distinctive sense of purpose and belonging.

Considerable and commendable infrastructural improvements to teachers’ working

environment and to students’ learning environment have been undertaken.


Ugandan playing of drums.

Conlethian ‘teachers’

impressed by Ugandans’ rapt attention.

LOOKING BACK BUT GOING FORWARD

As we approach our 75th anniversary of the founding of St. Conleth’s, I cannot

but be proud of all the developments since 1939; proud that the founding

tradition and ethos has carried through and so many still comment on the warm

familial atmosphere that greets you as you cross the front door and proud also of

the mark made by our Principals : Brendan Doyle, Peter Gallagher, Pat Murphy,

Donal O'Dulaing, and the head of the new preparatory school, Dolores Kelly. I am

proud too of the contribution of our dedicated teaching and non-teaching staff,

but most importantly I am especially proud of the impact all the above has had

on our pupils in allowing them to become well-rounded young adults.

I know too that my father Bernard Sheppard and my mother Pat Kelleher are

looking down with pride at what they started all those years ago.

8

A SPORTING LIFE :

AN IMPROMPTU RECOLLECTION OF

THE GAMES OF KDK’S YOUTH

Kevin Kelleher was interviewed in St. Conleth’s by Seamus Keenan and Seamus Gallagher.

Ann Fallon took the hours of recorded dialogue and helped shape them into the beginnings of

a memoir. This article is a short extract from those interviews.

The man who has seen too many wars come and go, numerous governments

rise and fall and who has been part of St. Conleth’s for seventy of its seventy-five

years, reflects on his long and eventful life.

Could you tell us about some of your earliest memories?

KEVIN D KELLEHER : One of the first memories I have is being at the Tailteann

Games with my father in 1928. There was a Tailteann Games previous to that in

1924, and my father - I wasn't there but so he told me - played for Wales in

Hurling! He was brought down out of the stands to make up the Welsh team,

I think. But I was brought along in '28 for the last day of the games. All I can

remember was the gymnasts and the Irish army. There wouldn't have been a

huge crowd there. My father, anyhow, was meeting all his pals from the GAA.

That was my first memory. I was seven years of age.

There is a lovely story from some years ago about Monsignor Greene in

Haddington Road. He boasted from the altar that he was going to the All-Ireland

Hurling final in Croke Park and he hadn't missed one since 1932. So on my way

out I knocked on the Sacristy door and said, “Father, I was there in 1931.” And

I can tell you that it was between Cork and Kilkenny. And they played three

times - two draws. How I ever saw the match I do not know. I was on Hill 16, and

I was still a small guy, you know.

I've got memories of Croke Park because we lived near it, in Drumcondra. And

we'd go every Sunday morning, myself and my brother. One memory I have was

that at twelve o'clock we'd be attending a game and the Angelus bell would ring.

There were many of religious houses around : Iona road, William Street Church and

O'Connell's School. Their bells would ring and they'd stop the match, say the

Angelus, and when they were finished - blow the whistle and challenge each

other again!

Did you play for O'Connell's?

KDK : I did. I played hurling.

A couple of times I played in Croke Park - at least twice for the school. At adult

level, I remember a fellow called Paddy McDonnell who played for O'Toole’s and

his brother Johnny was the goalkeeper for the Dubs. The two of them were

tough and Paddy was a big strong fellow, he played centre back. Some wore soft

hats. Are you listening? Soft hats on the pitch!



9

10

The other memory about Croke Park - these are all gone now - were the Sports

Days. Every Saturday in Summer, certainly in June and July, there were sports in

Croke Park. They ran sponsored events like the Tramway Hundred. That was a

big event. There used to be cycle races - on a macadam track in Croke Park

around the ground. There was a camber on all the bends.

I remember later, when there was something happening in Croke Park, they had

the sports in Lansdowne Road and in Iveagh grounds. I remember going to

Lansdowne Road with my father when I was very small. You were allowed sit on

the grass in Lansdowne Road, because I remember shouting at the cyclists to

win, shouting “Will you get on with it!” - not knowing that it's like a horse race :

it's only the last hundred yards that count.

Would the GAA have run that?

KDK : No, that was the trades unions. The GAA owned Croke Park, but these

events would be run by the likes of the Tramway Union. They were great sports!

How did you get involved in rugby, coming from Claude Road?

KDK : My earliest rugby memory - international - was 1935 when I saw the All

Blacks. Jack Manchester was the captain. And the referee was Irish. You know

the story? The referee, a Scottish referee, got stuck out in Scotsman’s Bay : out in

Dalkey, the inlet there. He couldn't get in with the fog. So an Irish referee, Billy

Jeffers, refereed the match. The memory I have of that match - the All Blacks

won, obviously - was Aiden Bailey. Bailey and Larry MacMahon were the centres.

Aiden Bailey had two penalties and the first one hopped on the crossbar and

came back, and the second one hopped on the crossbar and went over. And the

newspaper had a cartoon the next day, with the goalposts, and it showed the

crossbar going up and then going down.

Well, we played rugby in O'Connell's for a few years. We had three internationals

at least. Tommy Headon, Ray Carroll and Don Hingerty. His sons went here. I

enjoyed rugby at school and was good at it. Hence my switch to the game.

Michael Murphy and Kevin Kelleher

Your father won …

KDK : Three All-Irelands : 1906 / 07 / 08. He was Captain of the Dubs in 1908.

Anyway all that moved me on to rugby. I felt the disciple was there in rugby.

I played in O'Connell's, then I joined Lansdowne. Lansdowne is the only club

with which I was ever involved. I wasn't a regular on the first team. I did play on

the firsts but Lansdowne would have had a lot of star players. I was a back-row

forward and the back-row forwards is where the stars would be. I ended up in

later years being president of Lansdowne. In fact in my career I was President of

Lansdowne, President of the Leinster branch, President of the Referees.

So after that I played for ten years. Then when the game began to hurt I said it's

time to get involved in a different way.

Many teachers are good referees : being involved at school level, an interest

is there straight away. Also, their word is law! You know the referee : “I'm right,

I'm always right and when I'm in a temper I'm infallible!” So that stood to

me and I went up the ladder very quickly. I wasn't even ambitious, I wasn't

looking to get on the senior panel first of all, and within two years of being on the

senior panel I got on the interprovincial panel. This wasn't something I was

looking for. And then the same thing happened with the international panel. Out

of the blue it was said to me : “Oh, and by the way, you've been picked for the

international panel.“

Kevin Kelleher, Brian Carr,

John Rochford and Fr. Paul Lavelle

Kevin Kelleher, Michael McDowell and J Carvill


11

You must have been good?

KDK : Well, my attitude always was look for a reason not to blow the whistle. The

public are not paying to see you, you know.

You were popular with the unions, because they had to invite you to referee.

Joseph O’Dea, Kevin Kelleher and Michael Manning

KDK : Well, I refereed in all four stadia, in Murrayfield, in Twickenham, in Paris

and in Cardiff, all in one year.

That was a record which stood for a long, long time.

Tell us a little about your teaching career. You went to UCD?

Peter Gallagher and Kevin Kelleher

KDK : Yes, UCD. And I did my degree in Latin, English and Irish. You did a wider

number of subjects at that time. Then my first job was in Clontarf. The place is

gone now : Dermot Roden opened a new school, I applied and did my H.Dip

there. It was on the corner of Vernon Avenue. I was paid £1 a week, not paid for

holidays. I took games, until four or five o'clock, then I would head to UCD for my

H.Dip lectures, on the bicycle, to Earlsfort Terrace. Then Bernard Shepherd

offered me £2 or £2.50 a week in St. Conleth’s and I thought that was a good deal.

That was 1944. That changed everything.

Conleth’s was only opened what, five years?

KDK : Five years, yes. And it opened in Number 17, down the road from here.

And how many people would have been teaching in the school?

KDK : I'll tell you. Mick Murphy came in April, 1940, and he was with the school

for so many years … I can remember Willy Hanley who is still alive. He was

teaching here. He was older than me, so he's in his mid-nineties. And there was

Anthony Hannigan. He went out to Ghana, which was recruiting teachers in

those days and he went by boat and sent us a card saying, “This is the life!” But

he was back in Dublin three months later.


12

‘THE ONLY STAR IN

THIS CLASS’

A TRIBUTE TO PETER GALLAGHER

Peter Gallagher retired from St. Conleth’s in August 2013 after seven years as

Principal and forty years of teaching. He taught History, Latin and some RE but

History is his real love and how he was able to instil this love in so many of

his students! A Master’s degree from the University of Florence, a teacher

fellowship from Trinity, co–author of the leading standard text for Junior Cycle

for many years, president of the History Teachers’ Association, Irish representative

many times at the European history teachers’ association … Peter’s resume as

a History teacher is unsurpassed. So many of his students went on to study

History at third level, and often found that they were again to be taught by him

as he covered a course in Renaissance history for the renowned historian Fr. FX

Martin in UCD, as well as teaching History for many years on a Wednesday

afternoons in Mater Dei. While numbers taking History to Leaving Cert

diminished around the country, a huge percentage of students continued to take

it in Conleth’s. His love of history and imparting it to the pupils was so strong

that he continued to teach First Year and Leaving Cert while he was Principal.

And one of the first things he did as Principal was to inaugurate the Hamilton

History Award for the person who got the highest mark in History in the Leaving

Certificate but only if it was an A1- Peter always insisted on the highest of

standards! How fitting was it that in the year he retired he had to wait until the

scripts could be viewed to find out which A1 was the highest. Peter also had a

distinct appreciation for the dramatic!

However it was not only a Leaving Cert History Award which he inaugurated

in Conleth’s. It was Peter along with his colleague Paul Mullins who initiated

foreign trips and brought students to Russia, Spain, France, Holland, Germany,

Belgium, Austria, Italy … and what stories there were to tell from getting lost in

the sewers in Paris to getting fined running across Red Square! It was Peter who

had First Year students (and their parents) up all night completing their medieval

castles, and students feverishly brushing up their general knowledge for his

legendary Mastermind tournament- the coveted prize in both was simply the

honour itself : Peter’s competitions were so revered that he never needed to

award anything but a very firm handshake and a word of praise which would

warm the spirit of the winner for years to come. It was Peter who inaugurated

the school concert and had so many budding musicians wanting to participate

that he had to hold auditions. It was Peter who introduced gardening to

Transition Year, historical treasure hunts in Merrion Square, outings to the

theatre and architectural walks on Raglan Road. Indeed, would-be Georgian

house renovators are now breathing easier in Ballsbridge if they opt for the PVC

conservatory, as they no longer fear a chorus of First Years at their gates shouting

“Philistines! Philistines!”, led by a certain History teacher with a rather

demanding sense of architectural propriety.

by Ann Sheppard

Peter in swinging form in 1982

Peter and two of his Masterminds


13

Peter with past pupil Odhran Woods

- sculptor of the Trustees' gift


Peter with his gift

from the Parents’ Association

And then Peter became Principal and it was as if he was born to it! He set to on

the immense project of having all school policies, plans and procedures in place.

He eloquently addressed parents and instilled a confidence in them that they

had made the right choice by sending their son or daughter to Conleth’s. His

door was always open to parents, pupils and teachers : ready to listen, to give

time and to reassure. He insisted on high standards and ensured they were met.

In the staff room, Peter regaled us daily with some incident he wanted to share.

He shared too his enthusiasm and love for the theatre, music, cinema, new

restaurants, books, TV programmes and general affairs. Peter was the perfect

antidote for a profession where too often we get locked in on the next class, exam

or meeting. He always had something to say, but also always had time to listen.

As a colleague, Peter was always mindful of our welfare, ensuring too that young

teachers felt part of the place. How many evenings have we enjoyed in Peter’s

company, always energised by discussion and we look forward to many more.

Thank you, Peter, for your wonderful contribution to St. Conleth’s.

14

THE GREAT

PAT

McGRATH

Pat McGrath retired from St. Conleth’s as Assistant Principal in August 2014 after

36 years teaching. Pat joined St. Conleth’s in 1978 as a Biology teacher to replace

Miss Blackhall and quickly immersed himself into the dynamic of school life.

Pat’s academic expertise did not rest solely in Biology and General Science to

Junior Cert, having completed a degree in Ag. Science in UCD and having

worked in Ranks and studied marketing, Pat was well qualified to teach

Chemistry, Maths, Business and Economics, all to Leaving Cert level. Pat’s

knowledge of his subjects was always talked about and, for those who wanted

to learn more, he could often be seen sitting in the corridor with pupils going

through their work.

Pat’s wide range of knowledge and expertise, however, is not limited to academic

subjects. A Tipperary man, his sporting memory band is phenomenal and almost

matches that of Kevin Kelleher. He can give every result of every Gaelic, Hurling,

Rugby, Soccer match, name every horse that ran a race and list the scores of all

the golfing greats. He is one of the many to claim to have been at the Munster

victory over New Zealand and he is one of the few who actually were there. He

is a great supporter of all sports teams in the school and is regularly on the side

line cheering our players.

In recent years he is famed for selecting, managing and coaching an unbeatable

staff football team. A keen squash player (he has put out numerous St. Conleth’s

squash teams over the years), he has played league for Joe Mays in Skerries and

Old Belvedere in Anglesea Road. Now his sporting acumen is focused on golf in

Balbriggan, where he is chipping away at his handicap at great speed, and

accumulating a mountain of crystal.

by Ann Sheppard

Pat in 1982

Pat and Co. on another French trip

- Still on the go in 2014


15

The Great McGrath

It is not just in the classroom and on the sporting field where Pat has concentrated

his energies over his 36 years. Pat has embraced every aspect of school life and

participated wholeheartedly in every event – from school tours abroad, adventure

centres, plays, musicals, ‘getting to know Dublin’ with TY, think tanks, seminars,

‘aprés matches’ and always in the best interest of the pupils and St. Conleth’s.

He can name every pupil he ever taught, the year he/she left and usually will

have some anecdote about the person. As a colleague he regaled us all with

his wonderful sense of humour, his positive attitude and sound advice based

on such integrity. How many fun nights out have we enjoyed in Pat’s company

and we look forward to many more! As one parent summed him up recently :

“Isn’t he a legend!“


Pat and Donal

- Back to School

16

STAFF

TRIBUTES

We must acknowledge the departure from St. Conleth’s in recent years of those

members of staff who did not retire but chose to move in a different career

direction. Each of these was so influential in the life of the school in their own

way and has been missed dearly by fellow staff and students alike.

DR. GARRET CAMPBELL taught Science, Physics and Maths at St. Conleth’s

and was Transition Year Co-ordinator for several years. He was immensely

popular with his students, due to both his personality and his ability to push

them to the highest of results. The staff miss his wicked sense of humour and

impeccable impersonations, which always lit up the staffroom just when it was

needed. Garret started the tradition of worldwide student expeditions at

St. Conleth’s, memorably leading intrepid groups to Peru and Mongolia, and his

new career is in a related field, the director of Global Schoolroom, a NGO which

trains teachers in India.

JIM SMYTH, teacher of French and media star in his own right, was often

Garret’s partner-in-crime regarding hijinks amongst both the staff and students.

Jim is a bundle of good-natured energy and though we doubt the Midlands will

be able to contain him for long, that is where he is now teaching and bringing

the same humour, affection and general bonhomie which we enjoyed here at

St. Conleth’s.

PIIA ROSSI was the single person most responsible for the renaissance of art at

St. Conleth’s. From her very start at St. Conleth’s, Piia taught both Junior and

Senior students with such skill and passion that art quickly forced its way into

the heart of our curriculum, and school life in general. She was able to convey

both technique and discipline to her pupils, and now continues to work as an

inspiring artist in her own right, dividing her time between Germany, Slovakia,

Finland and Ireland.

GERRY DUNNE was the popular, good-looking, young teacher at St. Conleth’s

for several years and somehow was able to take his leave, still being the popular,

good-looking young teacher! Gerry taught Religion and English and organised

Masses, retreats and much of the spiritual life of the students. The pupils miss

him greatly and still regularly ask when he will return from his further studies in

Education and Philosophy at Trinity College. His colleagues miss his impromptu

staffroom massages, warmth and affection and, of course, his stupendous goalscoring

record in the Staff/Sixth Year football matches!

Dr. Garret Campbell receiving a Piia Rossi painting

from Mr. Kelleher and Ann Sheppard


Q1


Sports Day at St. Conleth’s, 1962

1939-1964

18

St. Conleth's College

1939 - 2014

Memories of 75 Years

by Basil Brindley

Some twenty-five years ago I derived very considerable

pleasure from writing a story about my early association

with the birth of St. Conleth’s. Those were wonderfully

happy, carefree days and I was very touched when Kevin

Kelleher and Ann Sheppard recently invited me to submit

an update of the recollections which I had penned away

back in September 1989. They kindly supplied me with a

copy of the St. Conleth’s College “Memories of 50 Years”

and I make no apologies for admitting to a renewed sense

of enjoyment from once again reading over that personal

contribution entitled “War on Sunday, School on Monday”.

Twenty-five years is a considerable chunk of time and sadly

we have lost many old pals since I produced that story in

1989. But some things never change. Sunday 3rd September

1939 marked the outbreak of World War 11 and the

following day, Monday 4th September saw the birth of

St. Conleth’s when Bernard Sheppard opened the hall door

of Number 17 Clyde Road - a couple of hundred yards

down the way from its present location. The little acorn

started life with half a dozen seedling students but Kevin

Kelleher and Ann Sheppard celebrated the Seventy-fifth

Anniversary of St. Conleth’s with an assembly of more

than 400 boys and girls on the 4th of September.

In his forward to the 1989 Commemorative book, Kevin

tells us that we will “very quickly find out what St. Conleth’s

is all about – PEOPLE. We have produced academics.

And we have achieved sporting greats. We’ve produced

solicitors, barristers, medics, artists, writers,

accountants and people in all walks of life. But mainly,

and most importantly, we have produced People!” He

winds up by saying “We sincerely hope that St. Conleth’s

will be around for another 50 years, so that we can double

up on the reminiscing, and produce our centenary yearbook

in the year 2039.”

Basil Brindley

Father Stan

- part of the gang at

Conleth’s and Darwin Hall

Thank you, Kevin. At eighty- seven years of age, I’m

delighted to comply with your request to supply this little

contribution for our “Seventy-fifth” but I’m afraid that

some alternative arrangements will have to be ironed out

for the Centenary job as “Yours Truly” is hardly likely to

be around for any sort of celebrations on his 112th birthday.

God forbid!

Meanwhile let’s turn our thoughts to those other old

pals who have already completed that final journey

home. Pride of place must certainly go to Michael

‘Mr. Dolphin’ Nugent.

Michael was first in line for that historic opening day at

St. Conleth’s in September 1939 and he completed a

unique achievement when serving his full six year term as

a model student. He was School Captain in his early years

and when the Past Pupils Union was established in 1950,

he became the first president, followed by three other

founder members of St. Conleth’s: John Lovatt Dolan,

‘Yours Truly’ and Philip Morgan. The first P.P.U. dinner

was held on 9th February 1950 and, naturally enough,

the venue was Michael’s ‘Home away from Home’, The

Dolphin Hotel in Essex Street, which had been owned by

the Nugent family since the beginning of time!

A surviving copy of the Celebration Menu recalls some

wonderful memories of the friendships which we treasured

in our Clyde Road Kingdom more than sixty years ago. The

list is headed by a request to please “Sign and return to

Bernard Sheppard”. Two members of the local clergy,

Fr. Molloy and Fr. Harley are included, together with eight

past presidents – Michael Nugent, John Lovatt Dolan,

Basil Brindley, Philip Morgan, Gerry MacCarthy, Jim

Rawson, Arthur Hughes and Brian MacMahon. When

compiling a few notes for this Seventy-fifth volume, I

unearthed a couple of senior citizens who had attended that

Dolphin Dinner in 1950. During an extended chat with

Kevin Kinlen, the pair of us recalled some wonderful old

times which myself and my priestly brother Fr. Stan shared

with the entire Kinlen family at “Darwin Hall” - a truly

magnificent residence in Rathfarmham which was blessed

with a secluded fruit garden where we

gorged ourselves with plums in the

summer and played theatre amongst the

shrubs in the winter. After these revelations

I got hold of Kevin’s contribution to

the previous issue of our Conlethian

Booklet. Under the title “The life force in

Conleth’s “he told us that – “The pupils

did not realise it at the time, but they were

given practically individual attention by

Kevin Kinlen, great teachers, such as Michael Murphy,

who never lifted his hand to a student or

raised his voice but whose mere physical

a fellow traveller from the

early days of St. Conleth’s


1939 - 2014

19

presence ensured discipline.” A similar impression was

conveyed by Professor John Kelly when he talked about

Mr. Murphy being “The master we all remember and of

whom we all have grateful recollections.”

The late Paul Darragh introduced an equine element into

his contribution when he told us that “Conleth’s was very

encouraging when I started entering competitive show

jumping at quite an early age. They would regularly give

me time off to attend shows – unless it was coming up to

exam times.” The horsey side of the sport was also

enjoyed by our son Tony but his interest centred on the

racetrack rather than in the jumping arena!

At this stage perhaps you’d allow me space to relate a perfectly

true little story involving myself, Tony and the

Master of the Party, Mr K. D. Kelleher. About 40 years

ago, when Tony was still in St. Conleth’s, the pair of us

were taking a train home from Mallow after a day at the

races. We had every reason to be in good form and were

enjoying what we called a celebratory tipple in the comfort

of our carriage. And then it happened! The train stopped

at some junction along the way and who clamoured aboard

but the one and only Kevin D. Kelleher who had been refereeing

a provincial match in Munster. It could have been

curtains but when K.D. heard that his pupil had won the

two mile hurdle on ‘Arctic Folly’, Tony very fortunately

escaped with a yellow card and a caution.Tony’s classmate

in those superlative days at St. Conleth’s was another great

character in the shape of Gerry Thornley, who currently

tops the rugger reporting ranks in the Irish Times.

But let’s finish with a final word from my very dear old

friend, the late lamented Michael Nugent who reminds us

that “It is a great tribute to the present management that

the liberal spirit of Bernard Sheppard still lives on in

St. Conleth’s. Long may it remain!”

St. Conleth’s in the 1940s

Arthur Hughes interviewed by Philip O’Hanrahan, Class of 2016

I personally was captivated and completely consumed

by his arguments for the existence of God

and I believe, though it was only whispered at the

time, that he was responsible for numerous conversions

to Catholicism. Also, years later, I heard

the extraordinary truth that he had regular afternoon

tea with the head of the Protestant convent

next-door, and after long discussions, they agreed

to continue in their respective religions.

PO’H : What motivated your parents to send you to

the school?

AH : The prospectus for the school in 1942 said that

St. Conleth’s was the school for the sons of Catholic

gentlemen, and jokes were said in my family

how that ruled me out.

PO’H : What were the sports at the school at the time?

AH : Personally, I was into rowing and earned the title

of Champion Novice and Junior Rower. This

athletic pursuit was always encouraged by the

school. At the school itself, cricket, fencing and

athletics were the mainstays, and, of course,

rugby. And everyone had a bicycle. We forget

how many bicycles were on the streets in those

days! I was big into cycling. I remember the

slowest bike race, which was great fun and

tougher than you might think, but I was only

interested in the fast ones!

PO’H : Did anything at the school mark it as different

or special?

AH : One aspect of St. Conleth’s which fascinated me

was the beautiful array of art and decorations :

the paintings and sculptures which seemed to be

in every nook and cranny of the school. Having

been in two prior schools, in Dublin and London,

each with four hundred or seven hundred pupils

and with more of an ‘institutional’ feel to them,

I wasn’t used to this level of personal taste and

care. It reminded me more of a home than a

school, and it made a lasting impression on me.

‘It was the best of times : it was the worst of times’

- Charles Dickens.

PO’H : What are your abiding memories from those

early days of St. Conleth’s ?

AH : When I joined St. Conleth’s in September 1942, it

was Bernard Sheppard who was spoken about on

every occasion, not the school. He had a charismatic,

most attractive personality, and an amazing

intellect and breadth of knowledge and experience.

He taught religion throughout the school,

and his early training as a Jesuit shone through.

Mr. Kelleher, Arthur Hughes

and Philip O'Hanrahan

20


1939 - 2014

Michael Quirke, Norbert Shannon, Dr Golden and Dermot Kinlen in the 1940s

PO’H : St. Conleth’s now has over 350 students in

classes from Preparatory to Sixth Year. What

were the numbers like back then?

AH : When I came here, there were four or six in my

class, but several classes were combined, and

that felt important as there were some older boys

to bring up the numbers. This provided me an

incentive to achieve greater marks in my essays,

in particular. I don’t think mixed ages is always a

bad thing : it encourages both competition and

co-operation.

PO’H : Is it actually true that you were at St. Conleth’s

before Mr. Kelleher?

AH : It is true! I was here before Kevin was here.

Kevin joined in 1944, I think. Few of us could

understand how a North-sider could have

crossed the Liffey and accepted a teaching position

in our school! We thought he’d leave after a

year. Little did we know! Some wiser people

thought that the addition of his rugby skills

would be good for the sporting prowess of the

school. Well, it didn’t have an immediate effect.

In a game against St. Andrew’s, I played as the

no. 11. At half time the score was 22-0 to

Andrew’s. The Andrew’s captain said to his team

that they could ease up now. We sent our captain,

Michael Nugent, with a message : “We heard

your remark to the team. And our reply is this :

Do your darnedest, don’t ease up on us!” They

obliged. Final Score : 44-0.

PO’H : Any other amusing stories?

AH : Annual Sports Day was huge, and the No.1 Army

Band would play there!

Also, when a few of us had graduated, Bernard

Sheppard expressed a desire that we create a Past

Pupils’ Union. We recent graduates obliged.

Fifteen said they’d be there at the first dinner, in

the Dolphin Hotel, owned by the Nugent family.

Only seven showed up. We had to pay for fifteen,

so we were scrambling for money, saying that we

would pay back next week, and searching our

pockets in vain. We also made frequent trips to

the bathroom to ‘make room’ for the extra food.

We had no doggy bags, so we had to eat it all!

PO’H : And were there any ‘worst of times’ ?

AH : In the 50s we viewed with dismay the deterioration

of Bernard’s health. Other past pupils and

I did our best to keep in touch, and we saw

Bernard by appointment on a number of afternoons.

It was sad to lose him in that way but his

legacy lives on in the school.

PO’H : Any final thoughts on St. Conleth’s ?

AH : If anyone asks if I enjoyed my time at St. Conleth’s,

my answer is simple : I sent my son there


1939 - 2014

21

for eleven years, and my

daughter for her final year.

I would not have done that

had I myself not enjoyed my

time. Years later I asked my

son if he enjoyed his time.

He said ‘yes’, that it gave

him the ‘edge’. St. Conleth’s

gives you the ‘edge’ in many

ways, at many angles.

My Grandad in his Schooldays

Philip O'Connor interviewed by John Kelleher, Class of 2019

My grandfather, Philip O'Connor, recently turned eighty.

He attended St. Conleth’s as one of its early pupils.

Mr. Kelleher actually taught him! I asked my grand-dad a

few questions about his time at our school, so long ago.

JK : What years did you attend St. Conleth’s ?

PO’C : I think I went there in about 1946 and stayed for

a few years before going on to Belvedere for

senior school.

JK : How many people were in your class?

PO’C : There were maybe about twenty-five in the year,

I don't remember exactly.

JK : You have often told me that Mr. Kelleher was one

of your teachers. What was he like back then?

PO’C : He was a young man and greatly involved in the

rugby. He was then an internationally acclaimed

rugby referee. He was a fine chap. He was very

popular with the pupils and, as the French would

say, tres normal!

John Kelleher, Second Year,

and his Grandfather Philip O'Connor, a Conlethian in the 1940's

JK : What were the school facilities like?

PO’C : Facilities? I think you would think them very

basic. We had benches. We had a blackboard. We

had a play area. Good teachers. Nothing exotic.

What else do you need?

JK : How many classrooms were there?

PO’C : I suppose there were about five or six. It's hard to

remember. It was in the original house, the red

brick house with steps up and, to the side of it,

there was a building with classrooms in it.

JK : What are some of your favourite memories of

your time in St. Conleth’s ?

PO’C : Amongst the things I remember best was the

Annual Drill Display. It was held at the end of

the summer term. The No.1 Army Band came to

the school. A Seargant Kavanagh came down

from McKee barracks and taught us drill and we

had flags. That was exciting. That was a gala

day. The parents came and there was ice cream

and cakes. Having the No.1 army band play at

your school was a big deal back then! My time in

Conleth’s was a happy time. We got out for an

hour at lunchtime and I just lived down the road.

I'd scootch home, have a bit of lunch and scootch

back! Best regards to Mr. Kelleher and thank him

for the happy memories.

From the 1956 Prospectus

Headmaster : Bernard C. Sheppard, B.A., H.D.E., N.U.I.

Telephone : 60022

St. Conleth’s College is a Catholic Day School for the Sons

of Gentlemen. The College is divided into Upper and

Lower Schools.

The Lower School is intended for boys from about eight

to twelve years of age. The subjects taught are :- Religious

Knowledge, Irish, English, Arithmetic, History, Geography,

Drawing, Singing. Special attention is paid to Reading,

Grammar, Handwriting, Elocution. During the final year in

this section Boys may begin the study of Latin and French.

The Upper School is for boys over twelve years of age. It

is recognised and approved by the Department of Secondary

Education, and the Department’s Inspectors visit the School

at times during the year. The curriculum includes : Religious

Knowledge, Irish, English, Greek, Latin, French, Spanish,

German, Mathematics, History, Geography, Drawing. Boys

are prepared for the Intermediate and Leaving Certificates

and for Matriculation of the National University.

22


1939 - 2014

In addition to the normal course of studies, opportunities

are provided for the cultivation and development of talents

for Music, Elocution, Drawing, Painting, Woodwork, etc.

A fundamental principle in the College is that the number

of pupils in each Form should be kept low. Individual

attention for each boy is thus assured.

The Masters are graduates of the National University of

Ireland, and have several years’ teaching experience. Each

Master is a specialist in his subject.

Religion : Before acceptance into the Lower School, boys

are expected to have made their First Holy Communion.

Having reached a suitable age they are prepared for Confirmation.

Catechism and Bible History are carefully

taught, as also the Serving of Mass. In the Upper School all

boys follow the course prescribed by the Ecclesiastical

Authorities. They study during the courses : The Gospels,

Apologetics, Church History, Liturgy.

Boys of both Schools are examined each year, either orally

or in writing, by the Diocesan Examiners. A three day

retreat is given in the College at the beginning of Michaelmas

Term. On Saturday the boys visit the Parish Church

for the purpose of going to Confession.

Discipline : The Headmaster reserves the right to dismiss

from the College any boy whom he considers may exercise

a harmful influence on others, or who is guilty of persistent

idleness, ungentlemanly conduct or insubordination.

Study : The work of the College either in matters disciplinary

or Academic cannot efficiently be carried out without

the intelligent and sustained co-operation of parents. This

co-operation is especially sought in regard to homework.

Parents should see that ample time – two to three hours in

the case of Senior boys – is devoted, under favourable conditions,

to this private study.

A study period is allocated in the Lower School each afternoon

for Juniors, under the supervision of a Master.

Excuses : If a boy is absent even for a day, or has not completed

his homework, or arrives late, he must bring a

written excuse signed by parent or Guardian.

Reports : These are sent to Parents at the end of Michaelmas,

Hilary and Trinity Terms. They contain the results

of the Term examinations, together with reports on

behaviour and general progress.

Merit cards are awarded fortnightly to each boy. They are

graded A, B, C and parents can co-operate by suitably

rewarding the boy when he gains an A-card.

Debating Society : There is a flourishing Debating Society

in the College. All boys are expected to be present at the

meetings and are encouraged to speak. A valuable silver

cup is awarded annually to the outstanding Speaker of the

year. This Society also arranges for lectures, either by the

students themselves or by outsiders, during the year.

Library : Two libraries, Junior and Senior, are provided and

each boy is encouraged to make frequent use of the books.

Physical Culture : A regular course of physical exercises,

forms part of the ordinary curriculum. Sokol Drill,

Gymnastics, Boxing, Fencing, Riding, are taught by Qualified

Instructors.

Games : Rugby, Tennis, Cricket, Basketball are catered

for and are under the direction of a Sportsmaster. The

College is affiliated with the various controlling bodies in

these sports.

Timetable

9.30 - 1.00 … Class

1.00 - 2.00 … Lunch (Interval)

2.00 - 3.30 … Class (Senior Forms)

3.30 - 5.00 … Games, etc.

It will be noted that the order of times enables all to have

a hot meal in the middle of the day, which is considered so

essential for growing boys. Hot lunch is provided at the

college for those who live at a distance. Light refection –

milk and/or fruit – is served at 11 o’clock.

Interviews : To ensure the harmonious working of the

College, interviews with parents during the term are cordially

welcomed by the Headmaster. His hours for such

interviews are from 11.00 am to 1.00 pm each day; at

other hours by appointment.

Terms and Fees : There are three terms in the year.

The fees are payable terminally in advance and should be

remitted without delay on receipt of memorandum.

Tuitions :

Boys under twelve … £12. 12. 0d per term

Boys over twelve … £15 15. 0d per term

(N.B. Pupils of the Fifth Form and over are reckoned as “Over Twelve“)

Extras :

Games, Drill, Elocution … 10/- each per Term

Boxing … 10/- per Term

Drawing … 10/- per Term

Fencing … 15/- per Term

Painting … 15/- per Term

Riding … £2.2.0. per Term


1939 - 2014

23

Irish Tatler & Sketch Garden Party

Michael Murphy and Fr. Harley in the 1950s

Memories from the Dawn of

St. Conleth’s

by Michael O’Dea, Class of 1952

I first came to St. Conleth’s in September 1944. It was

an interesting period in World History. The Eighth

Army was fighting its way up the Italian Peninsula;

the Germans gnawed at the Kurst Salient and the Allies

had just liberated Paris. In the School there were

what would now seem to be only a handful of

pupils : Hodnett; I remember Quirke and Heather, and

some Seniors : Lovatt-Dolan,

Nugent and Kinlen (even then

judicial-looking!). The teachers

included Michael Murphy, Bill

Hanley (with whom I am now

lucky to share two grandchildren),

Gwion Hernot and a

new young man called Kevin

Kelleher, who arrived on or

near the same day as I did.

Ireland in those days of global

Michael O'Dea is invited war had very few motor cars, no

into the 'good' room! cash, strict rationing; central

heating was a thing of the future (except in institutions) but

we kept ourselves warm by keeping moving : rugby in the

Palmerston Club; cricket in Ballsbridge; tennis in Herbert

Park and academics in Clyde Road, even Bernard Sheppard

took the occasional class. All the teaching took place

upstairs or in the basement of no. 28; there were as yet no

buildings in the garden area now occupied by the school.

My time spanned until 1952 when I sat the Leaving Certificate.

Dr. Golden was by then a stalwart on the staff.

When Mr. Hernot died tragically, he was replaced by

Mr. Gaonach. I remember Dr. Schwartz who taught

fencing and was a refugee from Hitler. He and Mr. Thullier

gave exhibitions at the Annual Garden Party. Father

Molloy was the Chaplain and we used to go in Crocodile

fashion to Haddington Road for confession every fortnight.

In 1950, (my Junior Cert or Inter year) we moved

into a new classroom – the first of the extensions – and it

was there I first met the lady who was to be Mrs. Sheppard,

as Mr. Sheppard’s fiancée. The school was obviously

thriving as the Fifth and Sixth years were still accommodated

in the House and the younger boys at the playground

or yard level. I remain amazed by how St. Conleth’s

has continued to grow over the years.

Michael O’Dea is a retired architect and was involved with much of St. Conleth’s

expansion over the years. He graduated in 1952 and is father of past pupils Caroline,

Stephen, Michael and Joseph, and grandfather of current student, Sam.

24


1939 - 2014

Louis Feutren, Kevin Kelleher, Martin Gavin, Michael Murphy and John McCormack in the 1950s

From the 1956 Conlethian

Foreword

I am very glad to see that the enthusiasm of the Conlethian

has not waned during the summer holidays as I find it

both that the Editor and his assistants are working on a

new and different set up for the paper for your next

edition. Needless to say the cooperation of all is needed –

so it is hoped that many articles will be forthcoming. I’m

sure a great many of you have information and ideas you

would like to pass on to the other boys.

May I take this opportunity to offer my congratulations

to the founders of the Modelling Club and the Photographic

Society, both of which have appeared this term.

May they have many, many years of existence ahead.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish each and

every one of you a very happy and holy Christmas and

I look forward to greeting each of you in the New Year.

Bernard Sheppard

Editor's Letter

With this unfortunately belated edition our little paper

embarks on the Second Year of its existence. This has

been made possible mainly because of Mrs. Sheppard’s

guidance in the printing of the paper and we would like to

thank her for all the help she has given us in the past year.

Without her, undoubtedly we would find it impossible to

bring forth this publication.

The summer, if we could call it such, passed very rapidly

and the School is at present sweating out the problems of

Euclid. The exam classes are giving fine example to the

others; even 5th Year, considered so long a “place or state

of rest” is labouring more than is customary.

Since returning to school we have visited several factories

– which were extremely interesting and educational;

we have had our Annual Retreat; played a number of

Rugby matches; and the members of the Senior Classes

are becoming “Opera-Minded” – attending a performance

of Puccini’s “Tosca“, Joan Hammond who sang

the title role was magnificent; the older boys will remember

the occasion of her reception into the Catholic Church

when she paid a visit – a very happy and memorable one

– to St. Conleth’s.

We have had our share of debates etc., Conlethian Parliament

had a heated one on Suez which ended in an uproar.

St. Conleth’s is also proud to have played a major part in

the revival of the old and skilful art of fencing, which had

lost a good deal of its post-war popularity. Billy Rafter

acquitted himself well in the National Championships.

He was the youngest competitor ever to enter this test and

thus made history for the school.


1939 - 2014

25

The Editor invites the literary genii and scribes to get to

work and he will try to print all contributions. We feel there

is a wealth of talent in the school, which will find its outlet

in this paper, to the emulation of teachers and parents.

We, the Staff of the Conlethian, would like to wish our

Headmaster a complete recovery from his illness. We

hope that with the help of God he may be down with us

again in the very near future.

The Editor

The Lights of The Goodwin Sands

by Kenneth King

Off the Kentish Coast about 6 miles east of the town of

Deal lie the treacherous Goodwin Sands. They are

between ten and eleven miles long and about four miles

across. At low water about 7 feet of dry, firm sand is

exposed, but at high spring tide the sands are covered by

an average of 12 feet of water. The main body of the sand

tends to drift in a S.S.W. direction. For hundreds of years

these sands have been known as the “shippe-swallower“.

Many vessels have unfortunately foundered and struck

the Goodwins and within a couple of months these ships

are covered over by the “ever-changing sands“.

After much persuasion the Trinity House Board, the

principal lighthouse authority for England and Wales,

decided to station light vessels on the Goodwins. Since

the year 1793, the North Goodwin light vessel was stationed

at the northern extremity of the banks. The south

Goodwin light-vessel followed in 1882, marking the

southern end of the sands, and finally in 1874, the East

Goodwin light-vessel was stationed about a mile eastward

of the Goodwins. The light-vessels at present

marking the Goodwin sands are much different from the

old wooden light-vessels. Let us take the south Goodwin

light-vessel as an example. She is 137 feet 3 inches long

overall and has a beam of 25 ft. The light is on 600,000

candle-power and exhibits a white group flash of two

flashes every 30 seconds, which is visible for 11 miles. She

is moored by two 60 cwt mushroom anchors and has a

mooring swivel and is thus able to swing around on the

tide without fouling her anchors.

Beside light-vessels there are nine lighted and unlighted

bouys moored at various positions off the Goodwin

Banks, all of which have characteristics of their own.

On the northern end of the sands the North Goodwin

Light-vessel is stationed. She has her name painted in

white six foot letters on her side. The light, a white groupflash

giving 3 flashes every 20 seconds, is of 12,000

candle-power. On the Eastern edge of “back” of the

banks, the East Goodwin light-vessel is moored. She

exhibits a light of 300,000 intensity which is a white flash

every 15 seconds, and is visible for 11 miles.

All these light-vessels have the latest type of radio-telephone

and in addition the East Goodwin Light-vessel is

also fitted with a radio-beacon.

On the 27th of November 1954 the South Goodwin

Light-vessel broke her moorings and drifted helplessly

towards the sands in the teeth of a 100 mph channel gale.

The Ramsgate and Dover lifeboats set out immediately.

After searching for hours, the Dover radioed that she had

found the stricken vessel. A U.S. Navy helicopter set out

and rescued one man from the drifting vessel, but every

one of the Trinity House crew were drowned. She was but

one of the countless number of ships claimed by the

Goodwins. Will she be the last? Well at least the danger is

not so great while there are light-vessels and buoys flashing

their warning lights out over the “grave-yard of ships“

Ludwig Von Beethoven

(born Bonn 1770 – died Vienna 1827)

by Martin Kennedy

“I know that I am an artist” murmured Beethoven on his

death bed, it the most magnificent of understatements.

He was indeed the greatest artist of them all. Yet his

beginning was humble. At the age of four his father

started him at the piano and he persisted steadily at it.

While still in his teens he became head of the family. At

the age of 22 he went to Vienna “a clumsy young countryman”

but when he improvised at the piano nobody

laughed. He received lessons from Hayden. After that he

spent most of his time around Vienna, jotting down ideas

in his notebooks. His musical development can be divided

into three periods 1792-1800 (the virtuoso), 1800-1812

(The Master), 1812-1827 (the climax of his development).

Before 1800 he composed works modelled on Hayden

and Mozart, but already containing the power and beauty

th not deter him from composing music. His last give

piano Sonatas, the Ninth (choral) Symphony and the later

string quartets represent the climax of his genius. Robert

Schauffler said that “he made the art of music broadly

human and he left it superhuman“. His music was grandiose

and of inimitable variety.

It took more than one disease to kill this Colossus. He

died of dropsy, cholera and jaundice, complicated with

pneumonia. On the evening of March 26, 1827 he shook

his clenched fist at the storm raging outside. When it fell

back the supreme artist had left this world with a gesture

symbolizing his life of protest.

26


1939 - 2014

The News From Debating Circles

by Fergus O’Connell

Model Trains

by Nils Lignell

So far this year the St. Conleth’s literary and Debating

Society have held three meetings in this the eighteenth

session. The three motions put before the house were : (1)

That this house agrees with the action taken by England

and France in the recent Suez dispute – This motion was

won by 26 votes to 19. (2) That sport plays too large a part

in Irish life – the motion was declared lost unanimously.

(3) That television and the cinema have a stultifying effect

on the world - this motion was lost by a large majority.

In the three debates there 13 speakers, excluding those

who spoke from the house. It was evident from the very

beginning that the majority of boys were interested in the

debates in particular the lower classes.

We had four debut speeches this year – Messrs. Fallon,

Rochford, Bird and O’Loughlin. We had some very

amusing speeches from Mrs. O’Brien who “expostulated”

on such interesting subjects as televitis – which is a

new disease in the U.S.A. Another speaker who deserves

mentioning is young Garrett Sullivan who has spoken at

all 3 meetings this term – he has earned himself 24 out of

a possible 30 marks. In the debates the Vice President,

Mr. Kelleher took the chair. The Society this year decided

to hold a meeting at the beginning of the year. At this

meeting the dates and motions for the whole session were

put before and voted by the committee. So far it has

proved itself highly successful. During the last meeting we

were honoured by the attendance of Rev. Father Harley.

Fencing

by Billy Rafter

At the beginning of this Term some of us were indeed

pleased to learn that Fencing was to begin again and under

the tuition of our previous Master, Mr. Duffy. Fencing as

we know began with the introduction of the musket and

pistol in the early 16th century. Plate armour went out of

fashion, being useless, and gentlemen in sword play

depended increasingly on skill rather than strength. From

1500 to 1800 it went through a period of development.

The musket and sabre were used for warfare and the rapier

was used for private duelling. By 1850 duelling has ceased,

except in France, and the art of fencing seemed dead. Since

then it has made a remarkable recovery as a sport and now

there are only three weapons used : Foil, Sabre, Epee.

We hope that fencing will become a popular sport among

the boys in St. Conleth’s and that they will be a credit to

their master and school.

There is no need to tell you what a fascinating and creative

hobby model railroading is. If you haven’t discovered

that yourself, you soon will by just watching a model railroad

with its landscape, towns and headlong rush of

trains trailing smoke and the blast of the whistles. It’s a

world you make yourself, using all the engineering and

creative skill you have and can share with your family and

friends. It’s an exciting world when you are the boss.

In America if you mention New Orleans to any model

railroader he will say “Oh yes, Franck Ellison and his

‘Delta Lines’“. For in America Franck is known as one of

the hobby’s most gifted practitioners of both the art and

science of model railroading. His “Delta Lines” have that

thing which the experts call balance – his scenery, track

and operations are well-integrated.

This hobby has slowly but surely crept its way into the

home, in particular the basement which is now just a

mass of tracks and scenery. It is in well and I’m sure that

in 10 years time it will be still a popular creative hobby.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dear Sir :

I am of the opinion that a new school tie would not be out

of order if economically possible I suggest that it should

be a plain black tie with St. Conleth’s crest in miniature

appearing on it at regular intervals. Such a tie would also

be suitable for past pupils. I hope this suggestion will

receive favourable consideration.

I am, yours sincerely

John Towers

‘Mr. Sheppard welcomes his charges.’ by Mary Moriarty

Q2

1980s Debating

1964-1989

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Hugh Feidhlim Woods, Class of 1966

I am from the generation who can immediately answer

the question “Where were you on November 22nd

1963?” It was, of course, the date of the assassination of

JFK. Forty years on, I suspect that Conlethians of 2014

might have to pause and wonder “Who was JFK?“

When I first heard the news of the assassination of John

Fitzgerald Kennedy, it was early evening and I was sitting

and watching a small black-and-white TV in the basement

kitchen of St. Conleth’s. No, I was not serving

detention : I had just set up the rooms for a showing by

the Film Society and I was waiting to open the doors for

the attendees. (And no, I cannot even remember which

film we were showing!) I must have been an ‘official’ of

the Film Society, as I was of the Debating Society. Involvement

in such ‘societies’ was very much a part of the

St. Conleth’s experience.

For several years in the senior school I was elected

class captain and, ultimately, in Sixth year School Captain

by the students of Fifth and Sixth year. I have little

memory of any details of my campaign to be School

Captain - I do hope that bribes were not changing hands

- and no memory of with whom I was competing. And,

I cannot, in retrospect, think why my fellow students

would have elected the Feidhlim Woods I remember, or

disremember, myself to have been at that time. I was the

youngest in my class; I was obese – what was called

‘puppy fat’ in those days and today would be a matter of

health concern – and I was a bit of a ‘goody-goody’.

I remember myself as something of a ‘bully’, though

in a fairly benign way, and certainly took my role as

prefect seriously. I paraded up and down the corridors

during break times, guarding the school against the

‘illegal intrusion’ of boys from the school yard. If the

students were confined to their classrooms for reason

of rain (as frequent then

as now) I circuited the

classrooms to maintain

some sense of ‘order’.

I rang the bell to indicate

end of lunch break. It

says something about

me then that I loved it

all. As I say, it is a surprise

to me now that my

schoolmates elected that

officious little bugger as

Hugh Feidhlim Woods their capatain!

I am the last of ten living

children, seven boys and

three girls. We last three

boys – my brothers

David, Philip and myself

– broke with a tradition.

The four older boys

boarded at Pres Bray.

Years later my mother (a

devout though liberal

Catholic) told me of her

decision and hinted at John O'Connor and Alan Morse

some of the reasons why

she chose to send her youngest three to a ‘non-religious’

lay school. I was, and I remain, thankful that I benefited

from that decision.

Although being, myself, gay and issueless, I am pleased

that David and Philip and my older brother Paul and

sister Niamh sent some of their children to St. Conleth’s.

Now, I even have a grandnephew, Naoise, at St. Conleth’s.

And all of these ‘next generational’ Woods and

Hurleys (I’ll leave it to one of them to count how many!)

tell me of their mostly happy times at St. Conleth’s and

their gratitude for a liberal education. They are all fine

people of diverse character and achievement.

In 2006, I flew over from Hong Kong where I was living,

to join the 40th Reunion of the Class of 1966. As

I remember, there were 18 of the original 24 Sixth class at

the reunion, some with their partners. It turned into a

fairly boozy night and I keep telling myself that I should

re-establish contact with some of those eighteen. I wonder

how many we will be for the 50th in two years’ time.

I think that occasion had something to do with my decision

to retire early and return to live in Ireland in 2008.

The school now– the building itself, that is – is a barely

recognizable maze, excepting the old house. The smells,

however, are still the same : testosterone driven pheromones

overwhelming any osmic influence of the girls.

There were, thankfully, no girls in my time and I have to

admit to the reactionary view that, at a time when adolescent

hormones are raging, teaching boys and girls in the

same room is not ideal and is, probably, an ordeal.

None of the teachers of my era remain. Except, ofcourse,

Mr. Kevin Kelleher! Isn’t he amazing for his age? Recently,

I discovered some 35mm slides taken at a Sports Day –

probably in 1962 or 1963. There was Dr. Golden, the

‘Butt’, with cigarette in hand in those less politically

correct days; also, somewhere in the crowd, John Quinlan

(Irish), John O’Connor (Maths and the Sciences) and

Michael Murphy (Deputy Headmaster). I can’t find

Michael Gardiner (History and English), my favourite

teacher and probably the one who inspired me most.


1939 - 2014

29

I am unsure how much my education at St. Conleth’s

formed the man who went on to become Dr. Feidhlim

Woods, specialist in nephrology, who went on an odyssey

eastwards of 35 years – to Leicester, London, Kuwait,

Muscat (Oman), Singapore, Sydney and Hong Kong.

I certainly have no bad memories of my school days and

harbour a little hope that a Woods will roam the corridors

of St. Conleth’s in generations to come.

Dr. Golden 'The Butt'

The Swinging Sixties

at St. Conleth’s

Hugh McCormack, class of 1969

St. Conleth’s in the 1960s was quite an experience, and

given that I arrived in 1960 and departed in 1969, the

excitement of my sojourn was probably mostly mirroring

the excitement of the world outside. A world set to endure

massive transition. The 60s was the era of the Space Race,

with a Russian (Gagarin) being the first man in space in

1961 and an American (Armstrong) being the first man

on the moon in 1969. JFK was assassinated in 1963 and

the Vietnam War was in full swing by the end of the 60s.

Musically, we went from Elvis and Cliff to Woodstock

via the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

The transition was mirrored in Clyde Road as well – not

least in the sobriquet of the headmaster! In 1960 he was

‘Korny’ (Isn’t that so 1950s?!) but he swiftly became

‘KDK’ : this was a moniker that ended up on the dreaded

monthly Merit Cards bestowed upon the incumbents of

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31

the junior school. To keep the parents happy it was advisable

to get an ‘A’ or pink coloured card in preference to a

‘B’ or blue coloured one. A ‘C’ card, which was yellow,

was a severe warning as to your ongoing future in the

establishment : two of these cards usually meant curtains

– well …or so rumour had it. The requirement to maintain

discipline and standards within ‘Clyde culture’ required

that ‘KDK’ be replaced by ‘The Boss’ : the later 60s were

revolutionary in nature, so any ‘counter culture’ needed to

be snuffed out early as possible and ‘The Boss’ was the

man for the job! But, of course, it wasn’t really possible

and by the time I was graduating in 1969, some of the

lower orders were already referring to The Boss as “Kev”

and they had hair of equal quantity to their impudence!

Remember that there were no girls in St. Conleth’s then,

but here’s the funny bit : The then Conlethians had an

advantage over much of the competition for young ladies,

and why so? Well, going to a lay school, that is to say an

establishment free of a particular religious order, was quite

a talking point. There were very few lads who had this

experience and it seemed to me that the opposite sex often

appreciated the difference. Then, as regards strategy with

young ladies, there were many establishments where useful

advice could be obtained; one such place being the not-toodistant

and smoke-filled 13 Clyde Road, which was home

to one of my classmates. Somehow or other, The Boss discovered

this potential den of iniquity and counselled all

against the vices of what he dubbed ‘Club 13’. Of course he

was not to know that, like Clinton, we never inhaled!

On the subject of the fairer sex … circa 1967/68 the

powers that were got the notion that there should be a

party, meaning a ‘mixed’ dance party in the then exam

wing. The girls were drawn from Miss Meredith’s down

the road, probably with the odd sister thrown in. The

result was a night of something less than passion but of a

definite intensity. Our Fifth and Sixth Years were mostly

in attendance and I’m certain it was a useful experience

for all. It did, no doubt, pave the way for the excellent

gender integration that was to follow in subsequent

decades. And no, I will not reveal which ladies were

present. If I told you, I’d have to kill you!

The late 1960s were marked by revolutions far and near

– from Paris to UCD. We had been through our own one

in St. Conleth’s well before. I don’t remember the issue in

detail, but I do remember many students who were older

than I being suspended because they had refused to sit an

exam paper to which they had not been alerted. I suspect

this happened around 1966. I remember vividly being in

an exam hall around Easter time, slogging through some

paper or other, when The Boss entered and singled out

several of the then Sixth Year students. Addressing these

non-compliant examinees from a day or two earlier, he

uttered the following dictat : “Mr. X, you are being suspended.

Kindly take your bags and baggage and get out of

my school!” It created quite a sensation at the time – not

least for all parents! When the matter was discussed later

in Club 13 the main thing we objected to was the use of

the term “my school“. We reckoned, liked most revolutionaries,

it was our school!

The times were challenging for teachers as well, but we

were blessed to have a wide variety of character-builders in

our midst. One was the late Louis Feutren, who taught

French using philosophies and methodologies which ranged

from Rene Descartes to the Nazis; his brilliance assisted

one of my classmates to first place in Ireland in French in

the Leaving. Most importantly, he taught way ‘outside the

box’ in order prepare us for life, as well as exams. By way

of contrast, the late Michael Gardiner usually stayed within

his remit which was English - to wit, he taught much

English and not ‘a lot’ of English. His legendary disapproval

of the words ‘get, got and lot’ still lives with most of

us today. I think many derived a genuine love of English

from him. Finally, to handle the evolutionary times we had

a dynamic duo for all things mathematical and scientific.

I speak, of course, of Jim O’Connor, a seasoned veteran

and Michael Manning, a then youthful fellow with infectious

enthusiasm and an understanding of college life. We

were indeed fortunate to have this Batman and Robin act

that left so many of us well set up for university later on.

I remember well my last day in St. Conleth’s just before

we broke up for the Leaving Cert. It was the end of May

1969 and there had been a nationwide teachers’ strike

that spring. Concerned about our less than ideal preparation,

Kev entered the classroom and, for once ignoring

the graffiti chalked in the corner of the blackboard, wrote

on the same : “Let there be no panic!!!” How prescient he

was, as that same year exam papers were stolen ahead of

the exam itself and leaked in several parts of the country :

this meant that some subjects had to be re-sat including

English and Maths. So it was all a ‘bit of a drag’ but we

could live with it. We didn’t panic. After all we were being

educated for life not just for one measly exam. Revolutionary

times called for calm heads. Maybe they would be

needed hence forth. Maybe we had learned something!

The Class of 1969 in 2012 - Hugh is 4th from right at back

32


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St. Conleth’s in

the 1970s

Gerard Roche, class of 1979

I entered St. Conleth’s as an

eight-year-old in September

1969. It was Third Form and

I settled very quickly into the

Gerard Roche on his

school. I remember Mr. Gardiner,

Dr. Golden (Butsy),

Confirmation Day,1973

Mr. Gavin and Mr. Murphy (Turf) very fondly from this

period. I was also introduced to what seemed like exotic

sports such as fencing and cricket. Unfortunately, I was

not good at either of them. I remember playing soccer

with a tennis ball in the yard with my classmates, as well

as a school trip to Killarney on the train, where it never

stopped raining. I fondly remember the dining room (now

the art room) and the banter with the ladies in the kitchen.

They seemed to like me because they always seemed to

give me a bigger helping than the other boys. I also recall

getting milk in the morning in a carton that was shaped

like a pyramid which was almost impossible to open and

drink from without spilling.

As I moved into the senior school, my hair (I had some in

those days) and the school days got longer. I remember

the big development of the library and the laboratory

which were built over the main section of classrooms.

Everybody thought it was great, particularly the laboratory

where Mr. Manning (Mick) would try and keep us

under control. His deft use of sarcasm was a powerful

weapon. The fear was somebody would either start a fire

or cause an explosion. Rugby took on a more significant

role with the arrival of an enthusiastic young coach called

Mr. Keenan (Shay). Another very exciting event in the

senior school was the arrival of girls. Two extremely nice

young ladies joined us, Amanda and Elizabeth who in

turn put up with the usual rubbish of teenage boys

without a bother. More great teachers to recall during this

period included Mr. O'Byrne with his legendary temper,

Mr. Feutren (Fruity) with his unusual philosophies,

Mr. Doyle, Mr. Quinlan, Mr. Keane (The Limestone

Cowboy), Mr. Gallagher (Harry), Mr. Mullin (Pablo) and

Mr. Devitt (Johnny). I recall in particular a bus trip to the

Burren and the poor female guide in the Ailwee Cave

trying to control the lot of us as we messed our way

through the stalagmites and stalactites.

Throughout all this time there was the omnipresence of

Mr. Kelleher (The Boss). Everybody knew that it was best

to stay on the good side of Mr. K, otherwise there would

be ‘Wigs on the Green’. I'd like to mention Mrs. Kelleher,

who I always remember as a lovely gentle woman who

seemed to have a calming influence over the whole school.

I do recall fondly us all being taken by Mr. & Mrs. Kelleher

to the opera in the Gaiety Theatre which was La

Boheme, if I'm not mistaken. It was a really special experience.

(Ed.’s note : And one that is continued to this day.)

I do recall in Sixth Year, the class pushing hard to have a

‘Debs’. Mr. K. was resolute that it was not going to

happen …and it didn’t. Instead, we went out for dinner in

the Beaufield Mews in Stillorgan, which was far more

civilised and turned out to be a really enjoyable event.

I left the school in 1979 but have kept in contact over the

last thirty-five years through attending the Past Pupils’

Union Annual Dinners as well as taking on Transition

Year students for work experience from time to time.

What stands out in my memory of attending St. Conleth’s

is that it gave me a real sense of who I was, as well as

instilling the habit of respecting others. I believe that this

ethos is still very present in the school today, where my

own son Harry is currently a pupil.

I want to finish by congratulating Mr. Kelleher and

Ms. Ann Sheppard on the school reaching its 75th Birthday

and to wish it continued success for the future.

Herbert Park to Malaysia

– Fifty Years in the Blink of an Eye

Rory Doyle, class of 1982

I spent eleven years at St. Conleth’s College. This year I am

fifty years old and I have no idea where the time has gone.

My first day at St. Conleth’s in 1971 seems like yesterday.

I remember it well, as that was the first time I had a run in

with ‘the Boss’ (Mr. K. D. Kelleher), who was standing

behind me as I was shouting out something or other, and

who made it very clear that this would not be tolerated at

this school! My first lesson. And an important one.

I would like to pay tribute to some of the most influential

teachers by whom I had the privilege to be taught, in one

year or another : Mr. Kelleher; Ann Sheppard; Michael

‘Turn Out’ Murphy; Michael Manning; Brendan Doyle;

Paul ‘Pablo’ Mullins and Richard Keane. I would also like

to mention Mrs. Quinn for her beloved burgers and chips

on Thursdays. (Ed.’s note : Thursday is still Burger Day at St. Conleth’s !)

If you were to ask me what is the essence of St. Conleth’s,

I would say it is family and community. Being a pupil at

St. Conleth’s was like being part of a family. The school is

a part of the Kelleher household. I have lost count of the


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33

number of times that I would have to report up to the

Boss’s office to submit some report signed by one of my

parents, and meet Mr. Kelleher sitting down to his bran

flakes and a cup of tea in the family dining room upstairs

overlooking the yard. There was something more merciful

about your reports being scrutinised in the family dining

room and not in the classroom! When I was in school, it

was smaller than it is now, with only two to three hundred

pupils. Being part of a small school was special : it felt like

a true community. Family and community are the essence

of what makes St. Conleth’s College extraordinary.

Every pupil that graduates from St. Conleth’s takes with

them their own individual experiences and influences :

academic, social and athletic, or simply a strength of

character. This moulding helps that pupil going forward,

whether it is into third level education, private or public

sector employment, entrepreneurialism or a year or two

of travelling before settling down. For me, although I was

not the most academic pupil in the class of 1982, I did

take from St. Conleth’s this ‘strength of character’ and

I have the school to thank for that.

Today, I live in Malaysia. I have five children ranging

from eight to twenty-one and own my own international

events management company which I founded in 2001.

We own and manage the largest maritime transport exhibition

and conference events in Africa, the Indian Ocean,

the Middle East, the Black Sea, Southern Asia, South East

Asia and Australasia. I have run more than eighty events

in thirty-five countries from Senegal to New Zealand, and

in many countries in between, which have, at least, some

semblance of government and infrastructure. We run our

events in emerging markets where there is a demand for

investment in the infrastructure, equipment and services

of seaports. Today, however, many emerging markets

have regressed back into what are called ‘risk’ markets.

This is evident in the destabilisation, euphemistically

known as the Arab Spring, of many MAGHREB countries

: starting with Tunisia, then Libya and several countries

in the Middle East, such as Bahrain, Egypt and Syria.

Our Mathematicians,

Michael Manning (retired) and his pupils,

Adrian Raftery (class of 1971), University of Washington, Seattle

and Maurice O'Reilly (class of 1973),

Head of Maths Department, St. Pat's, Drumcondra

We have run events in most of these countries in the recent

past but, today, some are simply not safe to go back to,

nor will they be so for the foreseeable future.

We ran an event in Beirut, Lebanon last year and an RPG

(rocket propelled grenade) was fired into a building two

doors away from our hotel, destroying most of the ground

floor. We ran an event in Istanbul, Turkey at a hotel on

Taksim Square where the night before our event started, a

riot broke out between police and protestors. Much of the

square, and part of our hotel, was filled with tear gas. But

my favourite was about five years ago. I had arranged to

meet the President of the Port Authority in Dar Es Salaam,

Tanzania the next day, which meant I was going to be on

a twenty hour flight from Malaysia to Tanzania, via Dubai.

I arrived at his office the next day, as planned, and was

met by his PA who informed me that he was now travelling

and that he would be back in three days but I was welcome

to wait. I could also pay US $2,000 to hire my own

plane to fly to where he was in the new political capital,

Dodoma, as commercial aircraft had not started flying

there, yet. Having no choice in the matter, I found myself

flying to Dodoma in a four-seater, single-prop aircraft,

Rory Doyle with the Prime Minister of Madagascar … and the Prime Minister of Mozambique … and the Shaikh Daij Bin Salman Al Khalifa

34


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Paul Mullins and Peter Gallagher on an '80s class trip to Amsterdam

which looked like it hadn’t seen a safety certificate in a

decade. Reaching the hotel where my contact was staying,

I waited two days before being allowed to meet him, and

that was only because he was leaving the hotel with his

entourage of staff and I, literally, ‘met’ him on the steps of

the hotel before he stepped into his limousine. I politely

reintroduced myself and mentioned our meeting, about

which he had already forgotten, but somehow obtained his

approval, there and then, for what I needed. Our meeting,

which took five days to arrange, ended within five minutes.

He was in his limousine driving away and I was trying to

keep the dust cloud from his limousine from clogging my

lungs. But I had received the ‘go-ahead’ and my event

proceeded the following year in Tanzania as planned.

This kind of determination is partly as a result of this

‘strength of character’ that St. Conleth’s produces in its

pupils, and so for that I am sincerely grateful and would

have no hesitation in sending my children to St. Conleth’s,

if I were living in Dublin. I can already hear a sigh of relief

from Mr. Kelleher!

I would like to take this opportunity to dedicate this

article to a man whom I loved and had the privilege to

know as my uncle – Louis Feutren, who taught French at

St. Conleth’s for many years, and who consistently delivered

both outstanding academic results for the school and

memorable classes for his many students.


– The USSR and Steve Jobs

Tomás Clancy, class of 1982

The train plunged on through the endless, dark, snowfilled

forest. Every thirty minutes or so, the train

screamed through a tiny station, a refugee from a

Chekhov play, illuminated by small intense lights. They

were all a blur of gold hammer and sickle, luscious red

banners and flags and impeccable flowerbeds. Standing

out in the cold Russian winter was a station guard, saluting.

The night train from a city that no longer exists to

the heart of the Soviet Empire was packed with workers

with endlessly checked transit visas, Soviet troops, hardworking

women pushing giant four-foot- high scalding

water canteens and … a mass of pupils from St. Conleth’s

and their teachers!

The Fall of the Wall, and the eventual collapse of the

Soviet Union, was nine years, and a totally unimaginable

distance into the future. Looking back now, I think

I am filled with increasing wonder and enormous admiration

for the decision-making at St. Conleth’s. Over

three decades on from the date, at the time of writing

this, the visit seems like an inspired dream, but it


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35

happened, and it was crucial and indicative of the core

values and aspirations of education at St. Conleth’s

down through the decades.

To say that it was pioneering and daring hardly needs to

be said, but for those younger readers, let us just say that

in 1980 Ireland had joined in the US-led boycott of the

USSR’s staging of the Olympic Games and Ireland competed

not as a nation but under the banner of the Olympic

Flag. Ronald Reagan had just been elected US president

and in the US they were preparing for the very real possibility,

for the first time since 1963’s Cuban Missile Crisis,

for the horrible possibility of nuclear war.

The visit to the USSR transformed my view, and the views

of many of my classmates, about the Soviet Union. It

confirmed that it was a strange, dangerous and paranoid

place, with every stop for papers and authorisation

handled with charm and care by our teachers. I cannot

imagine from this distance the stress that Peter Gallagher

and the other teachers were under, but I can lift my metaphorical

hat as I remember Mr. Gallagher as he was

always to us : urbane and uber-cool, even when wafting

us through a dozen heart stopping encounters with Soviet

Officiousness. Crucially, he pointed out to us that these

were hard pressed men and women, working under a difficult

situation and his efforts paid off, as eventually we

encountered more and more wonderful Russian people :

hardy, happy and hopeful people, who exhibited none of

the aggressive posturing and presumed political dogma of

their national public relations.

On my return I knew then that truly we were one, undivided

humanity. It was the finest and most important

lesson I learned through my entire schooling. At St. Conleth’s

in the 1980s, however, it was only the beginning of

the adventure and excitement, but what a beginning.

With Soviet tanks and the night train journey on the Red

Arrow Express from Leningrad to Moscow fresh in our

minds, we now had the cracking white heat of the 1980s

technological revolution arrive at the school’s doorstep.

Or, rather, at the realm of Mr. Manning, our Science

teacher, for it was into his lab that an Apple II arrived,

to much excited whispering. It accompanied an early

IBM machine and, for the lucky pupils who opted for

Science, this was clearly the jewel in the crown of our

activity. For computer nerds, it was I believe an Apple II

Plus (II ‘e’, even!). Apple Macintosh and a host of computers

followed at St. Conleth’s, with an entire, wellequipped

Computer Lab of its own : with hindsight, a

remarkable and foresighted move to have made.

Apple Computers was just five years old in 1982, and the

cost of the computer was the price of a small family car in

equivalent money today. In TCD, a few years later, we

had to book for ten minutes time on an Apple Mac and

pay to do a one sentence search using the library’s antiquated

IBM machine.

In St. Conleth’s, secondary school students, a year before

the film Wargames with Mathew Broderick popularised

computer geekery for the first time, were bashing away

making it squeak, squawk, fill the screen with our name,

count and, miracle of miracles, save our work in just ten

minutes on giant, 51/2 inch floppy discs. Surely this convenience

and speed could never be surpassed! Programming

in Basic, which no Exam Board was testing or interested

in, was part of our weekly routine in St. Conleth’s in

the 1980s. Of course, while these were startling items, the

rest of the agenda continued a thread begun at its founding,

and running on through until today. A joy for the

subject shone through from the teachers and while of

course, like for every schoolboy since the groves of Grecian

Academies, there were subjects which didn’t thrill everyone,

the best have stayed with me through the decades.

Like everyone, many of my memories are personal and

subjective, but I am afraid I can get a teeny bit sentimental

when I remember Mr. Louis Feutren encouraging

someone to wipe the chalk more slowly as with his one

lung, dust was a disaster. We were all thrilled, as it meant

a nice pause for the casual chat which he loved, before

reengaging with a written text. Or Mr. Murphy using any

of a number of great sayings, from which I still borrow to

this day. Or our Leaving Cert. English teacher Mr. Rooney

offering bookshop reviews : Parsons, at Baggot Street

Bridge, ‘higgledy piggledy but packed with delights’;

Hodges and Figgis in Donnybrook, my lunch-time haunt

was ‘ordered and elegant’. I loved this exquisite putting

together of words with places and things.

For me, personally, other delights of St. Conleth’s in the

1980s was lifting the school 16mm projector up the stairs

to the Science Lab with Mr. K. and he asking me, while

doing this, to give him a quick summary of the films we

were about to show. It honed reviewing and negotiation

skills. We screened Woody Allen’s anti-McCarthyite film,

The Front with warm praise from Mr. K. for the class’s

seriousness- the Leaving Cert equivalent of a congratulatory

Iceberger ice cream from the tuck shop!

For me, debating, rugby, books and lessons were important

fragments, but the core of St. Conleth’s were its

values of open-minded endeavour, adventure, hard work

and loyalty : these emerged in daily tasks and seasonal

rhythms from the teachers, the staff and, not occasionally,

from fellow classmates. St. Conleth’s was the stage,

its values the script and its staff glorious improvisers and

directors. All of this, and more, contributed to the imprint

upon my soul : those fleeting, happy years of those of us

lucky enough to have been at St. Conleth’s in the 1980s.

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It has always been survival of the fittest at the Tuck Shop

From Mr. Manning’s to

Madigan’s: A Conlethian

Mum Remembers the 80’s

by Grainne Quinn, class of 1986

“You send your child to the schoolmaster, but 'tis the

schoolboys who educate him.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

was so right. I joined St. Conleth’s after Hallowe'en in

1984. What a contrast from the Brigidine Convent in

Abbeyleix! There were seven girls in the Leaving Certificate

class of 1986. I gleefully abandoned my wine and

green school uniform (and the nuns) for “matching skirts

and cardigans” as advised by Mr. Kelleher at my entrance

interview. (That gear didn't last long either … sorry,

Mr. K!) What I recall is integrating very rapidly and being

struck by how clever the boys seemed, the effect of which

was to drive me to try harder and be a better version of

myself. It is fair to wonder if I ever would have achieved

my dreams had I not made that late stage school switch.

I can still hear the brilliant Mr. Manning with his dry,

witty, sometimes impatient (but only because he cared!)

encouragement to rapidly finish that equation on the

(yes!) blackboard. Mr. Manning was inspirational.

There were only girls in 5th and 6th Years back in my day.

(Ed.’s note : as it is today, but stay tuned …) We were handy additions

in the endless quest for rugby wins, cheering optimistically

on cold side-lines, rain-soaked and sometimes even

clueless to whether ‘we’ had actually won or not! So

many memories, so many hours spent in local coffee

shops after school, especially as we approached the end of

our schooldays. And the transition to Madigan's, or as it

was known then, Tiglin. And the sheer delight when

Mr. Kelleher appeared from the Tuck Shop with a box of

Twix or Kit-Kats and began flinging them here and there

towards the willing catchers.

My son is now entering his seventh year at St. Conleth’s,

I would never have wanted him to go anywhere else.

Perhaps it's the rose-tinted lens of the retrospecto-scope but

I do believe that St. Conleth’s prepared us for what was to

come. We hear so much nowadays

about exam pressure and stress

whereas I recall we were so well

rehearsed that the Leaving Cert

examinations do not stand out in

my mind as anything other than

another set of tests we had to do in

St. Conleth’s before we headed to

the Embassy Grill or Madigan's …

and on with our dreams.

Grainne Quinn

with her son Jack

Q3

Cian O’Connor performs at the St. Conleth’s Concert, May 2014

1989-2014

38


1939 - 2014

From Conleth’s to the D.R.C.

Caroline Hurley, class of 1992

Following my graduation from St. Conleth’s, I studied to

be a nurse in order to try and realise my dream of working

in Africa, which had stayed with me since my childhood.

Finally, in September 2000, I found myself sitting on a

plane, heading out to Sierra Leone as a volunteer nurse

with GOAL. Sierra Leone at the time was in the midst of

a Civil War and I was pretty scared, not knowing what to

expect when I got there. I was based in a town called

Kenema, about 10km from the rebel front line. GOAL

was working alongside the Ministry of Health, running

rural health clinics and a feeding programme for malnourished

children and pregnant and lactating women,

which became my main responsibility. What was intended

as a short-term emergency programme had become a

long-term feeding programme running over years, due to

the on-going civil conflict. I witnessed a lot of suffering

and heart-break, seeing so many children sicken and die,

but I also experienced the incredible resilience of a people

who had suffered through years of war yet remained positive

for the future. I was then asked by GOAL to go to the

Democratic Republic of the Congo to run GOAL’s emergency

health programme in Goma.

I arrived in the city of Goma, in eastern DRC, which had

just been destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Nyiragongo.

I was driven straight from the airport to a medical coordination

meeting in French, where thankfully memories

of Ms. Sheppard’s French class came flooding back! At the

time, GOAL were re-building schools that had been

destroyed by the lava, and I co-ordinated GOAL’s emergency

health and hygiene programme, targeting school

children and families displaced from their homes. Following

the three month emergency programme, I stayed in

DRC to help GOAL establish a longer-term development

programme in the south east, working with a post-conflict

and displaced population. There I spent my first month

on the back of a motor bike, travelling to the remotest villages

to conduct a needs analysis of the extent of the

nutritional problem, or waiting on the small airstrip for

food drops from the World Food Programme. Eventually,

the long work hours and harsh living conditions caught

up with me, and I fell sick and had to return to Ireland.

After a few months’ recovery, I decided to remain in

Ireland and work to gain specialisation in HIV and AIDS.

I worked in the HIV and sexual health clinic in St. James’s

Hospital as a nurse for over a year, before returning to

GOAL. I established GOAL’s HIV programme and

capacity to address HIV in sub-Saharan Africa and India,

developing organisational policies and guidelines, and

travelling to GOAL countries to guide programme teams

to develop HIV prevention, care, treatment and support

programmes. At the end of the programme in 2006, I left

GOAL to do a master’s degree in Public Health in the

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Following my Masters, I worked for Trócaire for two

years as HIV programme officer, providing technical

guidance to Trócaire’s programmes in sub-Saharan

Africa, Central America and Southeast Asia.

In January 2010, I moved to Uganda, as Global HIV

Advisor for GOAL. I remained in Uganda for three years,

travelling frequently to GOAL’s other programme countries.

On one occasion, queuing in Entebbe Airport,

I saw a familiar face in the queue ahead of me : my mind

needing a few minutes to recognise Ms. Sheppard outside

of a school setting and in Uganda of all places! I was

thrilled to learn of the great connection St. Conleth’s had

with Uganda and the opportunity that students had to

visit and experience such a different culture. It really is a

fantastic learning opportunity for them.

I have had a varied and interesting career so far, and I do

think my years at St. Conleth’s helped foster the skills and

confidence which have been necessary when taking such

a challenging path. I am now back in Ireland and looking

forward to seeing where my next step takes me.

Caroline Hurley in the DRC, April 2002

Caroline Hurley meets a mother in Tamil Nadu, Southern India,

who had lost two of her children to the tsdunami in December 2004


1939 - 2014

39

… and the C.A.R.!

Orla Kilcullen, class of 1992

I had always wanted to earn lots of money so I did what

any sensible person did and left Ireland at the height of

the Celtic Tiger in 2000 and headed to Paris. I worked in

the bar I had worked in during my Erasmus year in college

before finding a ‘real’ job for Logica Mobile Networks in

Paris on the Sales Support team, not making much money

at all for myself but doing very well for the CEO who was

the highest paid Chief Exec in the UK in the early 2000s.

My biggest claim to fame was getting a Guinness World

Record for sending the fastest text message round the

world – a very exciting and big deal back in those days!

As well as wanting to be rich, I had also always seen myself

working in Africa – there was a bit of a family history of

working in overseas development but initially the draw of

making lots of money was stronger, as a fire engine first

when I was very small and obviously not very bright and

then as a doctor. When I decided not to go down the medicine

route, I had mentally closed the Africa door off;

however, as I developed my skills in project management

and grew more and more disillusioned and fed up with my

job, I began to think that I might have something to offer

in Africa after all. To cut a long story short, I negotiated a

redundancy deal with Logica, took a temporary job with

the OECD, started knocking on the doors of different aid

agencies and applied for an internship with Catholic

Relief Services, CRS – aka the US Trocaire. As ‘luck’

would have it, I was interviewed a little unorthodoxly in a

small bistro in Paris by the Director and Deputy Director

for Asia who were passing through France ten days before

the tsunami hit South East Asia, rather than having to

travel to the US for the usual panel interview. I followed

up with them as soon as I heard about the tsunami, saying

I was ready to go at any stage if they needed people and

I was offered the job as Programme Manager for their very

new emergency programme in Sri Lanka.

I packed up my life and apartment in Paris and headed

out in the middle of January 2005 and I haven’t regretted

it since! I spent the bones of 2 ½ years in Sri Lanka

moving between emergency, development and then back

to emergency work once the war started again and loved

it, although I finished my time there working back in the

same IDP camps I had started in but with different

people : it was more than a little disheartening. I did a

short stint in the south east of the Democratic Republic of

Congo which I found exciting and fulfilling : I was there

shortly after the elections at the end of 2006 and the

country was full of hope that life would be better.

I then moved to the Central African Republic in 2007 to set

up the new CRS country programme which was a great

opportunity as well as a big challenge as I was the only staff

member for six months. At the time no one had even heard

of CAR and kept asking me where it was – apparently the

clue in the name wasn’t sufficient and no one even knew it

was a real country! Like Sri Lanka, it was a very challenging

place in which to work, as we were constantly moving

between emergency and attempts at long term development

but regular attacks by a variety of rebel groups including

the Janjaweed made any sort of progress difficult.

Having been away from Ireland for eight years and not

sure I wanted to move to another new country on my

own, I decided to try living back in Ireland to see how

I liked it, post-Tiger. I moved home in April 2008, starting

my new job in Dublin less than five days after I finished

my handover in Bangui. I worked in programme

support with a small NGO called International Service

Ireland, whose focus was primarily with people living

with disabilities, with programmes in West Africa and

South America. While I really enjoyed it and got to go to

Brazil and Bolivia which are fascinating countries, my

heart was really in Africa so I moved to Self Help Africa

at the end of 2010 where I now work in Programme

Quality, managing a team of technical advisors. Which is

where St. Conleth’s comes back into the story! Reading a

report one day, I came across an acknowledgement of

funding received from St. Conleth’s and information on a

trip students had made to Uganda to visit some of our

development sites. Well, there can be only one St. Conleth’s,

so I made some inquiries and true enough, it was

my old alma mater! I'd like to take this opportunity to

thank the staff and students of St. Conleth’s for their

support to the people in Kayunga district who they have

so generously supported over the years.

A Personalised Education

Sorcha Woods, class of 1996

Often the changes that you fear the most are the ones that

ultimately lead you to greater personal happiness. I could

not have known that moving to St. Conleth’s College

would initiate such positive changes in my education and

personal growth. It ended a period of education by indoctrination

that was the style of my previous school and

sparked a time of freedom of expression and mutual

respect and a co-creative learning environment that

transformed the way I experienced not only schooling,

but also the role of teachers in my education. It wasn’t

40


1939 - 2014

St. Conleth’s South Korean

Cultural Ambassador

Seung-Min Cha, class of 2000

Sorcha Woods

about becoming a new person, but becoming the person

I already was, but did not know how to be.

In contrast to the school I previously attended, where it

seemed that in the quest of education, my individuality

was an obstacle to be overcome, St. Conleth’s saw it as

something to be cultivated. This feeling of being validated

and recognised cannot be underestimated as it becomes

the fertile ground upon which real education, personal

development and learning happens.

When I reflect on what I came to learn and value during

my time in St. Conleth’s, two words come to mind : ‘respect’

and ‘responsibility’. The first time Mr. Doyle greeted me

with the words ‘Good morning Miss Woods, how are you

today?’ I couldn’t believe my ears. This welcome, and the

sincere attitude with which it was said, acted as an invitation

to engage with a small community of staff and students,

who, in the pursuit of learning and growth, would

work together in an atmosphere of respect and collaboration.

Being respected by your teachers for your individuality,

work ethic and aspirations makes a meaningful difference

in one’s education and self-confidence, and from that

flows respect for others. I remember thinking how beneficial

it would have been to have spent the first four years of

secondary school in such an atmosphere.

Over my two years in St. Conleth’s I came to experience

the challenge and reward of self-responsibility and develop

the skill of shaping and directing my own life. It seemed to

me that in addition to teaching, student support and direction,

the ethos of the school was to engender in the students

a sense of personal responsibility, rather than to

impose it. For me, this attitude ultimately led to self-direction,

personal efficacy and the ability to shape and manage

change in my life. The small school size, the studentteacher

relationships and the quality of education, offered,

what felt like, a personalised educational experience.

I have only positive memories of my time in St. Conleth’s

College, in particular the friendships I made and the

warmth and humour of my teachers and fellow students.

Thursday, 3rd September 1992. I still remember quite

clearly my first day in the Fifth Class of St. Conleth’s

College : walking into the classroom a few minutes past

nine o’clock, and getting stared at by the contingent of Irish

students who happened to have skin and hair complextions

different to my own and, more importantly, to have grown

up accustomed to a culture and a language very alien to all

that I had embraced up to that moment in my life.

I was very different then to what I am now. I had not a

word of English in my vocabulary. Everything that was

said to me back then sounded pretty much the same all

the time. It must be a daunting task for anyone to learn a

new language and to start integrating into a new environment.

I was no exception.

It has to be said that the people that are around somebody

either help that person feel happy or make his life miserable.

The teachers and my fellow students in St. Conleth’s

over the eight years I spent there thankfully did the former.

After getting through the Fifth Class just saying simple

things such as “yes“, “no” and “what” Sixth Class was

really the first year I could spend having proper conversations

and fully participating in all the subjects.

At the time of writing this, things are suddenly ushered

back into my memory. There were moments when my

friends and I tried our very best to win over each other on

the question “Which is a better country, South Korea or

Ireland?” My arguments for South Korea were always

related to the economic miracle my home country had

achieved, the degree of industrialisation and the presence

of world-famous conglomerates such as Samsung,

Hyundai, LG, Daewoo, Kia, Ssangyong and Hanjin. All

these arguments were met by the facts that Ireland had a

Seung-Min Cha in Downtown Seoul


1939 - 2014

41

St. Conleth’s

on the Hustings

by Frank Kennedy, Class of 2002

Seung-Min Cha in Dentist Mode

higher income per head of population and occupied a

higher position in the quality of life index. It was typical of

St. Conleth’s that such arguments between schoolboys

would be so economically and socially astute!

We were just boys, though, after all. All of us prayed for

a World Cup football match between South Korea and

Ireland, thinking the result of such would settle down the

question once and for all. It never happened though.

I hope, however, all my old Irish friends routed for my

native land in last summer’s tournament!

Now I can look back and laugh at those arguments and

laugh. Everyone in the world knows the USA is the most

powerful nation, being the only superpower of contemporary

times. Nonetheless, not all would say it is the best

country. South Korea and Ireland share a lot of things in

common. We are both divided. We were both once conlonised

by neighbours from islands lying east to ourselves, i.e.

Japan and Britain. We both had economic miracles. South

Korea is an Asian Tiger that transformed itself from one of

the world’s poorest countries in 1961 to the 13th richest

that boasts the world’s fourth most advanced technological

expertise in 2014. Ireland propped itself up through the

1990s and early 2000s to become one of the wealthiest

countries in the world. We even share common grounds in

history in that we both had to be bailed out by the IMF!

I spent a lot of time in Conleth’s saying positive things

about South Korea and showing off products that were

made there. Was I a de facto cultural ambassador?

Perhaps, but now I realise that Ireland, and St. Conleth’s

in particular, gave me plenty of moments to cherish

during all this time I have been in this country. I graduated

from St. Conleth’s in 2000 and now make my living

in Dublin practicing dentistry. I have to admit I always

missed Ireland during the three years, 2008-2010, I had

to spend in South Korea fulfilling my military service

obligation. By now the English language is another first

language to me and Ireland another home country.

St. Conleth’s, I am so proud to have been a part of you!

It’s fair to say that politicians, never a popular breed, are

especially unpopular at present. I was a Fianna Fáil candidate

in the recent local elections in Pembroke-South

Dock. This is an electoral area which encompasses

St. Conleth’s and is not renowned as a heartland for my

party. Indeed, I enjoyed what could be described as a

frank response from many members of the electorate.

Imagine my delight, then, when a certain pattern repeated

itself on many doorsteps.

As the door opened I made my customary introduction

“Sorry to disturb you, Frank Kennedy is my name and

I’m a Fianna Fáil candidate in the local elections …”

Simultaneously, I would proffer a piece of campaign literature.

When accepted, there was often a perceptible

flicker of rage in the voter’s eyes. But, as they scanned the

leaflet and I braced myself for a hearty tongue lashing,

the demeanour would visibly soften and I would be met

with the words “A Conleth’s man, are you?“

I was amazed how many people I met during the campaign

who had passed through the doors of the school,

either as pupils or parents. More striking still was the universality

of the positive response. Never was I so happy

that so many people enjoyed their schooldays – it provided

a respite for which I was very grateful- and needful!

My lifelong interest in politics was fuelled and encouraged

at school. The most obvious channel was through

debating, but there were others too. We occasionally had

political figures visit. In my final year, the Lord Mayor of

Dublin at the time was a Conlethian, Michael Mulcahy.

He was introduced

with habitual

panache by Peter

Gallagher, who

dramatically welcomed

him as the

first alumnus to be

elected mayor or

Lord Mayor of any

major European city!

Later that year,

Michael was elected

to Dáil Éireann,

one of the very few

past pupils to

achieve this feat.

42


1939 - 2014

One of the most touching things about the recent campaign

was the support I received from school friends. On my first

day at St. Conleth’s, as an eight-year-old in September

1992, among those who started on the same day were Peter

Cronin-Burbridge, Alan McCarthy and Daniel Flynn. In

fact, we had all been at Muckross Park together before that.

More than twenty years later, we found ourselves pounding

the pavements together. Several other Conlethians

joined us – Olwyn Barry gave precious free time from life

as a corporate lawyer to charm the electorate, as did one of

my former teachers, now a senior colleague at the Bar.

Notwithstanding our different affiliations, one of the best

friends I made from school was Barry Ward, now a Fine

Gael councillor in Blackrock. His sister Emily was in my

year, and my sister Lucy in his. Barry, seven years my

senior, enjoys pointing out to people that I have slavishly

followed, at every turn, the path he has trodden in life :

succeeding him (many years later of course) as school

captain and auditor of the L&H, then becoming a barrister,

electoral candidate and local councillor. Attributing

perhaps a slightly disproportionate level of importance

to the (admittedly alarming) degree to which I have

shadowed him, he even remarks that my choice of political

party was a desperate attempt to express individuality!

Despite the party differences, Barry has been a great

friend and mentor for many years.

In becoming auditor of the L&H, Barry and I followed in

the footsteps of another past pupil, Dermot Bouchier-

Hayes, who died as a young man following a tragic accident.

One of the most moving messages which I received

after the election came from his sister Irene, herself a

St. Conleth’s parent.

I always like returning to St. Conleth’s. The last time I did

so was to tell Mr. Kelleher about my foray into politics,

and of course, to canvass his vote. I wouldn’t impugn the

sanctity of the ballot by speculating as to how this was

cast, but I did get a great lift in the final week of the campaign

when a parish curate told me that “Kevin Kelleher

says you’re a good man“.

It’s easy to see how Conleth’s generates such fond memories

amongst those people I met on the doorsteps. It is a

very welcoming place, and one that gives every student

the space to develop individually. It is terrific too to

return now and marvel at how the school continues to

change physically and progress educationally. It is a

pattern that suggests that the fourth quarter of its first

century will be its best era yet.

Frank Kennedy was a student at St. Conleth’s from 1992-2002. He studied law at

UCD and Oxford and works as a barrister. In May 2014, he was elected to Dublin

City Council as a Fianna Fáil candidate in the Pembroke-South Dock ward, an area

which includes St. Conleth’s.

Litigious

What a Lawyer Learns at St. Conleth’s and Beyond

by Ian Hastings 2006

I left St. Conleth’s in 2006 on the back of some very happy

years. Like most, secondary school was where I made

lasting friendships. Yet, what makes St. Conleth’s stand

out in mind was how open it felt. Being bound by the curriculum,

secondary schools do not have too many choices

as to approach – yet even within the constraints, classes at

St. Conleth’s seemed free-form. Whether it took the shape

of impromptu (and often quite intense) political debates,

obscure films, or just random chat, the passion to teach

the subject was manifest. I do not mean to romanticise –

St. Conleth’s has its flaws like any school. For me, however,

St. Conleth’s set quite a high bar, one which even the bacchanalian

excesses of university struggled to best.

After St. Conleth’s, I studied law at UCD. It took me

some time to adjust to UCD, and I only began to settle in

my second year, when I was much more involved with the

Literary and Historical Society, UCD’s debating union.

Indeed, most of my time at UCD was not spent studying

or attending lectures, but going to or helping organize

Ian in Brussels-Gent with dodgy looking lawyer friends.

Why the sun-glasses?

The infamous Chicago wind


1939 - 2014

43

L&H events (going so far as to take a year off from my

law degree to run the society). Yet I really did enjoy law,

and I wanted to do more. The plan since I was 16 was to

go to the King’s Inns straight after UCD and become a

barrister, though a number of friends had touted masters

in law (LLMs) in the US. After looking into it, I decided

to apply to a few LLMs in my last year in UCD as well a

Fulbright scholarship (which gives financial assistance to

students wishing to study in the US) - by an incredible

stroke of luck, I managed to get both the Fulbright and a

place at the University of Chicago.

I confess, I did not know much about the ‘U of C’ (Americans

love their abbreviations!) before I started looking

into LLMs in the US. The U of C is not well recognized in

Europe, but the more I leaned, the more eager I was to

attend. Though a bit irked by its right-wing reputation

(which I found is somewhat underserved), the U of C

seemed to have a distinct seriousness about law – a

serious atmosphere was exactly what I encountered when

I started there. It was tough going, but incredibly exciting

– the lectures were at once engaging, entertaining, and

exhausting. It was my time at U of C that led me to where

I am today. A friend of mine, a fellow alumnus of UCD,

taught at the U of C the year I was attending – he got me

interested in antitrust law (or competition law – to do

with making sure companies don’t fix prices or very large

companies don’t act unfairly). Through U of C I ended up

working at a US law firm in Brussels specializing in antitrust

law, and I love the work. Even so, I’m keen to look

into other areas (and not just within the law) – St. Conleth’s

certainly didn’t encourage standing still.

A Conlethian Abroad

by Alex Hamilton 2006

I am writing this piece while in the sunny seaside town of

Calpe on the east coast of Spain, just at the time the locals

begin what seems to be their second siesta, and the halfburnt

token Irish group troop back to their holiday villa.

I have travelled from Haiti for this week-long gathering,

and I have not seen many of these friends for many

months, while others for a few years. I am looking

forward to catching up with all of them, learning about

their adventures, who is happy, who is married or twice

divorced, who is boringly calling the next property crash

in Ireland, or where they envisage their futures over the

next few years. For those uncertain of their more immediate

future, I remind a few there that Benidorm is a paltry

40 minutes away, and Tony Kelly’s eyes light up. Tony

was a classmate of mine nearly twenty years ago in the

tiny room beside Mr. Kelleher’s upstairs living room.

‘Twenty years ago’ – writing this genuinely scares me.

I wonder where my time has gone, and I think back to

past adventures.

After I left the “leafy suburbs of Dublin 4” for the harsh

world of inner-city Dublin 2 (Trinity College et al), I am

not ashamed to say that I missed the comfort and certainty

of St. Conleth’s. It had been my second home for

ten years, one minute from my house, and virtually all my

close friends were from my year there. It was at this realization

that perhaps things were just too comfortable that

I decided that I should travel – where, I had no idea, but

the goal had been set. I just didn’t happen to know that

Kingston, Ontario would be my first port of call, for one

year of exchange studies after two years of my undergrad

in Trinity.

One of my few jokes guaranteed to get a small laugh goes

something like this – “How do you get a group of Canadians

off a bus?” No one usually gets the answer, and as

I confidently tell them “Ask them to get off the bus“, wry

smiles come across their faces, and then acknowledgement

that within the joke lies much truth. I’m not saying

that Canadians can be controlled, but the first thing

I noticed about the country is that they respect rules.

They appreciate order, structure, formalities, and in

2008, we exchange students from irresponsible Europe

were constantly being reminded that Canadians would

never buy a house without at least 30% equity. Duh!

I studied at Queen’s School of Business, and met students

from all over the world, living in a 100-bedroom apartment

complex in the heart of the university. I lived beside

two Chinese students who had clearly drank the Kool-Aid

regarding their country’s recent history, a gaming-loving

German, a mature law student from Vancouver, and a

very sweet Scottish girl studying philosophy. They and

countless others were the best ‘class’ I took in college.

One taught me how to cook, another showed me the very

beautiful cities of Montreal and Quebec, while the Dutch

taught me a new definition of the word ‘blunt’.

University life in Canada was very different to Ireland.

Group work (perfect for the illusion of work), weekly

presentations, practice over theory, and a constant focus

on ‘one’s career’ were some of the features of Queen’s

Business School which marked the contrast to the rather

more staid reality in Trinity. We Irish sometimes like to

look down upon the Canadian’s positive attitude, but this

masked a certain jealousy of their optimism and general

self-assurance.

After Canada, and one final year in Botany Bay finishing

my degree, I travelled to Kenya for what was supposed to

be only ten weeks. I went over with an Irish NGO called

44


1939 - 2014

Hamilton Street in Canada

SUAS, after having been persuaded by another Conlethian

alumnus, Carlos Quinn, to join the program.

I will hold my hands up at the beginning – I went in naïve,

and ignorant of the reality of the ‘situation on the ground’

(that annoyingly correct phrase you hear in many developing

countries). I volunteered with twelve other Irish

students as a teacher in a school in Mukuru slums in

Nairobi. I was not prepared for the poverty which I saw

(I don’t think of any of us really were) - iron sheets for

houses, no proper drainage system, huge unemployment,

massive crime rates, and a high cost of living were some

of the challenges of the people with whom we worked.

While in Nairobi, I was also lucky enough to meet some

Irish Sisters of the Loreto Order. These women were

inspiring for their work in East Africa, and they were part

of the responsible section of the religious orders which

helped to sow the seeds around the world which, in turn,

ensured that nowadays Irish people are greeted with open

Alex and the gang in Nairobi

arms virtually anywhere in the world. I met a one hundred

year old Irish nun who two weeks prior had received her

letter from President McAleese, and a second note from

Brian O’Driscoll on the occasion of his 100th cap for

Ireland. I learned about their stories founding the first secondary

school for black African women in East Africa, or

how one of them was thrown in prison in the 1980s for

standing up to the corrupt President Moi on a series of

human rights abuses. Their faith meant much to each of

them, and I met them as they were entering the next phase

of their life in Kenya – passing down to Kenyan Sisters of

the same Order.

I do not have enough space here to give my time there

justice, but one remark I will say is that within a few days

there, I remember becoming angry at the idea that people

back home were arguing about this or that austerity

measure, how the Health Service was still ‘a joke’, or as

Eamon Dunphy put it, “Ireland is a dump“. My view then

was that we should be caring more about those in the

world who have virtually nothing, and doing something

about it. I now realize that this naïve view was partly

wrong – not in the sense that our moaning about Ireland

demonstrates our complete obliviousness to just how

good we’ve ‘got it’, but rather of the temptation to jump in

to ‘help’ in a situation where helping is not always the best

option. I say this now with greater confidence as I live and

work in Haiti. I am not one of the many NGO workers,

but am an expat in the private sector. Haiti, like Kenya, is,

in many places, heartbreakingly poor. Haitians have had

to deal with the added and enormous challenge of the devastating

2010 earthquake which killed an estimated

200,000 people, and left millions homeless. Haiti is

making progress, bit by bit, and after decades relying on

foreign NGOs to fill the place of an errant government,

more people are realizing that trade and business are the

main answers to ensure Haiti lifts itself out of poverty.

I am returning to Ireland at the end of September at what

I think is an exciting time for my generation, and indeed

Ireland as a whole. I hear Peter Gallagher has left St. Conleth’s,

and Pat McGrath has also said goodbye – these

two monumental changes, however will St. Conleth’s

manage? I am confident the school will do more than

manage- it will continue to thrive, as long as it continues

to have that subtle but strong blend of qualities which

both nurtures and encourages its pupils. It gave me the

confidence to go out into the world to learn and to

explore, but also to find more about myself. St. Conleth’s

is the perfect launching pad!

Alex Hamilton graduated in 2006 after attending St. Conleth’s his whole school life,

as did his brothers Nicholas and Oliver. Alex served as School Captain in his Sixth

Year and is known to still keep tabs on all his classmates.


1939 - 2014

45

High-Jinks on the Hudson

(and the Cam)

by William Prasifka 2008

vindicated in the sense that I had become the true embodiment

of an Irish immigrant to America.

However, the ultimate culture clash happened in my final

year when as a senior prank several students, including

myself, decided that it would be a good idea to convince

the Columbia Spectator (the college daily newspaper that

has a circulation of 50,000) that the College Republicans

had invited Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran,

to speak on campus. Not only did the story suggest that the

President would speak about the role of women in public

life and a two state solution for Israel and Palestine, but

also that funding for the visit originated from somewhat

nefarious sources. Needless to say, many people were not

as amused as we were. The entire episode reminded me of

the great maxim of Henry Kissinger who declared that the

petty squabbles in academic politics are so fierce precisely

because the stakes are so low. The four years which I spent

in Manhattan from eighteen to twenty-two were certainly

formative, and I will always miss New York.

Upon leaving Columbia I decided to leave my study of

history behind and I embarked on a law degree at the

University of Cambridge. While, of course, many of the

academics at the place had an air of pomp and circumstance

about them, this was nothing for which Mr. Peter

Gallagher did not prepare me. In fact, I think that my

interview with Mr. Kelleher as a six year old was a far

It is hard to believe that it has been six years since I left

St. Conleth’s. In June 2008 Brian Cowen was Taoiseach,

Ireland was the richest country in the world and half of

the sixth year class wanted to be property developers.

Leaving Ballsbridge behind, I enrolled in a four year

degree at Columbia University in New York. St. Conleth’s

prepared me well for my experience, my numerous Latin

and English classes with Mr. Latvis acclimatising me for

life in America. The Americans and the Irish are really

quite similar. We both fought the British, we both play

sports which are incomprehensible to foreigners and we

both have drinking cultures that are quite different than

those of our immediate neighbours. I soon discovered

that the central problem with Americans and alcohol is

that Americans tend to take themselves a little bit too

seriously. I remember an incident in first year when

I bought several glass bottles of sparkling water which

were on special at a nearby deli. Lugging them up a to my

room generated such a clanking of glass that my Resident

Advisor (a unique invention of the American college

system – the equivalent to the Saudi Arabian religious

police or the Cuban Committees for the Defence of the

Revolution) thought it fit to schedule a individual meeting

with me to discuss the perils of alcohol abuse. I felt

William as Captain of his Cambridge College’s Cricket Team

William at the Cambridge Union Debate.

There were six speakers in the debate.

Four MPs, the leader of the Green party and William!

46


1939 - 2014

more intimidating experience than any of my supervisions

on the far side of the Irish sea. In the first year of my

degree I was joined by Philip McDonald, a fellow Conlethian

who I would pass in the hall every day like when

we were at school. Philip and I, of course, were relieved

that neither Messrs. Doyle nor McCormack were waiting

around the corner to confiscate our hoodies. Cambridge

was a fantastic experience and it is hard to believe that

I will be finishing up in June. If everything goes to plan

I will be starting King's Inns in October.

Having gone to university in both England and America

the one thing that sticks in my mind is that St. Conleth’s

really is a fantastic school. Most of my university friends

have don't look back as fondly as I do on their time spent

at school. I am lucky to have spent eleven years of my life

in such an interesting yet nurturing environment. The

dreaming spires alongside the Hudson River and the Cam

may be more famous, but I also learned a lot at the little

school near the Dodder.

Filling the Gap

- and then some!

Jack Needham - GAP Student 2009

St. Conleth’s College GAP Year Student Program offered

four young Australians from St. Ignatius College, Riverview,

Australia, the amazing opportunity of a life-time to

experience working at an Irish school while traveling

Europe, and contemplating future career path, during our

transition year from high school to university studies.

The St. Conleth’s GAP Year Student Programme commenced

in 2007, with Tom Fekete setting up a good platform

for additional Riverview students to follow in his

path. The second year, Luke Sheehan upheld and strengthened

the strong relationship between St. Conleth’s and the

GAP year program, while I attended the school in 2009

and fell in love with the culture

and the values which the

College represented, while the

most recent GAP year student,

Edward Davidson attended the

College in 2010.

The GAP year student’s

primary role was to assist the

PE teacher Gavin Maguire with

the day-to-day running of the

Jack Needham at graduation student sports programmes,

from University in Australia, coaching the sports teams

wearing the St. Conleth’s tie! (Rugby Union, Squash, Soccer

and Basketball) and fulfil various other duties including

assisting with various administration task and accompanying

TY students out on their Thursday activity day,

where we would take educational field trips to Irish landmarks

such as Kilmainham Jail, Glasnevin Cemetery,

Croke Park and Dublinia. Both the students and I really

enjoyed these field trips, which enabled us to better

understand Irish culture and history. Another main duty

was to accompany the TY year students to Friday afternoon

sailing in Dun Laoghaire harbour, our legendary

Aussie water-sport skills certainly came in handy!

The programme also gave me the opportunity to travel

around Ireland and England, with field trips to Belfast to

the W5 Discovery Centre with Sixth Class, Manchester

to watch Manchester United play with the older students,

and surfing with Second Years in Bundoran, Donegal,

where we even picked up a bit of French!

The experience of working in a school gave me the opportunity

to work with the teaching staff and to learn a lot

about the Irish education system, as well as interact with

students from different backgrounds. During my time at

St. Conleth’s College, I really enjoyed and cherished the

family-orientated atmosphere which the College maintains

and the strong Christian values upheld in the dayto-day

school life.

My time at St. Conleth’s College was without a doubt one

of the best experiences of my life, making many friends

for life and creating strong relationships with my work

colleagues, past students and parents, with whom I still

keep regular contact, five years on from my time at the

College. I strongly believe any student who is lucky

enough to be educated at St. Conleth’s College will gain

strong foundation and skills which they will use well into

their adult life.

The GAP year experience wouldn’t have been the same

without the love and support given to me by Ann Sheppard,

Kevin Kelleher, Françoise Brotelande and the

friendly school staff. Ann made sure I felt welcome and

invited myself and the other GAP year students to family

dinners every Sunday evening, which made me feel part

of the family, while Kevin always was around for a discussion

and advice on life experiences, Irish Rugby and

Irish lingo. Francoise made me feel welcome into the

College and taught me valuable life skills (cooking, especially!)

for which I will always be grateful.

The St. Conleth’s College GAP year programme was an

amazing experience and a once in a lifetime opportunity,

for which myself and the other GAP year students will

always be grateful. I will always cherish the memories,

experiences and friendships created during my time at

St. Conleth’s College.


1939 - 2014

47

St. Conleth’s,

Dragons and

Roman Law

by Philip McDonald, class of 2010

Perhaps my most rebellious act

as a student in St. Conleth’s

was a piece of graffiti that

Philip MacDonald

I drew on a poster on the wall

at Cambridge

of my Latin teacher’s classroom.

The poster in question was a map of the ancient

world. One corner of the map had been torn away; my

teacher had replaced this gap with white paper to make a

clean right-angled corner, and then had laminated the

newly rectangular map to preserve it. Early in the

morning, before our 7.45 a.m. Latin class began,

I scrawled on this white space : “HIC SUNT DRA-

CONES“, the Latin for “Here be dragons“.

I recall very clearly the thrill of fear when (a few minutes

into the class) he saw this graffiti for the first time, and

exclaimed angrily that he had hardly repaired the poster

and already some student had scrawled something on it.

But my fear became triumph as he read it, smiled, and

conceded : “Well, that’s not so bad.” The teacher in question

was Charles Latvis, who commissioned this article

of me; I have every reason to suspect that he did not

suspect me, and that this confession will be news to him.

(Ed.’s note : Et tu, Philippo!)

Despite this instance of misbehaviour, I hope that I was a

good student in Latin class, on the whole. Certainly I thoroughly

enjoyed Mr. Latvis’s classes, and he succeeded in

instilling in me an interest in the language that has persisted

and grown since then. One of the first obligatory subjects

in my law degree in Cambridge was the law of the Roman

Republic and Empire, and my learning in the early mornings

in Room Sixteen stood me in good stead for the array

of Latin legal terms that I now had to understand. I enjoyed

the subject, and performed well in my Roman law exam.

But I suffered under a hardship that is familiar to many

students – the scarcity and popularity of the best textbook

on the subject, Thomas’s Textbook of Roman Law.

Thomas’s Textbook was so rare that many students

fought bitterly over access to copies – there were far fewer

in the University libraries than were necessary to satisfy

210 eager freshers. This was not surprising, given that the

book had not been reprinted after its first run in 1976,

and fetched more than £200 a copy on the rare occasions

that it was put up for sale. Occasionally people complained

that someone should reprint it; so I set about

investigating the viability of a republication. I finally

acquired the rights in the early summer of 2013, and

worked very hard to typeset a new edition, and have it

printed and shipped in time for the start of the new academic

year in October. It has sold successfully since then.

When I told the recently retired principal of the secondary

school, Peter Gallagher, about this success, he pointed

out that the book falls within a Conlethian tradition.

John Kelly – past pupil of St. Conleth’s and, among other

things, scholar of law in UCD and genitor of the John

Kelly Award in Classics– was an expert in Roman law,

and wrote at least one major text on the subject of the law

of the Roman Republic. I have yet to procure a copy for

my collection. This pleasant coincidence reminded me

that I had not yet delivered a copy of the book to

Mr. Latvis, which I duly did.

I have been a grateful beneficiary of the privilege of studying

Latin, at one of the few schools in Ireland still offering

it at Leaving Certificate. I have no doubt that its availability

as a subject contributes to the plurality and success

of Conlethians who go on to be lawyers and linguists.

I believe that study of the classics is wrongly neglected in

the modern world, and I hope that the Latin tradition in

St. Conleth’s will only continue to thrive and grow. And

– more germanely – I hope sincerely that my act of cartographical

Vandalism can be forgiven!

Philip on Mt. Fuji

48


1939 - 2014

Cinéma Vérité :

A Girl at St. Conleth’s

by Robyn Hamilton 2010

To regrettably forgo an original introduction, and to

follow in the well-worn tradition of too many screenplays,

I must say that I can clearly remember my first day

at Conleth’s as if it were yesterday. It began with a short

meeting with the scant collection of other girls who joined

me in 2008 (our number reached a whopping total of

eight!) where we were peculiarly warned not to let our

new male counterparts ‘throw shapes’ at us, after which

we were split up into our respective classes. Entering a

stuffy classroom fit to burst with teenage boys just at that

moment of pubescence which is most offensive to the

olfactory senses was jarring enough, but combined with a

cramped, clambering collection of tall, lanky figures who

had not yet quite learned to command themselves, had a

positively dwarfing effect. At once we felt simultaneously

tiny and enormous, as each pair of eyes burned holes in

our backs as we took the only remaining seats at the front

of the classroom. However, having noted this, it was

probably the first and last time I ever felt intimidated

during my two years in St. Conleth’s.

It is a well documented and poorly kept secret that the

function of the admission of girls into St. Conleth’s in

Fifth Year is a thinly veiled excuse to ‘civilise’ and ‘finish’

its precious boys, rendering them fit for the polite society

of the real world. As a supreme example of feminine

worth and an ultimate lady, I feel I functioned well in my

capacity to help educate fifty or so socially awkward boys

that women were more than objects of boorish guffaws.

Notice I said ‘more than’. We girls certainly endured

plenty of ‘guffaws’, but we also managed to slowly coax

most of the lads into some sort of respectable inter-gender

interaction. I also like to entertain the idea that I left

more of a mark than merely an introduction to the female

of the species and I, of course, took a lot from my own

experience, making some lifelong friends along the way.

In fact, one of my fondest memories of St. Conleth’s is of

the class where my gender was singled out the most, Classics,

wherein I was the only girl in a class of eight. It was

odd that I ended up in Classics as it hadn’t been an option

in my old school and upon entering St. Conleth’s, I was

fiercely prodded in its direction, informed that I would

assuredly enjoy it. Predictably I was the butt of every

woman joke, ably encouraged by the pre-feminist literature,

and was once referred to simply as ‘Girl’ (though

that may have been more my teacher’s premature senility

than his sexism) and was asked repeatedly why I didn’t

identify more with the female characters from the likes of

The Odyssey, especially the noted nymph Calypso.

I didn’t mind, however : we spent many days not even

studying Classics but rather sitting around discussing the

merits of The Wire or quoting The Simpsons or arguing

over the intricacies of Middle Earth, with the last class

culminating in a trip to Herbert Park where we drank

fizzy drinks, curiously with peppers added, generously

provided by the teacher.

Graduating in 2010, after putting a lot of elbow grease

into the fabled aul’ LC, I managed to secure a place at

Trinity College to study French and Film Studies. Having

been one of my best subjects at school, French was a

natural progression but film studies was a whole new ball

game, an area into which I threw myself wholeheartedly.

Outside of course work, it wasn’t long before I started

writing for the college’s film journal Trinity Film Review,

joining the staff in my third year and finally taking the

position of editor-in-chief in my final year. I had a lot of

help from many of my former St. Conleth’s classmates

whom I often badgered to write. PJ O’Riley, Liam

Brophy, Oisín Blennerhassett and Robert Noonan all

contributed. I also co-hosted a radio show on film every

week with Trinity FM in my fourth year and my love for

film combined with my interest in Japanese culture as

I held weekly screenings of various Japanese films with

the Japanese society. I was even fortunate enough to take

a month long trip to Japan with Suzanne Sheehan, another

former Conleth’s girl, in 2012.

For my final year in Trinity, fortune again was in my favour

as I was able to live on campus, which was one of the

greatest experiences I’ve ever had. As to what I’m doing

now, I have just graduated, having written a dissertation

on the treatment of relationships in teen cinema of the last

decade (a task which I left on the long finger and nearly

killed me to complete). Languishing in the lush grounds of

Trinity for eight months was easy, dreamlike, glorious …

which made the cut off into the harsh and very real world

of poor career prospects and

shoehorning back into the

family nest all the more difficult.

Hence, I packed up my stuff and

decided to move to the south of

France for the summer. I have

been working at quite a lively

bar in Nice and let us just say

the French I learned at St. Conleth’s,

as well as the experience

of handling clumsy male overtures,

has come in handy!

Robyn at the Cannes

Film Festival 2013


1939 - 2014

49

“Y’all real good at the

speechifying!“ : A Conlethian

Debater Tours America

by Liam Brophy, class of 2010

I love America. Sorry. Let me say that again. I LOVE

AMURICA!!! Any slights directed towards it are purely

from the aching pangs of my heart at not being there

anymore. For particularly inquisitive students, debating

is a fantastic outlet; it exposes them to ideas that they’d

otherwise never come across following the narrow strictures

of the curriculum. The St. Conleth’s debating programme

is truly unique in that it emphasises the practice

of students coming up with their own ideas and arguments

rather than having them dictated to them. Under

the steady hand of John Carvill, not to mention the dedication

of its many student coaches, debating in St. Conleth’s

has experienced a meteoric rise in the past decade

or so, becoming the most successful school on the circuit.

It was largely thanks to my debating training from

St. Conleth’s that I was able to easily make the transition

to debating in college. I was lucky enough to be able to

travel around America on a goodwill debating tour sponsored

by the Irish Times in 2013. I had always been fascinated

by America, like many people my age saturating my

speech with idioms we’d learned from watching American

TV : “Don’t have a cow, man!” (if mother questioned

my college expenditure) or “5-0!” (if warning fellow jaywalkers

in Ballsbridge about the approaching gardaí.)

Seeing Americans in their native habitat is a fascinating

experience. Despite their rather militaristic reputation,

they are actually a very placid people : it is like watching

koi fish aimlessly drift about a pond in a country estate.

This is a very brief account of those Americans.

Stockton, California : Gorgeous Stockton is the closest we

came in America to getting a real-life The Wire experience,

which I had desperately been seaking since embarking on

my lifetime ambition of boring everybody about The Wire

in 2009. It’s honestly not a great place though. In Stockton,

we attended the National Parliamentary Debating

Championships. American debating is a strange beast. It

awards points not on the basis of the quality of argumentation,

but rather the number of arguments advanced. Two

arguments beats one argument; fifteen arguments beats

thirteen arguments and so on. It’s kind of the debating

equivalent of Napoleonic War era combat. Both sides form

in orderly lines opposite each other and keep shooting until

the side with fewer troops is completely dead from

musket-fire. It’s an amazingly weird form of debating,

predicated on the idea that it’s possible to quantify arguments

and distill them into little argument units that can

be weighted against each other. Like if a robot wanted to

decide an argument. Nate Silver would be proud.

It leads to these strange and inevitable concessions to the

absurdity of the form. The debaters speak at a rapid clip,

almost 400 words per minute, in order to convey as many

arguments as possible. The worth of an argument is measured

by the formula impact of policy x likelihood of policy

happening. Although the likelihood of a nuclear apocalypse

happening if the US were to lift the trade embargo on

Cuba is minimal, we simply can’t rule out the possibility.

Regardless of all the likely benefits of lifting the embargo,

can they really hold water against the very minimal possibility

of nuclear oblivion? According to the National Parliamentary

Debating Association the answer is a definite

no. As a result, nuclear conflict had become a perennial

theme, regardless of context, in the debates we witnessed.

Every debate devolved into these hummingbird-quick

exchanges regarding which version of nuclear holocaust

would happen first and how severe it would be. The judges

nodded sagely along as all of this happened. One judge

almost applauded when a debater suggested that their

version of nuclear apocalypse had the advantage, at the

very least, of preserving the world’s fisheries and was for

that reason preferable. I don’t know how this form of

debating survives and indeed thrives. Perhaps it comes

from the kind of American Exceptionalism that de Tocqueville

wrote about; that ingenious drive towards practicality

and finding solutions to problems. Problem : Judging

between two arguments is too subjective. Solution : Turn

arguing into a game that has nothing to do with the arguments

themselves. This is after all the country that, as a

result of lacking the proper tools to understand human psychology,

gave birth to phrenology : the discipline of divining

personality traits from the shape of a person’s skull.

Miami, Florida : Hotter than the sun itself. We were disappointed

to learn that they’d discontinued Four Loko

while here. Four Loko is a highly potent combination of

energy drink and alcohol in a soft-drink can that you can

drink in a manner of minutes without realising how it’s

affecting your system. Apparently it was withdrawn from

sale because it was proving to be highly dangerous to

those who drank it, sometimes causing heart attacks

amongst college students. I was disappointed about this

level of nannying in the Land of the Free, and the bald

eagles wept with me.

Butte, Montana : Butte was a mining town in the 19th

and early-20th century, developing over the years from a

small encampment to a boomtown to a fully developed

city and to the ghost of what it once was as the mines

50


1939 - 2014

Horrible Butte Lake

- The Cesspool of Unfettered Capitalism

Liam Doing ‘Red State’ Stuff

began to dry up. Butte is a stolid and unimaginatively

built town; you have to imagine that its shortcomings

were once compensated for by the sense of life and prosperity

that the mines gave to it. As the mines began to fail,

the city hatched an ambitious plan in tandem with the

mining company to create a huge open pit copper mine

outside of the city. They carved a terrific gash into the

land; a conical indentation almost 2,000ft deep. For a

while it proved successful until an underground water

source began to seep into the pit. As the water rose, it

began to absorb minerals from the wall of the pit and

turned poisonous. The water rises steadily every year and

there’s a danger that it will eventually contaminate the

nearby groundwater. The danger became most apparent

in the late 1990s when hundreds of migrating geese

landed on the water, dying almost instantly upon contact.

Montana, however, in general was a lovely place. I can

honestly say that the people we met there, gun-toting cardcarrying

Republicans the lot of them, were some of the

nicest and most welcoming people I’ve ever met in my life.

Up to this point in my life, my main exposure to Republicans

had been prolonged exposure to Charlie Latvis, the

most card-carryingest, gun-totingest Republican of them

all. It was really interesting to get to see a part of America

that’s largely forgotten : unsure of what to with itself and

largely abandoned by the Capital. We’re often given the

image over here of dumb Red State voters being swindled

by charming, huckster politicians who promise them more

guns, more Jesus, and less abortions. In a sense, the story

is that these people are genuinely too stupid to get with the

times and join the rest of liberal America. This attitude is

perhaps part of the problem. Butte as a town is an afterthought

from a different era, with a pit of poison sitting

above it that should’ve been drained long ago. It’s surrounded

by a crumbling infrastructure and represented at

a national level by an insular elite that neither knows nor

cares about their position. Viewed that way, it’s a lot

harder to impugn them all as Charlie Latvis-esque crazies,

talking about the ever-present danger of Communism in

between ranting about his love of Virgil’s Aeneid.

San Francisco, California : As far as I can tell from reading

reports online, San Francisco was recently destroyed in

the Great Gentrification War of Winter 2013, wherein a

large group of socially liberal tech geeks (with no-one to

be socially liberal with) and their disposable cash caused

downtown rents to skyrocket, displacing the poor, disproportionately

black population and destroying the

artistic and gay communities for which the city was longfamed.

This is a shame because, when we went to San

Francisco, it was absolutely wonderful. I really hope that

it’s able to preserve some of the louche, cool vibe it had

going in the past and, in the words of our guide, hope

that : “All of the Silicon Valley busses drive off a cliff, into

the bay. Let’s see them tweet about that.“

Portland, Oregon : Vegan options everywhere, whetted

none of our insatiable appetite for Americana. Our host

offered to take us to a beat poetry night. Nice try, Frasier

Crane, but it wasn’t happening. All we wanted was to eat

at fast food places that don’t exist back in Ireland and

gawp at policemen wearing guns in public. A terrible place.

Wal-Mart, Everywhere : It’s hard to describe how big

Walmart is. Try to imagine the biggest Lidl you’ve ever

seen, imagine that Lidl inside a giant industrial warehouse

used to build jumbo jets and then imagine that

warehouse trebled in size and you’ll have something

approximating the splendour that is Wal-Mart. Wal-

Mart is a temple devoted to the simple pleasure of buying

cheap goods in huge volume, the 75-year-old greeters its

priests, the happily docile hordes wandering the aisles its

supplicants. I bought hundreds of miniature American

flags there for about three dollars, a token of affection for

what was be the most awesomest country on the planet.

Bio : Liam Brophy is a SS Law and Political Science Student in Trinity College.

In 2013, he won the team prize in the Irish Times Debating Competition : Ireland's

oldest debating competition. Liam aspires to become a screenwriter and, one day,

hopes to write a film as humane and life-affirming as Adam Sandler's magnum

opus The Waterboy.


1939 - 2014

51

On and Off

the Bench

by Peter Herron, class of 2010

A sweaty hamstring cramp

began and a career ended,

although it’s probably not fair

to say I “retired” from the game

of basketball that day in Connecticut.

“Retirement” at the

Peter ‘The Trier’ Herron

age of 20 implies either a tragic injury, a career-defining

victory, or a sex scandal. My decision to quit the game for

which I was known at St. Conleth’s’ (see framed jersey in

one of those back stairwells) was for far less respectable

reasons. What sent me off-track was a mind-altering,

potentially addictive but socially-acceptable American

product : The Liberal Arts.

Having won a couple of National Cups with a Conleth’s

squad known as much for its unorthodox fashion accessories

as for its trademark New York City swag (albeit,

the Latin-speaking Catholic Prep School variety), I said

goodbye to our little square gym and headed over to

college in the States. Except for friends and teammates,

many thought I was going to America “on one of those

big sports scholarships.” I’m afraid those people are

about to be very disappointed.

You see, I was known as “the basketball lad” in the world

of St. Conleth’s. But stateside, people sometimes laugh

when they hear I’ve tried the sport. Ireland is a country of

short Caucasians with more of a propensity for short

limbs than vertical elevation. In America, I just about

made my college’s Division 3 team, through a trial. But

don’t tell that to Gav Maguire or any of the rugby elders,

who have been jealous of basketball’s supremacy at

St. Conleth’s since the 2007 hoop revolution!

The dreaded bench is where I actually spent most of my

first two years playing college ball. My responsibilities

included providing an infinite number of ‘hi-fives’,

Mr. Peter-Gallagher levels of enthusiasm, and pretending

to be our upcoming opponents in training. But I was able

to compete at the college standard, and even earn minutes

in most games my second season. The highlight came in a

knockout playoff game. Our opponents had an all-star

7-footer who needed to be stopped. A fellow benchwarmer

and I were given the task of checking into the

game in bursts to intentionally foul the giant. This well

established tactic is called Hack-a-Shaq, named after

another big man who couldn’t shoot free-throws. Bad

sportsmanship is not as frowned upon in this part of the

world and, boy, it sure is fun! Mind you, I made sure that

said not-so-gentle, and now justifiably annoyed, giant had

boarded his bus before I sneaked out of the gymnasium!

After two years of playing all around New England, it

was honestly a simple decision to quit the team and the

sport I love, despite everything it, and all the people who

helped me along the way, had given me for twelve years.

There were just too many other opportunities on the college’s

campus that seemed more important than basketball.

The number of possibilities at places like Connecticut

College is overwhelming, like going to Clara Lara for

the first time. The diversity of learning and experiences at

an American ‘liberal arts’ is truly amazing. Over the

course of the four years, I found myself participating in a

chamber choir performance of a pagan ritual ceremony, a

play about hippies, a weekly radio show, a modern dance

class, a stand-up open mic session and the construction

and habitation of a newsworthy igloo. After all this,

I somehow ended up with a feature film and a degree in

philosophy to my name.

St. Conleth’s College and Connecticut College, now that

I think back on it, were not so different. Unlike some

larger and more institutional schools, St. Conleth’s never

put a confining mould around its students. It was a place

where the kids who were considered ‘cool’ could do art

or fencing, and the kids who were not would only

good-naturedly get slagged for their unofficial ‘Marxist

Club’. I sincerely hope this hasn’t changed. St. Conleth

himself was known as a ‘moulder’ of metals and men,

but the moulding done at the school which bears his

name is expansive and liberating. And one benefits

from such liberality later in life, whether they are on or

off the bench.

Peter Herron was part of the St. Conleth’s basketball team which won both the

All-Ireland National B Cup and League double in 2008. He graduated in 2010 and

won a full academic scholarship to Connecticut College where he earned a BA in

Philosophy and provided much enthusiasm, many fouls and a few points from the

bench. His favourite, all-time basketball player is Christian Laettner.

Peter finally succumbs

to Gav Maguire’s influence

Peter, in Una-bomber mode,

attempting to Hi-5 legendary

B-ball coach John Wooden

52


1939 - 2014

Art at

St. Conleth’s :

A Brief Retrospective

by Jack Collins, class of 2011

When I first came to St. Conleth’s

the idea that six years

later I would graduate to study

at “art college” would have

seemed, to me at least, bizarre. While I’d always enjoyed

drawing and absent minded ‘making’, it was my experience

of art at St. Conleth’s that helped me recognise my

love for the subject and the more meaningful place it

could occupy in my life.

Even while there, art in St. Conleth’s always felt a little

special. Taking place outside the formal timetable lent art

classes a different sort of atmosphere than would have

usually been associated with day-to-day learning. There

was always the slightest air of exclusivity, a handful of

creative types staying back after the entire school had

emptied or arriving through quiet corridors on a Saturday

morning. Art in St. Conleth’s was one of my earliest exposures

to this kind of environment, where the subject’s

optional nature meant people attended and participated

not because they had to but because they had chosen to.

There was a sense of energy to the classes, an undercurrent

of excitement to getting to work on something handson.

To build, construct and create after a week of sometimes

passive note taking and memorisation. Being in a

room of engaged participants all individually designing

and creating, but also as a group tackling briefs and problems

together, responding in different ways, was an experience

far more potent and inspiring than any other in my

education. Consciously or unconsciously when searching

for college courses I was looking for something similar.

That St. Conleth’s facilitated such an environment speaks

to the school’s dedication in providing support for even

small numbers of individual’s interests and passions.

Art was a bonding experience. It was getting to know

classmates you may not have known previously. It was a

hotbed of inside jokes and entertaining stories. It was,

above all else, fun. It was, at least to us, as much about

hanging out with friends, a small group of people bonding

over a mutual interest - and indeed over tea and biscuits

graciously provided by the Kelleher estate - as it was preparation

for a final exam. The social aspect of the subject

cannot be understated. In his fantastic speech on creativity,

John Cleese remarked how a creative environment

devoid of humour and playfulness will never produce

great work. It is a sentiment that has followed me through

college where experimentation and being open to mistakes

always produces better results and the best kind of

environment to support this is one of laughter and friendly

support. St. Conleth’s has this in spades but art in particular

I felt, seemed to promote this sense of camaraderie.

Of course none of this would have been possible were it

not for the skill and patience of the teachers, for while art

demanded dedication on the part of the student, that was

often matched if not exceeded by the staff. I was privileged

enough to have four different art teachers in my

time at Conleth’s : Niamh Redmond, Pia Rossi, Louise

Halpin and Fiona Larkin; each with their own teaching

styles and viewpoints but the same dedication and supportive

nature. As a class, any academic successes would

not have been possible without their guidance and advice.

Small class sizes and individual support and recognition

have always been a core part of the St. Conleth’s ethos

and that was no different in the art room. The honing of

a physical talent or ability does not come without the

support and skill of a great teacher and in art there was

always advice and attention for an individual’s strengths

or shortcomings, inside and outside of class times. I personally

owe each a debt of thanks for encouraging my

own interest in the subject but in particular I must thank

Ms. Halpin who greatly encouraged me to pursue art at a

third level and graciously gave up her own free time to

advise and aid me in my own portfolio submission. Their

interest and dedication to bringing the best out of their

students is a key part of what made studying art at

St. Conleth’s such an engaging and beneficial experience.

Art class is the part of St. Conleth’s I miss most of all. I’m

still actively engaged in creating, even if my focus has

shifted towards design (a topic for another day) but what

I miss isn’t particularly the projects or the work. It’s the

people and the place, and what it was like to be there at that

time in that space, and in that regard I have only fond memories.

When I left St. Conleth’s and started at IADT I didn’t

really know or understand what I was signing on for. Long

hours, endless deadlines, tough criticism, very little sleep –

but all completely worth it for the sheer fact that I get to do

something I love. Art at St. Conleth’s started that spark and

it’s no mistake that when I describe my course to friends

and family - small classes, talented teachers, great friends,

hard work but a lot of fun - it sounds very familiar. I owe

the school for a lot but that possibly most of all. I’m still not

entirely certain what it is I’ll end up “being,” but if I ever

need guidance, I just reflect on the Saturdays spent at that

long, battle-scarred grey table in the Art Room and think,

I’m not sure exactly what it is, but that’s all I want to do!


1939 - 2014

53

54


1939 - 2014

The Uganda 2010 Group

Uganda and Beyond

by Kevin Roche, Class of 2013

When Harold McMillan spoke of the “winds of change”

over Africa he was not referring specifically to the migration

of an annual herd of culturally misappropriated but

well-meaning Conlethians. Originally the brainchild of

Dr. Garrett Campbell, these outward bound expeditions

have gone from strength to strength with the guidance and

dedication of Gavin Maguire and Dolores Kelly.

I was one of 22 such Conlethians in 2011 on a trip to

Uganda guided by Gavin, Ms. Kelly and Hugh Doyle. Our

month-long adventure was comprised of two main phases.

The first of these was the trekking phase. We set out from

Kilembe Backpackers’ Hostel for a seven-day trek through

the famous Rwenzori Mountains, nicknamed ‘the mountains

of the moon’. This was physically very demanding

and saw us trekking for up to eight hours a day, often up

to our knees in soft sticky African mud. As the altitude

continued to rise so too did our collective exhaustion and

hunger. All of this however was quickly forgotten upon

reaching Matinda Peak, a rocky baron spike standing at

4000 meters above sea level and exposing breathtaking

vistas of the surrounding countryside and mountains. The

high we experienced on top of the peak made our two

days of descent all the more enjoyable.

Jack Nolan getting involved in 2010 Ann Sheppard in Kitatya in 2010


1939 - 2014

55

Having left our Indiana Jones dramatis personae in

Kilembe, we made for the quaint town of Kayunga where

we began the project phase of our expedition. This phase

saw us teaching the students of Kitatya Secondary School.

Far from the rigid curriculum of the class room however,

our teaching took the form of imparting cultural lessons

(and absorbing them). The thirst for knowledge of our

Ugandan counterparts was simply astounding : they were

so enthusiastic to learn about our culture and how we live

in Ireland. One moment which will always stay with me is

standing in front of a class of sixty or so Ugandan students

and hearing them sing our national anthem. Even

though we were teaching in Kitatya, each and every one of

us learned an awful lot about ourselves and about the

world we live in. One particular exchange of culture that

springs to mind was an edible one. Our cook while we

were in the school, and who was particularly fond of Gav,

was called Prossie. On our last day, we made the most

ubiquitous of Irish side dishes, mashed potato, for her and

her kitchen helpers. For us, this was a welcome break from

the goat stew we had been eating for the previous three

weeks, but the Ugandans felt that it was bland and lacked

royco, a blend of spices which forms the basis of many

Ugandan dishes. The Ugandans may have been interested

in our culture but they certainly were proud of their own!

There are many moments which have stayed with me

from my Ugandan adventure. Gavin Maguire’s appalling

taste in music, the demise of our pet chicken ‘Bok Bok’ to

feed our appetite (of which I think a video may still exist),

standing in the ‘Ugandan National’ line at Entebbe International

airport (an opportunity afforded to us by virtue

of our Irish passports). From many of these memories,

I learned many lessons, such as, that goat is never palatable,

even less so when it is in a stew (to this day I doubt

I will ever again be able to face a stew of any kind). The

most important of these lessons, however, only dawned

on me when I came home, and I still muse on many of

these memories, three years on. By going on such a trip,

one becomes acutely aware of the diversity which exists in

our planet, of the sheer gap of inequality between the two

sides of the globe which remains this way even while politicians

talk of ‘growth’ and ‘development’. But most

importantly, that unwavering optimism and sheer good

nature can lift your quality of life above any living conditions

to which one is subjected.

As a final word, it is important to note that the living

conditions in Uganda are comparatively higher than

many other African countries and the countryside is lush

and for the most part green. I can only hope that it

remains this way and provides many more Conlethians

with the largely ineffable experience that I and my 21

class mates had that fine summer.

In June 2014, St. Conleth’s completed its partnership with Kitatya Secondary

School in Uganda. Over five years, we have built up a mutually beneficial relationship

whereby Conlethian TY and Fifth Year students raise funds and bring hard

work and enthusiasm to rural Uganda to help develop the facilities of the local

school. The Conlethians also teach and are taught in return by the native students

and teachers. The exchange has been life-changing for both groups. We look

forward to a new project in India in the future.

Kevin “Bomber” Roche was School Captain of the Class of 2013 and is currently

studying at UCD. He continues to charmingly gather the reins of power unto himself.

Staying cool on the equator in 2011

Our author, Kevin, with the 2011

Uganda gang on Matinda Peak

A sure sign of a Gav trip :

monogrammed jerseys

The 2014 Group learn about local transport

56


1939 - 2014

Beyond

Debate

by Conan Quinn 2013

Even though it will be seven

years ago this September,

Do not let the

I remember my first competitive

debate in its entirety. We

- Conan is about to

puppy-dog eyes fool you

were arguing to ban boxing in destroy your argument!

theatre P of the Newman Building

in UCD. In my head the audience of maybe twelve

parents and three teachers was doing a very convincing

imitation of a crowded stadium or the UN general assembly.

With the exception of the day I received my leaving

cert results, I do not think I have been more nervous in

my life. I got up, spoke for five minutes, sat down, and

immediately fell asleep on the desk. About half an hour

later, at the end of the debate, my partner woke me up

and I found out that we had won. Ever since, debating

has been a large and rewarding part of my life.

St. Conleth’s really defies its small size in the level of

success we’ve achieved in the last ten years in competitive

debating. Actually, that is not completely true. We are so

used to hearing how the school ‘punches above its weight’

in rugby, basketball, tennis etc … but in debating, we

need no ‘qualifier’ regarding our small size. We are, and

have been for some time, simply the best debating school

in the country, and that includes schools of every shape

and size- from the traditional powers of the private

schools, through the up-and-coming new age VECs to the

lingering hedge schools of Donegal. No better stat supports

this assertion than the fact that this year three of the

five members of the Irish World Schools debating team

representing Ireland in Thailand are Conlethians. This

level of representation from one school has never occurred

since the establishment of the competition several decades

ago. St. Conleth’s has had at least one representative on

this team for almost the last ten years and twice has held

the captaincy. Competing with schools four or five times

our size (okay, it must be said!) we have won numerous

Leinster and All-Ireland titles as well as taking home the

top prizes from every weekend tournament on the circuit

numerous times in the last few years. On an international

level, St. Conleth’s students have won the opportunity to

represent Ireland in Cambridge, Oxford, South Africa,

Turkey, Singapore and even the exotic Cardiff!

This success has continued into university with alumni

reaching the final stages of the prestigious World and

European Championships, two of the largest annual

global student events. We have also recently had winners

of the Irish Times debating competition and the International

Mace. On top of this, Conlethians have held the

Auditorship of both the ‘Hist’ in Trinity and the ‘L & H’

in UCD, two of the largest, oldest and most prestigious

student debating societies in the world repeatedly over

the last twenty years.

As the Auditor of Debates in Sixth Year at St. Conleth’s

I was very happy that 2012/2013 was no exception in

terms of success. Fourth Year Conor White, in his first

senior cycle competition, topped the speaker tab at the

UCD L&H schools mace : an impressive achievement

considering that many of his 153 competitors were from

either fifth or sixth year. At the Junior Level, Daniel Gilligan

and Philip O’Hanrahan secured first place in the Belvedere

Mace. Matthew Collins and Christopher Costigan

won the Irish heat of the Cambridge schools competition

but went on to surpass all prior efforts by making it to the

Grand Final over in the Cambridge Union where they

wedged into second by Eton College. Apparently, the Etonians

are still mumbling over their port and pate about the

scare we gave them! And Paul O’Dwyer captained the

Irish team all the way to the semi-finals of the World

Schools Debating Competition. Yes, a world Semi-final!

A more recent highlight of the debating year at St. Conleth’s

is our Annual Schools Mace Competition. This

event has been growing in size and stature since its creation

in 2009 and last year, it became part of the Matheson

Ormsby Prentice National Mace Competition. Almost

doubling in size each year, most recently we hosted over 85

participants from a large number of schools. The competition

is run and organised by the Auditor of Debates along

with the help of debaters from every year in the school.

Recent finals have been chaired by the Hon. Mr. Justice

Peter Charleton and Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn.

Speaking from my own experience, I would attribute our

level success to the huge support for debating in the school

and the approach to coaching. All of the coaching is carried

out by St. Conleth’s alumni currently in university. This

meant that all the way through school we were coached by

people whom we knew from the years above us, who had

been involved in debating themselves and who really knew

the best approaches to competitive debating. Furthermore,

Conan, Peter Gallagher and All-Ireland

winning debate partner Paul O’Dwyer

Past Pupil Coach Kevin Roche

and Oisín Herbots


1939 - 2014

57

Guest adjudicator at the St. Conleth’s, Minister Quinn, finds it a tough place between a Collins and a Costigan

I think this allowed for a more discursive and interactive

environment than if it were run by a teacher as it is in most

other schools. The frequency and enthusiasm with which

students came back to the school to do coaching really

showed how much they had enjoyed it themselves.

I happily returned myself in 2013/2014, along with Paul

and Kevin Roche, to St. Conleth’s to coach debating,

hoping to maintain and foster the atmosphere and tradition

from which I gained and benefited so much. And

I was thrilled to see the treasure trove continued to grow,

as seniors Matthew and Christopher adding the Trinity

and UCD Maces to their previous All-Ireland honours

and up-and-coming underclassmen such as Sean Petit and

Oisín Herbots showing great promise at the Junior Leinster

level. I was also honoured to serve as adjudicator at

several of our in-house debates. It is these hotly but goodhumouredly

contested intramural competitions which

hone our debaters’ skills and make them such a power at

the Leinster, Irish and International rostra. And since

I was one of those forced to pick a winner, I can certainly

attest to the quality of the rising talent at the school : from

the McCarthy to the Kinlen Cup, the competition was

fierce and both the winners and runners-up are well

placed to continue the success which is now expected of

St. Conleth’s : a debating power, at any size.

Education is and should be about more than just exams.

I think St. Conleth’s provides for this in many ways, for

me it was through debating. The skills I’ve been given in

terms of confidence, public speaking, critical thinking,

along with lifelong friendships and a greater understanding

of the world, are invaluable.

Conan Quinn is a former Auditor of Debates at St. Conleth’s, as well as All-Ireland

Champion. He is currently pursuing a degree in Law at Trinity College, where he is

very involved with the College Historical Debating Society. News just in: St. Conleth’s

dominated Irish team finishes third at the World Championships!

Just try to see it Philip O’Hanrahan’s way … Eabhan Rowe in action The Infamous Quinn Scoff

There may be room for these

Leinster and All-Ireland

trophies in that rugby case ...

58


1939 - 2014

Transition Year

- Something Different

by Conor White, Class of 2015

Transition Year is completely different to any other time

in school. It is a chance to develop both as a person and

as a student before embarking on the final years of school.

For me, it was an exhilarating year. If I were to summarise

it in two words, they would be ‘opportunity’ and

‘experience’ but I were forced to pick one it would be

‘try’, because this is the year when you get to step outside

your personal box, and try something new.

Without any looming exams, classes are structured differently.

For example, TY French includes writing a blog

and producing a board game. In Irish, students research

their local history as Gaeilge and contribute to the Irish

Wikipedia, among other things. Experiences such as

these are thoroughly rewarding as they engage students in

a practical way. Transition Year is filled with modules, on

top of regular classes. There have recently been modules

in Chinese, computers, music, sailing, first aid, boxing

and photography. These give the opportunity to acquire

new interests and skills. In my experience, TY classes

allow for more freedom to pursue individual projects,

and, as a result, are exceedingly fulfilling.

Trips are an integral part of Transition Year. The two

classes alternate Thursday Trips that combine the historical

(Kilmainham Gaol, the Book of Kells), the cultural

(the National Art Gallery) and the sporting (the Aviva

Stadium and Croke Park tours). The Croke Park Skywalk

also gives a unique perspective on the history of Dublin,

combined with a thrilling and windy walk. While most

trips are on an educational theme, there are occasions for

the year to form closer friendships. This is particularly

true with the annual overnight trip to the Carlingford

Adventure Centre, where because of the many teambased

activities, one is forced to forge closer bonds with

those whom we may have previously regarded only

as acquaintances. By the end of the weekend, and certainly

by the end of Transition Year, many of these

acquaintances have become true friends. There are also

many chances to enter external competitions with students

pitting themselves against their peers nationally.

Whether it is the Young Scientist Competition or a short

film festival, Transition Year is the ideal year to do something

completely different. Competitions such as the

Student Enterprise Awards are entered every year, and

Miki Remi’s winning of a CSPE competition and a trip to

Strasbourg this past year is just an example of the many

individual and group-based opportunities.

The ‘Build-a-Bank Challenge’ is one specific competition

which runs for the whole year and is very popular. Organised

by AIB, six students are chosen by interview to set

up a bank in the school and compete in the national competition.

As ‘Bank Manager’ in my year, I oversaw the

development of a concept, online and video marketing,

weekly openings and business plan. My teammates and

I improved a variety of skills, particularly teamwork,

business, IT and presentation skills. ‘The Bond Bank’

ended up reaching the National Finals. The following

year, ‘The Shawbank Redemption” won the inaugural

award for ‘Best Digital Bank’. Contributing to their

success was a fully developed mobile app, website and

online game. As well as the ‘Build-a-Bank’ being an an

incredibly enjoyable project, a chance to ‘try’ something

new, it also can be quite ‘trying’, as one attempts to coax

deposits off First Years who are so easily distracted by the

wonders of Mr. Kelleher’s Tuck Shop!

Work Experience is one of the most popular activities

throughout the course of Transition Year and is another

opportunity to learn ‘hands-on’. Everyone organises at

least two week-long placements for themselves with a

variety of different employers. The experience gained

cannot be matched in any classroom and contributes

immensely to a student’s personal and skills development.

My work experience was in Microsoft and in

Deloitte, two contrasting workplaces. Both served as a

fascinating insight into different career areas and offered

me opportunities to become a little bit accustomed to

adult, professional life. In recent years work experience

has taken students to places such as the Department of

Education, Barclays Bank HQ in London and even the

Harvard Medical School.

‘007-The Bond Bank’ - 2013 National Finalists

‘Shawbank Redemption’ Build-A-Bank Team - 2014

National Finalists and Best Digital Bank winners

The Mikado in 2014

- Culture and gender bending at its best


1939 - 2014

59

Theo Ward is the very model …

60


1939 - 2014

TY at their First Aid course

- We always suspected Ross had a head injury

TYs in Kenpo Action

The obligatory TY visit to the Aviva Stadium

Mr. Bolger justifiably proud of

Green Schools accredidation

Omar O’Reilly

channelling Elvis’

Technicolour Dressing-gown

Andrew Wheeler receives

his rare Gaisce Gold Award

from the President

Our author,

Conor White, with his

McGilligan Award in 2013

ºIn my own year, eight of us initiated a paired reading

programme in St. Brigid’s Primary School, Haddington

Road. It’s a fairly odd sight : six-foot lads walking into a

Senior Infants classroom, mightily outnumbered by

people half their size. For me, it was a highlight of TY. It

is a perfect example of participating in something new

and developing talents. Each year developes their own

community based activities, from visits to senior citizen

homes to helping Mr. Keenan and Mr. Maguire with their

Herbert Park allotments.

Perhaps surprising to some, Transition Year does not stop

at the 3.20 bell. Every year, the TYs seek to earn the

Bronze Gaisce, or ‘President’s Award’, in their own time

by learning a new skill, volunteering in the community

and doing a physical activity. These out-of-school activities

are diverse; from working in a charity shop to learning

the Japanese martial art Kenpo to teaching five yearolds

to play basketball. The award culminates in a

two-day hike over the Wicklow Mountains. TYs are also

given the opportunity to travel abroad individually for a

half a term to develop their language skills. Many return

to class with a richer vocabulary and a flourishing confidence

in French or Spanish. Most of us gain the Bronze

level, and a few, like Andrew Wheeler, go on to claim the

rarely awarded Gold Gaisce Award.

Writing this piece reminds me how enjoyable my Transition

Year was. The freedom from formal exams and the

ability to engage in an array of academic and non-academic

pursuits allows the Transition Year student to

embrace education in an alternate way. To anyone yet to

do TY, I cannot recommend it enough. There is a maxim

that, “You get out of it what you put into it” and this

could not be truer for this year in particular.

Conor White is the current School Captain and a past winner of the McGilligan

Award for best Transition Year student, as well as an avid debater.

Mr. Porzadny and his TY Fun Run Enthusiasts

TY - ever eager to sample the delights of Dublin


1939 - 2014

61

Students’ Memories

of St.Conleth’s Preparatory School

by its very first class of Junior Infants.

A Teacher’s Memories

of the Early Days of the Preparatory School

by Dolores Kelly

My favourite memory was…

… when I told my friend Shandor that I had a wobbly

tooth-he helped to remove it with a small punch. His

Mum and Dad were both dentists!!! (Richard)

… of the party in Ms.Kelly’s we had treats and then went

to the playground in Herbert Park. (Louis)

… when I brought in my pet cat ‘Cobwebs’ and I took her

out of her cage so everyone could pet her. (Russell)

… seeing the Christmas play ‘Danger in the Manger’

because it was sad, happy and funny. (Kazim)

… playing football for the first time in the yard. (Andrew)

… when I was a new boy and everyone was helping me

because I didn’t know the place. (Con)

… when I got to know everyone. (Darragh)

… I was very shy at the beginning, but on the 3rd day I

met Kazim and then Richard and then made friends

with all the class, I really liked them. (Turlough)

… the raffle and winning a little car and a ninja. (James)

… going to Tayto Park. (Zakaria)

‘MY SCHOOL’ a poem by Richard Cauldwell

My fondest memories are of …

… starting my mornings in Mr. Kelleher’s kitchen with

Mr. Kelleher’s ‘breakfast club’- a fun start to the day!

… the daily explorations of the boys and being told you

were missed after a two week break at Christmas!

… of the excitement of the boys travelling by bus on a

school tour..

… one of my students crying just in case I lost him at the

school fair, held in the hall! He thought I was taking

him out somewhere much, much bigger!… St Stephen’s

Green maybe???

… another boy wondering how he would explain to his

parents that he would be gone for a while and where he

would get a tent (this followed a class conversation

regarding my senior school trips abroad to Uganda and

India, he thought I meant Junior Infants came too!)

… the calm of the lunch-room once the new students

settle into their new lunch time system, especially

when Mr. Murphy raises an eyebrow!

… and, finally, the end of year graduation brings a little

sadness of the boys moving on, yet a feeling of pride at

how far they have come and developed on their journey…

My School is amazing

Because it’s so cool

My school is amazing

It’s nobody’s fool.

My school is such fun

We go there and run

We play and we run

‘till break-time is done.

My school is the best

Better than all the rest

My school is the best

Though we get a big test.

Mr.Kelleher is fun

He treats us all like his son.

A warm tribute made by Richard, one of our first preparatory pupils, a fitting tribute

to both school and to Mr. Kelleher whom the boys admire greatly.

THIS YEAR … THE NEXT GENERATION

Laura Hough, Ben MacKenzie and Sam, Andrew Comer and Christopher,

Paul Daly and Conor, Karl Finnegan and Joseph

62


1939 - 2014

Drawing on

St. Conleth’s Strengths

by Becky Donnelly, class of 2012

My time at St. Conleth’s I will treasure forever; both for the

fun I had and the tools it equipped me with for the future.

Coming from the dreaded all-girl-school background, the

male-dominated and relaxed environment of St. Conleth’s

was a welcome change for my sixteen-year-old self, and

I embraced its unique style of schooling with open arms.

My education at St. Conleth’s was a pleasure; going to

school became something that (despite myself) I looked

forward to everyday, the reasons for which I wholly attribute

to the incredible staff at the core of the school.

The spirited attitude of the Conlethian staff translates into

the behaviour and work ethic of their respective students,

creating an institution with a most enthusiastic ethos.

Whether it was Ms. Halpin’s mind-blowing Art History

notes (so good I never even had to open my text book!),

Ms. Killen’s extra Spanish oral practice on a Saturday

morning, or Mr. Latvis’ obsession with Alexander the

Great’s ‘Orientalist’ tendencies, the passion and dedication

of the St. Conleth’s teachers oozes through to the students,

and this commitment motivates and inspires them.

This theory has been proven no more so than in my own

case. I am currently studying Classical and Computer

Animation in Ballyfermot College of Further Education

(practically the Hogwarts of the art form), where I get to

label ‘a hard day’s work’ as designing a new interpretation

of Rivendell from The Lord of the Rings, or making characters

boogie to old-school disco (there was a whole lot of

booty-shaking going on!). With the education I am now

receiving, I hope to one-day work for a film or television

animation studio; Disney, of course, being the ultimate

goal. I am fortunate enough to be following the career of

which I have always dreamed : since watching The Lion

King at the age of three my fate has really been sealed. My

success thus far I owe hugely to the support and guidance

I received in St. Conleth’s. When making the compulsory

portfolio to be admitted into my course, Ms. Halpin really

went above and beyond in her encouragement and care,

allowing me to feel confident when submitting my work

to the college’s assessors. As with many of my classmates

who had fixed ambitions for third level, the support

shown by the staff, and the time invested by them in

ensuring I reached my goal, gave me belief in my abilities.

Because of this, I was able to reach my full potential when

it came to my work, and for that I am truly grateful.

The extraordinary level of care is what makes an education

at St. Conleth’s inimitable. It is a school that allows you to,

dare I say it, deviate from the norm – no opinion is too

bizarre, no goal is too difficult to achieve, and never EVER

is a debate too passionate! This balance between guidance

and autonomy is why, I believe, the school continually

meets with such success. Life as a Conlethian is utterly

unique, and I’m sure that many current and prospective

students will look upon their time there as fondly as I.


1939 - 2014

63

A Girls’ Captain Farewell

by Elena Soldini, Class of 2013

Good evening parents, teachers and students,

Two of my most unforgettable duties as girl captain were

assisting at the deb’s reception of last year’s graduation

class and the recent Past Pupils’ Dinner. On both occasions,

I was able to get a real insight into what it means to

be a Conlethian girl.

At the debs, I talked to girls with whom I shared a year

here. They looked stylish and confident, most of all happy

to be back in St. Conleth’s. Even though they were starting

university at the time, and excited to do, each one

expressed a sense of sincere bittersweet regret for their

alma mater.

At the PPU dinner, I had to fend off a marriage proposal,

despite being dressed in full school uniform! However,

I did get a memorable glimpse of the different generations

of Conlethians, mixing with grace and ease (and it wasn’t

just their drinks). The girls, or should I say- women, were

part and parcel of it all. One particular woman with only

a few G&Ts on board, cornered me, looked me in the eye

and said the best decision she ever made at my age was to

come to St. Conleth’s.

Having spent two years here I can now sincerely share her

sentiments. It feels like yesterday that we arrived in the

school trying to figure out where we were. We all came

from different schools, different cliques, even different

countries. (Despite the name and lingering accent … I do

live in Donnybrook!)

I remember the day before the start of the year, Ms. Brotelande

and the 6th year girls introduced us to the school

and gave us some advice on how to survive the two seemingly

long years ahead of us. For the first few weeks we

would go around in groups and stick together like glue!

The bathroom became our sanctuary and make-up room.

However, after a couple of weeks, thanks to the openness

of the guys and teachers’ help, the make-up was all gone,

the bathroom was not needed anymore and the awkwardness

dissipated.

Despite all of us being new, we immediately felt welcomed.

How could we forget the bizarre but charming

interview with Mr. Gallagher at the start of Fifth Year?

He had an interview with each one of us to get to know

us and our personalities. I was really surprised because

I wasn’t use to such a family-like atmosphere at school,

with such attention from the principal and from each

teacher : always encouraging us to give our best and take

part in everything.

In these two years (I can only say it for myself but I’m

sure all of us can say the same), the school’s attitude

towards us has allowed us to mature in our own personalities,

and each one of us regardless our differences

found quickly a place. And for this reason I commend the

school for its uniqueness.

I want to thank all the teachers for making St.Conleth’s,

St.Conleth’s. Special thanks to Mr. Kelleher and Ms. Sheppard,

Mr. Gallagher and Mr. ODualing for giving me/and

us the opportunity to be part of St.Conleth’s. On the

behalf of the girls, I want to thank Ms. Hopkins and

Ms. Brotelande for being always there when we needed

help and for the support you gave us- especially during or

crises times in the bathroom.

Of course I can’t forget the heart of our experience here

in St.Conleths- the boys … We, the girls, would like to

thank you for welcoming us in your year and making us

feel at ease so quickly. It is hard to believe that we are all

going to go separate ways in just few months, But I’m

sure that our memories of the last years will always be

carried in hearts. I personally wish each and every one of

you success on your Leaving Cert, but most importantly

– Felicità nella vostra vita futura … For those, like Sam,

who didn’t understand …most importantly, happiness in

your future lives.

This is the text of Elena’s Girls’ Captain’s speech at the Graduation ceremony in 2013.

Elena, part of the winning Latin and Classics Speech Team

Elena with her

2013 Galileo Science Prize

64


1939 - 2014

Sa Ghaeilge, cuirtear an comhscór ar phreab an tsliothair

Irish Debating

- Meitheal don Díospóireacht

Pól Ó Duibhir 2013, le cúnamh ón tUasal Ahern

Is minic a bhris béal duine a shrón. Is é a mhalairt atá fíor

i gColáiste Naomh Conleadh. Léirítear go soléir dúinn

tríd an alt seo na buntáistí a bhaineann leis an díospóireacht

as Gaeilge. Tá clú agus cáíl ar na Béarlóírí a

bhuaigh Craobh na hÉireann cúpla uair don scoil, ach ar

an leathtaobh agus i bhfad ó na soilse geala bíonn argóintí

le fáil agus óráidí le cloisteáil trí gaeilge freisin.

Chuile bliain seasann triúir daltaí misniúla cróga suas

mar fhoireann sinsearach. Obraíonn said go dian dícheallach

agus iad ag dulsan iomaíocht i gCúige Laighean.

Bíonn an caighdeán an-ard, le scéaltaí greannmhara agus

argóintí cliniciúla le feiceáil! Ach os a gcoinne seo bíonn

craic iontach ag na Gaelgeoirí i ngort eile. Tar éis na

blianta i mbun oibre leis an nGaeilge seasann nóiméad

amháin amach i m’intinn : Sa chéad bhabhta den chomórtas

bhíomar ag plé an rúin “Tá na tithe tabhairne in

Éireann marbh”. Bhí Caoimhin (An Bomber) ann mar

chaptaen na foirean. Agus é drudim leis an deireadh ghlac

sé sos beag chun béim a chur ar an abairt is tabhachtaí a

bhí le rá aige. Ansin thóg sé píosa páipéir ó na phoca chun

seanfhocail deas a léamh amach. “Cuir síoda ar gabhair,

is gabhair fós é“. Thógamar an lá linn agus bhogamar

díreach ar aghaidh chuig an dara babhta.

Rinneas dorn deas díospóireachtaí thar na blianta. Ó am

go ham bíonn ábhar trom idir lámha againn mar shampla

an cogadh sa Mhéanoirthear nó an cúlú eacnamaíochta

fiú. Ach i nGort na Gaeilge bíonn na téamaí beagánín

níos éadroime. Mar shampla bhí orainn labhairt i bhfábhar

an rúin “Is fear a bheith i d’fhear“. Bhuel, bhí na

mílte argóint againn, chuireamar script le chéíle gan strí.

Ach bhíomar ag snámh in aghaidh easna mar bhí na

foirne eile ar fad lán le cailíni. Ní ormsa a rá gur thug na

moltóirí an cárta deart dúinn an oíche sin. Ba bheag nár

thógamar ár gcosa linn an oíche úd.

Gan amhras ní raibh sé éasca oráidí a dhéanamh i dteanga

eile. Bhí sé deacair le bheith soléir agus líofa ag an am

chéanna. Bhí stiúrthóir mhaith againn faoi chúam, An

tUasal Donal Ó Dulaing gach uile bliain. Bhain mé antaitneamh

ar fad as na uaireanna fada caite ag an bhfoireann

ag ullmhú san oifig leis an leas-príomhoide. Bhí craic

agus spóirt ann i gcónaí, cinnte. Chuir na babhtaí seo go

mór le mo chuid Gaeilge labhartha don scrúdú cainte san

Ardteist. Agus tháinig cúpla aiste chun cinn ar an bpáípéar

a bhí déanta againn faoi bhrat na díospóireachta. Bhí na

rudaí sin áisiúil dar ndóigh. Mhuscail na díospóireachtaí

seo suim ionam i leith na Gaeilge. Is minic a bhíonns duine

ar an mbéal searbh maidir leis an nGaeilge ach b’fhearr

liom i bhfad an béal beo dearfach a bhí le cloisteáil ag na

hócáidí seo. Is slabhra neamhbhriste í a théann siar 5,000

bliain agus cuireann sí le spiorad na tíre. Chuireann an

díospóireacht go mór le mo thusicint de luach na teangan.

Mar a deir an seanfhocail “Eochair feasa foghlaim“.

Muintir Shóisir Gael Linn, 2011

Iníon Fay agus An tUas Ó Dúlaing in éineacht

le Jach agus Evan i mbun ceoil agus craic

Is bád mór í an Ghaeltacht -

Artyom ag cur an Jig-Rúisigh ar an saol seo

An t- údar s’againne Paul agus an fear

uileláithreach Kevin Roche ar an sruthán meala

Aisling Foster, Matthew Collins agus Luke Tuohy

- An Babhta Leathcheannais, 2014

Chuaigh Chris Swords i gcuideachta Paul agus

An Bomber i 2013 chun “an plaic sin” a bhuacaint

19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

45 52 56/57 59 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07

1945

1952

1956/1957 1959

1963 1965

1964 1966 1967

1968

1970

1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977

1978

1980 1981

1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989

1990 1991 1992 1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

20

08

20

09

20

10

1979

20 20

11 12

1969

2009

20

13

20

14

19 00

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx,



Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx




Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx




Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx

FRONT ROW (L-R) :




Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx

19 45

BACK ROW (L-R) :

David Kelly,

Paddy Fagan,

Francis Morrin,

Jim Seales,

John Fitzgerald,

Brian Sheridan,

Louis Vambeck,

Dario Villalba,

Jeromo Villalba,

Kevin Kinlen,

Philip O’Connor,

Paul McQuaid,

Michael Heather.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Sean Lawlor,

Brendan Neary,

Terence McWeeney,

John Kelly,

Ken Finlay Mulligan,

Hugh Seales,

Brian Burns,

Allerton Moore,

Arthur Hughes,

Sean Cooney,

Pat Sweeney,

Jean Justice.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Tony Rawson,

Jim Rawson,

Charlie O’Sullivan,

Michael Scott,

Melvyn Buckley,

Philip Griddings,

Michael Doyle,

Seamus O’Friel,

Creagh Maunsell,

Anthony Scott,

Roger Garland,

John Shannon,

Donald Vambeck,

Anton Healy.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Gordon Hogg,

Paddy Morreau,

Gerard MacCarthy,

Nick Ormsby,

Michael Buckley,

Norbert Shannon,

Brian Reddin,

Desmond Neary,

Frank Cruess Callaghan,

Brian Beveridge,

Bill Hodnett,

John Sweetman,

Edward Doyle,

David Dunne.

19 52

(B ) :

Ian McGowan,

Joseph Power,

Michael O’Dea,

Michael Doyle (Sch. Capt.).

19 56

57

BACK ROW (L-R) :

F O’Connell,

F Aiken,

P O’Brien (Sch. Capt. 1957),

J Mahon,

F Treacy,

B Carr.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

D Bouchier-Hayes,

P Glynn,

T Fallon,

E Hession (Sch. Capt. 1956),

G Hogg,

H O’Neill.

19 59

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Peter Kehoe,

John Crawford,

Basil Coleman.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

John Rochford,

Barry Dunphy,

David Bouchier-Hayes (Sch. Capt.).

19 63

BACK ROW (L-R) :

John McAuley,

Barry Flannery,

Fergal Gaynor,

Leslie Keogh,

Paul Murphy.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Michael Moran,

John Butler,

Diarmuid O’Connell,

David Forbes (Sch. Capt.),

John Geary,

Standa Policky,

John Bouchier-Hayes.

INSET :

19 64

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Paul Lynch,

Michael Bouchier-Hayes,

Anthony Duff,

William Reilly,

Barry O’Neill,

Darach Gaynor,

Niall Van Lonkhuyzen,

Kevin Kerney.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Bernard Fallon,

Adrian O’Loghlen,

Alan Chambers,

Hugh O’Neill,

William Binchy (Sch. Capt.),

Bryan McKinney,

Brian Mortell,

Donald McGuinness,

Alan Mooney.

Fergus O’Donoghue.

19 65

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Peter Stankley,

Vincent Tierney,

William Hastings,

Frank Sheridan,

Michael Eustace,

Paul Bell,

Paul Mathews.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Michael Hilary,

Philip Woods,

Rossa O’Reilly,

Peter Murray (Sch. Capt.),

Colm O’Brien,

Desmond O’Brien,

Desmond O’Neill.

Peter Hilary,

Denis Smyth,

Brian Kelly.

19 66

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Tim Scott,

Daibhí Doran,

Seamus Gallagher,

Peter O’Neill,

Luke Brzycki,

Milo Flynn,

Gerard Coleman,

William Kilmurray,

Ronan Daly.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Stephen O’Brien,

Ian Preston,

Michael O’Leary,

Feidhlim Woods (Sch. Capt.),

19 67

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Robin Boyd,

Peter Brady,

Martin Brüggemann,

Paul Rothschild,

David Lardner,

Noel O’Kelly.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

David Shubotham,

Michael McMahon,

Dermot Murphy,

Colm Gaynor (Sch. Capt.),

Christopher Braider,

Denis Eustace,

John Cunningham.

INSET :

Bernard Gibney.

Gerard McGuinness,

Kieran McAuley,

Stephen Berardo,

Declan O’Neill,

19 68

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Barry Carroll,

Martin Griffin,

Geoffrey Little,

Gerald Mooney,

Anthony Roche,

Mark Slevin,

John Corbet,

Bryan Strahan,

David Clifton.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Patrick Opdebeeck (Sch. Capt.),

Laurence Smith,

Roger Bourke,

Michael Preston.

19 69

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Ross Walsh,

Eugene Flynn,

Duncan Crozier-Shaw,

Nicholas Caffrey.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Peter Mooney,

Stephen O’C. Miley,

John Mullen,

Thomas Keenan,

Roderic Williams,

Art O’Laoghaire,

Michael O’Shea,

Stephen Rothschild.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Ross O’Cathain,

Neil Hilary,

David Monahan,

Ronan Murphy (Sch. Capt.),

Hugh McCormack,

John Kenny,

Simon Nolan.

ABSENT :

Roger Lenfestey.

William Riordan,

Kevin O’Neill,

Noel Reilly.

19 70

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Desmond Fitzgerald,

John Bourke,

James Lardner,

Justin Laffan,

Michael MacGrath,

John Hassett,

Michael Tyrrell.

Middle Row :

Philip Trotter,

Patrick Hastings,

Dan O’Farrell,

Esmonde Corbet,

Richard Belton,

Paul Van Lonkhuyzen,

Rory O’Laoghaire.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Bernard O’Connell,

Tim Bouchier-Hayes,

Diarmuid Doorly,

Richard Stapleton (Sch. Capt.),

Edward Fitzgerald,

Maurice Cunningham,

Peter Daly.

ABSENT :

19 71

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Gerard McNamara,

Karl Murphy,

Manus Sweeney,

Peter Carvill,

Niall O’Donovan,

Hugh Hilary,

Raymond Byrne.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Ian Boyd,

Jose Goni,

Eric Rothschild,

Gervase McCabe,

Terence Reeves-Smyth,

Henry Woodcock,

Peter Lynch,

Malcolm Kelliher.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Paul Monahan,

Niall O’Reilly,

Darragh Owens,

Paul Darragh (Sch. Capt.),

Richard Holfeld,

Peter McCullough,

Adrian Raftery.

INSET :

19 72

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Anthony Carr,

Raymond Cullen,

Barry Wall,

Eoin O’Donovan,

Paul Cloonan,

Paul O’Donnacha.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Mariano Goni,

Graham Shinkwin,

David Slevin,

Desmond Murray,

David Collins,

David Burke,

John O’Sullivan.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Gerald Tierney,

Julian Smith,

Peter Mullen,

Michael Purcell (Sch. Capt.),

Gerard Ellis,

Paul Winkelmann,

Ronan Beirne.

David Carroll.

19 73

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Paul Larchet,

Richard Barrett,

Nicholas Mackey,

Denis Carvill,

Philip Kealy,

Anthony Jones.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Hugh Powers,

Paul Coffey,

Garry Scott-Hayward,

David Burke,

Michael O’Donoghue.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Maurice O’Reilly,

Adrian Lee,

Donal Gallagher,

Mark Hainback (Sch. Capt.),

Richard Cooke,

Peter Stapleton.

INSET :

19 74

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Simon O’Donohue,

Kavanagh Verling,

Kieran Owens,

John O’Hagan,

Peter Fleming.

Middle Row

Michael Hannwaker,

Nicholas Lynam,

Paul Bowe,

Mark Jones,

James Cronin,

John O’Sullivan.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Peter Derbyshire,

James MacCarthy,

David Buggy (Sch. Capt.),

Cormac Scally,

Frank Egan.

ABSENT :

Rory Peck.

John Lavery,

Allen O’Connor.

19 75

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Maurice O’Connor,

Oisin Fanning,

Brian O’Grady,

Stephen Hingerty,

Terence Sweeney,

Frank Illg,

Mark Skehan,

Drostan Grant.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Clifford Nolan,

Michael Lane,

Tom Butler,

Dermot Barry,

Dermot Heffernan,

Bryan Maguire,

Philip Lee,

Niall McGuinness,

Jonathan White,

Gary Hall.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Colm Mulcahy,

Paul Sato,

Mary Raftery,

Dervilla Austin,

Nicholas MacGowan

(Sch. Capt.),

Naomi Coyle,

Nicholas Mulcahy,

Nicholas O’Donohue,

Michael Carvill.

INSET :

Dargan Fitzgerald,

Ronan Smith.

Gary Agnew,

Garrett O’Neill,

Declan Cullen,

Dervilla Austin,

19 76

BACK ROW (L-R) :

John Nestor,

Fergal Anderson,

Stephen O’Reilly,

Damian Neylin,

Niall Creamer,

Michael Gallico,

Thomas DeBrit,

Daniel O’Leary.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Peter Kenny,

Raymond Victory,

David O’Donohoe,

John Larchet,

Alan Mathews,

Mark O’Donovan,

Edward Opdebeeck.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Christopher Luke (Sch. Capt.),

Anna Austin,

Hugh Howard,

Enda Fanning.

19 77

BACK ROW (L-R) :

David Murphy,

Finbar Kavanagh,

Sean Reddin,

John Stafford-Langan,

Michael Stafford-Johnson,

Ciaran Clancy.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Shane McElhatton,

Keith Odlum,

Conor Margetson,

Daire Winston,

Willeoin Grant,

Michael Vambeck,

Tony McGuinness.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

David Davison,

Alex Pigot,

Tim O’Kennedy,

John Barrett,

Conor Doyle (Sch. Capt.),

Michael Collins,

Michael Mulcahy,

John Lawless.

ABSENT :

Shane O’Neill.

19 78

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Mark Connelly,

Mark Lepere,

Ronan Cullen,

Manus Hingerty,

Ruairi de Valera,

Patrick Ward,

Julian Austin.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Mark Gogarty,

Roger Lee,

Alex Pigot,

Andrej Schuster,

Mark Cahill,

Michael Cantwell,

Niall Ferguson,

Gary Elmes,

Andrew Carvill.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Henry Sheil,

John Kinsella,

Melissa O’Neill,

Paul Skehan (Sch. Capt.),

Lourda Sheppard,

Ronan Fox,

Edward Simons.

ABSENT :

Gervase Thornley.

19 79

BACK ROW (L-R) :

James Walsh,

Mark Nestor,

Owen Connor,

Paul Richmond,

Desmond Ward,

Diarmuid Meagher,

Paul Slevin,

Patrick Ward,

Justin Dunphy,

David Cantwell,

Luke Nestor,

Eoin O’Kelly.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Marcus Austin,

Raymond Kilmurray,

Francis Martin,

Paul Moloney,

David Stafford Johnson,

Justin Maguire,

Nicholas Nugent,

Paul Radic,

Richard Duignan,

Richard Cripwell.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Conor Owens,

David Power,

Peter O’Maille,

Jeremy Kenny,

Amanda Lee,

Colum Butler (Sch. Capt.),

Elizabeth Aylmer,

Anthony Medhurst,

Fernando Perez Tain,

Gerard Roche,

Edwin Martin.

19 80

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Jolyon O’Connor,

William Murphy,

Stephen Mulcahy,

Conor O’Neill,

Joseph Barnes,

Conor Brooks,

Conor Kenny.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Nicholas O’Neill,

Andrews Jones,

Pierce O’Sullivan,

Alan Gilsenan,

Jeremy Kenny,

David Hyland,

Timothy Costello.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Iain Raftery,

Jonathan O’Riordan,

Deneige Simons,

David Kelly (Sch. Capt.),

Carolyn Orr,

Leonard Nealon,

Michael O’Dea.

ABSENT :

Alan Victory,

Ronan Temple-Lang.

19 81

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Denis O’Leary,

David Lawless,

Peter Pigot,

John Lardner,

Andrew Jones,

Hunter Murphy,

Mark Power,

Mark Richmond,

John Plunkett,

Gerard MacMahon,

Roy McKay.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Denis Howard,

David Hughes,

Daniel MacCarthy,

Justin Austin,

Jonathan O’Riordan,

Fergus Grant,

Timothy Mooney,

Paul Barnes,

Simon Nugent,

Basil Healy.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Joseph Egan,

James Boylan,

Peter Schuster,

Deirdre Tallon,

Rachel Downes,

Eric Borguet (Sch. Capt.),

Mary Martin,

Katy O’Connell,

Kevin Costello,

Edmund Goold,

Peter Walsh.

ABSENT :

Sean Moraghan.

19 82

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Stewart Bourke,

Richard Reilly,

Hector Ritchie,

Gavin Reddin,

Joseph Lowry,

Brian Martin,

John Busteed,

Andrew Guthrie,

Stephen Hone,

Niall Toner,

David Hughes,

Colin Stafford Johnson.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Peter Walsh,

Peter Cripwell,

Tighearnan Mooney,

Alan O’Donoghue,

Fergal Hingerty,

John Aylmer,

Nicholas Tierney,

Paul Moore,

David Moloney,

Brian Gleeson,

Rory Doyle.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Andrew Mulcahy,

Gordon Hogg,

John Carvill,

Sara Jane Delaney,

Fiona Butler,

Rachel Downes,

Richard Costello (Sch. Capt.),

Caroline O’Dea,

Marie O’Connell,

Marie Louise Kenny,

Tomás Clancy,

Barry MacMahon,

Barry Knowles.

19 83

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Hector Ritchie,

Declan Kinsella,

Owen MacDonagh,

Brian McCormack,

Paul Donnelly,

David Ryan,

Gerard O’Keeffe,

John Flynn.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Paul Ward,

John Hurley,

Alan McCarthy,

Sarah Brindley,

Maureen Sheeran,

Gavin Reddin,

Colin Orr,

John Simons.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Malcolm Garland,

David Jones,

Jeremy Doyle,

Henry O’Friel,

Keith Lee (Sch. Capt.),

Daniel MacGowan,

Paul O’Leary,

Ramon Shorey,

Conleth Boothman.

19 84

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Jonathan Deane,

David Garvey,

John McDonnell,

Tim McCarthy,

Paul Ward,

Laurence Masterson,

William Aylmer,

Mark MacMahon,

Stephen O’Dea,

Pierre Zakrzewski,

Ronan Hingerty,

Gerard MacCarthy.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Alan MacCarthy,

Stephen Skehan,

Eoin O’Neill,

Michael Moloney,

Stephen Johnston,

Michael Heaney,

Ciaran Butler,

Ronan Hanson,

Niall Tierney,

Bob Healy,

Ciaran Meagher.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Roderick Moynihan,

Graham Bourke,

Yves Borguet,

Conor MacNamara,

Eileen Ryan,

Ronan O’Kelly (Sch. Capt.),

Anne Marie Clarke,

Susan Palmer,

John Devlin,

David Hone,

Peter Hession,

John Greene.

19 85

BACK ROW (L-R) :

James Mooney,

Karl Van den Bergh,

Conor Cullen,

Jack Byrne,

Christopher Daly,

Jocelyn Clarke,

Geoffrey Power,

Kieran Kennedy.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Brian Connell,

John Barnes,

Colin Sharkey,

William O’Donovan,

Christopher Heaney,

Jonathan Woods,

John Harrington,

Martin Tierney.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Marianne Comer,

Raymund Egan,

Gavin O’Sullivan,

Christopher Kidney,

John Sheridan (Sch. Capt.),

Helen Duignan,

Barry MacNamara,

Andrew More-O’Ferrall,

Lorna McGowan.

19 86

BACK ROW (L-R) :

John Sheridan,

Brian Cunneen,

Jan Van den Bergh,

Niall MacCarthy,

Richard McDonnell,

Stanislav Zakrzewski,

Mark Van den Bergh,

Declan Smyth,

Julian Charlton,

Alex Mulcahy.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Declan Hackett,

David Hession,

Declan Ballance,

Tom Fitzgerald,

Garvan Grant,

Stephen McCormac,

David Moore,

Derek Reynolds,

Ivan Cooper,

Henry Jones.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Michael Creedon,

Ciaran O’Tierney,

Morgan O’Rahilly,

David MacNicholas,

Conor O’Neill,

Laurence Howard,

Duncan Temple-Lang,

Hugh O’Keeffe,

Mark Moloney,

Eoin MacManus.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Grainne Quinn,

Therese Maher,

Olga Daly,

Benedict Chambers,

Shane O’Donovan,

Joseph O’Dea (Sch. Capt.),

Lisa Hayden,

Peter MacAvock,

Jennifer Hughes,

Anne Heffernan,

Kathrin Chambers.

19 87

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Desmond Maurer,

Bruce Lepere,

Alan Collins,

Jason Goff,

Jonathan Duignan,

Gareth Madden,

Paul Drumm,

Jason Mockler,

Jonathan Bouchier-Hayes,

Richard Kidney.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Padraig Manning,

Joseph Ritchie,

Isaac Jackman,

Brian Sexton,

Ian Reynolds,

Mark Doyle,

David Cotter,

Paul Conway,

Patrick Kenny,

Michael Tierney,

Neal Clarke.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Alan Kinsella,

Tim McCormac,

Conor Vard,

Brian Reddin,

David Montgomery,

Richard O’Connor,

Brian McGoran,

Stuart Cahill,

Mark Devlin,

Feidhlimidh Woods,

Mark Hurley,

David Radic.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Darach Crimmins,

Rachel Quinn,

Elaine Prost,

Diana Spencer,

Caroline Mulcahy,

Sean Pittock (Sch. Capt.),

Seamus Smyth,

Amanda Finn,

Aideen Margey,

Ciara McGoldrick,

Tony Cafolla,

Tim Leary.

19 88

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Teddy O’Neill,

Hugh O’Rahilly,

Andrew Comer,

William Montgomery,

Roger O’Sullivan,

Michael Aylmer,

Christopher Binchy,

Cormac Kinsella,

Paul McAuley,

Peter O’Neill.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Michael Rafter,

Daire Brown,

Andrew McDowell,

Mark Woodcock,

Stephen Malone,

Gavin Simons,

Gregory Brooks,

Philip Coyle,

Neil Crimmins,

MacDara O’Connor,

Michael Buttimer.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Paul Rochford,

Matthew Nestor,

Michael O’Driscoll,

Conor O’Dea,

Gillian Ivory,

Jeanette Lane,

Tara Hurley,

Marie Hayden,

Daragh O’Sullivan,

Michael Henneberry,

J ohn Maher,

Karl Dundon,

Mark Baily.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Matthew Robinson,

Fergal Corcoran,

Tom Nolan,

Rachel Chambers,

Laura Burke,

Pat O’Keeffe,

Gerard Power (Sch. Capt.),

Yvonne Gordon,

Cathal Ryan,

Hazel Bowen,

Colm Carroll,

Ciaran Manning,

Andrew Ryan.

INSET :

19 89

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Keith Kennedy,

Labhras Joye,

Michael Egar,

John Martin,

Michel Davitt,

Fionnan O’Tierney,

Keith McGovern,

Niall Grant,

John Dundon,

Tim Clarke,

Joel Mulcahy.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Jeremy O’Friel,

Daragh Keenan,

Ben Moore,

John Clarkin,

Shane O’Neill,

Shane Baily,

Philip Hourihane,

Jonathan Simpson,

Conor Sheedy,

Gregoire Zakrzewski,

William Cotter,

Philip Howard..

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Brendan Sheppard,

Peter Woodcock,

Diarmuid Manning,

Sarah Binchy,

Cormac Ryan,

Sally Anne Cahill,

Grattan Boylan,

Alba Smith,

Tim Phelan,

Emily Power Smith,

Nicholas Coyle,

Tony Keenan.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Hugh Margey,

Evaun Higgins,

Rupert Barry,

Cathy Addis,

Desmond Hourihane,

Tanya McGilligan,

David Drumm (Sch. Capt.),

Fiona Sexton,

Alan Hannigan,

Clare Cunneen,

Shane Morris,

Isobel Delaney,

Michael Drumm.

Andres Van den Bergh.

19 90

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Stephen Keane,

Roger Lucas,

Shane Terry,

Rory Byrne,

Charles Crimmins,

Frank Keane,

Gavin Buckley,

Ronan Carroll,

Graham Grumley,

Brian Martin,

Ronan Cremin.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Fergal Finnegan,

Mark Callanan,

Alan Whittaker,

Michael Kennedy,

Richard Carr,

Garry Henneberry,

Odran Graby,

Edward Robinson,

Ralph McEntaggart,

Sean O’Siochain,

Simon Cullen,

Richard Whelan.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Karl Butler,

Paul Murray,

Ronan Cahill,

Rohit Shorey,

Jeff Smith,

Emma Kennedy,

Nick Zakrzewski,

Roslyn Kelly,

Niall O’Neill,

Eamonn Cahill,

Aengus Rooney,

James Fielding,

Gavan Doyle.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

David Mahon,

Orla Ennis,

Brian Barrington,

Fiona Fitzgerald,

Diarmuid Joye,

Jayne Saunders,

Tom Hennigan (Sch. Capt.),

Maria Heffernan,

Kenneth Hainbach,

Anne Marie Lennon,

Colm McDonnell,

Eavan Miller,

Darragh Mulcahy.

19 91

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Iain Montgomery,

Robert O’Dowd,

Fionn McCann,

Peter O’Driscoll,

Shane Lillis,

Hugh Stones,

Ronan Murphy,

Hugh Michael Hannigan,

Niall O’Reilly,

Alan Johnston,

Garry Fowler.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Jody McGrath,

Stephen McGovern,

Aidan Hackett,

Eddie Clarkin,

Peter Moran,

Jason Pittock,

Bernard Kelly,

David McAuley,

Gary O’Sullivan,

Stuart McGovern,

Ronan Murray.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Arthur Prost,

Cecilia Gately,

Mary B Walsh,

Karina Keogh,

Sandra Chambers,

John Segrave Daly,

John Hedderman,

Genevieve MacKenzie,

Anita Lenihan,

Zahrine O’Brien,

Sophie Gorman,

Paul Mahon.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Conor Sweeney,

David Mulvihill,

James O’Friel,

Joachim de Salazar Delfin,

Andrea Rochford,

Colin Hannan,

Karl Finnegan (Sch. Capt.),

Sinead Fitzgerald,

Ronan McGoldrick,

Veronica Chambers,

Paul Hennigan,

David Sheedy,

Charles Fielding.

ABSENT :

Nicholas Robinson.

19 92

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Paul Dundon,

Peter O’Dwyer,

Juan Alonso,

Richard O’Toole,

Kevin McMahon,

Mark McGrath,

David Carr,

Mark Devine,

Paul Mulcahy,

Eoin O’Tierney,

Aengus Mulcahy.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Niall O’Duffy,

Mark Rutledge,

Dara Quinlan,

Donough Cahill,

Eamonn Manning,

Alan Parkinson,

Anthony Woods,

Mark O’Keefe,

Niall Rice,

Paul Cotter.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

James Malone,

Elizabeth Neary,

Julian Munro,

Ruth O’Dea,

Bairbre Smith,

Jonathan Carey,

Eveleen Maher,

Paul Cusack,

Caroline Hurley,

Anthony Sweetman,

Eileen McCormack,

Juliette Sheridan.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Rory O’Brien,

Gayle McGrattan,

Mark Montgomery,

Alison Finn,

Mark Hamill,

David Phelan (Sch. Capt.),

Heidi Asaa,

Simon Callanan,

Leonie Conway,

James Tierney,

Aishling Culliton,

Ken Ivory.

ABSENT :

Justin McCarthy,

David Shortt.

19 93

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Daire McCann,

Paul Bouchier-Hayes,

Ivan McAvinchey,

David Creedon,

Robert Meagher,

Aidan Gallagher,

Ronan Bruton,

James Bowen,

Juan Galisteo,

Mark Belton,

Gerard Hourihane.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Cian McDonald,

Stephen Surdival,

Simon Finn,

Peter Ennis,

Andrew O’Connor,

Stephen Murphy,

Ben O’Donoghue,

Donal Milmo Penny,

Julian Thornburgh,

Edward Cunningham,

Andrew Poms.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Cliodhna Loughney,

Adeline O’Neill,

Carolyn Coyle,

Mark Christensen,

Aideen Foley,

Orla Kilcullen,

Liz Brennan,

Deirdre Daly,

Gregory Harrington,

Ruth More O’Ferrall,

Tara Finnegan,

Geraldine Penrice,

Peter Shubotham.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Stephen McAuley,

Manus O’Brien,

Erica Mulvihill,

Paul Daly,

John Connellan,

Rosemary Aylmer,

Ryan Pittock (Sch. Capt.),

Killian Matthews,

Kate Crimmins,

Robert Twomey,

Danielle Meagher,

Stephen Keogh.

ABSENT :

Cillian Hogan.

John Woodcock (Sch. Capt.),

Gavin Murphy,

Suzanne Carr,

David McDonald,

Fiona Davitt.

19 94

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Tim Fanning,

Michael Farren,

Cormac Murphy,

Paul Smyth,

Alejandro Vega,

Conor Harnett,

David Quinn,

John Callanan,

Jörn Stobbe,

Alex O’Brien,

Jamie Kilkenny.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

John Power,

David Geary,

Noel van den Bergh,

Ronad Phelan,

Ryan Kneafsey,

Alan Prior,

David O’Moore,

Gerald Gately,

Eugene Fanning,

Eoin MacCarthy.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Conor Ferguson,

Olivia McInerney,

EamonnMcGrattan,

Sarah Lawlor,

John Creedon,

Frankie Cleary,

Daragh Quinn,

Elizabeth Connell,

Robert Haniver,

Claudine Butler,

Barbara Casserly,

Richard Curry.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Michael O’Connor,

Jenny Drumm,

Dermot Frost,

Alexandra Stones,

Pierce Hederman,

Frances Mullaney,

19 95

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Alan Cody,

Dermot McDowell,

Shane Swords,

Paul Murphy,

Barra O’Brien,

Lukas Houdek,

Brian Cahill,

Garett Lynch,

Fergal Foley,

Paul Purcell,

Ronan Cremin.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Helen Ennis,

Rachel Coate,

James Monro,

Jan Lauda,

Catherine McGrath,

Edel McCormack,

Michele Hamill,

Remesis O’Neill,

Niall Sabongi,

Fiona Carr,

Jenny Moore.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Michael Halpenny,

Muiris Buckley,

Seung Min Cha,

Aideen McDonald,

Ross MacNicholas,

Barry Ward (Sch. Capt.),

Lucy Kennedy,

Emmet Hogan,

Jane Sweetman,

Gary Prendiville,

Stephen Prior,

Eoin Groarke.

19 96

BACK ROW (L-R) :

David O’Connell,

Brendan Doyle,

David Dunn,

Maurice Kenney,

Mike Brennan,

David Sheehan,

Barry Fassbender,

Neil Dundon,

Barry Prost,

Iain Jordan,

Owen van den Bergh.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Nicolas O’Neill,

Paul Kelly,

Leo Quigley,

Simon Bannon,

Noel McEntagart,

Peader Kelly,

Oliver Gallagher,

Rory Stones,

Eoin Lynch,

Peter O’Moore,

Don Daly.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Andrew Barton,

Niamh Large,

Barry Condon,

Julianna Doyle,

Richard Noonan,

Kate Murphy,

Brian Flood,

J J Harrington,

Barry Ryan,

Rachel Brophy,

Ben MacKenzie,

Antonia Mercer.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Emma Hedderman,

Peter Drumm,

Sorcha Woods,

Declan Murphy,

Laura Hough,

Olan Callanan (Sch. Capt.),

Helen O’Toole,

John Toal,

Susan Hennessy,

Tim McQuaid,

Aoife Drew.

19 97

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Giles Montgomery,

Jonathan Dalton,

Andrew Hickey,

Hugh Sheridan,

Edward Sheehy,

Alan Bouchier-Hayes,

Daniel Conway,

Neil O’Connor,

Richard Doyle.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Conor Bangham,

Bobbie Donnelly,

Robert Sweeney,

Brian Deering,

Scott Wilde,

Turlough O’Brien,

Stuart Parkinson,

Stephen McAvinchey,

Mark Forde,

Hiromu Nakagawa.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Ciara McMunn,

Nishant Chadha,

Jean Hackett,

Francis Von Hildebrand,

Nicole Matthews,

Ronan Kelehan,

Aveen O’Reilly,

Ross Hanway,

Corrina Penston.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Brian Mulvihill,

Sarah Drumm,

Lochlann Quinn,

Renaith Lyons,

David Earlie (Sch. Capt.),

Stephen Halpenny,

Aoife Woods,

Daniel McCormack,

Alison Leech,

Diego Gallagher.

19 98

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Simon Lawlor,

Chris Dowling,

Richard Maher,

Alan Kent,

Ed McCready,

Julian Russell,

Ian McEntagart,

Sean Dunne,

Louis Lavelle,

Cian McCann,

Paul Hutchin,

Jack O’Connell.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Patrick Nagle,

Eoin McNulty-Goodwin,

Mark Lucherini,

Killian Doyle,

Colm O’Cleirigh,

Johnny Ryan,

Ronan MacCarthy,

Wayne Murphy,

James Kelly.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Eleanor Lawlor,

Brian Gallagher,

Maria McGrath,

Des O’Dwyer,

Louise Walsh,

Justine Cavanagh,

James Cahill,

Annick Hedderman,

David Barton,

Tara Feely,

Mark McGovern,

Jennifer Linders,

Kieran Gallagher.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

David Fitzpatrick,

Eoin Fitzgerald,

Vivienne Hough,

Derek Keaney,

Michael Connellan,

Julie Cotter,

Kenneth Carmody (Sch. Capt.),

Richard Young,

Sorcha Bangham,

Adrian Murphy,

Helen Bouchier-Hayes,

Caroline Kelly.

19 99BACK ROW (L-R) :

Alan Roche,

Neill Davitt,

Andrew Tracey,

Michael McArdle,

Alan Furlong,

Mark Cashman,

Jim Kent.

5TH ROW (L-R) :

Richard Tolan,

Tim Wood,

Rory Kelly,

Hugh Turpin,

Alan Donnelly,

Gavin Coleman,

Barry O’Dwyer,

David McConkey.

4TH ROW (L-R) :

Eoin Sheridan,

Eoin Devoy,

Paul Barton,

Emma Elkinson,

Seung Min Cha,

Tom Lynch,

Thomas Osborne.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Robert Sabongi,

Lucienne Brennan,

Richard McCormack,

Claire Lynch,

Alba Large,

Mark Cudmore,

James Timoney,

John McAuley.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Michael Bourke,

Mary-Louise O’Brien,

Ellen O’Loughlin,

Odhran Woods,

Eoin Kinsella,

Genevieve Woods,

Claire O’Brien,

Karl Rutledge,

Niall Deering,

David MacSharry.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Kenneth Menton,

Gary Kelly,

Josie Mercer

Judith Wyse,

Papken O’Farrell (Sch. Capt.),

Ken Cahill,

Brion O’Connor,

Caroline Dillon,

Brian Keogh.

20 00

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Tse Han Lai,

Emmet Regan,

Shane Troughton,

Niall MacCarthy,

Mark Bell,

Ciaran Igoe,

Stephen Lally,

Oliver Reid,

Brendan Farrell,

Cian Coghlan,

Niall O’Mahoney,

Jonathan Browne,

Trevor Power,

Andrew Cassidy,

Brian McGrath,

Robin Lacey.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Abe Hiroyuki,

David Mose Roche,

Mary Morrisroe,

Peter Ashe,

Trish Shaw,

Ossan Donnelly,

Laura Kiely,

Gavin Maguire,

Shaula Connaughton Deeny,

Edward Hally,

Zoe Munro,

Alan Elliott,

Elisabeth Crimmins,

Andrew Woods,

Anna Lynch,

Jamie King.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Conor Nagle,

David Cavanagh,

Susie O’Reilly,

Brian Bennett,

Michelle O’Mahoney,

Ross O’Connell (Sch. Capt.),

Conn Herriott,

Cathy McDaid,

Jane Dundon (Head Girl),

James Keappock,

David Turpin.

20 01

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Carl Clancy,

Tiarnach Donnelly,

Daniel Quinn,

Seán Harrington,

Stephen Manley,

Stewart Fitzell,

Paul Cahill.

5TH ROW (L-R) :

Blake O’Donnell,

Gareth Macken,

Jay Gilligan,

Peter Kirwan,

David Maughan,

Arthur Mulhern.

4TH ROW (L-R) :

Peter Twomey,

Ian Lavelle,

Tiernan Doherty,

Dougie McGovern,

Niall Kelly,

James Murphy.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

James Doherty,

Gerard Browne,

Andrew Cunningham,

Paul Creedon,

Niall O’Higgins,

Eoin Fennessy.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Matthew Ryan,

Emily Cahill,

Martin McSharry,

Rosalin Travers,

Fergal Driver,

Thea MacKenzie,

Chris Ryan.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Conor O’Brien,

Katie Morrisroe,

Orla Munn,

Robert O’Dwyer (Sch. Capt.),

Mary Hennessy,

Veronika Belchenko,

David Hedderman.

INSET :

Ken Ozaki.

Nicholas Hamilton,

Jamie Rush,

Faelan Herriott,

Guillermo Gimenez,

Alan McCarthy,

Eugeny Pousternakov,

Peter Cronin-Burbridge,

Adrian Ricoux,

Scott Hynes,

Shane McCormack,

David Royce,

Daniel Flynn,

Illia Tretiakov,

Ian Elliott,

Martin McCoy,

Jenny Power,

Alexandra Mc Guinness,

Gary Ashe,

Robert O’Brien,

Brian Clifford.

Carlos Posse,

David Mulligan,

Sarah Fitzpatrick,

David Cahill,

Ekaterina Aksenova,

Greg Manley,

Michael Donnelly,

Mary Toal,

Ian Carmody,

Emily Ward,

Peter Maguire,

Helen Sheridan,

Colclough Doran,

Olwyn Barry,

Paul O’Donoghue,

Laura Foley,

Johnathan Lyons.

20 02

BACK ROW (L-R) :

2ND ROW (L-R) :

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Austin Burke,

Caoilfhionn Lane,

Patrick O’Loughlin,

Leila Rashidi,

Louise Dromey,

Frank Kennedy (Sch. Capt.),

Eugene O’Connor,

Linda Heuston,

Niall Hofler,

Killian Murphy,

Barry Rogerson.

20 03

BACK ROW (L-R) :

James Gillespie,

Konstantin Polozav,

Ciaran Griffin,

John Lynch,

John Shanahan,

Cormac Strain,

Ivor Foley,

Alan Walsh,

Paul Ainscough,

Graham Carmody,

Peter O’Grady,

Adrian Carroll.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Darren Deering,

Mary Crimmins,

Niall Cleary,

Artem Neshta,

Colm O’Gráda,

Thomas Morgan,

Kevin Ruane,

Jack Quann,

Joe Doyle,

Megan Ní Ghabhlain,

Michael Hennigan.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Fiona Kinsella,

Julie Dilger,

Elizabeth Shaw,

Louis Williams (Sch. Capt.),

Sarah Browne,

Ailbhe Walsh,

Aoife Murphy,

Elizabeth O’Dwyer.

20 04

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Phillip McGlade,

Hugh Nolan,

Dmitri Rogachev,

Cormac O’Leary,

Eoin O’Raghallaigh,

John Doherty.

4TH ROW (L-R) :

Mark Cosgrave,

Eric Downey,

Keith Halloran,

Andrew Maguire,

Andrew McNamee,

Shane O’Connell.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Jonathan Kelly,

Neill Kiely,

Karl Downey,

Greg Barnes,

Nicholas Daly,

Hugh Kirwan.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Sarah Maguire,

Nadia Macari,

Christina Del Val,

Darragh Gavin,

Oisín Peavoy,

Laura Elliott,

Jennie Corbett,

Laura Donohoe.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Kathy Guevens,

Sally Ann O’Neill,

Bobby Collins,

Philip Browne (Sch. Capt.),

Catherine Duplaa,

Molly O’Dwyer,

Sarah Mooney.

20 05

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Simon Kelly,

Niall Flynn,

Ian McCabe,

John-Henry Roche,

Paul Kilgallon.

4TH ROW (L-R) :

Tiarnan MacAogain,

Keith Manley,

James O’Brien,

Donovyn LeRoux.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Andrew Clarke,

Sean Greif,

David Sreenan,

Brian Nowlan,

John Ryan,

Kieran McCluskey,

Stephen Guilmartin.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Darrell Johnston,

Luke Cahill,

Robert Sexton,

Brian Nevin,

Robert Cassidy,

Guillermo Gonzalez,

Taisuke Nakanishi,

Trung Duc Hoang,

Stephen Tuohy.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Biatriz Garcia,

Medbh Peavoy,

Aine Kelly,

Brian O’Beirne (Sch. Capt.),

Aideen Williams,

Siobhan Hackett,

Elizabeth Keogh.

20 06

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Felix Friedrichs,

Conor Gaul,

Joseph Murphy,

Andrew Collett,

Christopher O’Callaghan.

4TH ROW (L-R) :

John Collett,

David English,

Sean Wiemann,

Stephen Doyle,

Oisin Tracey,

Owen O’Loughlin.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Barnaby Wood,

Conor McGrath,

Maurice Delany,

Declan McCourt,

Mark Ennis,

Illy Paveliev Lee,

Eoin McDonagh.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Aoife O’Dwyer,

Mark Doherty,

Gillian Fitzpatrick,

Peter Conlon,

Meritxell Burcett,

Robert Maguire,

Lisa Murphy,

Carlos Quinn,

Tamara Jolkina.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Isobel Doherty,

Amy O’Brien,

Sophie Power,

Charlotte Wickham,

Alex Hamilton (Sch. Capt.),

Ian Hastings,

Maeve McKiernan,

Katie Kelleher,

Ana McLaughlin.

20 07

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Ronan Carvill,

Sash Evers,

Greg Purcell,

Neil McDermott,

Mark Elliot,

Alex England,

Tom Moylan.

5TH ROW (L-R) :

Thomas Gavin,

Andrew Cooney,

Richard O’Connor,

Andrew O’Neill,

Alex O’Mahony,

Kevin Shannon,

Nikita Sinitsky.

4TH ROW (L-R) :

Shane McGrath,

Ciaran Harper,

Louis Ryan,

Angel Petrov,

Breffni Cummiskey,

Ross Wainer.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

James McDonnell,

Ross Gavin,

Christopher Morgan,

Eric Gasparro,

Stephen English,

Michael Barron.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Ben O’Quigley,

Joshua Donnelly,

Emma Power,

Hazel Fannon,

John Connellan,

Jamie Hynes,

Feriel Cherifi.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Claire Dunne,

Caroline O’Connell,

Rosamund Taylor,

Nadine Feaheny,

Geoff Crozier-Shaw,

Hugh Doyle (Sch. Capt.),

Stephanie Costelloe,

Kate Keane,

Rachel Ivers,

Nawel Cherifi.

20 08

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Lorcan Kelleher,

Patrick Molony,

Tom Brennan,

Shane Robertson,

Nicholas Manning,

Cormac Lynch.

6TH ROW (L-R) :

Alex Boland,

Robert O’Mahony,

Cian Coakley,

Andrew Cosgrave,

David O’Farrell.

5TH ROW (L-R) :

Kevin Gaul,

Sam Power,

Ciaran Lowe,

Matt McCoy,

Joseph Cronin.

4TH ROW (L-R) :

Patrick Fitzgerald,

Adam O’Brien,

William Prasifka,

Lorcan Scully,

Graham Brady,

Colm O’Neill.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

George Egorov,

Ross McCarthy,

Stephen Canavan,

Mark McCluskey,

Johnny O’Neill,

David Hurley.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Dara O’Keeffe,

Liz McInerney,

Claire Healy,

Brid Gavin,

Elizabeth Barrett,

Jennifer Gough,

Gladys Mah.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Aoife Kenny,

Curreel O’Callaghan,

Alanna Maxwell,

David Cullen (Sch. Capt.),

Mark Davidson,

Claire Keenan,

Sinead Douglas-Moore,

Rachel O’Connell.

20 09

BACK ROW :

Alan McHugh,

Conor Molony,

Jeffrey Cafolla,

Luke Donnelly,

Richard McDonagh,

Gavan Duffy,

Olan Clarke,

Mark Klinkenberg,

Brendan Carvill.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Thomas Ryan,

Jack Siggins,

Max Rothschild,

Killian O’Sullivan,

Liam Murphy,

Andrew Cummins,

Paul Craven,

Cormac Fitzgerald,

Killian Coyle,

Cathal McGreevy,

Ryan Connolly,

Robert Parkinson,

Freddie Brown,

Oliver Hamilton.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Evan Byrne,

Tim Logan,

Luke Madden,

Fergal Byrne,

Hugo Byrne,

Mark Harrington,

Stephen Deeney,

Stuart Coleman,

Jack Hurley,

Maurice Wright,

Tom Loughlin,

Sam McLaughlin,

Laurence Wright.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Aoife D’Arcy,

Cathy McShane,

Naoise Dorman,

Jack Desmond,

Neal Donnelly (Sch. Capt.),

Roisin McInerney,

Blaithin Jones,

Caroline Wiemann,

Aoife McGovern,

Sallyanne Russell.

Ben Kennedy,

Simon Mulcahy,

Cameron Carr,

Stuart McCabe.

20 10

BACK ROW (L-R) :

5TH ROW (L-R) :

George Akomfrah,

Mark Prout,

Oisin Blennerhassett,

Mark McCoy,

Cian McCormack,

Patrick O'Neill,

Harry Moylan.

4TH ROW (L-R) :

Robert Carroll,

Jack Stokes,

Jack Nestor,

Niall Smith,

Liam Purcell,

Austin Craig,

William Maguire,

Aonghus Gavin.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Simon Mooney,

Liam Brophy,

Daniel Nolan,

Barry O'Neill,

Desmond Daly,

Christopher Murphy,

Alejandro Criado,

James Wyse.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Robyn Hamilton,

P.J. Moloney,

James Campbell,

Robert Noonan,

Philip McDonald,

Sam Nestor,

David Fagan,

Padraigh Cody-Lally,

Declan Whelan,

Finn Kenny,

Emma Watson.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Alison Hackett,

Clara Charleton,

Suzanne Sheehan,

Michael O’Dwyer (Sch. Capt.),

Peter Herron,

Sarah Barry,

Grace O'Quigley,

Laura Sheridan.

20 11

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Jack Nolan,

Brian Malone,

Sadbh O'Brien,

Cillian Totterdell,

Brian Fanning,

Lorcan Carroll.

6TH ROW (L-R) :

George Voronov,

Sean Treacy,

Daniel Craven,

Eoin McSherry,

Michael Coleman,

Sam Hughes,

John Prasifka.

5TH ROW (L-R) :

Harry O'Leary,

Adam Carroll,

Liam Feaheny,

Mark Gudimov,

Eoin Noctor,

Oscar Tuohy.

4TH ROW (L-R) :

Matthew Harper Donnelly,

Oisin O'Sullivan,

Myles Cooper,

Diarmuid Lynch,

Jane McLoughlin,

Emma Keane,

Jack Collins.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Jake Collins,

Bridget Kelleher,

Yazeed Kelly,

Sarah Finn,

Emmet Barry,

Simeon Adanov,

Matt Donnelly.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Jennifer Tierney,

Sophie Byrne,

Sorcha Fitzgerald,

Nicola Halloran,

Terezia Salatova,

Susan Devitt,

Molly Van Der Lee,

Margaret Feighery.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Stephanie Cullen,

Imogen FitzGerald,

Jasmine Hett,

Michael Foley (Sch. Capt.),

Luke Mortimer,

Emma Costello,

Connie Keane,

Dearbhaile McQuaid.

20 12

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Scott Butler,

Robert Greensmith,

Paul Craig,

Peter Gahan,

Daniel Andrews,

Kyrill Zorin,

Peter O’Donovan,

Rory Whelan,

Robert Sutcliffe-Booth,

Richard Gough,

Luca Lalor,

Jack Clarke,

Rory Harrington,

Michael Hassett.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Philip O’Neill,

Jack O’Sullivan,

Paddy Creechan,

Daire Corley Carmody,

Barry Treacy,

Niall Prout,

Daniel Robin,

Andrew Wheeler,

Kevin Dalton.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Roger Mannion,

Luke Wymer,

Alex O’Brien,

David Gahan,

Evan O’Connor,

David Nealon,

Mark Byrne,

Richard Gough,

Rebecca Proctor,

Stephen O’Dea,

John Grier,

Mark Kelly Henry,

Michael Burton,

Ryan Canavan,

Jack Byrne.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Emma Kelly-Wrigley,

Anna O’Callaghan,

Hannah Cousins,

Treasa Moriarty,

Holly Davage,

Tim Healy-Kavanagh,

Robert Somerville (Sch. Capt.),

Kim Moran,

Susannah Carey,

Libby Kinneen,

Stephanie Kinsella,

Katie Sheehan,

Laura Collins.

20 13

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Kieran MacHale,

James Clarke,

John Muckian,

Sam Doggett,

Gary Cremins,

Ronan Roche Griffin,

Conall Moore.

4TH ROW (L-R) :

Murrough Murnaghan,

Karl Finn,

Richard Ivers,

Peter Mooney,

Christopher Swords,

Sam Brennan,

Darragh Giblin,

Caolan O’Brien.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

John Martin,

Conor Davage,

Conan Quinn,

Cillian Murphy,

Piaras Nolan,

Eoin Cambay,

Fergal Powell,

Sean Loughlin,

Alastair Daly,

William Kavangh,

Hugh McCarthy,

Paul O’Dwyer.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Ben O’Donnell,

Stephen Hayden,

Michael Dunne,

Eoin McQuaid,

Jack O’Neill,

Emily Kearney,

Becky Donnelly,

Katie Brennan,

Rachel Wheeler,

Tansy Pitt Ryan,

Nicole Walsh,

Artyom Zorin,

Erik Hughes,

Omar O’Reilly,

Ian Crowley.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Cassia O’Reilly,

Rachel Kirwan,

Eabhan Rowe,

Elena Soldini,

Kevin Roche (Sch. Capt.),

Jack Sweeney,

Rebecca Stokes,

Emily Cusack.

Daniel Coleman,

Owen Mooney,

Robert Cahill,

Jarlath Dolan,

Nicholas Grennan,

Ferdia O’Hanrahan.

20 14

BACK ROW (L-R) :

William Hamilton,

David Macken,

Mark Ryan,

Cian Cahill,

Alex Sheehan,

Evan Kennedy,

Ralph Kealy.

5TH ROW (L-R) :

David Hassett,

Leo Mulrooney,

David MacNulty,

Aidan O’Donovan,

Oliver Hennessey,

Sam Comaskey.

4TH ROW (L-R) :

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Luke Tuohy,

Ross Carvill,

Philip Cripwell,

Séan Moriarty,

Jack Kirwan,

Ross Duffy,

Robert Sheehan,

James Mulligan.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Alan King,

Ariana Coyle Diez,

Daniel Foreau,

Lulu Moloney,

Oisín Carroll,

Matthew Redmond,

Stephen Porter,

Christopher Costigan,

John Shannon,

Robert Byrne,

Robert Wijntjes,

Matthew Collins,

Sam Harrington.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Megan O’Neill,

Rebecca Lalor,

Carmen Sanchis Salmeron,

Andrea Nufrio Alveres,

Conor Keane,

James Lardner (Sch. Capt.),

Aisling Foster,

Ellen Quinlan,

Chloe Stanley,

Catherine Prasifka,

Anna Groves.

124



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126

1. Donal and Sinead Fay amazed by the TY musical

2. Donal with DP Angelina Hopkins

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127

AN EDUCATION

FOR LIFE

by Principal Donal ODulaing


In this, the 75th Anniversary year of St. Conleth’s, it is

appropriate to take a look back and a glance forward at our

place in education in Ireland today. 2014 sees a very different

landscape to even ten years ago. We have been flooded

with change, some for the good and some changes which

we will just have to see how they pan out. Education and

schools will always have new challenges to face and to take

on. Each generation will bring with it a new set of obstacles

to overcome.

Today’s buzzwords are initiatives such as the new JCSA,

SSE, numeracy and literacy, NEPS,SENS… There seems to

be an acronym for everything. We have been bombarded

with new directives and circulars from the DES! Our former

Minister Ruairi Quinn at one stage was given the title, the

minister for announcements! There seemed to be something

new every day. Many of these have been essential but they

have also meant an increase in paperwork and bureaucracy.

Today’s teacher is now more aware of what they want to

achieve in each class and how they are going to achieve it.

‘Learner outcomes’ and ‘assessment for learning’ are commonly

used phrases. The inspectorate from the DES can

drop in unannounced to assess progress. Long gone are the

days when a young teacher was shown to his or her classroom

by the Principal, given a stick of chalk and a duster

and told, “See you when you are 65!”.

It is important to see the wood for the trees. St. Conleth’s

has values and a mission statement that we hold dear to us

as educators. What does a pupil remember after their years

in school? The kind word, the encouragement, the good

advice, the guidance, the inspiration to be creative, the

opportunity to grow and to develop into fine upstanding

citizens. We encourage them to question, to be inquisitive

and to learn. We like our boys and girls to know their own

minds and to stretch themselves in search of further knowledge.

We as teachers are facilitators of that learning.

My role as Principal is to bring that vision and mission to life.

To create and foster an atmosphere that allows the students

in our care to grow and develop. We aim to deepen the students

understanding of themselves and others. Dignity and

tolerance, and respect for each other are embedded in our

Christian values. These are lofty aims that we strive for every

day and in every class. We hope what they have learned from

us they continue to carry with them as values for life.

St Conleth’s has been lucky to have been served by some fantastic

and wonderful teachers. I have been here for 25 years

and have said, on many occasions, what a privilege and

pleasure it has been to work with such people with a knowledge

, wisdom and a passion for learning and education. I

remember coming to the school in 1990 and being awed by

the sight of Michael Murphy still teaching with energy and

enthusiasm into his eighties. The sight of someone of his

calibre still with a grá for teaching was an inspiration to a

young teacher like me, just starting out. I have seen this replicated

throughout the last three decades. To see the likes of

Shay Keenan almost fifty years in the school with energy and

enthusiasm to take on the Junior Infants PE first thing on a

Monday morning says it all. I have been lucky to have shared

the staffroom with so many fine colleagues.

I am reluctant to pick out any particular teacher but in this

the 75th Anniversary I will mention three teachers who have

retired in the past year: Peter Gallagher, Pat McGrath and

Francoise Brotelande. Between them they have over 100

years of teaching experience in St Conleth’s. All three have

very diverse backgrounds: Francoise a native French speaker

has inspired her students to great feats and excellence in

French. In later years as a Career Guidance teacher she has

been an invaluable source of support and advice to all of the

St. Conleth’s community. Pat comes from the heartland of

Tipperary and has without doubt been the most popular

teacher amongst the past pupils. He is much sought after at

the Past Pupils’ Dinner. Peter has served as Principal and

Deputy. His heart was always in the History classroom

where he inspired in his students a great love for history and

learning. I worked closely with Peter as his Deputy for many

years and it is true to say that we never had a cross word!

So, maybe we are expected to follow the latest directive or

guideline from the Department of Education and Skills but,

when all is said and done, school is about relationships

between all who walk the corridors and share the classrooms.

It is about inspiring our pupils to be the best they

can be in life and to continue learning long after they have

left the familial atmosphere of St. Conleth’s behind.

128

REACHING

NEW HEIGHTS

by

Simon Ghose, Class of 2016

St. Conleth’s has a rich, if not overly decorated, rugby

history, but in the past five years, successful and skilled

teams have instilled a sense of expectation in both the

Junior and Senior teams that had been missing for some

time. Often mocked by the ever-humble basketball

coaches, the rugby teams were the butt of many a cruel

joke. But when the Junior Cup Team of 2012-13 tasted

victory, a trophy-less drought, which reached back to

when Gavin Maguire could still claim to be young, was

ended. Perhaps fittingly, it was Mr. ‘Gav’ Maguire who

spearheaded the change in fortune, embedding a sense of

belief and professionalism in all the teams lucky enough to

experience his coaching.

That Junior Cup team of 2012-13, victorious in the Leinster

Section A Junior League, was led by such in-school

legends as Kevin Dolan and Ben Doggett. On a sunny

Tuesday afternoon in March, they emerged victorious

with a commanding 55-7 victory, and at last Mr. Latvis,

coach of the school’s second (or third) sport, received a

long-overdue dose of his own medicine. Their success was

followed this past season, 2013-14, by the most successful

Junior team in St. Conleth’s history (although we 2012/13

alumni will claim until we are on our death beds that they

we were the better side!). Last year, led by Nicolas Foreau,

Ross Murphy and Shane Downes, the team reached no less

than three finals, winning one which ensured St. Conleth’s

defended their Section A League title. Weather conditions

and cruel luck denied them a chance to win the other

finals, in which they were narrowly defeated by Moyne and

Blackrock College. These two teams combined have been

honoured with an unprecedented nine Leinster representatives,

many of whom have impressed at a provincial level.

Success also has been plentiful, if perhaps not as recent as

the Juniors’, at the Senior Cup level. Ronan ‘The Badger’

Bolger and Alan ‘Big Man’ Trenier coached the Seniors to

the McMullen Cup Final in 2011. Led by inspirational

captain Michael Hassett, the Seniors were one victory away

from a most unlikely of successes. Their success was recognised

by Leinster Rugby, and on their awards night Alan

Trenier and Kevin Kelleher, the school’s resident rugby

legend, were on hand to collect a prestigious Special

Achievement Award. Michael Hassett was also rewarded

for his role in the team by earning a call up to one of Leinster’s

junior teams. These teams were the standouts of

some very talented teams who punched well above their

weight. Even this past season must be considered as a

success at SCT level, with nearly the whole team made up of

Fourth and a few Fifth Years. With the two successful Junior

teams entering their later school years, the Seniors can

expect some silverware in the near-future, and some promising

First and Second Years will look to follow the previous

success. Who knows, maybe Mr. Kelleher will be handing

the Senior Cup to one of his own students in the RDS in the

near future? No longer is it an impossible dream …

1 2

Simon ‘Gator’ Ghose was one of the Captains of the

title-winning 2012/13 JCT Team and is an integral

member of the current SCT. He was also a participant

at the 2013 Irish Maths and Science Olympiad and

claims that his impressive command of Math and

Physics helps him analyse and predict the trajectory,

speed and force of opposing players. Mr. Trenier has

encouraged Simon to keep such tactics to himself.


129

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4

5

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1. Our author, Simon, making all the right moves

2. Ryan O’Leary with game-face on

3. Sean Moriarty with James Lardner coming to support

4. Ronan Bolger, Alan Trenier and the Leinster award-winning SCT of 2011-12

5. For once, Mr. K. has a Conleth’s coach to present with a Leinster award

6. The Euphoric 2012-13 JCT League Winners

7. Gavin Maguire, Shane Robinson and the 2013-14 JCT League Winners

8. Hope for the Future - The 2013 -14 First Years


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130

MUSIC

by Daniel Barry, 6th year

1


131


Music is a huge part of life at St. Conleth’s. It lets the students

express themselves through their talents (or lack

thereof), and provides enjoyment to the staff and student

body when performances are held. The school encourages

students to hone their skills and is always open to new

things, from piano to guitar to beat-boxing to whatever

you can call what former student John Prasifka used to do.

It was former principal Peter Gallagher who first introduced

the idea of a school concert to the culturally ignorant

masses of old St. Conleth’s. The school concert is held

once a year, around Easter-time, and acts as a talent show

open to anyone who wishes to participate. We also have

our traditional Christmas Carols, which has morphed into

a full, extravagant concert in its own right. Between the

two events we have had classical string pieces, AC-DC

and Neutral Milk Hotel tribute bands, amazing feats of

juggling, a cappella soloists, post-punk manifestos, even

teacher duets from our own Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Sheridan.

And who could forget the timeless rendition of ‘Little

Drummer Boy’ by two students who took considerable

liberty with the lyrics of the timeless Christmas classic

and ended up suspended but also firmly fixed in our collective

concert memories? The tradition of boy bands at

St. Conleth’s is also very strong and was brought to a new

level this past year with the show-stopping (and heartstopping)

performances of the Backdoor Boys at both the

concert and the graduation ceremony. Every year new

talent is discovered and refined, bringing joy, wonder and

good cheer to all, like a giant musical box of puppies!

Of course, the school concert is not the only place for talented

musicians to show off to their friends and teachers.

Buskers’ Corner is held bi-weekly in the hall. It acts as a

sort of mini-school concert, spanning a single lunch period

with an extremely casual atmosphere, and benefits from its

frequency. It is here that you are most likely to find school

heart-throbs Sidewinder performing both classic soul-rock

covers and their own soon-to-be classic compositions,

along with other up-and-coming student acts from all the

years. First Year band Unity are already a fan favourite!

Now where would an article on music in St. Conleth’s be

without mention of the Transition Year musical/drag queen

festival? Every year, the students of Fourth Year (along

with the incredibly patient Ms. Fay, Mr. Gallagher and

Ms. Halpin) devote countless hours of hard work to putting

on a musical. We have it all : heavenly solos, smooth choruses,

fantastic sets and backgrounds and an endless array

of boys dressing as girls, sometimes for no apparent plot

reason. Performances include The Pirates of Penzance, The

H.M.S Pinafore, Oliver! and this past year, The Mikado. You

simply can't find entertainment like this anywhere else!

Not that music is all fun and games now. The school has a

dedicated music room in which music classes for Junior

and Leaving Certificate are held by the fab Ms. Fay. Also to

be found are guitar and drum lessons from Mr. Phillip

McMullen, and- wait, is that the sound of a thousand

admirers sighing in ecstasy as he tunes his guitar or beats

out a rhythm? Why, yes. Yes, it is. Not every school has a

renowned jazz musician ready to supply whatever expertise

and inspiration the pupils need.

When it comes to music, St. Conleth’s simply can't be beat.

Its mixture of variety, eccentricity, and talent is a shining

example of how to motivate students, cultivate skill and

circumnavigate all expectations. No bias, of course.

Daniel Barry is currently a Sixth Year at St. Conleth’s. He is

taking Music for the Leaving Certificate and is a recent

winner of the Junior Music Award. He is a member of the

school band Sidewinder and has made numerous additional

appearances in numerous combinations, playing

numerous instruments at school events over the years. He

cites Vanilli of Milli Vanilli as a major musical influence.

1. Our author, Daniel, in solo action

2. Charlie Downes and Joe Gallagher take the stage at the Annual Concert

3. Stephen Allen under the watchful eye of Music Maestro Evan Kennedy

4. One incarnation of student band Head 6 - Affected but effective!

5. Megan Jones on the Harp

6. Sidewinder

7. Siren Sadbh Malin

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132

HOOP

DREAMS

by Charles Latvis

1

2


133

Basketball has a recent pedigree at St. Conleth’s, but it has

quickly become a proud one. Our greatest claim to fame is

still a historic Basketball Ireland National Cup and League

double in 2009 at the U16 Boys B level, but in recent years

there has been plenty of action suitable for the highlight

reel : We manfully competed in the top ‘A’ league for a few

seasons but as our ‘golden generation’ of Peter Herron,

Liam Purcell et al moved on to college ball, we soon found

it tough going. But with the return of Liam and Mark

McCoy as coaches, and subsequently Eoin Noctor and

David Gahan, St. Conleth’s basketball was on the rise

again, culminating in a 21-3 season in 2011-2012 and

narrow defeats to Belvedere in the Dublin League Final

and St. Mary’s of Belfast in the All-Ireland National Cup

Final. En route, Jack ‘Mahoraj’ Nolan simply outplayed

three Irish players, on a bad ankle and with his characteristic

nonchalance. Of course, reaching the final meant the

A league for us again, and competition against ‘pure’ basketball

schools, but the boys have persevered. Throughout

this period, we have also have continued to be a mainstay

of the South Dublin Basketball League, most recently

winning the 2013 First Year (Minor) Championship.

It is on the individual level however, that we have recently

been making our mark- two ‘Marks’, that is. Like Colossi of

Rhodes or the Pillars of Hercules, opposing basketball teams

must deal with the imposing figures of Mark 1 and Mark 2 if

they dare to trespass on a court with St. Conleth’s. Whenever

Mark suited up for us, he was a game-changer, and he

made even bigger news on other courts : Playing for the Irish

U16 and U18 Teams and playing a dominant role for his club

UCD-Marian, even getting playing-time in the Superleague

(with and against real Americans!). Mark has now made the

leap to the states, on a full scholarship to Mercyhurst College

in Pennsylvania. Mark Gilleran, currently in Third Year, has

followed in Ryan’s size 14 footsteps : playing for Dublin and

now Ireland, recently scoring 14 points in an international

match against Scotland, and blocking and altering numerous

shots en route to a 67-44 victory.

Since our last ‘quinquennial’, Girls’ Basketball has made a

dramatic appearance at St. Conleth’s and it is clear that it

is here to stay. Our biggest problem is the size of our selection

pool : Ideally you have twelve players on your U19 team

and in a school which usually has less than twenty girls

combined in Fifth and Sixth Years … let us just say, some

enthusiastic recruiting must be done! And, boy, do the

girls respond! Every year, the girls amaze me with their

attitude and aptitude, and the great fun which is had on

our frequent road-trips via LUAS, Dublin Bus, the Dart or

all three. Our most recent captains- Stephanie Kinsella,

Katie Brennan and Ariana Coyle- have led us as far as the

Dublin Semi-finals of their league, once playing against a

school with 1100 girls, but truly the fun in Girls’ Basketball

is in the journey : whether dribbling around Herbert Park in

pursuit of a player absconding from practice to see a boyfriend

or enduring a memorable five hour roundtrip on the

39A to the wilds of Ongar.

1. Champions

2. The 2013 Girls in Gangsta’ mode

3. 2012 B All-Ireland National Cup Finalists

4. SDBL Minor Cahmpions 2013 - Mark Gilleran is the big fella!

5. Hope for the Future- First Years, Dublin Shield Finalists 2014

6. The 2014 girls- few but mighty!

7. Mark Ryan, of Conleth’s, UCD-Marian and Ireland

8. The Great Jack ‘Maharaj’ Nolan

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134

TOP OF

THE POPS

by Seamus Gallagher

I have a faded video playing in my head. We are in a classroom

on the second floor in St. Conleth’s – the room which

was to become the video room, later the computer room.

The year is 1997 and the room is stuffed to the ceiling with

first years. Two of those First Years are playing a song they

wrote called ‘Little Red Van.’ Peter Gallagher, who organised

this concert, looks on approvingly at the two : David

Hedderman on vocals and guitar and Conor O’Brien on

vocals and a tiny electronic drum kit.

Cut to Whelan’s on Wexford Street. The year is 2006. The

room is stuffed to the ceiling with cool young musos – and

a few equally cool but not quite so young teachers from

St. Conleth’s. The band is about to get on stage. Before

they do they chat with their friends in the audience. They

have a few words with their former teachers. Then they get

on stage and mesmerize the place with their songs : David

Hedderman, Conor O’Brien and Peter Toomey. The name

of this band is The Immediate.

April, 2010. I’m watching “Later … with

Jools Holland” on BBC2. Standing beside

the Modfather himself, Paul Weller, is

Conor O’Brien. He is introduced as “Villagers”

and he plays his own song :

“Becoming A Jackal.” It is an extraordinary

performance : even from the television I can feel the

hushed attention of the audience and the intensity of the

lyrics and the voice. And I can’t help thinking, looking at

the baby face features on the screen and the tiny guitar

Conor O’Brien is playing : He looks like he should be in

school, in that room full of first years.

David, Peter and Conor were and are very successful in the

shark-infested waters of the music industry. In April 2006,

The Immediate released their one and only album. “In

Towers & Clouds” was produced by Chris Shaw (producer

for Wilco, Public Enemy and even Bob Dylan) and entered

the Irish Album Charts at Number 33. It didn’t make a

huge amount of money for the band but it was well received

by critics and audiences. The Irish Times wrote :

“Here’s proof that you don’t necessarily need large

amounts of cash to have a hit as long as you have cracking

songs and an album which gets bigger, better, bolder and

brighter with every listen. One of the best Irish debut

albums of the last 20 years, In Towers & Clouds is the work

of a band who are inventive.“

The band was nominated for Best New Irish Act at the

2006 Meteor Awards, and their album was nominated for

the Choice Music Award for Irish Album of The Year 2006.

Villagers (now a five-piece band, though O’Brien is very

much the driving force) have been even more successful.

Their two albums, “Becoming A Jackal” (2010) and

“{Awayland}” (2013) have been nominated for numerous

awards ; “{Awayland}” won the Choice Music Award 2013.

Both albums were Number 1 in the Irish Album charts and

“Becoming A Jackal” made Number 1 and “{Awayland}”

1

2


135


Number 2 in the British Indie Charts. In 2011, Conor won

the prestigious Ivor Novello prize for Best Song Musically

and Lyrically for his song, “Becoming A Jackal“.

Villagers have been very well received by the press.

O'Brien is noted for his dark lyrics – “an eerie sense of disquiet“,

according to The Guardian. And The New York

Times's Jon Pareles compared them to The Frames, U2

and Leonard Cohen after witnessing a live performance in

New York City in 2010.

Twenty years before The Immediate

launched their album, another Conlethian

was setting out on his musical

career. Nick Kelly - described by Hotpress

as “a deep, thoughtful, sensitive

and intelligent musical artist” - was the

main man in the rock band, The Fat Lady Sings. On his

website, Nick Kelly describes his time with the band :

“Between 1986-1994, I was lead singer and songwriter

with The Fat Lady Sings. After putting out four wellreceived

independent singles ourselves, we signed with

and released two albums on East West / Atlantic – “Twist”

(1991) and “Johnson” (1993). We enjoyed a lot of chart

success in my native Ireland, a little in the UK (where we

based ourselves), occasional smatterings in the US and

3

4

elsewhere around the world. We also spent the guts of five

years touring the planet, building up a large and disarmingly

loyal fan base.“

The Fat Lady Sings released eleven singles. The best of

these was probably 'Arclight' which was described by

Hotpress as “one of the classic Irish singles of any era.“

After the split of The Fat Lady Sings in 1994, Nick went on

to record a solo record, 'Between Trapezes' which he

released on his own Self Possessed label in 1997. The

album won him the accolade of “Best Solo Male Artist” at

the 1998-99 Irish Music Critics Awards. His follow-up

album, “Running Dog“, was released in January 2005.

Nick Kelly created Alien Envoy in 2007 as an alter ego. His

album, “Nine Lives” was released in 2010. He continues to

release music : his single, “Nothing Left To Do But To

Dance” was released on Friday 20 June, 2014.

Incidentally there are several Kelly – St. Conleth’s connections.

Nick Kelly's brother Bernard was a student in the

College in the 1990's. His father, John (1931 - 1991) was

also a student in St. Conleth’s. John M. Kelly was a novelist,

a don in Trinity College, Oxford, Attorney General and

Chief Whip for Fine Gael in the mid '70s. Another connection

: John Kelly was preceded in this latter office by David

Andrews who is grandfather of one of our present students,

Jack. Finally : Nick's most recent visit to St. Conleth’s

was to attend the recent graduation of his nephew,

John Grier. And, fittingly, John took to the stage himself at

his graduation ceremony, and provided ample evidence of

the talent that runs in his veins.

Music is an important part of what happens in St. Conleth’s.

The purpose-built music room which was an integral

element of the school's most recent extension has become

one of the most used rooms in the building. Before and after

school, during every break, someone is in there playing

some kind of an instrument. Transition year musicals, school

concerts and the newly introduced (by Sinead Fay and

Stephen Sheridan) Busker's Corner encourages our students

to get up on stage and show what they can do. Who knows

which of these young men or women will be next recipient of

a Mercury Prize or an Ivor Novello award? Why not? It has

happened already for students of St. Conleth’s College.

Seamus Gallagher teaches English and Religion at St. Conleth’s and is noted for

staying abreast of recent musical trends, in comparison to some colleagues who

will not move beyond Bob Dylan. Son and current student Joe Gallagher is a talented

regular at our Buskers’ Corner.

1. Our author in busking action with Stephen Sheridan

- Evan Kennedy is the rather blase roadie

2. Nick Kelly’s nephew John Grier gives it his all

3. The Immediate, including Conlethians Peter Twoomey, David Hedderman

and Conor O’Brien

4. Conor looking much as he did when sitting and doodling in Latin class

136

OTHER

FIELDS OF

GLORY

1


137

Much is made of the ‘big ball’ sports of rugby and basketball

elsewhere, but St. Conleth’s has always been a school

where so-called ‘minority’ sports flourish, some with

smaller balls, some with none at all!

Fencing has been here since the beginning and Philip

Cripwell’s national ranking in 2014 is just the latest of

many Conlethian high achievers over the years. Pat

McGrath’s small but mighty squash squads have competed

at the highest level over the years and Shay Keenan’s

tennis and golf teams are a force to be reckoned with

- often shaking the Leinster powers of the top division.

Mr. Keenan has also brought ‘track and field’ to the fore,

and now we run, jump and throw with the best at Santry

and beyond.

Let us not forget the most cerebral of sports, chess : each

year, Ms. NiAonghusa’s chess players shake off the

nagging wear-and-tear injuries of the lunchtime Chess

Club brouhahas, and the gruelling in-house tournament,

to take on and beat such powerhouses as Gonzaga and

Clongowes. Fore! Engarde! Checkmate!

2

1. Tim Leary-off to the Leinsters!

2. The Golfers of 2013 with Irish golfer and now Penn Stater, Ariana Coyle

3. The Golfers of 2014

4. Our fencers, as they were portrayed in the local press -

‘Settling a schoolyard argument the old-fashioned way’

5. Tennis Team in 2013

6. Our First Year runners in 2014

7. The Chess Boys - Much tougher than they look!

3

4


5 6 7

138

SENIOR

SPORTS DAY

SHENANIGANS!

If you read any of the accounts elsewhere in this book of

life at St. Conleth’s in the early days, you are bound to be

regaled with paeans to the precursors of our modern-day

Sports Day extravaganzas. Back then it was all very civilised

: the boys wore white, the locale was the pleasant

green within the school grounds and the definite highlight

was the appearance of the Army No. 1 Band. (It is a sign of

the school’s prominence that the No. 2 or No. 3 band were

never sent!) Nowadays, the same spirit of friendly competition

still prevails, but our Sports Days have become a bit

more of a raucous affair! The exodus from one side of

Dublin 4 to the other begins at break-time, and though we

may lose a few First Year stragglers in the 'Ringer', most of

the students eventually arrive at Irishtown Stadium, ready

to enthusiastically take part in what has always been one

of our most eagerly anticipated yearly rituals. All the usual

suspects are there and ready to do their duty : Mr. Shay

Keenan, our strong but silent Commander of All Sports;

Gavin 'Gav' Maguire, the witty yet deadly efficient Master

of Ceremonies; the Parents' Association, cooks and

partisans supreme; various teachers, now old hands at

their various athletic stations; and, of course, hordes of

Tuck Shop-fuelled adolescents, bouncing up-and-down

with adrenalin and competitive zeal. This last group spend

the day, or at least the mid-afternoon, running, jumping

and throwing things with glee and then cheering (and

laughing) as others take their turns. Perhaps the bowls,

the croquet and the cucumber sandwiches have been

replaced by the high-jump, the shot-putt and the burger,

but Sports Day remains a proud Conlethian tradition.

1 2


139

3

1. Piaras can fly

2. Gavin busting a gut in 2014

3. Miki can fly, too!

4. Carmen, Isabelle and Mary looking remarkably composed after such exertions!

5. Ms. Hopkins and the girls doing girl-stuff in 2013

6. The sweet taste of victory!

7. The camaraderie of victory

8. An impromptu meeting of the Conleth’s braintrust in 2012-PG and the Zorins

9. Stu’s medal - 2013, Stu’s haircut - 1984

4

6

7


5 8 9

140

Les Années de les Français!


141

The French Department has always been one of the more

dynamic forces at St. Conleth’s. Louis Feutren’s mastery of

the subject and his indomitable style are truly legendary,

and are attested to by several of our alumni contributors in

this very tome. Ms. Sheppard and Ms. Brotelande brought

perhaps a slight change of style to teaching the subject,

but they did it with the same passion, enthusiasm and

Gallic flair which, in turn, have been shown these last few

years by Mr. Porzadny and Ms. Cohen. The Holy Trinity of

English, Irish and Maths must surely make room for a

fourth partner in the canon at St. Conleth’s !

One of the more curious traditions of the French Department

is the ‘immersion method’ of sending our Third Years

to a noted ‘Région de Langue Française’- Donegal!

Ms. Brotelande and Ms. Sheppard would regularly gather

the Junior Cert boys and head off to the wilds of Donegal

for some intensive language lessons, with a good bit of

outdoor pursuits and water-sports thrown in to make the

vocab and grammar go down easier. Of course, a handsome

young Australian gap year student was usually

brought along to do the heavy lifting! Mr. Porzadny and

Ms. Cohen have continued the tradition, as can be seen

from our pics, and just this last year, there was the return

of another honoured Conlethian tradition- the return to the

actual motherland itself. Who can forget Mr. Peter Gallagher

leading the charge down the steepest of waterslides

at Aqua Bulevard? This time it was Nice, and Mr. Pat

McGrath, another old hand at these school tours, was on

hand to make sure that good time, a very good time, was

had by all.

As well as cultural activities with the Transition Years at

the Alliance Francaise, and their various cutting edge

www/Skypebook/Facetweeting technological classroom

interventions, Mr. Porzadny and Ms. Cohen have also kept

Les Joutes Oratoires thriving at St. Conleth’s : Several of

our Débatteurs Français over recent years have won ‘Best

Speaker’ awards.

Indeed, every year at St. Conleth’s’s is a Year of the French!

1

2

3

4

1. Second and Third Years having a Nice time

2. Les Joutes Oratoires in 2013 …

3. ...and 2014, with both Daniel Gilligan and Conor White named Best Speakers.

4. Paul O’Dwyer receives his Best Speaker Award from ‘Mr. Europe’ Pat Cox

5. Third Years hit the French books in Donegal …

6. … and then the waves!

7. TYs at the Alliance Francaise

8. Mr. Porzadny and Stephanie Kinsella, Best Speaker in 2012

9. Ms. Brotelande and two recent graduates in their formative French years


5 6

7 8

9

142

‘THE CUP THAT

CHEERS’ TO ‘THE

GOBLET OF FIRE’

In 1980 - at what was then known, in more

carefree times, as ‘a Parents’ reception’ -

an ingenious plan was hatched of

organising a football match against the

Sixth Years of the time. Football was rarely

mentioned publicly in St. Conleth’s at that

time. The sons (and daughters) of the

gentle folk in South Dublin could hardly be

encouraged to participate in a sport which

was endorsed by the masses. Even major

events such as the F.A. Cup Final coincided

with our Sports Day and the European Cup

Final (now known as the Champions

League) was always held on the night of

the Parents Reception. How often we were

reminded that ‘this is not a democracy’!

By sheer coincidence, the Sixth Years

lead by such stalwarts as A. Victory, J.

Barnes etc. had a similar idea in mind.

A venue was decided upon (Royal

Hospital, Donnybrook) and match officials

were procured (Mr. Kelleher offered to

officiate). Team selections were carefully

guarded until just before kick-off. The

St. Conleth’s staff selection were given

little chance against the fine athleticism

and skills of the class of 1980. However,

after some initial flurry by the students, the

staff firmly took control. Keenan, Rooney

and Doyle dominated at the back, creative

midfield play by J. Nestor, P. Mullins & P.

McGrath led to a fine victory on the score

of 3-1 to the staff. The staff scorers were

S. Keenan, G. Marmion and P. McGrath.

The match quickly became an eagerly

awaited annual event. Wagers were laid

down, threats of permanent long-term

injury were made by both sides, tactics

and formations were closely guarded.

Occasionally the staff had to augment

their selection with a few well-chosen

fifth years (for squad purposes). The

renewal also became synonymous with

such sideshow events as “egging” the

Fifth Year girls and introducing some

students to the delights and biodiversity

of the pond-water in a Herbert Park

(Herbert Park became the venue


Team of the 1980s vintage

143

Malone, S Gallagher, Keenan, Doyle, Rooney, Mullins, McGrath, Carolan, Marmion (H Dip student), T. Medhurst (midfield), S. McCormack

Subs : A. Sheppard (squash player), Hickey; Manager : McGrath

Team of the recent past ( i.e. 21st Century)

Malone, Maguire, O’Dulaing, Kilcommons, Travers, S. Sheridan, Bolger, Trenier, E. Sheridan, Latvis, Dunne

Subs : Porzadny, E. Cohen, Ahern (impact); Manager : McGrath

In terms of guile, subtlety and wit, the 1980s team may hold the edge. What about the students? Let the debate begin.

Pat McGrath’s immense legacy at St. Conleth’s, overall, is dealt elsewhere in this book, but we must attest to how significant his

contribution has been to this particular and most important of aspects of school life. Pat combined the best aspects of all the great

football managers, from the careful, considerate man-management of Busby, necessary when Gav was temporarily doubting his

overlap skills, through the occasional ‘hair dryer’ treatment a lá Ferguson, needed when Gerry Dunne grew a little too big for his boots

and was talking transfer … to the overall tactical nous of Wenger, evident in the incredible record accumulated over the years. In the

words of the great man himself, “We have what we hold, and we hold what we have.“-Indeed!


subsequently). Soon though, in the words

of the poet John Milton, time- “that subtle

thief of youth“- began to catch up with

some of the stalwarts of the 1980 staff

team. Keenan, Doyle and Rooney made

way for new blood such as O’Dulaing,

Dunne, Latvis, Bolger, Trenier and Ahern.

Victories for the staff were very much the

norm. Allegations of liberal interpretation

of the rule etc. by match officials which

may have favoured the staff should not

be given any credence. A rare victory for

the students was registered in 2006 - the

students were led by C. McGrath and A.

Hamilton. Young McGrath, being of stolid

North County Dublin stock, was feted by

all and sundry when he returned home.

Alas, young Hamilton, a resident of Clyde

Road itself, was subsequently shunned

by his family.

In recent years the venue was moved

to Irishtown Stadium. The class of 2012

were so sure of victory they bought a

trophy for the occasion to crown what

they perceived as a fait accompli.

However their illusions of grandeur

became unstuck. The match was fiercely

contested, hard tackles were made,

chances were created, the manager had

to make a cameo appearance early on for

the staff as some team members went

astray en route. Ultimately the sheer class

of Gerry Dunne up front carried the day

for the staff. The “Goblet of Fire” has been

carefully guarded in the staffroom ever

since (A draw in 2013 and a convincing

victory in 2014).

At a recent PPU dinner members of the

2012 students team were seen acting

rather suspiciously in the vicinity of the

staffroom, perhaps endeavouring to

recover their lost trophy. Narratives and

reviews of this nature usually lead to

questions such as “Who were the best

players?“, “Name the best team?“, “Who

cares anyway?” It might be prudent to

separate the stalwarts of the 1980s from

the fiery young bloods of the 21st century.

144

ST. CONLETH’S

INTERNATIONAL

by Julien Porzadny

Bonjour, Hallo, Olá, Buenos dias, Dobrý den, ni hao! From

France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Brazil, Czech Republic,

China, Argentina … St. Conleth’s College is quite the multicultural

place! Students from abroad have been here

since the setting up of the school. Recently there has been

an increase in the number of our visiting friends. We host

between ten and twenty international students each year.

Some are here for two weeks, others for two years … So

what do they think of St. Conleth’s?

One thing that all the international students agree on is

that St. Conleth’s is quite different from the school they

come from … no matter where they are from. “Here we do

wear the uniform and the school is much smaller, but we

feel so welcome by everyone and the relationship between

students and teachers is quite unique.” Indeed, we all

know it is. It seems that the international students always

spice up the routine of the teachers and students at

St. Conleth’s. In class, Ms. Killen is more than happy to get

the help of the Spanish students when the oral exams are

approaching. I, on the other hand, seize every opportunity

to have one of my French students do a little oral presentation

about their life in France. In the end, all of St. Conleth’s

students get to learn from our visitors a bit more about

what is happening in this big wide world, and hopefully

our visitors learn a bit from us!

When asking the Conlethians how they interact with their

international peers, we do get a wide range of answers.

But it seems that curiosity is the key word. In French we

have this famous expression : “La curiosité est un vilain

défaut” - “Curiosity killed the cat“. Well, in this case, the

cat survived, and all the better, it made new friends! Yes,

meddling with an international crowd is definitely enjoyed

by the ‘locals’ : Hungarian Oliver Kovacs’s mad piano compositions

always brought an avalanche of applause at

Buskers’ Corner; the enthusiasm and silky basketball skills

turned Manuel into the First Year hero; the ever-present

smiles of Carmen and Andrea brighten even the darkest

days of Irish weather; and the bonne humeur of our Argentinian

students was missed dearly after their departure.

Yes, everything has an end. But the end can also be the

beginning of something new. And I do hope that our students,

inspired by their discussions, their play, their

sharing with our international students, can one day seize

this great opportunity for themselves : to travel to a new

country and learn from new teachers, new peers, a new

language. They may learn about themselves and come

back changed : ready to tackle any challenges that life will

put onto their path, just as we hope our visitors do, when

they return to their native countries, enriched by the

St. Conleth’s experience.

1. Charming Argentines

2. Two from Madrid, One from Dublin

3. Oliver, the Hungarian Keyboard Genius

4. Maths Masters - Domestic and Imported

5. Argentines and Conlethians

1

2

3

4

5


School Captains

Girls’ Captains

2009 - 2010 Michael O’Dwyer Suzanne Sheehan

2010 - 2011 Michael Foley Jasmine Hett

2011 - 2012 Robert Somerville Kim Moran

2012 - 2013 Kevin Roche Elena Soldini

2013 - 2014 James Lardner Aisling Foster

2014 - 2015 Conor White Isabelle Connolly

2009 - 2010 Philip McDonald

2010 - 2011 Oscar Tuohy

2011 - 2012 Paul O’Dwyer

2012 - 2013 Conan Quinn

2013 - 2014 Matthew Collins

2014 - 2015 Daniel Gilligan

Auditors of the Debating Society

Rugby Captains

2009 - 2010 Daniel Nolan

2010 - 2011 Liam Feaheny

2011 - 2012 Michael Hassett

2012 - 2013 Sam Doggett (Billy Kavanagh)


2013 - 2014 Daniel Foreau

2009 - 2013 Barry Ward

2013 - 2015 Ronan O’Kelly

Presidents of the Past Pupils’ Union

1st Year 2014 - 2015

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Peter Corcoran,

Seanan Byrne,

Adam Fanning,

Tadhg Harnett,

Matt McDonnell,

Joshua Mullen,

Joseph Caruana,

Jack Topliss.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Frank Knowles,

Jamie MacMahon ,

Craig Davis,

John Melia,

Josh Bergin,

Joseph Downey ,

Richard Glennane,

Benjamin Barry,

Michael Cooke.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Jack Doyle,

Daire Henry,

Manus MacGerailt,

Samuel Butler,

Oisin McGinley,

James Kirkpatrick,

Riain Lawlor,

Adam Langford,

Liam Reilly.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Caius Flynn,

Daragh Collins,

Stephen Smullen,

Sean Woods,

Ciaran Huckfeldt,

Alex Reynolds,

Suyash Patidar,

Tommaso Arpe,

Liam Carr,

Jimmy Crowe.

ABSENT :

Edward Qiao,

Andrew Sinevici.

2nd Year 2014 - 2015

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Aviral Shukla,

Eoghan Fitzmaurice,

Daniel Lawless,

Jacq Herbots,

Pierce Roberts,

Marlon Marishta,

Ralph Swords,

Hugh Downes.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Tom Finn,

Jack Cosgrave,

Rory Smyth,

Dylan Browne,

Joe Hyland,

Johnny Barry,

Joseph Gallagher.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

John Kelleher,

Gavin Roche-Griffin,

Oran Cahill,

Juan Rodriguez,

Conor Bourke,

Brian Keenan,

Tomas Clancy,

Saul Burgess.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Mark Beatty,

James Tempany,

Mark McKeown,

Charlie Downes,

Jonathan Dillon,

Ian O’Neill,

Stephen Allen,

Ben Lynch.

ABSENT :

Harry Rooney Bryan.

3rd Year 2014 - 2015

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Rory Sweeney,

Luke Treacy,

Kevin Kirwin,

Conor Power,

Aongus Hegarty,

Mark Gilleran,

Jonathan O’Connell,

Edmund Tucker.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Corey Power De Jong,

Enda Byrne,

Oisin Gilligan,

Cian O’Mahony,

Sam O’Hanrahan,

Max Ubieta,

Shane McDermott,

Jack Andrews.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Alex Murphy,

James McDonnell,

Paul Ralph,

Harry Mansfield,

Garrett Ivers,

Tony Barry,

Simon Pettitt,

Michael Zhen Yu Li,

Padraig Terry.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

David Loftus,

Luke McKay,

Alex McCarthy,

Gavin Nugent,

Timothy Leary,

Oisin Dowling,

Bernard McDonnell,

Hugh Etchingham-Coll,

Ronan Connor,

Eoin MacNally.

4th Year 2014 - 2015

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Matthew Hassett,

Mati Remi,

Nicholas Foreau,

Sean Pettitt,

Dillon Collins,

Ross Murphy,

Harry Swords.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Kevin Loftus,

Sean Moran,

Cian O’Connor,

Sean Keane,

Cillian Ryan,

Elliott Daly,

Sean Moiselle,

Tim O’Gorman.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Deane McErlee,

Shane Byrne,

Colin Duffy,

Christian Farrell,

Ozzie Carvill,

Matt Finn,

Oscar Byrne-Carty,

Jamie Lawless.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Jaime Romero,

John Binchy,

Eoin Collins,

Matthew McCormack,

Jack Groves,

Oisin Allen

Dara Casey,

Oscar Harley- Monks,

ABSENT :

Luke Nestor,

Thomas Murphy,

Ishan Prasai.

Patrick Cahill,

Sean Frison Roche,

Richard Hogan,

Chiara Coleman.

5th Year 2014 - 2015

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Merlin Roche,

Sam Kealy,

Brendan Connor,

Michael McKay,

Mark O’Reilly,

Charles Keane,

Finn Mulcahy,

Kevin Dolan,

Shane Molamphy,

Josh Harvey-Graham,

Hugo Harrington.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Francesco Lopez,

Philip Carroll,

Eoin Glennane,

Rian Boyle,

Thomas Ganev,

Robert Cripwell,

Luke Fleming,

Conor O’Riordan,

Sam O’Dea,

Ben Doggett,

Elliott Browne,

Lee Fox.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Cameron Ross O’Reilly,

James McEvaddy,

Arthur Etchingham-Coll,

Noah Brabazon,

Stuart Fitzpatrick,

Zackery Dean-Measimer,

Phillip O’Hanrahan,

Miki Remi,

Beatrix Schulte-Huermann,

Simon Ghose,

Daniel Gilligan,

Alexander Yusko,

Jack Harvey,

David Pogatchnik,

Hugh Ormond.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Rebecca Barnes,

Molly Whelan,

Sarah Rochford,

Collins Hannah,

Marina Bourke,

Daniel Kenny,

David McKeown,

Harvey Gleeson,

Clara Murphy,

Kitty McGuiness,

Rita Cocola,

Eavan O’Riada.

ABSENT :

6th Year 2014 - 2015

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Robert Duff,

Theo Ward,

Paul Mooney,

Cillian Corken,

Robbie Glynn,

Mark McNulty,

Tom Sheerin,

Gavin Sheridan,

Michael Raftery,

John Hayes.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Daniel Barry,

Vincent Estrellado,

Oscar McAuley,

Tal Landy,

Ciaran Hennessy,

Pierce Cambay,

Ben McCarthy,

Naoise Woods,

Pierce O’Brien,

Conn O’Cleirigh,

Harry Morris.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Max Rooney,

Oisin Carroll,

Sean Allen,

Ryan O’Leary,

Jordan Mellon Doyle,

Matthew Kavanagh,

Zade Taher,

Theyazan Kelly,

Maurice Moran,

Harry Galvin.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Mary Kelleher,

Emily O’Shea,

Sadbh Malin,

Aoife Conway,

Isabelle Connolly (Girls’ Capt.),

Conor White (Sch. Capt.),

Daragh O’Connor,

Saskia Dooley,

Megan Byrne,

Isabel Coughran,

Kate Green,

Megan Jones.

152



153

154

Building bridges

At work

It is a great honour for me as Principal

of St. Conleth’s College Junior School to

be part of this unique celebration in

the history of our school. Our whole

school community - pupils, teachers,

parents and management - are

involved in marking this wonderful

occasion. It has provided me with an

opportune moment to reflect on life in

our school. There have been many

educational changes over those years

which reflect the ever changing

demands of society. Yet the school has

upheld its deep tradition of openness,

friendliness and a place of great

welcome, due to the hard work and

dedication of Mr. K. Kelleher, our Head

Master, Ms. A. Sheppard, our C.E.O.,

and the hard working teaching and

ancillary staff of our school.

Currently the Preparatory School has 40

pupils and the Junior School has 93

pupils. Over the past five years, we have

lost the services of very talented and

dedicated teachers : Ms. Imelda Cahill

(6th Form), Mr. Dave McGauran (Music),

Mr. Frank Keane (Speech and Drama).

We wish them well in their retirement

and future careers. Fr. Paul Tyrell, our

former school Chaplin, has moved to

Crumlin. He was a great friend to all of

us in St. Conleth’s Junior School and we

thank him for his kindness and dedication.

We welcome our new School

Chaplain Fr. Michael Collins, a past pupil

of St. Conleth’s, and we look forward to

working with him over the coming years.

The year 2011 was hugely significant

with the establishment of our new Preparatory

School with Ms. Dolores Kelly

appointed as Head. The Junior School

has a staff of eight teachers. There are

a number of additional teachers of

specialist subjects whose expertise

greatly enhances the overall educational

experience of the boys, e.g. Art,

Music, Speech and Drama, Computers,

French and Library Studies. Each

member of staff encourages and supports

all of our students to achieve their

full potential by exposing them to a

wide variety of educational experiences

using new and varied teaching

methodologies. Planning and policy

development by the teaching team

have become an integral part of school

life. This has increased the work load,

but has proven to be very worthwhile.

As reflective practitioners, we will

endeavour to continue with this good

practice to review, reflect and update

as necessary. Many of our School Policies

are readily available on the Junior

School website.

So many changes have occurred in our

country in the 75 years since our school

was founded, yet St. Conleth’s College

retains that unique quality of a place

where children feel comfortable and

safe and are allowed to develop into

fine young adults with a commitment to

fairness and respect for all. I would like

to pay tribute to our boys, parents and

teachers, past and present, who have

been and are proud to state where they

have been educated, parents proud

that their sons attended St. Conleth’s

College Junior School and teachers

proud that they have played some part

in turning out fine young Conlethians.

As has been said, “Deep in most of us

is the potential for greatness or the

potential to inspire greatness“. I feel

that St. Conleth’s College has inspired

greatness in many forms and will continue

to do so for many years to come.

Our first literary publication ‘Footsteps

2011’, dedicated to our Headmaster

Mr. K. Kelleher, is testament to the huge

level of interest in writing short stories

and poems. This illustrates the dedication

to develop the writing talents of

the various classes. As does the Kevin

D. Kelleher Essay writing competition :

recent winners Tomás Clancy in 2013

and Frank Knowles in 2014 excelled

themselves as ‘word smiths’ and

showed potential for greatness.

It has been a privilege to have been

Principal of the Junior School for the

past eleven years and I greatly appreciate

the support shown by Mr. K.

Kelleher and Ms. A. Sheppard and the

teaching team as the Junior School

has grown from strength to strength.


155


I am particularly proud of the fact that

we now have a wonderful Preparatory

School which I feel makes our Junior

School complete. I want to pay a

special tribute to all the staff, past and

present, whom I have had the pleasure

of working with both as teacher

and as Principal over the past nineteen

years. It has always been humbling

and inspiring for me to see the wonderful

care, attention and understanding

that each staff member has for all

the boys in their care. This, in my mind,

is what makes St. Conleth’s College

Junior School such a very special place.

Lastly, to our Parents and Guardians :

thank you for sending us your sons.

Your constant support and encouragement

makes it all worthwhile.

Happy 75th

Anniversary,

St. Conleth’s

College!

Le gach dea ghuí.

Mr. Murphy on the job at Sports Day

Mr. Murphy

performing

one of his more

enjoyable duties

Patrick E. Murphy

Junior School Principal

Junior artists-as proud as punch

A Day in the Life of

an Art Teacher41

by Louise Halpin

My primary aim has always been to

make Art an enjoyable and fun experience

for the junior school students at

St. Conleth’s. Through exploration and

experimentation with a wide variety of

materials the students have created

some amazing work from both observation

and their imaginations. The raw

talent at St. Conleth’s is fantastic, but the

enthusiasm is second to none.

Tuesday mornings are a whirlwind.

I need to be on my toes, quick with

materials and fast with answers for the

budding junior artists in St. Conleth’s.

I am usually in early, setting up

materials for my first arrivals of the day :

Fourth Class. They are always an eager

bunch, wanting to know what we are

doing before they have even entered

the room. Throughout the year we

cover a broad range of art subjects

while strengthening the varied and

versatile skill set which an art education

offers the students. Observation

and problem-solving are encouraged

through drawing, painting, clay, textiles

and collage to name just a few.

Art also offers the chance to do some

cross-curricular work with their main

stream subjects and preparation for

yearly events such as Communion and

Confirmation. Beautiful stained glass

windows of the Holy Spirit have

become a yearly project with Sixth

Class. Some boys love getting messy

and whatever materials we are using,

they have them everywhere in seconds

while others are very orderly and keep

everything in it place. Some work fast

and some at a slower pace but at the

end of the day they all get their work

done and ready for display. It is such a

pleasure to watch the joy and pride

the boys feel when they see their creations

adorn the walls. Whichever and

whatever way they get the work done,

by the end of any given Tuesday, when

I finally can catch my breath, I look

around and lose it again- as I am

always amazed by the students’ work.

156

HOLY

STEPS

Communion &

Confirmation

Communion 2010 Confirmation 2010

From the very dawn of

St. Conleth’s, pupils have been

aware of the sacred status of the

steps which lead up to the ‘house’

at 28 Clyde Road. They are

reserved for the most serious of

purposes : first visits to the school,

important parental visits

(for good or bad ! ) and, most

memorably, for the obligatory

Communion and Confirmation

Class photos. These very

important ‘steps’ in the spiritual

life of our young Conlethians are

taken very seriously, and the

photos are just part of

the glorious celebration which

caps a year of intensive

preparation by the good priests

of St. Mary’s on Haddington

Road and their teachers.

Fr. Michael Collins, a Conlethian

past pupil himself, has continued

a long tradition of partnership

between the school and the parish.

Ms. Kelly, Mr. Murphy, Ms. Dillon,

Ms. Lennon, Ms. Leary, Ms. Cahill,

Mr. Sheridan and countless

parents have done the heavylifting

these last few years to

ensure that the boys are ready

when they come before Fr. Collins

and Msgr. Fitzpatrick for their

sacraments. And, of course, they

have also helped prepare for the

festive celebrations which always

accompany these important steps!

Communion 2011

Communion 2012

Communion 2013

Communion 2014

Confirmation 2011

Confirmation 2012

Confirmation 2013

Confirmation 2014


157


TALES AND THE

UNEXPECTED :

CREATIVE

FICTION FROM

ST. CONLETH’S

JUNIOR SCHOOL

by Ann Fallon

The works of fiction emanating from

the students of St. Conleth’s are always

imaginative and occasionally mindboggling.

Clichéd stories are rare here and

this year’s single ‘dog ate my homework’

tale told to one of our teachers

was eventually proven true when the

missing copybook was produced minus

canine, but with bite marks and saliva.

It is difficult to know what to expect

when entering a school corralling four

hundred creative minds (staff included)

but the annual Junior School trophy for

creative writing gives some indication of

what may be encountered.

The Kevin D. Kelleher Perpetual Trophy

for Creative Writing is now entering its

third year. The large trophy was chosen

and donated by the Parents Association

and has ignited the competitive

and creative talents of the Junior

School students. Tomas Clancy’s wilderness

adventure story was the first

winner, beating off some very fine

work from both Jack Cosgrave and

Louis Roche. Hugo FitzGerald, a wonderful

storyteller in his own right, was

only just beaten this year by Frank

Knowles whose story ‘Law Suit’ put the

judges in mind of a young Grisham

with a little touch of Poe’s darkness.

Aside from the overall winner, each

form competes for First, Second and

Third prizes with certificates awarded

at the end of year prize giving. From

the time writing begins, however,

many of the students are anxious to

read their work to their friends, either

during library time or in the classroom.

The confidence which this builds in

their ability to speak publicly, to tell a

good tale or make their friends laugh,

is invaluable.

The link between literary standards

and reading is constantly brought to

their attention by staff and the ability to

craft stories related back to the books

popular with their class. Second Form’s

stories were particularly influenced by

the Beast Quest stories this year, and

the knowledge of a basic story arc is

far advanced for their age.

The same link between reading and

writing ability was tested in 2011 with

Footsteps, our published selection of

work from the Preparatory and Junior

School. What started as a small selection

grew to contain work from most of

the students and gives a snapshot of

their development at that point in

school. It was published to mark the

first ever Junior Infants class in St. Conleth’s

and opened appropriately

enough with a description from one of

Ms. Kelly’s boys of his new school as

having ‘a red door and lots of flowers’.

The nostalgia which Luke and his

friends have for these early days is palpable

and still surprises me, when they

are together looking through the book

in their Second Form library class.

Footsteps is a lasting reflection of the

interest which St. Conleth’s parents and

staff encourage in storytelling. Both

Ms. Kelly’s Junior Infants and Ms. Redmond’s

Senior Infants provided us with

colourful illustrations and archetypal

Goodbye / Hello

It’s nearly June, the Summer is here,

The holidays start we are full of cheer,

Goodbye to the Junior Schooland all the boys,

Apologies to the teachersfor all our noise!

Thank you to all, teachers and friends

As Junior School now has come to an end,

We look forward to Senior School

when we walk through the gate

Except for the starting time of half past eight !!!

To all at St. Conleth’s Junior School,

Yours sincerely, Shane Downes.

images of family and friends, parties

and holidays. Ms. Dillon’s gory ‘Porky the

Pig’ story is both terrifying (this is the

imagination of first form boys) and hilarious

and has inspired this groups continued

and avid production of stories

and comic books over the years.

Ms. McGuinness’ Second Form story

‘The Swamp Monster’ elevated Keith

Duffy to heroism in Swampland, and

considering his recent film success, may

yet hit the big screen. Ms. Coleman’s

Third Form boys produced stories such

as Max Moore’s heartfelt review of

Soccer Legends and Adam Langford’s

‘The Diary of Steve, Age 10’, whose protagonist

is far more adventurous than

any Wimpy Kid. Kennings, Tankas,

Haiku, Epitaphs, Tongue Twisters, Clerihews

and, of course, Limericks were

contributed by Mr. Kilcommons’ Fourth

Form, showing the varieties of poems

which he introduces the boys to before

they begin to become self-conscious.

The progression then into Ms. Walshe’s

Fifth Form and Mr. Murphy’s Sixth Form

classes is clear in their ability to review

classic books and to write their own

beautifully formed short stories. It was

Shane Downes’ tongue in cheek poem

Goodbye/Hello which ended the publication

and shows the confidence and

fun which they will bring to their next

cycle in the senior school .

Ann Fallon is the School Librarian and is also currently

working on a Ph.D. in English on James Joyce.

158

A TEACHER’S

AND

MOTHER’S

PERSPECTIVE

by Caroline Coleman

There is a lot I love about being a

teacher. Teaching is one of those professions

that keeps your brain active

and young, allowing you to continue

your own journey as a student and a

lifelong learner. Working in St. Conleth’s

is such a rewarding experience.

Aside from the fact that it takes me

twenty minutes to get here, I have free

parking, my lunch is served up to me

every day and Friday staff treats are

abundant with creamy cakes, chocolate

and even cheese and crackers …

yes, something is missing here…and

here it is: there is nothing in the world

like that nine a.m. bell ringing in your

head, closing the door and opening

up a small world of wonder and

amazement. Just the boys and I.

Teaching Fourth Class is so much fun.

Kids are gas. If I didn’t find them

amusing, I would be bald. I would

have pulled out all my hair a long time

ago. They find humour in everything:

like when the white-board pen won’t

work and they are telling me how to

fix it, as if I don’t know (I actually don’t,

but that is not the point!). Or when

I can’t find something and start getting

antsy: ‘Miss it’s just beside your left

hand on your desk, just in front of you,

can you not see it?’ like a chorus. Or

when something falls off the wall! And

of course the funniest thing ever for

males of a certain age: (actually,

males in general!): jokes about breaking

wind. Yes, this is just hilarious

EVERY time. Only recently one of the

boys brought in a didgeridoo and

another suggested taking it into the

toilet cubicle when school starts and

play it. After the noise, the laughter,

imitations, and more laughter, they

relive the hilarity by writing about it.

Anything for effect.

I often find myself laughing out loud at

some of the boy’s written work. They

forget their audience. Family secrets,

private family business- all are so

innocently incorporated into stories.

(Have no fear, parents. I keep those

secrets to myself… and my blog audience.)

My usual response of ‘Oh, my

God! What is your mother going to say

when she sees this? You will be murdered!’

is met with laughter. For me,

this laughter is the key. I love how

much laughter they contribute to my

life, and perhaps I (usually unwittingly)

provide for them: both in the actual

occurrences of flatulence, falling over,

or accidentally calling me ‘Mum!’ and

in the endless retelling of said events.

Often I am straight-faced on the exterior:

you do have to do some of the ole

‘reading, writing and arithmetic’ with

some semblance of solemnity. But

inside I am just cracking up as little

Johnny reads his horror story which

inevitably involves blood, gore and a

good few ‘bottom burps’.

Teaching is a skill I firmly believe. Everyone,

a professional teacher or not,

has taught someone something at

some point. When you have a boy

that struggles and then suddenly they

hit the ‘Miiiiiiisssss, I get it noooow!!!’

moment, the lights which spark to life

could light up a city.

Every day there are little triumphs like

this. It never ceases to bore me. Each

day is different. I have worked many

jobs since I was a teenager: in restaurants,

hotels, street stalls and, finally,

in banking. Some of these (guess

which ones!) were boring and as

I completed my H Dip I remember

thinking, correctly, that I will never be

bored in this job. Tired, frustrated,

insane, filled with a murderous rage….

but never bored!

Since I joined St. Conleth’s in 2010,

I have never been happier in a job.

I never wake up with the dread of

going to work. And my son, who

attends St. Conleth’s, never dreads

going to school. Sunday night blues

don’t exist for us. This, I think, is

because I work with a great bunch of

supportive colleagues in both the

Junior and Senior school, and that the

boys and their parents so enthusiastically

engage with the Conlethian

ethos: an ethos of learning, co-operation,

respect and, yes… laughter.

The Colemans

- Always happy to head to school!

Ms. Coleman

enjoying the weather at Sports Day Always ready to engage in an activity!


159


The Leary-Prosts

THE LEARYS,

THE PROSTS

AND ST. CONLETH’S

A MULTI-GENERATIONAL AFFAIR

by Elaine Leary

Having three generations of our family

in St. Conleth’s, our connection spans

some six decades – both Prosts and

Learys (by marriage) !

Dublin in the 1950s was a very different

place to the city it is today. Peter

was dropped off to school in a Ford

Prefect. No traffic jams in Donnybrook

then! So no excuse to be late when

Mr. Murphy (the first one!) was waiting

at the front door ringing the old school

bell with Mr. Kelleher in the wings.

Mr. Michael Murphy was still teaching

when Arthur, Barry and Tim started. He

was still associated with the aroma of

his pipe tobacco! In the 1950s one of

the year’s highlights was the annual

Sports Day where all pupils would

Junior School Concert

dress in whites and do gymnastics on

the school lawn to the accompaniment

of the No.1 Army Band and to the

delight of the school founders Mr. and

Mrs. Sheppard, proud parents, and

under the watchful eye of Mr. Kelleher.

The canteen of the 50s featured homemade

delicasies - with any spillages

immediately snapped up by Mrs.

Sheppard’s pair of Dachshund dogs!

Moving to the 1980’s and Tim, who

also has lovely memories of early

school days and getting a great education

: Tim’s class learned how to read

using ‘The Long Book’ (was that the

name of the book or was it the shape?!)

with a fit and healthy Mrs. Kelleher/

Sheppard, who was a much loved and

respected teacher. Tim remembers his

schooldays of having fun and making

great friends. British Bulldogs and a

game of Scotch played with a tennis

ball in the yard – Clarke was class

champion – were looked forward to as

were trips to rugby matches to support

the rugby players in the class – Sexton,

Devlin and Ritchie, in particular.

All the boys celebrated Communion,

Confirmation and graduation from

Junior to Senior School – a bit daunting

being suddenly the ‘little squirts’ of the

senior school after being the bosses of

the junior! – then senior school graduation

and the debs. All remember the

girls joining the class in 5th Year, a lifechanging

moment for some! Tim and

Elaine’s first date was at the debs in

1987 and they never looked back!

ST. CONLETH’S

COLLEGE

PREPARATORY

SCHOOL

by Dolores Kelly

St.Conleth’s Preparatory School opened

its doors in 2010, full of excitement

inviting our new 4-to-5 year olds into

the welcoming arms the Junior School.

Having worked in St. Conleth’s for

almost fourteen years, this was to be a

new adventure.

A team of three teachers : Ms. McGuinness

(First Form); Ms. Redmond (Senior

Infants) and myself (Junior Infants) are

all under the umbrella of our Junior

School and its Principal, Mr. Murphy. In

the Preparatory School we follow the

standard primary school curriculum

set down by the Department of Education

and Science. In addition, the

boys are taught French, Speech/

Drama, Music/Singing, Computers,

Art, Science, Gymnastics, and swimming.

We offer extra-curricular activities

such as Karate, Chess, individual

music/musical instrument learning,

Tennis and Fencing. To facilitate the

classes further, ’One of a Kind’ are an

after-school company that successfully

run a programme with us, from

1.30 to 6pm daily.

Our aim is to have fun learning, and

for the boys to be active participants in

their education. In the preparatory

school the boys have an opportunity

to grow academically, emotionally,

creatively, physically and spiritually in

a safe environment. With the experience

of our teachers and the support

of Mr. Kelleher, Ms. Sheppard and

Mr. Murphy all of these needs are

being met.

Working with the boys in the preparatory

school has been an absolute

pleasure. Each day brings new experiences

which I hope will continue for

many more years to come.

160

Barry

and Frank

Knowles

BARRY :

John

and Louis

Devlin

JOHN :

Richard

and Zac

Carr

RICHARD :

Ronan

and Ted

O’Kelly

RONAN :

Kathrin

Chambers

and Luke

and Mathew

Sherlock

KATHRIN :

1971 to 1982 Physics. I particularly

enjoyed the practicals in

the lab.

Mr. Kelleher’s voice

booming down the

corridors as he did his

daily rounds!


While the school has been

developed and modernised over

the intervening years, so much

remains reassuringly familiar.

1973-1984 Geography - it was a

broad, interesting and

varied subject that taught

you about other countries.

Mr. Murphy,

on my first day.

Louis was keen to go to an

all-boys school.

1984 to 1990 History with

Peter Gallagher.

Peter Gallagher’s

unrelenting use of reverse

psychology to improve

grades; “Mr. (insert name),

the C - that I have just

given you reminds me that

you will remain mediocre

for life!“ … It usually worked!

Great memories!

1973-1984 History was favourite

subject because of the

way Peter Gallagher

brought Renaissance

History to life.

My memories in

St. Conleth’s were very

happy ones :

I loved the sport and craic

and camaraderie and

the life-long friends

I made there.

To be honest I probably never left

as I have been involved in the

Past Pupils’ Union since I

graduated. I hope Ted has similar

experiences of the home-awayfrom-home

experience which

I had and has strong memories of

his time in St. Conleth’s.

1985-1986 I’m the classic story of a Pembroke girl who moved to St. Conleth’s for Sixth Year. Mind you

I spent a lot of my time there in Fifth Year as I was studying Chemistry and Physics

(Mr. McGrath might have some comments on my definition of studying!).

Unusually, both my brother and I were in the same class and we graduated with the class of

1986. Dave MacNicholas was also in the class. My sisters also went to Conleth’s, finishing up

in 1988 and 1990, I think.


Odran

and Louis

Graby

ODRAN :

1979-1990 History. Peter Gallagher

could make history come

alive in the classroom.

Beating Kilkenny to win

the Junior Plate. Losing to

Kilkenny in the SCT.Twice!

A well-rounded education.

Academic achievement. Values

such as loyalty etc …

Peter

and James

O’Neill

PETER :

My Leaving Cert

Year was 1988

and I was in

Second Form in

1977! (If my

calculations

are correct … )

History - Peter Gallagher

was entertaining to say

the least. Economics - Pat

McGrath : ‘Peoples’

behavior with money’ - a

legend! I also liked

Computers / Science with

Michael (Mick) Manning.

I made some really good

friends there. (I met my

wife through them!)

I felt very at home there.

I can remember Peter

Gallagher always saying

“Mediocrity is the bane of

Irish Society.”

I feel secure that he will be happy

and well educated not only

academically but spirituality and

socially also. Also I am impressed

with how mannerly the boys are. It

is a home away from home. And

there is a family tradition : his

uncles attended St. Conleth’s.

Gerard

and Harry

Roche

GERARD :

I arrived in the

school in

September 1969

entering 3rd

Form. I did my

Leaving

Certificate in the

summer of 1979.

My favourite subject was

History. I loved learning

about the past because

I thought it was exciting

and interesting. I also had

a great teacher in senior

school, the former

principal Peter Gallagher.

My memories are happy

ones in that I felt it gave

me a good education in a

caring and inclusive

environment. I made

some great friends with

whom I am still in contact

with to this day.

I believe that inclusivity is one of

the school’s greatest strengths.

The quality of education has

always been top notch. Both my

older brothers have sent their kids

here and I know they would say

the same.

Niamh Redmond is the First Form Teacher in St. Conleth’s Junior School

by Niamh Redmond

What years did

you attend

St. Conleth’s?

What was your

favourite subject and

why?

Do you have any lasting

memories of your time

in St. Conleth’s?

What was it about St. Conleth’s

that encouraged you to send

your son here?

161

THEN AND NOW

CURRENT JUNIOR SCHOOL PUPILS

AND THEIR PAST PUPIL PARENTS

162

THE DEVELOPMENT

OF SPORT IN

ST. Conleth’s JS

by Tony Kilcommons

The ethos of the Junior School in relation to sport rightly

stresses participation and enjoyment as the two key elements.

To make this a reality for each and every boy in the

school, the sporting landscape has had to change dramatically

in the last five years. Increasing the choice of

activities on offer to the students was vital.

For the different sports to become established and indeed

thrive in St. Conleth’s Junior School we needed the co-operation

and spirit of volunteerism of the parents, without

which the continued development would not be possible.

We are very lucky to have such an accommodating staff,

and principal in Mr. Pat Murphy, who is happy to allow the

boys to leave class to fulfil various sporting fixtures, sometimes

at very short notice. And, of course, Gavin Maguire

and especially Mr. Shay Keenan put a huge amount of personal

time and effort into the running of the sports programme

in the school.

The traditional sport of St. Conleth’s, RUGBY, has undergone

a huge facelift in recent years. First and foremost, the

boys now really look the part - gone are the old, heavy,

faded woollen jerseys, although they still emerge from the

back of some wardrobes during extended wet and mucky

weather. In their place are cool reversible jerseys, along

with socks, togs and even school gum shield. Having

improved the look of the team photos, the more difficult job

now is to make the boys look more fearsome.

The rugby fixture is unrecognisable from five years ago

and is continuing to grow. Mid-week games during class

time are obviously very popular with the students but in

fairness, the boys also turn up in droves for the regular

Saturday morning fixtures as well (a bit too regular for

some parents, perhaps more accustomed to the precious

sleep-in!) An away fixture against Sallins National School in

Naas was added to the annual road trip to Headfort in

Meath this year. It is hoped that as more primary schools

form teams that the fixture list will continue to evolve.

The use of Old Belvedere RFC for training and as a home

pitch for midweek fixtures has also been of benefit. The

school’s astro facility in Herbert Park is also put to good use

for tag rugby; indeed, Fifth and Sixth Form recently completed

a block of tag training under the guidance of a Leinster

Development Officer. It is hoped that organised tag

rugby will now become a more permanent feature of the

rugby calendar.

Gavin Maguire and Mr. Shay Keenan



163

164

AND THE REST …

Every year seems to get busier from a sporting perspective

for the Junior School.

SWIMMING made its bow this year as part of the PE curriculum

and, judging by the positive feedback from pupils

and students alike, is her to stay.

TENNIS would probably be popular in St. Conleth’s even if

the boys didn’t get to go to early lunch to receive coaching

from Ciaran in Herbert Park. The last five years has seen

the school enter a team in the Leinster Primary School’s

Tennis Leagues and Mr. Keenan is always trying to unearth

new talent with his class tournaments.

FENCING has always been a traditional feature of the

Junior School. Indeed, incoming Fifth Former James Moriarty

Smyth is currently ranked fifth in his age group in Ireland.

There is SOCCER coaching after school every Wednesday

and the teachers in moments of weakness do sometimes

give in to the persistent (pleeeeease sir!) requests for PE

class to consist of a simple good old-fashioned game of

ball. We have reached the final of the last three AIJS

5-aside soccer tournaments, winning once and we try to fit

in a couple of friendly-ish soccer matches against John

Scottus in the final term.


165

The last couple of years has seen ATHLETICS take hold as

a feature of the Junior School sports timetable. We have

entered teams in the Cumann na mBunscoil athletics in

Santry and just this year hosted the AIJS Athletics meeting

in Irishtown Stadium which was a huge success with over

two hundred boys and girls competing. The stadium has

already been booked for a trial day next year so all pupils

get the chance to impress. The effortless cool attitude of the

senior school basket-ballers has obviously filtered down to

the Junior School. Mr. Keenan takes the ever-expanding

group for training after school on a Monday and prepares

them well for the annual AIJS tournament in Castlepark.

GOLF too has inevitably forced its way on to the scene. We

enter a team in to the Junior School tournaments and the

last three years has seen an average of twenty five boys

enter the annual golf outing for the boys in Marlay Park

Golf Club. Some enthusiastic parents have also booked

group lessons for the boys in Leopardstown Golf Centre on

Saturday mornings. The surge in popularity of cricket in the

country was reflected in the block of coaching undertaken

by our Fifth and Sixth Form in our local Merrion Cricket Club

in the last term this year. It was a huge success and we

would hope to develop the strong bonds that already exist

between the club and our school.


166

Last but by no means least, is the popular HOMBU DOJO

MARTIAL ARTS classes taught by Ed Charmant after

school on Tuesdays. Even Mr. Murphy wants to find out

how Ed manages to obtain such total obedience and focus

from the boys every week. I’m not sure after school classes

are quite so calm!

CHESS is the most competitive activity in the Junior School.

Scores of pupils with furrowed brows contemplate their

next move under the expert guidance of Grand Master

Alex Baburin every Thursday. It is interesting to see the

cross section of students who take their chess very seriously

and there is always a very high number of entrants

for the annual Junior School in-house tournament. Hugo

FitzGerald and David Kennedy have dominated in the last

four years but both were toppled by current champion

Sean Hunter. Teams from the school regularly feature

amongst the prizes in Alex’s Junior Chess tournaments.

Our school team competes strongly in the Leinster Primary

School’s Chess League and, indeed,we reached the finals

in Bray two years ago. We hope to enter a second team in

this year’s league for the first time.

The move to Irishtown Stadium a number of years ago has

proved to be a great success for the Junior School SPORTS

DAY. Despite annually clashing with various cousins’ Communion

Days, great crowds turn up to witness the boys run,

jump, fall, cry and throw all manner of objects, including

tantrums. Some boys only reluctantly hand over their halfeaten

burger or ice-cream cone to starter Mr. Keenan

seconds before the start of their event. The medals are liberally

handed out by Mr. Kelleher, although he sometimes

is heard to wonder out loud, “Who’s paying for all of these?”

Since the tug-o-war rope mysteriously went missing, the

parents have been able to redirect their energy into coordinating

the event with the Sports Department and it is

definitely now one of the highlights of the school year.



167

168

END-OF-YEAR SCHOOL TRIP

The END-OF-YEAR SCHOOL TRIP is a sure sign that the

teachers, as well as pupils, have one eye on the upcoming

holidays. We love nothing more than to hand over the

hyperactive students to the instructors to be trained in all

manner of physically demanding activities. When offered,

the teachers usually feel a slight head cold coming on and

so cannot participate and instead seek out the nearest

coffee pot and a safe vantage point. The boys have

descended on W5 in Belfast, high ropes in Courtown,

Co. Wexford, Surfdock in Dublin and assorted adventure

centres within a ninety minute drive of Ballsbridge. The

summer trip is always a firm favourite with the pupils and

our photos prove it!



169

Eimhinn Herbots,

Theo Mulligan,

Christopher Kelly Dunne,

Hugh Leahy,

Frederick Farrington,

Leonard Spollen.

170

Junior Infants

2014 - 2015

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Nathan Keogh,

David Hearns,

Sam MacKenzie,

Christopher Comer,

Joseph Reynolds,

Harrison Noble.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Harry Horneck,

Joseph Finnegan,

Paddy Cosgrove,

Finn Foley Boland,

Faris O’Reilly,

Conor Daly,

Tadgh O’Connell,

Conor Hunter.

ABSENT

Frankie Donnelly.

Senior Infants

2014 - 2015

BACK ROW (L-R) :

David MacNicholas,

John Kennedy,

James Kelly Bowen,

Luca Kennedy,

Joe Donnelly,

Liam Hunter,

Harrison Groarke.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :


Michael Moore,

Francesco Chiriaco,

Leo Whelan,

Louis Graby,

Jamie MacNicholas.

John Byrne,

Tathagat Kumar,

Myles Moriarty Smyth,

Rian MacFarlane,

Matthew Sherlock,

Conor Foley Boland.

Alex Corrigan,

Sean MacFarlane,

Patrick Coleman,

Harry Miller,

Charlie Kennedy.

1st Class

2014 - 2015

171

BACK ROW (L-R) :

MIDDLE ROW (L-R) :

Ross McPartlin,

Alejandro Medina Santos,

Art Crowley Healy,

Ben Wallace,

Milo Campbell,

Kelley Boyle.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

2nd Class

2014 - 2015

BACK ROW (L-R) :

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Joseph Grace,

Scott Herbots,

Joseph Kelleher,

Francis Quinn,

Lochlainn Connor.

Riccardo Mastrantonio.


ABSENT

172

3rd Class

2014 - 2015

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Charles Ryan,

Luke Timlin,

Nicolai Bjerke Morris,

Richard Caldwell,

Andrew Morgan,

Turlough Dineen.

MIDDLE ROW (L-R) :

James O’Neil,

Jude Moes,

Con O’Sullivan,

Daragh Mulligan,

Jack Boyle,

Hugo Blanchfield.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Louis McGovern,

Kazim Haider,

Arthur Fitzpatrick,

Russell Bolger,

Matthew Healy Crowley.

4th Class

2014 - 2015

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Coleman Hegarty,

Alex Daly- Clarke,

Luke Tynan,

Kieran Campbell,

Rian McGonigle,

Michael-James Quinn,

Johnny Corr.

MIDDLE ROW (L-R) :

Jonathan Cunningham- Ash,

David Heffernan,

Jamie Kennedy,

Ben Kelly Bowen,

Joseph Duffy Naughton,

Eoin Hunter,

Oleg Bushtyrkov.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

James Clancy,

Luke Sherlock,

Richard Sheahan,

Marcus Lyons,

Val Dowling,

Joseph O’Shea,

Riccardo Rasini,

Benjamin O’Brien.


5th Class

2014 - 2015

173

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Thomas McKenna,

Michael-Daniel Coady,

Joseph Bergin,

James Moriarty-Smyth.

MIDDLE ROW (L-R) :

Zach O’Neill,

Sean Hunter,

Morton Ainscough,

Ruben Grace,

Louis Grennell.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Sean Caldwell,

Trevor Bolger,

Oscar O’Neill,

James Lawlor,

Matthew McKeown.

ABSENT

Anthony Steyn.

6th Class

2014 - 2015

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Matthew Corcoran,

Harry Sisson,

James Corr,

George Kenny,

Leo Dowling,

Nollaig Mulligan,

Sean Verdon.

MIDDLE ROW (L-R) :

Dylan Alves,

Nicholas Cunningham- Ash,

Jack Buckley,

Spencer O’Connell,

Joshua McCormack,

Dylan Wallace,

Adam O’Reilly.


FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Zachary Carr,

Harry Roche,

Louis Devlin,

Ted O’Kelly,

Nickolay Antonov,

Mark Connor,

Jeffrey Rich.

Senior School Parents’ Association

by Paul Allen

St. Conleth’s College has experienced many changes in its 75 year history. But the most important

characteristic of the college is that it has not changed from its founding values and principles.

When Mary and I, both with no previous affiliations with any Dublin second-level school,

came to selecting a school for our three boys, we looked for a nurturing, caring and happy school

that fosters an environment where our children could grow as individuals and be developed to

the best of their abilities, whatever they might be.

We wanted a school that gives its students the support and the tools to confidently choose and

create their own futures. Where students will gain the ability to develop and express their ideas

articulately, comprehensively and with conviction. They will have collaborated in teams and worked

alone and felt the challenges, frustration and the satisfaction of both. Where they understand that

nothing of real value can be easily accomplished but only through co-operation and sustained effort.

The school we wanted for our children would allow its students to consider their own personal

values. Where they will be expected to behave morally, respectfully and honourably; be inspired

by Christian values and respectful of other beliefs. It celebrates its students’ individualities, to

be valued for who they are, and focuses on empowering and guiding rather than controlling, and

on reflecting and listening rather than judging. In St. Conleth’s College we found that school.

Of course these values and principles do not just happen – they require much nurturing and

support and are only possible through the dedication, hard work and commitment of the teachers,

management and staff of the school; and they need to be embraced and supported by students,

parents and guardians.

We are all part of the St. Conleth’s family, a close-knit framework that creates the warm, friendly

and happy environment of the school. Although the Senior School Parents’ Association has only

been in existence for 15 of those 75 years, parental involvement has always been of paramount

importance and embraced and appreciated by the school, which recognises our primary role in

the students’ growth and development. Now through the Parents’ Association, we strive to be

an important support and informational network both for parents and the school.

Communication between parents and the school is an important part of making the school an

open, happy and welcoming place, this is especially the case at second level. The Parents’ Association

provides a forum for the interaction between parents and the school - consulting parents

regarding school policy, plans and activities and organising and encouraging parent participation

in matters of common interest. In St. Conleth’s there are a large number of activities, events and

successes happening and increasing parental involvement and awareness of these is vital to the

healthy life and well-being of the school.

By using the class representative network, we look to ensure that all parents in the school have

a known direct contact and that the perspectives of parents are brought into discussions and

decisions directly. We want the Parent Association to continue to be the place where questions,

concerns or comments around issues affecting the school can be sounded and shared with the

decision-making bodies of the school. To kick start this process each year we host the school

lunches in the first term where parents can get together.

school and the Association. The parents were heavily involved again with the running of the

Annual Sports Day which went off successfully despite the weather. The final act of the year for

the Association was the production of the second newsletter and the uniform swap day which is

a great way of recycling school clothing that are no longer required and also raising money for

the Uganda Appeal.

As you can see, the JSPA is alive and well in 2014. For parents the rewards from serving on the

committee are many. Firstly, there is an opportunity to be involved with parents who are interested

in enriching the school environment for all the pupils. Secondly, to hear about the plans and

policies of the school management and to contribute where appropriate. The Junior School Principal

attends all committee meetings which permits the exchange of information. Thirdly, there

is the social aspect : over my time on the committee I have met parents from other classes whom

I would now count as friends. So, if you wish to contribute in any way please don’t be shy and put

yourselves forward. The committee is only as good as its members.

On behalf of the parents in the Junior School I wish to congratulate Mr. Kelleher, Ms. Sheppard and

all the staff on making St. Conleth’s College what it is and what it has been for the last 75 years.

Parents in Action at Sporstday 2010 Parents and Pupils at the Annual PA Cakesale

JUNIOR SCHOOL

PA CHAIRPERSONS

Andrew McDowell, a past pupil

and Special Advisor to the Taoiseach,

was the 2014 PA Guest Speaker

2013 … Angela Roche

2011 – 2013 Niamh Moriarty-Smyth

2009 – 2011 Bronagh Carvill

2007 – 2009 Olivia Tyrrell

2006 - 2007 Eilis Dowling

2004 – 2006 Debra O’Neill

2002 – 2004 Mary Sutton

2000 - 2002 Tom O’Neill

1999 - 2000 Brendan Quinn

Over the past two years we have introduced our Parents’ Association newsletter which is available

via e-mail and on the school website. This has taken a big effort in putting it together and

we hope that all parents, guardians, and others find it informative and useful. This year we will

develop this further and take wider contributions from parents, staff, students, etc., in addition

to using other social media facilities to further achieve our communication objectives.

The Parents’ Association is a way for parents to get engaged in the life of the school, giving

everyone an opportunity to advance the supportive atmosphere and culture of the school. We

sponsor a number of parent talks each year to foster information sharing and dialogue between

the parents. For example, in the past twelve months we organised an excellent talk by Sheila

O’Malley on parenting teens at our AGM and also a talk for senior cycle parents “Cracking the

College Code” by Catherine O’Connor on supporting students preparing for the first year of college

life.

In the area of fundraising the Parents’ Association has actively contributed to the Uganda fund,

working with the school and the Transition Year students on the Christmas tree sale, organising the

end-of-year uniform sale and supporting various other activities throughout the year. We assist the

school and students in many other ways, including taking a role in planning the Sixth Year debs,

sponsoring school prizes, assisting with school open days and cooking food at the Sports Day.

There are many good reasons for parents to get involved at school and joining the Parents’ Association

activities is one key way. Not only will the school reap the benefits of your involvement -

the parents involved will, too. By interacting with school management and staff, and other parents

on a regular basis, parents will gain a first-hand understanding of the school’s working and activities.

As a Parents’ Association we know that there is still much more that we can do. We welcome

contributions from parents, guardians, students, teachers, management and staff, past pupils and

others and we look forward to continuing the great work of those that came before us.

75 years of excellence in education is an outstanding achievement and on behalf of all parents of

the Senior School I wish to congratulate the school management, teachers and staff. As our

school motto says “Fide et Fortitudine” – we will proceed to the next 75 years with the strength

of mind that will enable us to endure any adversity with courage.

SENIOR SCHOOL PA

CHAIRPERSONS

Senior Chairman Paul Allen, Ann Sheppard

Current and Former Junior PA Chairpersons

Angela Roche and Niamh Moriarty and Mr. Kelleher

2001 Gerry Cahill

2003 Tom Marren

2004 Peter Cosgrave

2006 Laura Power

2007 Brian Daly

2008 Sunniva Prasifka

2009 Des McCarthy

2012- Paul Allen

Junior School Parents’ Association

by Angela Roche

The Junior School Parents’ Association was set up in 1999 as a way for parents to be more

interactive with the school. A constitution was drawn up with two primary objectives :

– “To provide a forum for the interaction between, pupils, parents and the College in pursuit of

the aims of St. Conleth’s College. These aims are to provide an environment, within a Catholic

ethos, where each pupil can reach his academic potential and personal development is given

scope to grow.“

– “To inform and consult parents regarding school policy, plans and activities.“

All parents and guardians of boys enrolled in St. Conleth’s Junior School are deemed to be

members of the Association. A committee is elected each academic year with two representatives

from each class. A Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer are also appointed. The maximum

term for any committee member is three years and an AGM is held each October.

Since its establishment, the Association has contributed to the School in so many ways. It has

acted as a good way for parents to network and get to know each other. It also provides a channel

for a parent to raise an issue of concern, which can be brought to the attention of the class representative

who can in turn report it to the committee. However, the constitution states “The Association

will not typically seek to involve itself in individual pupil or pupil/teacher issues, but will

encourage parent participation in matters of common interest.” Most times the issues raised will

be queries about, or suggestions for, improvement in some aspect of school life.

The Association has contributed to the life of the Junior School by organising a series of events

that have become fixtures on the Junior School calendar. For example, the parents and guardians

from each class are invited to a lunch in the school in September as a way of involving them with

the school and each other. A guest speaker is invited to the A.G.M. each year to speak on a topic

relevant to Junior School pupils. This year, the guests were Mr. Martin Murphy and Ms. Orla Callanan

who gave a fascinating interactive presentation of the “Murphy Reading Programme“. They

showed an innovative and engaging way of teaching this vital and, indeed, life skill for all our boys.

At Christmas, the Association organised a Christmas workshop in aid of St. Vincent de Paul

where unwanted toys, games, books etc. were gathered up, sorted and sent out to a conference

in a deprived area of Dublin. The annual book fair was held in the school in November, which

helps to provide books for a library in each classroom.

At the beginning of March, the Association produced its first official newsletter : it really shows

that St. Conleth’s has a really active Junior School. Our newsletters are available under the

Parents Association in the Junior School section of St. Conleth’s website. I suggest that you take

a look at them as they will give a great flavour of the events the boys partake in.

In May, the Association organised a visit to the school by Andrew McDowell, a past pupil of

St. Conleth’s who is the Special Advisor to the Taoiseach. He gave a fascinating insight into

working at the coalface of Irish politics to the boys of fifth and sixth form. Also in May, the Association

helped run the Association of Independent Junior Schools Athletics meeting which was

hosted by St. Conleth’s in Irishtown Stadium. 16 Teams and over 200 athletes took part and it

was a resounding success for the school. Hopefully it will become an annual event run by the

STAFF 2014

Seamus Callaghan,

Ciarán Kenny,

Stephen Sheridan,

Alan Trenier,

Tony Kilcommons,

Sinéad Walsh,

BACK ROW (L-R) :

Gavin Maguire.

Seamus Gallagher,

Niall Flynn,

Julien Porzadny,

Charles Latvis,

Pamela Murphy,

Anne Ryan,

4TH ROW (L-R) :

Pearse Ahern,

Sinéad Fay,

Ronan Bolger.

3RD ROW (L-R) :

Gerard Cummiskey,

Ann Fallon,

Pat McGrath,

Niamh Redmond,

Rachel Lennon,

Elaine Leary,

John Carvill.

2ND ROW (L-R) :

Elisa Cohen,

Richeal Dillon,

Leslie McGuinness,

Gobnait NiAonghusa,

Sandra Ringland,

Louise Halpin,

Shay Keenan,

Caroline Killen,

Caroline Coleman.

FRONT ROW (L-R) :

Dolores MacMahon,

Dolores Kelly,

Donal ODulaing,

Kevin Kelleher,

Ann Sheppard,

Pat Murphy,

Angelina Hopkins.



177

Linguist

Award 2011

Sarah Finn

Music

Award 2010

Christopher Murphy

Art

Award 2013

Becky Donnelly

Galileo Science

Award 2010

Austin Craig

John Kelly

Award 2011

Imogen Fitzgerald

AIB Maths

Award 2013

James Clarke

Murph Cup 2013

Simon Ghose

Hamilton History

Award 2011

Jamine Hett (+mother)

Geography

Award 2014

Ross Duffy

Woods Bowl 2014

Catherine Prasifka

J.P. McGilligan

Winner 2012

Sean Moriarty

BERNARD SHEPPARD MEDAL

This award is given for academic excellence in Sixth Year. A trust fund was set up by the Past Pupils to commemorate the founder of

St. Conleth’s. The medal was first awarded in 1959. It is presented to the student who attains the highest points in the Leaving Certificate

in St. Conleth’s each year.

Philip McDonald Jack Nolan Kyrill Zorin Christopher Swords David Hassett

BANK OF IRELAND PUPIL OF THE YEAR AWARD

This award is presented annually by the Bank of Ireland to the Best Overall Pupil in Sixth Year. The winner is decided on by a vote of the

students and their class teachers. The criteria used are participation, personal development, maturity, potential leadership, integration

and commitment.

Michael O’Dwyer Michael Foley Susie Carey Kevin Roche Evan Kennedy

THE MURPH CUP

This award was presented by Brian MacMahon, past pupil, in memory of Michael Murphy, former teacher. It is awarded to the pupil who

attains the highest marks in the Junior Certificate.

Paul O’Dwyer Daniel Coleman Pierce Cambay Simon Ghose Sean Pettitt

THE WOODS BOWL

Presented to St.Conleth’s by Philip Woods in 2000, it was designed with Celtic motifs and extracts from the Book of Kells and hand turned

by a member of the Woods family. This award is presented for a project done in the broad context of Celtic Studies, including History, the

Irish language and Anglo-Irish Literature and Art.

Liam Brophy Michael Coleman Treasa Moriarty Alistair Daly Catherine Prasifka

MUSIC AWARD

A porcelain music symbol by Michelle Hannon, presented to the school by the Class of 2006 and awarded to the pupil who has contributed

most to music in the school.

Chris Murphy Molly Van der Lee Michael Burton Kevin Roche Evan Kennedy

LINGUIST AWARD

Even though the Linguist Award has been awarded since 2008 and a keepsake given to recipients an actual trophy was commissioned by

past pupil Odhran Woods in 2013 by St. Conleth’s. The piece is two vessels hollow turned from two separate trees. One is a carved and

textured maple vessel while the other is an ebonized oak vessel. Both vessels face slightly towards each other as in in conversation.

Philip McDonald Sara Finn Kyrill Zorin Paul O’Dwyer Matthew Collins

JOHN KELLY AWARD

The John Kelly Award is in memory of Professor John Kelly who attended St. Conleth’s between 1939-1945. He later became a Fine Gael TD

and Attorney General. It was presented to the school in 1992. The perpetual trophy is a bronze head of a Grecian youth cast by the sculptor

Linda Brunker. The award is given to a Fifth or Sixth year student for excellence in Classics to include Latin, Greek, Classical Studies and

Modern Languages, based on a portfolio of written work in any of the above areas.

Robert Noonan Imogen FitzGerald Michael Hassett Conan Quinn Robert Byrne

SPORTS AWARD

This perpetual trophy was presented to the school by the 1995 Leaving Certificate Class. It is awarded each year for outstanding

achievement in sport, decided on by a committee chaired by Shay Keenan.

Patrick O’Neill Jack Nolan Alex O’Brien Karl Finn Ariana Coyle

GALILEO THERMOMETER SCIENCE AWARD

Presented to the school in 2000 by Dr. Brian Beveridge, one of the first pupils at St. Conleth’s. He later studied Medicine and went on to

become a noted consultant in London. This award is given to a Sixth Year student for overall excellence in Science, including Maths,

Applied Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, or a combination of these subjects.

Austin Craig Jack Nolan Paul Craig Elena Soldini Alan King

HAMILTON HISTORY

Brothers Nicholas, Alex and Oliver Hamilton were students at St. Conleth’s from Second Form through Sixth Year. The Hamilton family

established this award which is presented to the pupil with the highest result in Leaving Certificate History.

Philip McDonald Jasmine Hett Conan Quinn Daniel Coleman

AIB MATHS

AIB sponsors this award for the best Maths student over the duration of Fifth and Sixth Year.

Holly Davage James Clarke David Hassett

GEOGRAPHY AWARD

This is an inscribed Dublin Crystal globe which is awarded for excellence in Geography to a sixth year student.

Patrick O’Neill Emmet Barry Alex O’Brien Karl Finn Ross Duffy

ART AWARD

This is awarded to a student in Sixth Year who in the view of the adjudicators, chaired by the Art teacher, presents the best portfolio of

art work each year. The award is an inscribed Art Book.

Barry O’Neill Jack Collins Rory Harrington Becky Donnelly Jack Kirwan

J.P. MCGILLIGAN AWARD

Presented in memory of John Patrick McGilligan by his family. J.P. was tragically killed in a bicycle accident while a student in Transition

Year in 1990. The trophy is a bronze sculpture of the flight of the doves cast by John Behan. It is awarded to the best all round pupil in

Transition Year. The winner is decided on by a vote of the students and their teachers.

Kevin Roche Sean Moriarty Conor White Daniel Gilligan

DEBATING AWARDS 2010-2014

THE McCARTHY CUP

This cup was presented to the school by former pupil Gerard McCarthy and is awarded for excellence in debating in First Year.

Pierce Cambay Daniel Gilligan Shane Donnelly Simon Pettit Alex Kennedy

THE O’CONNOR CUP

This cup was presented to the school by the O’Connor family and is awarded for excellence in debating in Second and Third Year.

Conan Quinn Christopher Costigan Conor White Daniel Gilligan Oisín Herbots

THE GARDNER PRIZE

Presented by alumnus Peter Carvill in 2004 in memory of Michael Gardner, English teacher in St. Conleth’s in the sixties and early

seventies. It is awarded to the best team for debating at the senior level.

Philip McDonald and Michael O’Dwyer Oscar Tuohy and Michael Foley

Matthew Collins and Christopher Costigan Paul O’Dwyer and Kevin Roche

Daniel Gilligan and Conor White

THE BOUCHIER HAYES PLATE

This plate for impromptu debating at the senior level was presented by the Bouchier-Hayes family in memory of their son, Dermot

Bouchier-Hayes, who attended St. Conleth’s and was a former auditor of the Literary and Historical Society in UCD.

Philip McDonald and Michael O’Dwyer Oscar Tuohy and Michael Foley

Paul O’Dwyer and Conan Quinn Paul O’Dwyer and Conan Quinn

Daniel Gilligan and Conor White

THE KINLEN CUP

The Kinlen Cup was inaugurated in 1949. It was presented to the school by Dermot Kinlen, a Conleth’s alumnus and High Court Judge.

The Cup is awarded to the best individual speaker in debating at the senior level.

Liam Brophy John Prasifka Eabhan Rowe Conan Quinn Matthew Collins

Much of the material for this article was sourced from the book “Fugitive Ireland” by Dr. Daniel Leach of Melbourne University.

Louis Feutren

1922 - 2009

by Joseph O’Dea, Class of 1986

In 1488, at the battle of Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier, the forces

of Charles VIII of France defeated those of Francis II, bringing

to an end the independence of Brittany from France. In

Ireland, we can readily empathise with the plight of a small,

long subdued, Celtic nation. Louis Feutren, who taught

French in St. Conleth’s College from 1954 until the Michaelmas

term of 1985, was, first and foremost, a Breton.

As a teacher of French, Feutren (known to his pupils as

‘Fruity’) had the power to control a class to a degree unlike

any other teacher I have experienced. Picture this : forty

plus teenage boys all sitting in absolute silence, books out,

arms folded, eyes forward, not a whisper to be heard - and

that, was before he came into the classroom. I have heard

some say that in earlier years he was not averse to the use

of physical deterrents and punishments, but I can attest

that in his last six years as a teacher (when he taught me),

disciplinary retribution came primarily in the form of

unfeasibly large translation penalties, as well as through

verbal rebuke that could put a shiver down your spine.

Feutren’s leaving certificate classes consistently achieved the

best average results in the country. Before the advent of oral

and aural examination, he would routinely produce a

number of near fluent speakers, with perfect accents. One

year, a delegate from the French Embassy in Dublin arrived

to make a presentation to the teacher responsible for such

high achieving students. The delegation was not permitted

into his classroom and left the school with its tail between its

legs. For Feutren deeply resented and even despised France

and everything French. For him teaching was a job, and one

that he excelled at, but the idea that the French State might

make him an award was an anathema to him.

Louis was a Breton Nationalist. Breton Nationalism emerged

in the nineteenth century and grew in the interwar period

of the 20th. Many Bretons were deeply influenced and

inspired by the 1916 Rising in Ireland. A significant minority

amongst their number believed that the best and most

appropriate course of action for them would be an armed

rebellion against French rule with the goal of achieving an

independent Breton State.

With the advent of the Second World War a number of militant

Breton Nationalists aligned themselves with the Nazi

occupiers of France. Forming a unit known as the Bezen

Perrot, this group became a section within the SD or Sicherheitsdienst,

the intelligence agency of the SS. The Bezen

Perrot fought in Nazi uniforms from the beginning of 1944

(without any Breton insignia, apparently at the insistence of

the Germans - so as not to insult the Vichy French) - initially

on security details and carrying out attack raids on the

French Resistance. Feutren and his comrades were taking a

lead from MacBride’s Brigade which fought with the Boers

in South Africa, and from Roger Casement’s Irish Brigade of

former POWs in the Great War. The logic of “the enemy of

my enemy is my friend” resonated with them just as “England’s

difficulty is Ireland’s opportunity” had with the Irish

revolutionaries who were the heroes of the Bezen Perrot.

After D-Day, the Bezen Perrot retreated from Rennes with

the German army across France, ending up in Tübingen in

south-western Germany in December 1944 and later in

Marburg when it fell to the advancing American armies in

April of the following year. Their belief in joining the

Germans was that for their actions, they would be awarded

an autonomous state once Germany had won the war.

Equally important to them was that they were formally

and militarily opposing France. Feutren always claimed

that the source of equipment and support was immaterial

and that they would readily have received support from

Moscow had it been forthcoming.

I, for one, find it difficult, at this remove, to understand or

to judge the actions of young men in the militaristic atmosphere

of the first half of the 20th century, and of the political

and violent actions taken within the fog of war. There can be

little doubt that the decision of the Bezen Perrot to fight

alongside the Nazis has relegated the Breton Nationalist ideology

to one which has garnered little sympathy ever since.

On the run after the war, Feutren and the remnants of the

Bezen Perrot were initially safe-housed by a German academic

who specialised in Breton and Celtic culture. Feutren

spent the winter of 1945-46 chopping wood in the British

zone of occupation and later posed as a student on holiday

as he made his way, first to Paris and then to Wales. In

December 1947 he came to Ireland (using false documents)

as de Valera’s government facilitated a number of such refugees

and fugitives from all over Europe.

Louis moved to Galway, living for a period in an old bus.

While taking a degree at University College Galway, he

funded his studies by setting up a photography business,

one of his lifelong interests. In this enterprise he was joined

by a fellow Breton, Yann Guiomard - the studio they

founded remains in operation to this day.

Louis’s mentor, both in Breton nationalism, and in other

matters of Celtic culture and even spirituality, was a man by

the name of Neven Henaff. Henaff also fled to Ireland after

the war and retreated somewhat into Celtic mysticism -

developing a Celtic 'Giam/Sam' spirituality leavened with

Japanese yin/yang theory and considerations of such things

as macrobiotic diet. For example, they believed we shouldn’t

eat potatoes - not only do they grow beneath the ground, but

they are not from Europe. He preferred buckwheat - which

he could associate as a food source as ancient and as local as

his Celtic ancestry. One sure-fire way to distract Fruity from

the rigour of imparting the subtleties of the French subjunctive,

or the difference in pronunciation of au dessus/au

dessous, was to ask him about what we should eat.

Feutren retired from St Conleth’s before Christmas in 1985.

He was not a teacher in the modern vein - he was there to

make us learn and not to be our friend. Although he instilled

more fear in his pupils than other teachers, it is probably

fair to say that he also imparted more learning than most.

Within 24 hours of his passing in November 2009, Louis

Feutren’s ashes had left Ireland, en route to his beloved

Brittany. They were scattered into the soil of his homeland,

in memory of the loss at Saint Aubin.

Olivia Mc Inerney, Class of 1994

18 February 1976 - 20 August 2002

Olivia very happily strode through the gates of St.Conleth’s

with several other excited schoolgirls in September 1992.

Akin to the first day for many girls at St.Conleth’s it was a

day full of both wonder and trepidation. Already rather

pleased to be attending a ‘boys’ school, she was no less

contented to discover that the first week was to be one

complete with half days. There was no looking back. Olivia

embraced her time at St.Conleth’s with great gusto.

Whether it was observing the error of parallax in Mr. Manning’s

physics class, singing beautifully in the Mikado or

smoking around the bandstand, Olivia gave it her all.

However, it was the Saturday morning art classes that held

her attention the most.

I fondly recall a particular week in the run up to the leaving

cert when Ms. Sheppard called each of us in to ask what we

intended to do after school. It was when Ann jokingly suggested

to Olivia that she might like to spend some time in

the south of France drawing that Olivia’s grá for St. Conleth’s

reached its peak. This sounded to Olivia like the

perfect future career. This career guidance she took to

heart. Olivia went on to become a widely recognised artist

achieving a First Class honours degree from The National

College of Art & Design (N.C.A.D). She received many

accolades during her time there. Afterwards, whilst

working at the Irish Museum for Modern Art (IMMA), she

received multiple commissions from art galleries and

private individuals alike.

In August 2002, following a short illness, Olivia passed

away. She will always be remembered for her quick wit,

modesty, abundant talents and enduring friendship by all

who knew her.

Mark O’Dea, Class of 1960

1943 - 2010

Mark was the second of the O’Dea family to go to St Conleth’s.

He left a record as a friendly and charming boy and

a leader among classmates. He captained the first Rugby

team to enter the Leinster Schools Junior Cup, a landmark

event for the school, and went on to be called to the Bar

after attending UCD. Mark served as President of the Past

Pupils Union from 1965 to 1967. Unfortunately he contracted

Multiple Sclerosis after school which shortened his

life, but which he bore with humour and grace.

Sarah Brindley, Class of 1983

Sarah Brindley followed in the footsteps of her father Basil

and her brother Tony when she first walked through

the hall door of St. Conleth’s College in September 1979.

At an early age, Sarah showed a keen interest in the world

of sport and she maintained the long-standing family

tradition by hunting with the Ward Union Staghounds as a

most exuberant teenager. Sarah also made her mark in the

show jumping arena at the R.D.S. and at numerous provincial

venues throughout Ireland. Wengen in Switzerland

became her “Winter Wonderland” when she joined her

family as a nine year old at Christmas 1970. The art of

skiing was second nature to Sarah and, as she grew older,

she began to feature in the competitive side of affairs with

a closely fought racing double in 1976. Sarah also showed

considerable enthusiasm on the curling rink and was a

member of the victorious Irish team which won the Nations

Trophy in 1985.

She married Gregory Alken at the family’s Co. Meath

home in July 1999 and they were blessed with three children

Sophie, Jennifer and Conor who happily learned to

ski before Sarah’s death just three years ago.

Brian Carr, Class of 1957

by Kevin Kelleher

Brian Carr, a Trustee of St. Conleth’s in recent years, passed

away in 2012, after a prolonged illness. Even during that

period he was a tower of strength to us, especially in his

advice on our financial affairs and in our dealings with

planning authorities.

He is most memorable for his wonderful sense of humour,

particularly when he joined what we called “The Breakfast

Club” for a light repast with whatever staff were available.

He created a great atmosphere for the rest of the day!

Mary Raftery, Class of 1975

1957 - 2012

by Adrian Raftery, Class of 1971

Mary Raftery was was one of three members of the first

class of girls to join the school for Honours Maths

and Physics in Fifth and Sixth Year, taught mainly by

Michael Manning. She was a journalist whose television

documentaries exposed decades of abuse of needy children

in state-sponsored, church-run industrial schools in

Ireland, prompting an apology by the Taoiseach and a government

investigation. She died in Dublin on 10 January

2012, aged 54.

Mary Frances Thérèse Raftery was born in Dublin on

December 21, 1957. Her father, Adrian, was in the Irish

diplomatic service, and she spent much of her childhood

abroad. After graduating from St. Conleth’s, she entered

UCD to study engineering, but was then elected to the fulltime

position of Education Officer of the UCD Students

Union for a year. After that she was derailed by an interest

in journalism and never finished her degree. Mary uncovered

the child abuse as a producer for RTE and brought it

to national attention in “States of Fear,” a three-part documentary

series broadcast in April and May 1999. In examining

the state child-care system in Ireland, the series

brought to light a Dickensian network of reformatories

and residential schools for poor, neglected and abandoned

children known as industrial schools.

“What television can do, if you get it right, is it can concentrate

and focus a story at a particular time, and make

people face it and make people furious,” Mary said in a

television interview in 2010. “So it was a question of constructing

a series of programs that wouldn’t allow people

to go back into denial again, in other words that the body

of evidence would be so overwhelming that it could not be

denied anymore.” Mary and a co-author, Eoin O’Sullivan,

followed the series with a book-length adaptation of the

material, Suffer the Little Children : The Inside Story of Ireland’s

Industrial Schools.

After “States of Fear,” Mary Raftery further jolted Irish

society with investigative programs like “Cardinal Secrets,”

about the sexual abuse of children in the Dublin Archdiocese,

and “Behind the Walls,” about Ireland’s psychiatric

hospitals and the large number of people committed there

by their families. “Bringing the truth out is always a

positive thing, even though it may be a painful truth,” Archbishop

Diarmuid Martin of the Dublin Archdiocese said in

a tribute to Mary after she died. “I believe that through her

exposition of sins of the past and of the moment, that the

church is a better place for children and a place which has

learned many lessons.” “She demanded attention to the

stories she told,” Colm O’Gorman, executive director of

Amnesty International in Ireland and the founder of One in

Four, an organization that supports victims of sexual abuse,

said in an interview on RTE after Ms. Raftery’s death. “And

they changed Ireland. They changed our society.”

Both of Mary’s brothers, Adrian (Class of 1971) and Iain

(Class of 1980), attended St. Conleth’s. Mary was also survived

by her mother, Ita; her husband, David Waddell;

a son, Ben; and her sister, Iseult.

David Collins

1 March 1955 - 17 July 2013

by Michael Collins

David and I grew up in Glenageary and we both attended

St. Conleth’s College, primarily because our father had his

architectural practice in Burlington Road. Following

studies at the Bolton Street of Technology, David moved to

London in 1980 where he specialised in hotel and restaurant

refurbishment. He had an innate sense of which

colours worked well together and he combined them in a

mixture of luxurious materials. Whether the space was

large or small, his blend of unusual hues and fabrics created

spaces which were much sought after among an international

clientele. At his untimely death from cancer at the

age of 58, David had reached the peak of his career.

Louis Feutren

1922 - 2009

by Ann Sheppard

Louis Feutren taught in St Conleth’s from 1957 to 1985.

Even though a Breton nationalist who claimed he was teaching

the language of the “invaders”, he was renowned for the

wonderful French accent he instilled in all his pupils and the

high standard of French they all achieved. A strong disciplinarian,

he introduced the communicative method long

before most schools. There were only two sounds from his

classroom the sound of reel-to-reel French tapes and the repetition

by his pupils or else total silence. Louis was a philosopher

and introduced his students to thought provoking

ideas, he was a keen ying yangist and regaled his students on

the benefit of a macrobiotic diet (this was in the fifties and

sixties) and bemoaned the poisonous diet of the Irish especially

milk, potatoes and tomatoes! As a young teacher he

taught me so much, how to teach French well, how to handle

the disruptive student but most of all how to think outside

the box. For so many years I was welcomed by his wife

Maura and himself to their house on Bray Head tasting miso

soup, brown rice and tahini, catching periwinkles, cooking

and eating them, learning about the shintu gods, the druids

and the Breton movement. For all this, I am so grateful.

Neil Quinlan

Neil Quinlan passed away tragically while on a hiking trip

in April 2013. Neil was only at St. Conleth’s for Transition

Year but in that short time he truly became one of our own :

his fellow classmates attest to his infectious enthusiasm

and friendliness and a laugh with which you could not help

but join. In 2014, St. Conleth’s inaugurated an award in

Neil’s memory for the Transition Year student who has the

‘best spirit’, as Neil showed in everything he did. TY Shane

Molamphy was honoured with its first presentation and we

hope that in years to come others will be inspired by Neil

Quinlan’s example.

Andrew Clarke

Andrew Clarke attended St. Conleth’s Junior and Senior

Schools before leaving for Clongowes. Such was the magnetism

and warmth of Andrew’s personality, that years after his

departure, many students still counted him as a good friend.

Our thoughts are with Andrew’s family and we cherish the

memories of the good times he had at St. Conleth’s.

Philip Bouchier-Hayes, Class of 1961

John Geary, Class of 1963

Leslie Keogh, Class of 1963

Fergal Foley, Class of 1995

1975/76 Dervilla Mitchell (Austin) Global Board Member of Arup and Vice President of the Royal Academy of

Engineering. She has recently been awarded a CBE for services to Engineering.

She lives in London with her husband and 3 children.

1969 Roderic (Rod) Williams Retired IT professional and part-time cheese and wine salesperson in the San

Francisco Bay Area

1976 Garrett O’Neill Architect, living and working Pembroke Road, Dublin 4. www.oneillarch.ie

1978 Mark Cahill Director, Hesse & Voormann, Cosmetics Manufacturer, Toenivorst, Germany

1982 Tighearnan Mooney Head of the Preparatory School, Marlborough College, Malaysia

1984 Michael Moloney Director for Space & Aeronautics at the US National Academy of Sciences.

Helps provide advisory reports to NASA & other US government agencies interested

in space and aviation

1984 Ciaran Meagher CEO of Design Studio in Dublin & London. C Me Online

1985 Ian Simington CEO, Bimeda Europe

1986 Eóin MacManus Business Director, Three Mobile, Ireland

1986 Therese Maher Residential Letting Agent in Dublin.

Living between Dublin 4 and Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny

1987 Diana Spencer A Classicist at the University of Birmingham and she also runs the College of Arts

and Law Graduate School. When not in Birmingham, she’s usually in Rome.

1987 Richard O’Connor Trade Mark Attorney and Managing Partner,

Cruickshank Intellectual Property Attorneys, Dublin

1989 Tony Keenan Finance Professional living and working in Denver, Colorado

1992 Donough Cahill Executive Director, Irish Georgian Society, Dublin

1992 Aisling Culliton Teacher in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

1999 Angela Morgan Assistant Vice President at Sotheby’s Auction House and living in New York

1999 Gary Kelly Pilot at Emirates Airlines living & working in Dubai

2000 Brian Bennett Corporate Sales UK, Quantcast, Dublin

2001 Arthur Mulhern Cinematographer, London

2002 Frank Kennedy Barrister & City Councillor, Dublin

2005 John Ryan Director of E-learning at RyJoLC.com

2005 Simon Kelly Account Analyst at Indeed, Dublin

2006 Robert Maguire General Manager Massey Brother Funerals and owner of The Signature Florist, Dublin

2007 Geoff Crozier Shaw Doctor, Dublin

2008 David Cullen An Associate Buyer for Kerry Group

2009 Killian Coyle Actor, Dublin.

2010 Philip McDonald Trainee Solicitor, Slaughter & May, London

2011 Yazeed Kelly Studying Forensic and Environmental Chemistry.

Currently on a 6 month Neurochemistry placement in Stockholm

St. Conleth's College 75 Year Quinquennial 2014

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