Page 24 - The Gonzaga Record 1985
P. 24
The boys formed three classes, called Preparatory I, Preparatory 11, and
Preparatory Ill. The names of these first pupils were as follows:
Preparatory I: George A. Brady; Damien Carroll; Anthony Clare; David
Coyle; Edward D' Arcy; Brian Davy; Iorhart Delaney; Paul M. Dempsey; Gerald
Devitt; Anthony Donovan; Thomas E. Eustace; Denis Feighery; Marcus De Vere
Hunt; Kevin Hurson; Brendan Kirby, Dermot McFeely; Myles McWeeney;
Christopher Mangan; John Murphy; Raymond O'Kelly; Arthur Plunkett; John
Richardson; Denis Robson; Timothy Webb; MacDara Woods; William Harnett.
Preparatory 11: Thomas A. Bieler; Owen Brady; David Carton; Fergus
Dowling; John Feighery; Michael Fitzgibbon; John Lennon; Geoffrey McEnroe;
David Maughan; George Kildare Miley; Brian O'Loughlin; David Owens; David
Strahan; Killian Walsh.
Preparatory Ill: John C. Delaney; David Gallagher; Leonard Little; Jeremiah·
Liston; Daniel Murphy; Michael O'Donovan; Ronald O'Loughlin; Christopher
Robson; Garret Shanley; Brendan Walsh; John Mulhern; Peter O'Connor.
Every effort was made to provide adequate recreation in the form of games as
soon as possible after the opening of the school. By 20 September 1950 a tennis
court was functioning. On 2 October football posts were erected on a portion of the
field in front of the house, providing a pitch of about sixty by thirty yards for the
rugby which began at this time. In this month also took place the removal of the
unsightly potato patch in front of the house: this involved the removal of its
surrounding wire fence, levelling and the re-sowing with grass seed. A second set of
football posts was erected on 25 January 1951.
Under the direction of Fr John Murphy the initiation of the boys in the art of
rugby progressed during the winter months, games being played on Wednesday
and Saturday. The new school colours were worn for the first time on 14 March in
an out-match against an under-eleven team from Belvedere. The result was a win
for Gonzaga by 15 points to 13 points. Since it was the very first match of its kind
pl ayed by the College the names of the Gonzaga team are here recorded:
J. Liston (full back); D. Strahan, G. Shanley, J. Mulhern, D. Carton (three
quarters); L. Little (out-half); J. Delaney (scrum half); D. Gallagher, I. Delaney, 0.
Brady, R. O'Loughlin, G. McEnroe, P. Dempsey, B. Walsh, M. Fitzgibbon,
(forwards).
With the beginning of the Summer Term (3 April 1951) rugby gave way to
cricket, and a great improvement was effected on the grounds in front and at the
rere of the house by having the services of a heavy roller of six tons from the South
of Ireland Asphalt Company.
On 13 June 1951 a cricket out-match against a Belvedere College under-eleven
team took place, and was attended by an enthusiastic gathering of parents. Again,
being the first representative game, the names of the pioneer players are recorded:
J. Liston (Capt.), M. O'Donovan (Vice-Capt.), G. Shanley, B. Wa1sh, P.
Dempsey, J. Delaney, J. Mulhern, L. Little, D. Strahan, R. O'Loughlin, and 0.
Brady (12th man).
The result was:
Belvedere 93 for 8 (decl.); and 40 for 2.
Gonzaga: 56, and 89 for 6 (decl.). match drawn.
16
Preparatory Ill. The names of these first pupils were as follows:
Preparatory I: George A. Brady; Damien Carroll; Anthony Clare; David
Coyle; Edward D' Arcy; Brian Davy; Iorhart Delaney; Paul M. Dempsey; Gerald
Devitt; Anthony Donovan; Thomas E. Eustace; Denis Feighery; Marcus De Vere
Hunt; Kevin Hurson; Brendan Kirby, Dermot McFeely; Myles McWeeney;
Christopher Mangan; John Murphy; Raymond O'Kelly; Arthur Plunkett; John
Richardson; Denis Robson; Timothy Webb; MacDara Woods; William Harnett.
Preparatory 11: Thomas A. Bieler; Owen Brady; David Carton; Fergus
Dowling; John Feighery; Michael Fitzgibbon; John Lennon; Geoffrey McEnroe;
David Maughan; George Kildare Miley; Brian O'Loughlin; David Owens; David
Strahan; Killian Walsh.
Preparatory Ill: John C. Delaney; David Gallagher; Leonard Little; Jeremiah·
Liston; Daniel Murphy; Michael O'Donovan; Ronald O'Loughlin; Christopher
Robson; Garret Shanley; Brendan Walsh; John Mulhern; Peter O'Connor.
Every effort was made to provide adequate recreation in the form of games as
soon as possible after the opening of the school. By 20 September 1950 a tennis
court was functioning. On 2 October football posts were erected on a portion of the
field in front of the house, providing a pitch of about sixty by thirty yards for the
rugby which began at this time. In this month also took place the removal of the
unsightly potato patch in front of the house: this involved the removal of its
surrounding wire fence, levelling and the re-sowing with grass seed. A second set of
football posts was erected on 25 January 1951.
Under the direction of Fr John Murphy the initiation of the boys in the art of
rugby progressed during the winter months, games being played on Wednesday
and Saturday. The new school colours were worn for the first time on 14 March in
an out-match against an under-eleven team from Belvedere. The result was a win
for Gonzaga by 15 points to 13 points. Since it was the very first match of its kind
pl ayed by the College the names of the Gonzaga team are here recorded:
J. Liston (full back); D. Strahan, G. Shanley, J. Mulhern, D. Carton (three
quarters); L. Little (out-half); J. Delaney (scrum half); D. Gallagher, I. Delaney, 0.
Brady, R. O'Loughlin, G. McEnroe, P. Dempsey, B. Walsh, M. Fitzgibbon,
(forwards).
With the beginning of the Summer Term (3 April 1951) rugby gave way to
cricket, and a great improvement was effected on the grounds in front and at the
rere of the house by having the services of a heavy roller of six tons from the South
of Ireland Asphalt Company.
On 13 June 1951 a cricket out-match against a Belvedere College under-eleven
team took place, and was attended by an enthusiastic gathering of parents. Again,
being the first representative game, the names of the pioneer players are recorded:
J. Liston (Capt.), M. O'Donovan (Vice-Capt.), G. Shanley, B. Wa1sh, P.
Dempsey, J. Delaney, J. Mulhern, L. Little, D. Strahan, R. O'Loughlin, and 0.
Brady (12th man).
The result was:
Belvedere 93 for 8 (decl.); and 40 for 2.
Gonzaga: 56, and 89 for 6 (decl.). match drawn.
16
