Page 104 - The Gonzaga Record 1990
P. 104
have been heartening for Jesuits to see such wonderful support at that
Mass in Gardiner Street church.
I think the best way to give the reader a flavour of the Union is to glance
back at the year's events. First of all Roderic Ensor and I went along
to support the 1989 Deb dinner-dance at the Shelbourne Hotel. We
presented two spot prizes on behalf of the Union. We also wrote to all
the members of the 1989 class leavers inviting them to a reception hosted
by the Union in the school library. This was the Union's way of saying
hello to these recent past pupils and also gave us an opportunity to tell
them about the Union. It was a highly enjoyable event and led to the
inevitable appearance of most of those past pupils at the Annual dinner
on 1 December.
One other ~vent which the Union supported in November was the school
play "Zigger Zagger" which was very well produced. Around this time
too, Father John Dunne SJ approached us asking for help to find
placements for three school boys in the 4th year work experience
programme. I am glad to say we were able to trump up with the jobs.
The Union's Annual dinner tends to be the high point of the year. On
1 December last we held a magnificent dinner in the school attended by
over 280 past pupils and past and present teachers. Our key-note speaker,
Michael McDowell made a brilliant speech which could have been entitled
"The Gonzaga Question". From the Jesuit community we were delighted
to welcome former teachers, mentors and friends: Fr Noel Barber sJ, Fr
Joseph Dargan SJ, Fr Dermot Murray sJ, Fr Joseph Veale sJ, Fr Alan
Mow bray SJ, Fr Provincial Philip Harnett SJ, Fr Patrick Crowe SJ, Fr
Charlie Davy sJ (past pupil), Fr Diarmuid O'Laoghaire sJ, Fr Eddie
Keane sJ, Fr John Moylan SJ, Fr John Dunne sJ, Fr John Macken sJ (past
pupil) and the Headmaster, Fr Peter Sexton SJ. Many others were invited,
but, for various reasons, were unable to come. Also included in the guests
were Mr Raymond Kearns, Mr Gerry Murphy, Mr Denis Cusack. This
was the first occasion when the Union invited the Presidents of the
Belvedere, Clongowes, Mungret and Crescent Past Pupils Unions. Another
feature was that several classes marked the occasion of 10 years, 21 years
and 25 years out of the school by very large turn-outs from their respective
years. Everyone who came received an alphabetically arranged sheet of
the names of all attending the dinner (which helped re-acquaintance in
the context of the large numbers attending).
Christmas followed and the Union helped out at the Midnight Mass
in the school by providing stewards for the occasion. After Christmas
we supported the Junior and Senior rugby teams in their cup campaigns.
We wrote letters of congratulations and exhortation to the captains of both
Junior and Senior teams. We assembled an excellent debating side (Brian
Cregan, Kevin Feeney and Frank Callanan) and a wise adjudicator (Arthur
Plunkett) specially selected to dumbfound the Present (Eugene Downes,
Brian Kennedy, Edmund Garvey and David Bate man). Quite taken by
the aggressive confidence of the Present the Past allowed the Present to
102
Mass in Gardiner Street church.
I think the best way to give the reader a flavour of the Union is to glance
back at the year's events. First of all Roderic Ensor and I went along
to support the 1989 Deb dinner-dance at the Shelbourne Hotel. We
presented two spot prizes on behalf of the Union. We also wrote to all
the members of the 1989 class leavers inviting them to a reception hosted
by the Union in the school library. This was the Union's way of saying
hello to these recent past pupils and also gave us an opportunity to tell
them about the Union. It was a highly enjoyable event and led to the
inevitable appearance of most of those past pupils at the Annual dinner
on 1 December.
One other ~vent which the Union supported in November was the school
play "Zigger Zagger" which was very well produced. Around this time
too, Father John Dunne SJ approached us asking for help to find
placements for three school boys in the 4th year work experience
programme. I am glad to say we were able to trump up with the jobs.
The Union's Annual dinner tends to be the high point of the year. On
1 December last we held a magnificent dinner in the school attended by
over 280 past pupils and past and present teachers. Our key-note speaker,
Michael McDowell made a brilliant speech which could have been entitled
"The Gonzaga Question". From the Jesuit community we were delighted
to welcome former teachers, mentors and friends: Fr Noel Barber sJ, Fr
Joseph Dargan SJ, Fr Dermot Murray sJ, Fr Joseph Veale sJ, Fr Alan
Mow bray SJ, Fr Provincial Philip Harnett SJ, Fr Patrick Crowe SJ, Fr
Charlie Davy sJ (past pupil), Fr Diarmuid O'Laoghaire sJ, Fr Eddie
Keane sJ, Fr John Moylan SJ, Fr John Dunne sJ, Fr John Macken sJ (past
pupil) and the Headmaster, Fr Peter Sexton SJ. Many others were invited,
but, for various reasons, were unable to come. Also included in the guests
were Mr Raymond Kearns, Mr Gerry Murphy, Mr Denis Cusack. This
was the first occasion when the Union invited the Presidents of the
Belvedere, Clongowes, Mungret and Crescent Past Pupils Unions. Another
feature was that several classes marked the occasion of 10 years, 21 years
and 25 years out of the school by very large turn-outs from their respective
years. Everyone who came received an alphabetically arranged sheet of
the names of all attending the dinner (which helped re-acquaintance in
the context of the large numbers attending).
Christmas followed and the Union helped out at the Midnight Mass
in the school by providing stewards for the occasion. After Christmas
we supported the Junior and Senior rugby teams in their cup campaigns.
We wrote letters of congratulations and exhortation to the captains of both
Junior and Senior teams. We assembled an excellent debating side (Brian
Cregan, Kevin Feeney and Frank Callanan) and a wise adjudicator (Arthur
Plunkett) specially selected to dumbfound the Present (Eugene Downes,
Brian Kennedy, Edmund Garvey and David Bate man). Quite taken by
the aggressive confidence of the Present the Past allowed the Present to
102
