Page 71 - The Gonzaga Record 1990
P. 71
four 4th Years. Paul Higgins. Pierre from Gonzaga which visits the elderly in
Eliet. Simon Dunne and I volunteered for the Royal Hospital, Donnybrook. Many
'week 4 ยท in Balbriggan. Our duty for the of us haven't missed a season since then.
we k wa to act as big brother to a group Waking at 5 a.m., in your dormitory,
of more than 100 children who had been to the pestering of a 7 year old who wants
brought to Balbriggan by the St Vincent you to pick a football comic for him from
de Paul Society (SVP). From late among the pile on a table well within his
October to mid-May the house lies cold reach may not seem like the ideal way
and dormant in the seaside town, to begin the day, but when, just as you
urmounted by a statue of Our Lord, are falling asleep again, he begins to tear
hand open wide in a gesture of welcome out the posters of his fa vourite players,
to all visitors. especially the children who hoping to corner the market before the
will di turb its lumber from May to bigger boys awake. and in doing so
September. Some claim that by succeeds in awakening the 9 or so others,
September His hands can be seen to cover it is then the fun begins; the rule is that
his ears , though this remains you have to try to keep them all in bed
unphotographed. The weeks alternate till 8.30, reading quietly!! You're lucky
between boys and girls and with the to keep them in the room! From your
exception of two weeks reserved for rude awakening begins the routine of
travellers, the majority of those who meals, football league matches (many of
come to 'Sunshine' are from Dublin City which must end in a draw if blood is not
and County, with a few from other areas to be spilt, though this is usually the end
within the diocese. The names of the of a ref's good reputation), other sports,
children who are put forward to the beach games, watersports, picnics,
Sunshine Conference of the SVP are treasure-hunts, assault courses, discos,
gathered by the vast network of local evening concerts, pantomimes, supper
SVP conferences, the local priests, social (for kids) and finally bed, usually timed
workers and others in contact with to coincide with the onset of utter
underprivileged families and their exhaustion in the stewards.
disadvantaged children. Your primary, though some would say
Much to the bewilderment of the 'only', duty at Sunshine House is to do
Sunshine Conference, since 1985 a your best, in your own way, to make sure
steady stream of second level students that the children with whom you are in
from Gonzaga has been added to the contact get the most enjoyment they can
ranks of volunteers who act as stewards out of their day and out of their contact
('brothers') to the children of Sunshine with you. They deserve it. For many it
House. Among those from Gonzaga is a first holiday, a first time away from
whom I remember are, Frank Carney, home, the first time to the beach, first
Eoin Corrigan, Hagan Bolger, Ronan week off the streets. There is a feeling
Keogan, Stephen Higgins, David of security and warmth for them at
Kennedy, Brendan Walsh, Michael Duff, Sunshine, from the murals on the wall s
John Toomey, the three I was with, and to the friendly attitude of th e staff and
others, whom I can't remember. We have stewards. For others it is a chance to see
all joined with the University students, adults in a completely different li ght ; the
teachers, civil servants, novices, young most hardened of the youngsters can
doctors, social workers, gardai (the become totally disarmed, and well ,
children weren't told!!), other almost childlike in behaviour, after the
professionals and others from all walks initial understandable cyni cism at the
of life who comprise the stewards of assault upon his world by adults who
Sunshine House. We had heard of claim actually to care about him, how he
Sunshine House through the visit of an feels and what happens to him. There is
SVP official to Fr Moylan's Conference a school of opinion that might consider
69
Eliet. Simon Dunne and I volunteered for the Royal Hospital, Donnybrook. Many
'week 4 ยท in Balbriggan. Our duty for the of us haven't missed a season since then.
we k wa to act as big brother to a group Waking at 5 a.m., in your dormitory,
of more than 100 children who had been to the pestering of a 7 year old who wants
brought to Balbriggan by the St Vincent you to pick a football comic for him from
de Paul Society (SVP). From late among the pile on a table well within his
October to mid-May the house lies cold reach may not seem like the ideal way
and dormant in the seaside town, to begin the day, but when, just as you
urmounted by a statue of Our Lord, are falling asleep again, he begins to tear
hand open wide in a gesture of welcome out the posters of his fa vourite players,
to all visitors. especially the children who hoping to corner the market before the
will di turb its lumber from May to bigger boys awake. and in doing so
September. Some claim that by succeeds in awakening the 9 or so others,
September His hands can be seen to cover it is then the fun begins; the rule is that
his ears , though this remains you have to try to keep them all in bed
unphotographed. The weeks alternate till 8.30, reading quietly!! You're lucky
between boys and girls and with the to keep them in the room! From your
exception of two weeks reserved for rude awakening begins the routine of
travellers, the majority of those who meals, football league matches (many of
come to 'Sunshine' are from Dublin City which must end in a draw if blood is not
and County, with a few from other areas to be spilt, though this is usually the end
within the diocese. The names of the of a ref's good reputation), other sports,
children who are put forward to the beach games, watersports, picnics,
Sunshine Conference of the SVP are treasure-hunts, assault courses, discos,
gathered by the vast network of local evening concerts, pantomimes, supper
SVP conferences, the local priests, social (for kids) and finally bed, usually timed
workers and others in contact with to coincide with the onset of utter
underprivileged families and their exhaustion in the stewards.
disadvantaged children. Your primary, though some would say
Much to the bewilderment of the 'only', duty at Sunshine House is to do
Sunshine Conference, since 1985 a your best, in your own way, to make sure
steady stream of second level students that the children with whom you are in
from Gonzaga has been added to the contact get the most enjoyment they can
ranks of volunteers who act as stewards out of their day and out of their contact
('brothers') to the children of Sunshine with you. They deserve it. For many it
House. Among those from Gonzaga is a first holiday, a first time away from
whom I remember are, Frank Carney, home, the first time to the beach, first
Eoin Corrigan, Hagan Bolger, Ronan week off the streets. There is a feeling
Keogan, Stephen Higgins, David of security and warmth for them at
Kennedy, Brendan Walsh, Michael Duff, Sunshine, from the murals on the wall s
John Toomey, the three I was with, and to the friendly attitude of th e staff and
others, whom I can't remember. We have stewards. For others it is a chance to see
all joined with the University students, adults in a completely different li ght ; the
teachers, civil servants, novices, young most hardened of the youngsters can
doctors, social workers, gardai (the become totally disarmed, and well ,
children weren't told!!), other almost childlike in behaviour, after the
professionals and others from all walks initial understandable cyni cism at the
of life who comprise the stewards of assault upon his world by adults who
Sunshine House. We had heard of claim actually to care about him, how he
Sunshine House through the visit of an feels and what happens to him. There is
SVP official to Fr Moylan's Conference a school of opinion that might consider
69
