Page 54 - The Gonzaga Record 1994
P. 54
Outside the United Nations: Bryan McCarthy, Gary Hannify, Ms Marion Ryan, Mr Potts
and the Loreto representatives
project had been settled; Mr Byrne, as our Year Head was the main conspirator.
Through his ‘intercession’ we were now official UNICEF advocates......
Our project was a substantial one - we had the remainder of the year to raise £5,000
while working in conjunction with Notre Dame girls’ school in Churchtown which had
a similar goal. I’m still not sure if the encouragement was meant in the form of
beneficial co-operation or straight-out competition but the latter predominated, each
side constantly vying with the other. We, however, got off to the quicker start,
organising a disco in Stradbrook early in ’93 and another later that year in Lansdowne
RFC. Neither was a great success and profits were minimal.
Regular meetings were held in both schools whereby Marion Ryan would update us on
progress and give us as much inside help as possible. Various tactics were employed by
way of encouragement; the most notable being the offer of a trip for two students from
each school to visit the UNICEF Head Quarters in New York - a worthy incentive. The
next stage in the project was the Race Night, a vast undertaking and our supposed ‘piece
de resistance’. I would not even try to convey the amount of work that went into this
single event - it was immense. Sponsorship had to be ‘wangled’, horses sold,
programmes printed and premises prepared, all in a very short period. On Friday 19
March 1993 in the Mount Merrion House it was all meant to fall into place. Hopefully
we could reach our target with this last huge effort. Notre Dame was ahead in monetary
terms and more than just charity was at stake; this was a matter of pride.
46
and the Loreto representatives
project had been settled; Mr Byrne, as our Year Head was the main conspirator.
Through his ‘intercession’ we were now official UNICEF advocates......
Our project was a substantial one - we had the remainder of the year to raise £5,000
while working in conjunction with Notre Dame girls’ school in Churchtown which had
a similar goal. I’m still not sure if the encouragement was meant in the form of
beneficial co-operation or straight-out competition but the latter predominated, each
side constantly vying with the other. We, however, got off to the quicker start,
organising a disco in Stradbrook early in ’93 and another later that year in Lansdowne
RFC. Neither was a great success and profits were minimal.
Regular meetings were held in both schools whereby Marion Ryan would update us on
progress and give us as much inside help as possible. Various tactics were employed by
way of encouragement; the most notable being the offer of a trip for two students from
each school to visit the UNICEF Head Quarters in New York - a worthy incentive. The
next stage in the project was the Race Night, a vast undertaking and our supposed ‘piece
de resistance’. I would not even try to convey the amount of work that went into this
single event - it was immense. Sponsorship had to be ‘wangled’, horses sold,
programmes printed and premises prepared, all in a very short period. On Friday 19
March 1993 in the Mount Merrion House it was all meant to fall into place. Hopefully
we could reach our target with this last huge effort. Notre Dame was ahead in monetary
terms and more than just charity was at stake; this was a matter of pride.
46
