Class of 1961 - 50 Year Reunion

Tuesday, 8th November 2011

Gents,

I suppose you all thought that the organising Committee had disappeared.

First let me apologise to all those who either wrote, sent emails, photographs, or phoned to say how much they enjoyed the event and in many cases have received no replies before this. To make a long story short I have had major computer problems since we met in Tipperary but thankfully they are sorted now.

For those of you who could not attend my opening line as MC at the dinner was that we had a major problem, and the problem was that somebody had buncked out to be present at the event and that we wanted him to visit the Dean but the only problem was that he is the Dean.

To put this in context for those of you were not present I was referring to the fact that Fr Aidan Lehane had joined us despite the fact that he is extremely unwell at the moment, but he was very anxious to attend and he persuaded Fr Noel Redmond to drive him down to Dundrum House Hotel for the Dinner and back to Marian House which for those of you who are not familiar with it is the Holy Ghost Fathers Nursing home in Kimmage Manor were he lives, later that night. There is no doubt that his effort to attend made the evening very special for all of us who were there. In fact, I visited him there last week with my brother-in-law Philip Conway (Class of 1965) who I am sure many of you will remember. While we were there Louis Bermudez also called in to visit Fr Aidan who told us that he really enjoyed the dinner very much  and was delighted to meet so many of us who were able to attend.

We were also delighted to welcome Fr Jim Hurley who joined us for the reception on Friday evening and Concelebrated the Mass on Saturday with Fr Des Reid and Fr Jack Finucane. Fathers Jack Meade President of Rockwell along with Fr Noel Redmond , Fr Matt Knight, and Fr Des Reid joined us for dinner. Fr Jack Finucane joined us for the lunch in Rockwell on Saturday.

Let me start at the beginning, twelve of us played golf on Friday afternoon, myself and Denis Buckley were lucky enough to be on the winning team and I can only report that or team Captain John McGloughlin carried both of us around the course playing excellent golf. We had an advantage over the other teams in that John knows the course very well. John thanks to you for your excellent golf and the prizes of lovely wine donated by Frank Farragher, we had a most enjoyable afternoon on an excellent course in ideal weather.

While we were playing golf the rest of the Friday attendees gradually arrived and checked in at the hotel. I dont know how many of us had not met for fifty years but particularly for those of you who were not present it was like as if we had only left Rockwell very recently. Many were instantly recognisable but a few had changed a little. Have a look at the attached photos.

All of us gathered for drinks before dinner where stories of the past were swapped and we all found out what we had been up to for the last fifty years. Then we all sat down to an excellent dinner. We had a number of speeches from those present. Matt OMahony welcomed us all in a speech remembering those who had passed on and those who were unable to attend for various reasons.

Fr Jack Meade said grace and told us about Rockwell as it is in 2011. He said that they were very pleased to see such a large attendance at the event and that it showed our loyalty to the College and to the HolyGhost Fathers or the Spiritans as they are called today. Fr Jack also told us about all the changes in Rockwell and how well the College was doing in these difficult days for the economy.

Matt called on Fr Lehane to say a few words, and in true Hanners style he had done his homework and made an excellent speech reminding us all of the good times we had in Rockwell. Needless to say he commented on the three in row SCT Munster Schools Cups. We were able to see the 2011 cup in Rockwell the following day. Fr Lehane got a standing ovation at the end of his speech. Paul Marren the current President of the Rockwell College Union, who was also an invited guest had obviously gone to a lot of trouble to prepare his speech with the help of an 1961 Rockwell College Annual as he listed some of the achievements of members of the class and he also noted those who had achieved awards on prize day in 1961. He told us how active the Union is today and encouraged those who were not already members to go on line and join. The  Rockwell College Union website is at www.rockwellunion.com

There is no doubt that the best reminiscing speech of the evening came from Richard Flanagan, he was in excellent form and we could still be there listening to him only that he is well aware of the fact that there is a time to stop when you are wining.

Fr Noel Redmond reminded us all about what it was like to be a prefect In Rockwell in those years. The stories are only for those who were present and they will be revealed when the thirty year papers are opened! It has only dawned on me that these papers have been available for the last twenty years. (I am writing this having enjoyed an excellent bottle of wine and I am wondering if I am saying too much!)

Others who spoke included who John Heaphy who reminded us of all the GAA activity in the College at the time. John McLaughlin, Fr Matt Knight, Louis Bermudez,  I am sure there were more but at this point I cant remember and my apologies to all who did, I should have made a list at the time.

One of the major attractions of the evening was a series of notice boards put together by Conor Anderson, Andy Butler and Sean Forrest with photocopies of pages from various Annuals and memorabilia over the years we were in Rockwell this proved to be a major attraction. Thanks Conor and Sean for a huge amount of work. Conor re-erected these panels in Rockwell on Saturday so that those who could only join us on the Saturday would have the opportunity to see them.

For the rest of the night we swapped stories and really enjoyed ourselves. I should also record the fact that we read out all the messages we had received from those who could not attend and had taken the trouble to send us a message. I have attached a copy of them to this email which I am sure you will all enjoy reading. I read these out at the dinner and they were greatly appreciated.

I am also attaching all the photos I have received so far, we are particularly anxious to receive copies of any other photos which have not been sent us already. So if you have some do it now.

We also plan to circulate the full contact list for the class, if anybody has a problem with their contact details being circulated please let me know by return and they will not be included.

On Saturday morning we arrived in Rockwell for a Mass which was con-celebrated with Fr Des Reid as the principal celebrant.  A number of people who for various reasons could not be present on Friday night joined us. At the Mass we brought up 17 lighted candles in rememberance of the sixteen members of the class who have passed on to their eternal reward and one candle to represent all the Holy Ghost Fathers and teachers who looked after us while we were in Rockwell. Many of those present commented on the fact that they found the Mass very emotional in remembering former classmates. It is sad to record that John Corrigan who arrived at the hotel for the dinner  and who became ill and went to bed rather than attend the dinner actually passed away last week. May he rest in Peace.

I know what they mean as I brought up the candle to remember Michael G Ryan. I had worked very closely with Michael when he was Honorary Secretary of the Rockwell College Union and I will never forget receiving a call from his wife Elsie to tell me that Michael had died very suddenly form a heart attack. In fact I actually telephoned her to tell her of our plans to remember him in Rockwell and she was particularly pleased to receive the call and I have no doubt that so would all the other wives ha

Location : Rockwell College

Venue : Rockwell College


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