Welcome to the new Profiles section of Rockwell College Union

Here you'll find articles about some of the Past Pupils of Rockwell College, arranged in chronological order of their graduation year from the College. For more information on these articles, contact Mr. Brendan Sutton

 

Former Student of the Year and also recipient of the James Joy Senior Debating Gold Medal whilst in Rockwell, Angela Quinlan (Class 1998) is presently in the second year of her PhD in the Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering in Trinity College Dublin. From Golden, just outside Rockwell , Angela was a scholarship student in Rockwell and achieved the highest results in her year in both the Junior and Leaving Certificates. Her academic achievements at school resulted in her receiving an entrance exhibition scholarship to Trinity College Dublin and she graduated ( B.A., B.A.I.) top of her class in Electronic Engineering, receiving a gold medal for obtaining an average of over 90% in her final exams. Angela was then awarded funding from the Irish Research Council for Science Engineering & Technology in order to complete a PhD in signal processing, specialising in audio source localisation. In her spare time she plays water polo, enjoys " College" life and is Honorary Secretary of the Rockwell College Union. (April 2004)

Alana Durak (1997) repeated Leaving and gets 600 points. An arts graduate has achieved her ambition to study medicine after she repeated the Leaving Certificate and achieved an impressive 600 points.
Alana Durak (24) from Clogheen, Co Tipperary first sat her Leaving in Rockwell in 1997. She then completed a four-year language and cultural studies course at the University of Limerick. But two years after gaining a first-class honours degree, she realised that her calling was to study medicine.
"I tried every route, I applied as a mature student but had no scientific background. And because I had only 485 points in my Leaving the first time around, there was no point in reapplying to the CAO. The only option was to resit the Leaving Cert."
Alana returned to her alma mater Rockwell, seven years after she had first left.
"To be honest I fitted in fairly well. I don't look 24 and when people asked me what age I was, they never believed me. It was a bit strange but the other students were very mature and good to me. I treated the experience more like college."
Principal Pat O'Sullivan said Alana mixed well with the younger students;" She integrated with the students as any other would and participated fully in the year. She obviously thought going back to school was worth the effort- and it paid off." he said.
We wish Alana well in studying medicine in Bristol.(Oct 04)

Dr. Tom Purcell (1991) has recently been appointed as a partner with the Belle Vale Medical Clinic in Liverpool. He was winner of the Student of the Year and Thomas McDonagh Union Medal for literature. At present he is working in general practice in Cork and hopes to return to his native town of Tipperary in the future. He is an avid horse-racing fan and is course doctor for the Tipperary Race course. His brother Michael Purcell (1995) is also involved with horses and is a National Hunt jockey. (March 2004)

Frank Hogan (1990) from Clonmel Co. Tipperary... heads off to Portland, Oregon. Played prop on the 1989 SCT . Has worked with Intel for the last number of years and is heading to Portland Oregon where he will be taking up the role of Process Engineer for Intel.
His role will involve him working on Intels latest technology development for approximately 1 year after which time he will be responsible for transferring this new technology back to F24 in Leixlip.
He got married last November and his wife Olivia Slevin will also be heading off with him. (March 2004)

Pat Leahy (1990) writes about politics for the The Sunday Business Post in Dublin. Winner of the Union Gold Medal for sixth year debating and captain of a more than usually dynamic senior hurling team at Rockwell, Pat took a law degree from UCD before becoming the founding editor of the now-established college newspaper at UCD, the University Observer. After three years writing for Phoenix magazine, he joined The Sunday Business Post in 1999 for which he became a general reporter, and later columnist. Following a spell on sabbatical as a visiting fellow at Oxford University, he was appointed to the newspaper's political staff in 2002. He is the son of Seamus Leahy, who taught English at Rockwell from 1964-2000. (April 2004)

Aidan O' Donnell (1986) worked in the food and hotel management industry before completing a Business Studies degree and H.Dip in Education. He teaches Maths and Economics at our sister school, St. Michael's College Dublin where he is First Year Head and coaches the 14s rugby squad. Last year he 'lioned' out for the Leinster rugby team during their championship matches at Donnybrook as their mascot 'Leo the Lion'. (May 2004)

Desmond A Zaidan (Class 1981) has been appointed by the Cabinet as a District Court Judge. After leaving Rockwell, he attended Trinity College Dublin where he graduated with a BSc and an MA before studying at the King's Inns. He was called to the Bar in 1990. He is a member of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. (December 2006)

Originally from New Inn and now living in Naas , James Kelly (Class 1975) is General Manager of Sanyo Ireland Ltd, a division of Sanyo Corporation, and based in Western Parkway Business Centre, Ballymount, Dublin 12. After school, he studied Accountancy in England before returning to Ireland and his current position with Sanyo . A keen sportsman whilst in Rockwell, Jim played on the SCT at school and has continued his interest in rugby with Naas RFC where he is involved in coaching the Under 14's team. He also plays golf (Hcp 13) and recently represented the Rockwell College Union in the Union Cup, played annually between the five Holy Ghost Schools in Ireland. (April 2004)

The Holy Ghost Fathers have started another initiative on behalf of those in greatest need with the formation of the Spiritan Asylum Services Initiative (SPIRASI). It was established under the governance of an independent board of directors in response to the needs of asylum seekers and refugees in Ireland. Originally a drop-in centre, SPIRASI has evolved into 3 main projects:-
1) Centre for the Education and Integration of Migrants
2) Centre for the Care of Survivors of Torture
3)Health Information Project
These projects are delivered by a professional team of 24 full time , 24 part time /seasonal and 100 volunteers, some of whom are refugees. SPIRASI is headed up by past pupil Michael Begley C.S.Sp (Class 1974), Director, and further information is available on www.spirasi.ie (May 2004)

Diarmuid O'Neill (Class 1973) is a qualified Chartered Quantity Surveyor and runs his own practice in Dublin. After school, Diarmuid studied at the Dublin Institute of Technology in Bolton Street where he received his Diploma in Construction Economics and also a Bachelor in Science Degree from Trinity College Dublin. He subsequently studied for an MBA Degree in University College Dublin and is a Fellow of both the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and The Society of Chartered Surveyors in Ireland. Diarmuid O'Neill Associates are based at 11 The Anchorage, Charlotte Quay, Dublin 4. (June 2004)

Former Limerick City Manager Brendan Keating (Class 1973) is the recently appointed Chief Executive of the Port of Cork Company. A former Munster Schools Interprovincial whilst in Rockwell and graduate of University College Galway, Brendan is also a Director of the Cork Chamber of Commerce. (June 2004)

Rory Meehan (Class 1970) is a Chartered Accountant and Partner in Caplin Meehan, Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors based in Blackhall Place in Dublin. Specialising in Tax Consultancy, Rory is a former President of the Institute of Taxation in Ireland in 1997 - 1998 . A keen golfer, he is a former Honorary Treasurer of Woodbrook Golf Club. (June 2004)

John Riordan (Class 1961) was recently featured in the Business interview in The Sunday Tribune. He has stepped down as Chief Executive of Europe’s second-biggest cable company, UPC, after leading a two-year restructuring of the firm which operates in 17 countries, and has seven million subscribers. He is also a member of the World Economic Forum. As Kerry native Riordan took the helm as chief executive, UPC had debts of €8bn and had reported a second-quarter loss of €862m.

The hard slog paid off. John managed to save UPC without having to sell any assets, except for one investment stake, and he ranks the experience among his best business achievements. John left Kerry in the mid-1960’s for London. His first job was as an accountant with Beecham’s, then Rank Xerox, and in 1971 set up the first computer outsourcing company in the UK. He made several very successful investments in the UK and in 1988 helped to found the Ireland Fund of Great Britain. At the inauguration of that association in London that year, Tony O’Reilly told guests how John, speaking at a conference the previous weekend in Killarney, told his audience he had done “quite well” in the UK.” Then there was a knock on the door and the message was sent in that Riordan’s pilot was waiting to leave whenever he was ready” said O’Reilly.

 

Sean Whelan- Irish Envoy to Turkey

Sean Whelan (1962) – R.I.P.
Born January 21st; died October 10th 2004

Sean Whelan, who died suddenly in Ankara aged 60 while serving as Ireland’s Ambassador to Turkey, was greatly valued in the Department of Foreign Affairs for his knowledge and experience of the Middle East. His expertise in this area, and also in European Union affairs, allowed him to play an important role in relations between the EU and Turkey in the first half of this year during Ireland’s EU Presidency.

As Irish Ambassador, Sean Whelan was the main diplomatic channel in Ankara between the EU and the Turkish Government, which has highly praised his conduct in this area. The President of Turkey ordered that an official aircraft be used to fly Mr Whelan’s remains back to Dublin earlier this week.

Sean was born in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, on January 21st 1944. He was educated in the local Christian Brothers School and went to Rockwell College for his secondary studies, where he sat his Leaving Certificate in 1962.He seemed destined for a legal career and studied law at University College Dublin. He was awarded a BCL in 1965 and an LLB at Kings Inns in 1966. He pursued postgraduate studies at Oxford University and was called to the Irish Bar but then decided to enter the Department of Foreign Affairs for a career in diplomacy in 1969.

After four years in Iveagh House, he was posted to Paris as first secretary. From there he went to the new embassy in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, where he once humorously described as “the land of the leaking armpit”. In 1978 he was promoted to counsellor and appointed charge d’affaires to Lebanon. He was posted to Beirut at a time when the civil war was winding down but it was still a very dangerous city. His two year stay in the war-torn city made a deep impression on him and he would often refer to it in later life. His liaison work with the Unifil contingent in the south of the country was much appreciated by the soldiers serving there at that time.

He served at Ireland’s mission to the United Nations in New York during 1985-1990 where his Middle East experience was again most useful. He returned to headquarters in 1990 and was a senior adviser in the political division. From 1994 to 1998 he was posted to the Permanent Representation in Brussels- Ireland’s largest mission abroad. One of his special duties was to liaison with the European Parliament.

In October 2001 he was appointed Ambassador to Turkey, where he would have been expected to serve a four or five-year term.

Over his long career, Sean made many friends who greatly enjoyed his wit and hospitality. He had an extensive knowledge of blues and rock and roll musicians and went to concerts whenever he got a chance. In New York he was able to enjoy the top jazz performers and would bring visitors along.

He is survived by his mother Sadie, brother, Donal (class of 64) sons, Robert, Andrew, Nicholas and Richard and partner, Alison.

ROCKWELL COLLEGE UNION PERSON OF THE YEAR 2003

Lieut. General Colm Mangan, (Class of '59), Chief of Staff, Irish Defence Forces
The Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Colm Mangan (Class 1959) was this evening (Friday, March 8th 2003) presented a special award - the Rockwell Person of the Year - by the Rockwell College Union at its Annual Dinner in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin. Brian Goff, President of the Union cited Lieutenant General Mangan's substantial contribution to the reorganisation, development and leadership of the Defence Forces and to peacekeeping as he made the presentation.	Pictured here with 2002 Union President, Mr. Brian Goff, at the Rockwell Union Dinner, on March 28th.
Having been educated at Rockwell (Class 1959) and at the Cadet School, Colm Mangan was commissioned in to the Infantry Corps in 1961. Over the next 40 years he undertook military service in the Curragh Command in a range of appointments. He has undertaken overseas service in Cyprus and in Lebanon. In 1990, he served as Officer Commanding the 68th Infantry Battalion UNIFIL. In 1991-1992, he served with the Council for Security Co-operation in Europe in its inaugural mission to the former Yugoslavia. In recent months he has given evidence at the war crimes trial of the former President of Yugoslavia, Slobaodan Milosevic. He was appointed Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces in September 2000.

Mr. MICHAEL R. BUTLER, President, Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland (Class of 1959)

Best wishes to Michael who is President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Michael who is a consultant Urologist, has recently taken over as President, having been Vice-President for 2000-2002. He was Captain of the Rockwell Munster Cup winning team in 1959.
Well done Michael!

NAME Michael R. Butler President Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland 2002 - 2004 Vice President 2000 - 2002 HOME ADDRESS Teach Rua Brighton Road Dublin 18 OFFICE ADDRESS Suite 5 & 6 Blackrock Clinic Co Dublin DATE OF BIRTH 30th January 1941 MARITAL STATUS Married to Joan Children; Andrew, Stephen, Ciaran, Eddie

QUALIFICATIONS MB.,B.Ch.,BAO (Hon NUI 1965) B.Sc.,NUI. 1966 FRCSI 1969 FRCS 1970 HOSPITAL APPOINTMENTS Staff Member Department of Urology Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia 1973 Consultant Urologist Meath Hospital 1974 - 1998 Consultant Urologist Tallaght Hospital 1998 - 2000 Consultant Urologist St James's Hosptial 1974 - 1987 Consultant Urologist the National Rehabilitation Centre 1974 - 1987 PROFESSIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES Assistant Professor Urology University Pennsylvania 1973 Chairman Medical Board St James's Hospital 1976 - 1977 Member of Hospital Board St James's Hospital 1976 - 1979 Chairman of Medical Board Meath Hospital 1980 - 1982 Member of Medical Board Meath Hospital 1980 - 1990 Member of the SAC Urology 1988 - 1995 Member of Intercollegiate Speciality Board in Urology 1988 - 1995 Examiner in Intercollegiate Speciality Examination (Urology) 1988 - 1996 Council of RCSI 1986 - 2000 Chairman of Finance Committee RCSI 1988 - 1993 Chairman of Academic Board RCSI 1993 - 1997 Chairman of Admissions Board RCSI 1993 - 1997 Chairman of Promotions Committee 1993 - 2000 Chairman Board of Trustees Pension Fund RCSI 1995 Chairman of Academic Board 1997 - 2000 President of Irish Society of Urology 1997 - 1999 PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS Author or co-author of 65 papers published in peer reviewed journals Personal presentation of numerous papers to learned societies INTERESTS Rugby, football, golf, music, building & flying radio controlled model aircrafts

 

Thanks to Fr. Seán Broderick and best wishes in the USA

FATHER SEÁN BRODERICK, C.S.Sp.

President of Rockwell College 1998- 2004

Class of 1954

Father Broderick was born in Co. Clare in 1936 and completed his secondary studies in Rockwell College in 1954. As well as distinguishing himself in the academic life of the College, he showed early prowess as a rugby player and played on the College Senior Cup Team in his final two years. After the Leaving Certificate, Seán entered the Novitiate of the Holy Ghost Congregation, then situated at Kilshane, not far from Tipperary Town.

After Profession in 1955, Seán moved to the House of Studies of the Congregation at Kimmage Manor in Dublin, where he studied philosophy. He also studied in U.C.D. and was awarded a B.A. (Hons.) Degree. From 1960 to 1962, Seán was a prefect in Blackrock College, Then it was back to Kimmage Manor for his theological studies. He was ordained to the priesthood in the summer of 1965 by the then Superior General of the Congregation, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Also in that group were Father Seán Casey, President of Rockwell College 1994-1999 and Father Patrick McGlynn, a member of the Rockwell Community and Teaching Staff for over 20 years.

Fr. Seán was appointed to Nigeria and arrived in West Africa in 1966. However, his missionary career, like that of over 300 of his confreres, was to be cut short by the Biafran conflict. Seán returned to Ireland and took up an appointment in Rockwell College. However, what he thought would be a temporary appointment turned out to be an unbroken span of 34 years in which the school benefited immeasurably from his dedication, foresight and hard work.

He first filled the role of Director of St. Joseph's. When the Province decided in 1974 to close the Juniorates in both Blackrock and Rockwell, Seán moved to the College proper, where he gave many years of service as Dean. At a time when Rockwell was an all-boys boarding-school, the role of Dean was arguably more demanding that it is today. As part of his role as Dean, Seán gave generously of his time, experience and expertise in the training of rugby teams, notably the Senior Cup XI.

When Fr. Jim Hurley's term of office as Principal of the School concluded in 1992, Seán succeeded him as head of the School. He was the last member of the Congregation to hold that position. He was succeeded as Principal in 1997 by Mr. Pat 0'Sullivan, the current holder of the position. After a year of sabbatical leave, Seán returned to Rockwell and took up the position of President of the College. A great deal of behind-the-scenes work marked his distinguished period of service in this role. He gave particular attention and devoted concern to the welfare of the ever-increasing number of overseas students whose presence is so much part of the Rockwell scene today.

His term of office as president ended in 2004. He was succeeded by former Rockwell boarder, Fr. Billy Cleary whose two-year period of office will see Rockwell move into a new phase of its existence and development - the inauguration of a Board of Management.

Seán left Rockwell for the United States in June 2004 to take up pastoral ministry in the Diocese of Metuchen. He sadly had to return after a short time when his younger brother, Michael, also a past-student of Rockwell, died after a brief illness.

The Governing Body of Rockwell College Union want to thank Fr Seán for all the time, effort and support which he gave to us over many years and his faithful attendance at our monthly meetings in Dublin.

Dr. Francis J. P. Forster (Class 1947)

[ " Francis John Patrick Forster, M.D.. died from emphysema at his residence at 966 Woodland Avenue Ojai, California, on 4 July 2004. He was 75 years old. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Maidie (nee Fitzpatrick); a daughter; Elizabeth Anne Masiel and her husband Tony; a son, Francis; a son Peter and his wife Pamela; four grandsons, Timothy and Daniel Masiel, and Sean and Nicholas Forster; two brothers, Freddy, of Hillsborough, Calif., and Vivian, of San Jose; a sister, Elizabeth Mary McNamer, of Billings, Montana; and by numerous nieces and nephews.

Dr. Forster was born in Tipperary on 19 November 1928. He received his primary education at Cappawhite National School. His secondary education commenced at the monastery in Doon in 1941; he transferred in 1943 to Rockwell College, Cashel. He won a second place in Ireland Scholarship in the Intermediate Certificate in 1945. In 1947 he won a leaving Cert. scholarship to University College Dublin, from which he graduated in medicine in 1954.

Although Dr. Forster was born and reared in Tipperary he had strong ties to County Clare which was the original home of the Forster's dating back to the 1600s, also his wife Maidie and her family all haled from Miltown Malbay Co. Clare

His brilliant medical career started at West Middlesex Hospital, London, he practiced medicine for twelve years in England, including three years as a captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps with the British Army in Germany. He emigrated to the United States in 1965 where he took medical residencies in Yonkers, New York, and San Jose, California. He set up an internal medicine practice in Santa Barbara, Calif., in 1967. In 1984, he relocated to Atascadero, Calif., where he was chief Public Health Physician at Atascadero State Hospital until his retirement to Ojai, Calif., in 1998.

Dr. Forster's medical credentials included, a bachelor's degree (MB) and a Doctoratus in Medicina (MD) from University College Dublin. While working as a full-time medical practitioner he had the distinction of becoming a Member of the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh (MRCPE), and a Diplomat of the American Board of Internal Medicine. An Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Southern California, he was an Instructor in Medicine to medical students and residents at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.

He was the author of several books and medical articles, the most noteworthy being "A Doctor's Guide to the Draft" in 1970, a national best seller about the Vietnam draft. He wrote genealogical treatise, "The Story of My Family," in 1978 followed by a Prequel in 2003. In 1989 he wrote "Undue Process," a recount of his experiences in the U.S. court system. He wrote a novel, Cockles and Mussels, in 2001.

Dr. Forster was an enthusiastic supporter of liberal causes while in Santa Barbara and was a candidate for City Council there in 1973. Subsequently, he was chairman of the Community Relations Commission of that city. In 1974 he was one of the founders of the Detoxification Center for Alcoholics in Santa Barbara County. "Doctor Frank" was for 38 years a grateful member of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Funeral services are at Saint Thomas Aquinas Church; Ojai, Calif., on Wednesday, July 7, at 3 p.m. A special memorial service will take place at Cappawhite Community Centre, Tipperary, at noon on Thursday, July 29. " ] (July 2004)

Courtesy: The Lompoc Record / Pulitzer Central Coast Newspapers. Copyright 2004 Pulitzer.net. All Rights Reserved

 

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