Monthly Archives: January 2017

In my last News Blog I mentioned the very generous donation made by the Flax Trust America to the school. I must correct a small typo; I mentioned that the cheque was for €10K but that should have been $10K. There is little difference nowadays. Below are some more photos taken by Patrick Dowling, Rock Photography.

Fr> Myles with John Sheridan and Frank Whelan

John Sheridan busy studying form

Denis Kane watches the birdie whilst his friends worry about their dinner

Class of 76 and 77 get anxiously await their dinner

John Cullen and his mates from 64 raise a toast to the school

Denis Kane won the cock and Mattie Wallace explains how it works!!

Fr. Eugene says Grace

PPU President, Brian Duncan, presented the P V Doyle Trophy to Row Person of the Year 2017 Fr. Myles Kavanagh CP (see NEWS BLOG December 15th 2016) at the PPU annual dinner on Saturday January 28th. at the Westbury hotel. In his acceptance speech Fr. Myles started by quoting the words of James Connolly “the weakest link is ignorance” and he proceeded, in a riveting address, to remind his audience of the important contributions made by people like Nano Nagle, Catherine McAuley, Mother Mary Aikenhead and Blessed Edmund Rice in breaking the chain of ignorance, which made slaves of the people of Ireland, in their times and later. Fr. Myles said that attending a Christian Brothers School like Westland Row inspired him to become a priest.

Fr. Myles concluded by presenting a cheque for €10,000 from the Flax Trust America to school Principal Kate Byrne. President ,Brian Duncan, congratulated Fr. Myles thanked him for his extremely generous contribution.

Many thanks to Patrick Dowling of Rock Photography who, as usual, took many excellent photos on the night. A few are included below and more will follow in later News Blogs.

All smiles – Fr. Myles presents cheque to Principal Kate.

Fr. Myles wows the audience

Jack Phelan, Ney Kindlon, Tony Ryan, Alan O’Connor Snr and Alan Jnr listen to the President

Paddy Coyle, O’Connells, Sean O’Connell,St. Josephs and Damian Byrne line up with Row President Brian Duncan.

Director of Finance, Michael O’Sullivan, Merchandising Director, John Cullen work their magic on Brian Whelan

Mary O’Callaghan (sister of Fr. Myles) watches admiringly as President Brian Duncan presents the P V Doyle Trophy)

Brothers in arms John and Brenard Murray sample the local brew.

President and Robin Delaney, Transition Year student. Robin and Juan De Vivero told of their experiences in Transition Year and we all wished we could go back and enrol in the Row again.

Fr. Myles, President Brian and veteran MC Frank Whelan look happy with their lot.

Maurice Culhane and PPU Chaplain, Fr. Eugene McCarthy. Fr. Eugene is a colleague of Fr. Myles in the Cross and Passion order and also works in Belfast. we are indebted to Fr. Eugene for nominating Fr. Myles for Row Person 2017.

I attach below an Invitation from the 5th. Class Applied to all past pupils for Friday January 27th. I suggest that we try to be in the school for 11.30am when we will have the opening ceremony performed by PPU President, Brian Duncan. We will then avail of the kind offer of light refreshments and introduce Fr. Myles Kavanagh CP, Row Person of the Year 2017. Looking forward to seeing you there.

PS. As you know, our Annual Dinner is scheduled for Saturday January 28th in the Westbury Hotel. We very much depend on a successful raffle after the dinner to cover our overheads and we ask to bring something for the raffle. Past pupils have been very generous in the past and we have received many prizes of “bottles” and other valuable items. We are appealing for the same again this year. If you can’t make the dinner but will be in the school on January 27th this would be an opportunity to bring a donation. Alternatively, prizes can be left in the Westbury at any time with the Westland Row PPU name and date of dinner on them. Many thanks

museum-invitation

Happy New Year to all. I hope everybody had a good Christmas.
Sad News
Sorry to kick off 2017 with sad news but I recently learned of the passing of two ROW stalwarts, Noel McKenna and John Doran. Noel graduated back around 1948. Happily we still have a few of that vintage with us. I’m thinking of Gerry Dolan, Cyril Stirrat, Martin Conway and Joe Quinn. I attended John Doran’s funeral this morning. John was 93. He and his brother Bill RIP, were great ROW supporters in their day. John was a great sportsman being one of 4 brothers to play soccer with Rathfarnham Utd. He was a keen golfer and was Captain of Slade Valley of which club he was a founder member. John’s father founded Doran Printers and the family continue to work in it to this day. The company, now called Typecraft, printed our 150 yearbook Cuimhneachan and sponsored tickets etc. for many years. Ar Dheis De go raibh a anamnacha dhilis.
Upcoming Events
Annual Dinner – Booking is now open for the Dinner which will be held in the Westbury on Saturday January 28th. Tickets are priced at E60 each. You can book with any committee member or with me on 087 2557298.
Row Person of the Year 2017 – Our new Row Person, Fr. Myles Kavanagh, will pay a short visit to the school on Friday January 27th. at 12 noon. All past pupils are invited. Light refreshments will be provided. This is also an opportunity to have a look around the school and to view the additions to the Pearse Museum as well as other mementos of 1916.