The Class of 1959 planting their Oak Tree
It was an enjoyable task contacting the class of 59 to see what interest there might be for a 50th Anniversary dinner. The response was encouraging and many letters later the arrangements fell into place. All the living were tracked down and contacted except Barry Timmons who was last sighted, late at night, by Henry Blake close to Heathrow, cooking sausages on a brazier, and chatting away to the night watchman.
The Dinner was held at the Dunraven Arms Hotel on the 25th June 2009. It was a merry affair. 33 old boys attended. Our guests included Fr. Philip, Fr. Andrew, Anne O’Reilly, Brigid O’Loughlin and Tom and Mary Seaver.
On the 26th June 2009 we attended mass at Glenstal Abbey followed by a most pleasant lunch in the school refectory. Fr. Abbot Patrick greeted us and it was great to meet with many members of the community after so many years.
Patrick Hickey’s daughter had grown an oak tree from a Glenstal acorn and it is planted on the Monastery lawn. Brother Anthony supervised proceedings ably assisted by the gardeners among us. Later we walked around the school and the grounds where every corner turned produced some new memory and none more vivid then the time when Fr. Matthew (‘the Bear’) caught Eddie Dunlop and myself burdened with fire extinguishers as we struggled back up the hill from the Clare Glens.
“Well Brothers! Where are you taking the fire extinguishers?†“We are taking them back to the library Fatherâ€, we replied. “Blithering idiots, report to my study this evening†As we fled we called out: “And by the way Father we tested them and they don’t work.†We heard a growl as we ran by. The rest is too sad to relate!
Now that all the fun is over the class of 59 have one objective: that is to keep going until 2034 when, what is left of us, will celebrate the 75th. We remember in our prayers: Peter Cahill, John Coffey, John DeBromhead, Frank Fletcher, Richard Gallagher, John Hederman, Nicholas Keane, Donal McCarthy, Michael McCarthy, Barney Nagle, Patrick Nugent, Frances Neerman, Dan Quinn, Alan Russell, John Gore Grimes