The Final Frontier - Rhetoric 1977-78

Its’ Friday of the May Bank holiday last year 2017, I’m just wrapping up looking forward to a chilling out weekend, the phone rings at 4.30pm - I answer it. Our Family Doctor, Breda Clifford says she needs to see me urgently, can I come to her Clinic before 5pm. I respond surely this can wait until Tuesday morning - she advises no, sorry I need to come in now. Denise my wife drives us in. Breda advises she was agonising over the call, but had to make it..............the innocuous wart that was removed last week from my stomach has been analysed by the Lab.......its’ melanoma........serious.......there are 2 types (a) one that grows down.....its’ fatal there is no cure and (b) the one that grows across.........I need a further operation under Specialist care to determine which it is. 

On Tuesday morning I meet Mr Ormond at St James’ Hospital, one of the premier skin specialists in Ireland. It will take a week or 10 days to determine which type of melanoma......I have......all sorts of thoughts have gone off in my mind.........I’m not ready to go.......I’m just on the way back from the wipe out of the Celtic Tiger......financially I can’t leave.......my eldest boy is in his first year of university post CWC.......he’s not ready to take over our business.......my Christian Faith .....kicks in........its’ in God’s hands now.........a surprising calm grips me........the next week is a haze.........the operation is a success.......I have the melanoma that is curable.......a three inch scar is all that remains.........thankfully I will make our 40th Reunion in October 2018........life is a precious gift must be treasured like never before. 

It is the 2nd of September 1977, my brother and I arrive at the Castle, this is my final year at CWC.......the Leaving Certificate will determine our future lives/careers....the game has just got serious. We are all assigned rooms in the 6th year block I am sandwiched between Danno Farrington and Morgan Flynn......we are trusted to study on our own........it’s up to us now. My cube is pretty comfortable - and like all paths in life there is a temptation to “coast and take the easy route” rather than “front up and study hard”........perhaps like the majority of CWC students and most teenagers worldwide, I probably took the path of least resistance and only studied when I absolutely had to. 

Rugby in September 1977 was everything - to misquote Churchill, “if CWC survives for 1,000 years perhaps its’ finest hour was the SCT Cup win of 17 March 1978”.........congrats to Greg, Freddie, Doggo, Johnny, Ambrose, Coyno, Con, Barry, Wally, Mark, Tim, Redmond, Gerry, to the Poetry Players and panel 1.......magnificent. Praise also for our Coaches - Mocky and Vinnie Murray are up there with Joe Schmidt......superb. One memory I have is the Irish Independent headline after our win in the quarter finals v. Pres Bray “Browne the Toast of Clongowes”. Freddie had scored 2 tries.........it was surreal our rugby heroes were celebrities and well deserved. I will sign off on the rugby side of the Cup success now - that Story deserves to be told by one of the Cup heroes themselves. 

With apologies in advance to non SCT winners, our year will always be associated with that magnificent win and this final blog is written on that basis. 

As a fan and spectator my memories of the 17th March win are still to this day vivid......just before kick-off Gucks tells me......he would swap his 2 precious “All Ireland winning medals” to be on the pitch....... an 18-year-old playing for your school in the final must be akin to a day in heaven. The Final whistle rings out and CWC led by Greg has achieved the impossible, bridged the 52-year gap and brought the holy grail back home to CWC....magic.......now the serious partying begins. A room has been hired in Jurys......gate crashing skills are required....Team only......I evade security as a Free Bar awaits...... 

I only find out later that thanks to the generosity of the Dads’ of Greg, Freddie, Johnny and Barry......there is a free bar for at least 3 hours........wonderful....I get acquainted with “Harvey Wall Bangers, Jameson”....we toast the mighty success.... it might be another 52 years....... 

Nottingham Forest under the legendary Brian Clough storm the 1st Division after having been promoted and surprisingly win. Ipswich win the F A Cup causing a massive shock beating Arsenal 1-0. Wales win the 5 Nations and Triple Crown. Elvis is number 1 in September with “Way Down”, his tragic death on the 16th August at the tender age of 42 traumatized music lovers throughout the world. 

Tigger is made school captain - rightly so - his charismatic personality fully deserves the position.......a popular choice. We all settle down to the school routine pretty quickly, teachers in class are listened to attentively, gut instinct warns from within, a decent leaving certificate will lead to greater opportunities. The CAO points system is competitive and being from Clongowes doesn’t carry any extra marks - results only will determine our University choices. 

The CAO form is complex, and choices have to made - we can’t leave life decisions on the long finger any more - I decide I want to be a Lawyer.......calculate that I need decent grades in at least 5 of my 6 honours subjects....it is achievable, but discipline is in short supply I’m not enjoying my first month back as I’m not part of the Senior Panel. I line out for the thirds.........I play well in the first game scoring 2 tries and kicking all of the penalties and conversions, but then my stubbornness, one of my unfortunate vices kicks in........why should I bust a gut playing thirds when I have no chance of moving up. I quit and sulk....

Meanwhile most of my friends are on the Senior Panel and I am consigned to a year with the intellectuals, swots, smokers, comedians......all good company, but really all I wanted was to play rugby. In my first year at UCD I played U-19 for Belvo being picked ahead of a couple of our cup winning team......a small crumb of redemption....served cold and too late to make any difference. A life lesson.......you don’t always get what you want........painful and character forming....a perfect foundation for life. 

There are plenty of extracurricular activities other than sports........there are auditions for the School Play “Coriolanus”......budding thespians congregate and learn their roles, lines and parts, under the tutelage of Johnny Looby SJ. I audition and get a minor part with Con, both of us play “Roman Soldiers”..........I see first-hand the dedication and effort that it takes to put on a superb performance. “Tender Egan” is a smash hit in the Lead Role........he delivers an Oscar winning performance. The cast and crew are given a celebration dinner in the Castle, a 5 course Steak extravaganza served by white gloved waiters, treading the boards has its’ perks. 

Ollie Dyar, Rossa, DJ and Cormac deliver excellent Academy papers. Sean MacBride, the son of Maud Gonne, an international statesman and former politician comes to give a moving talk to the school. Higher Line debating prepares future Senior Counsel, and Solicitors for their roles.........Clongowes caters to all of its’ participants. Eamon Doohan wins the Palles Gold Medal with Peter Howick bagging another Palles - silver on this occasion. James Binchy winning the Palles for Maths. 

We have 2 Socials with Rathnew and Dominican Convent Wicklow - self-proclaimed lotharios claim major romantic success.......but it’s all innocent and most of it probably imagined. Certainly 2 good nights out. We are expected to attend a Retreat in Manresa House in Ranelagh. James Binchy and I go together when our turn comes in early November. 2 days of a mixed retreat with Mount Anville, St Theresians and other South Dublin girls’ Schools isn’t too bad at all. Boys from Belvo, Michaels and Gonzaga make up the numbers. 

The Jesuit methods clearly have their endearing sides. I’m told by the Presiding Jesuit Retreat Leader that his assessment is, I’m a well-rounded Clongowes Boy ready for life’s adventure........if he only knew....I was bleeding inside......I just want to be part of panel 1 and not be on the side-lines....Sport was everything for me, nothing else mattered. 

The Cup starts in February, an easy win against Masonic. Pres Bray prove to be difficult opponents however Freddie’s heroics sort them out. We are in the semi-finals at Lansdowne Road against St Michael’s.........a close encounter....we edge through. Celebrations begin in earnest.......we are unable to control our thirst for Guinness, Harp and a chaser.......watching the clock as we leave Jurys .......we have to be back at Batchelors’ Walk for 9.30pm. We straggle back.......the team has gone for its’ meal.......the rest of us jump on the number 46a bus much the worse for wear.......and just about clamber onto the Bartons’ bus home to Clongowes. 

We are in various stages of inebriation.........a warm feeling engulfs those of us who stuck to the Guinness....those who took chasers are in a different league and much the worse for it. We have an hour to sober up.........some of us don’t make it. Mocky meets us at the front of the Castle. I hold Titch Kelly up with the help of Felix........we get him to his room. Others are not so lucky...........there is an emergency meeting called the next day. Conduct unbecoming Clongownians is not acceptable even if we are celebrating a SCT semi-final victory, as rare as a blue moon. Authorities must make an example of a few.......suspensions are issued to Johnno, Morgan, Jack and one other whom I can’t remember. 

Pleas of understanding are made by Tigger as school captain and indeed myself as a member of the School Council........they fall on deaf ears. At the declamation/meeting Peter Howick makes the best point using his comedic talent to great effect.......he exclaims that its’ impossible to celebrate an SCT semi-final win, with a slice of Pizza! 

The Cup Celebration takes place in the Refectory after Easter. Surviving members of the 1929 Team return.......the baton has been passed....the SCT CUP is enshrined in all its’ glory in a trophy outside the refectory. A magnificent dinner ensues with all invited - except the majority of 6th year who weren’t on panel 1........fair enough.......one special memory is that Robert and myself borrow a Roast Turkey from under the Chef’s eyes and gorge on same in the warm summer evening in front of the castle.........even the uninvited are entitled to celebrate! 

There is a concert arranged and highlights include Johnno a la Rock Star Donnelly and his band crooning out the 6th Year Block, a special rendition of “Jailhouse Rock”.......one of the lines seared on the memory is “little Titch Kelly on his side trombone”. Con sang a Bernie Flint song, and there was comedy from Tigger and Birdie, with the Muppets song being rebranded as “It’s time to put on purple....its’ time to put on white”, by our own CWC quartet..........Peter Howick comedian acts as MC......X Factor eat your heart out! 

We are now deep into the summer term, exams just weeks away. A certain “Joe Foyle” arrives to offer us “speed reading tips” at a price. A number of us sign up - Bob Krieger remarks that Joe’s Rolex looks pretty expensive........obviously earning so much on the promise of teaching speed reading to mugs like us! One thing I have always remembered from that encounter is that the smooth-talking Mr Foyle remarked “The Guy who’s doing nothing is working the hardest”.........a life lesson. And yes, the speed reading was worth every penny! 

Alcoholics Anonymous come to give Rhetoric a talk - a notice goes up on our Board - “Voluntary attendance except for 2 named members of our year who are mandatory attendants ........at 40 years remove and knowing my Editors’ reluctance to allow any potential additional earnings for Senior Counsel via Libel claims.......I will not reveal names. That said I have great respect for our Jesuit educators....they got more things right than wrong........and the 2 gentlemen probably did benefit from the event! 

The last Sunday in May comes around too fast - our final month in Clongowes is upon us. There were a couple of noteworthy issues at school council level. As 40 years have now passed, the official CWC secrecy rules no longer apply. My first reveal is that Brother Joe was not happy with the treatment he received post the CWC SCT victory.......I was consigned along with Greg and Rossa....to broker a peace deal by the School Council. I strenuously pointed out that I was not on Brother Joe’s Christmas card list to say the least, I was told to carry out my duties. I went along........in fairness Brother Joe had trained the team at U13’S level and deserved some praise/acknowledgement....which he accepted from our delegation. 

The other reveal is that Doggo won the Aloysius by a short head - there was a very worthy runner up - it possibly should have been a dead heat. Another life lesson......sometimes you will never know how close you were......by the way the name of the runner up is not to be revealed. 

We had a final farewell dinner with the Jesuits and Teaching Staff and our esteemed editor has already circulated a copy of the menu and signatures in his excellent email updates. Mick O’Dowd our Deputy Headmaster made a memorable speech - he spoke about values and integrity, and standing up for what is right, we were now ready to face the world. We closed with “Auld Lang Syne” - and went our separate ways. 

And so, to finish we were born in 1960 (Not all of us - The Editor ) and made in Clongowes Wood College.

Written by Francis Fitzpatrick OC'78    @fitzlaws

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The First Pupils

On May 18th 1814 the first pupil, James McLorinan of Dublin was admitted to the school. His parents were drapers and belonged to the evolving prosperous class of Catholics who were willing to take advantage of the classical education, which Fr Kenney proposed to offer. The annual fee was 50 guineas, and the boys spent 11 months in the school with the annual holidays confined to the month of August.

Students were accepted from the age of seven. In winter they rose at 6am and retired at 8.45pm each day. In summer they rose at 5am and retired also at 8.45pm. The school uniform consisted of a cap made from rabbit skin, a blue blazer with brass buttons, a yellow cashmere waistcoat and corduroy trousers.

The first three Rectors were Fr Peter Kenney (1814-1817), Fr Charles Aylmer (1817-1820) and Fr Bartholomew Esmonde (1820-1821). Fr Kenney came back in 1821 and remained until 1830 when Fr Esmonde returned. In 1814 all three were young men. Fr Kenney was only thirty five while Frs Aylmer and Esmonde were both in their twenties. The fact that a large number of wealthy, sophisticated, middle-class parents of the period were willing to entrust the welfare of their sons to such young and inexperienced men for eleven months of the year, is ample testimony to the esteem and respect they had for the Jesuit system of education.

The reputation of the College spread rapidly and by 1815 there were 110 pupils enrolled. This figure rose alarmingly in 1816 to 201. It is difficult to ascertain where such a large number were accommodated. Various suggestions include the castle itself and in the castle yard where the Wogan Brownes’ stables, outhouses and offices were located. One thing was certain; the school was overcrowded and that overcrowding combined with a poor quality water supply led to a major outbreak of typhus in the College in 1819. Fr Aylmer, reacting to medical advice and to the concerns of the parents, closed the school and sent the students home for six months.

This hiatus enabled him to embark on an extensive building programme, which was to transform the College campus dramatically. 1819-1820 saw the construction of the Lower Line Building (now the Concourse) and the Higher Line Gallery (now the 1966 Building). The Higher Line Building was famous for its long gallery. Lewis, in his Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837), states that the corridor was, ‘more than 300 feet long’. This period also saw the construction of a shorter gallery parallel to the Lower Line Building. This is now the People’s Church.

Despite all the building, when the students returned in September 1819 the numbers had dropped significantly to somewhat over 100. The figure of 200 was not reached again until 1886 with the amalgamation of Tullabeg and Clongowes. Fr Kenney returned as Rector in 1821. He realised with just over 100 students in the school that he wouldn’t require the two-storey building that ran parallel to the Lower Line Building and which consisted of classrooms and dormitories. In August 1822 he converted it into a chapel for the boys and it became the People’s Church in 1907.

This material is largely taken from A Short History of Clongowes Wood College, which was privately published in 2011 by Mr Brendan Cullen, a local historian and formerly teacher of history in Clongowes (1971-2007). It is reproduced here by kind permission of the author.

@clongowes78

Poetic Champions Compose

On the 8th August 1981 after 5 years in captivity courtesy of Islamic Jihad Terrorists - the famous journalist John McCarthy is freed and is flown by RAF Jet to Gosforth air base where he meets a world press, who are itching to find out how he has survived such barbarian, inhuman and degrading treatment for such a long time at the hands of his captors. McCarthy explains “I survived an English Public School........I can survive anything”..........does this resilience in the face of any of life’s issues also apply to OC’s.

Its’ the 4th September 1977 - memories of a long hot summer at home in Dublin dissipate as my brothers and I arrive at the Castle for my Fifth Year in Clongowes. The changing of the guard has happened we have a new Head Master Philip Fogarty SJ and a new Higher Line Prefect Mocky Sheil SJ. We knew our headmaster as last year he had been living in the Castle and giving us O-Levels boys classes on communication namely audio/visual. We had fun making interview videos with a camera and sound.

Mocky Sheil SJ was a returning OC himself, having spent 7 years in Belvedere.He was to change, indeed shake up our way of life in a number of sectors, particularly discipline and time-keeping..........

We have a new 5th Year Prefect - Fr Pat Sheary SJ............those of us who took O-Levels History have already experienced him for a year in class. Like all our previous prefects Fr Sheary SJ had to run a fine line between keeping discipline and not impinging too much into the lives of adolescent boys who were dealing with the emotions and strains of teenage life in a boarding school. One memory, I have is that one of the atheists in our History class who was also in the top 5 students got an exemption from “attending Mass or religious duties” on the basis that he made a damn good argument to Pat Sheary that he should be entitled to religious freedom. Ah a liberal Jesuit education.......thats what we all received at CWC.

Manchester United win FA Cu 1977

Liverpool win the First Division again and surprisingly Man Utd beat them in the F A Cup final 2-1, which makes us United fans doubly happy. France win the 5 Nations and complete one of their elusive Grand Slams. David Soul and Silver Lady is number 1 in the UK Charts to be overtaken by “Yes Sir I can boogie” by Baccara in October.

Kieran Kelly is appointed school Captain - no surprise - he had been lower line captain and stepped easily into the role. I am, much to my own disbelief appointed a “Study Prefect” for Rudiments/Grammar. One of the perks is getting a room which I share with my good friend Cornelius Clifford, who unknown to himself is going to cause me some grief.....keep reading.

Poetry/5th Year is tough we are reminded at every class and/or Prefect talk that the Leaving Certificate is a 2 year cycle which determines our lives and that, to get into our favoured course at University, “hard graft” is required. Clongowes really did allow us to develop all our talent whether that be sport, academia, music or acting. In our Poetry Drama Festival Messrs Coyne and Shanahan apparently are born for their parts. According to the 1977 Clongownian “An Punt ar Eileamh”, Sean O’Casey’s “Pound on Demand”, both actors “are very convincing drunks”!

The rugby season in 1977 was disappointing the SCT was defeated in the first round despite the contributions of a number of our year including Barry Walker, Greg Dilger and Freddie Brown. Little did we know that a number of the Team would collect the holy grail of an SCT medal the following year!

The SRPA - the charity organisation run by 5th Years is taken over by M Coyne who is President ably assisted by Messrs. O’Beirne and Shanahan. I have one memory of the SRPA when I was press ganged to help, M Mooney and myself visited a couple of homes and then were offered the opportunity to watch Tony Ward playing for Ireland v. Scotland by the Assistant Bursar in his home...........which we gladly accepted.

A number of our Year join “The Higher Line Debating Society”, and these include DJ Hegarty, Eamon Doohan and Peter Howick. There is also “The Academy” on offer, where students agree to present a Paper on a speciality topic........at the time, it seemed like a lot of hard work to most of us, however there were volunteers. These extra curricular students numbered “Oliver Dyar” who shared his knowledge of “Nuclear Fission & Fusion” with us, D J talked down to us about “Mao Tse Tung”, C Lucey implored us to understand “Isaac Newton” and our genial Editor Rossa waxed lyrical about “The Assassination of J F K & The Warren Commission”. Fair play to one and all - and they did get a special academic tie - to remind us of their elevated status.

The Academy 1977

After the Halloween break, I brought back a gas camping cooker. We made toast and soup and basic hot food in our room. All was going well until Pat Sheary catches Morgan with a slice of toast and hot soup................Morgan spins a yarn that he used a flame with an aerosol can of deodorant to make the offending food item. Pat Sheery sends him off to Mocky Shiel and before long the Fire Brigade from Naas are brought in to blow up cans of aerosol to explain to Morgan and others who had to attend that he could have blown up the 1929 building and a number of fellow students! Meanwhile I disposed of the camping gas cooker, brining it back home at the first available opportunity.

Its’ now April and the Punchestown Racing Festival “Wednesday” clashes with my final rugby game for the 3rds v. Belvedere at home. Ned Carroll our Latin Master offers me a lift to the races, I explain to him I can’t go as I am due to line out as 1st centre on the thirds. He mentions the quality of the racing and surely I could get a replacement to play for me. I agree thats’ a solution, but who, ah my great room-mate Con, surely he would relish a game for the 3rds when he has been on the 1st’s all season..........he agrees and in bliss I head off to Punchestown. I return around 8pm to find out Mocky Sheil is looking for me urgently........something about rugby.

I run into Mocky just as Late Study is about to begin and he suggests we deal with the issue in his room. Not sure what I am guilty of, I tread carefully, he said that he refereed the 3rds game against Belvo and that I better have a damned good excuse for not turning out...............I advise him “I forgot”........he says “this is neither true nor credible.......and by the way how did I get on at Punchestown?”. My mind goes blank and all I hear is “Fitzpatrick you let your team down, disgraceful........you will never be asked to play rugby again”. When I catch up with Con........he tells me, he couldn’t sub for me as his mother had unexpectedly arrived up from Tralee and he had to go out with her! Friends........cannot be relied on when something better comes along........another life learning......Anyway, I wasn’t too perturbed as it was the end of the rugby season and rugby wasn’t my favourite sport. That said, I did love sport above everything so perhaps I had lost a privilege.

One of the major events for us in 1977 was our first social - the argument had been made by Tigger, Rossa, myself and a number of other supporters - through the School Council of which I was a Member that Poetry should have a dance night with a girls‘ s school. The argument being that we had spent 5 years similar to most of the Rhetoric year and should not be discriminated against because we had chosen to do “O-Levels”. Permission was granted and an invitation sent to Mount Anville. In May 1977, we had our first social. I remember we had to collect £1 pound from each of our year to pay for the DJ/Music, other than that the Catering Staff provided the grub and our night was a relative success. The South Dublin girls were more mature and worldly wise than we were, despite the bravado of the Smokers and future Rock stars led by Johnno Donnelly - who gave the impression that women were their “subject of excellence”..........the rest of us were mere mortals.

Following the social - there was much banter amongst the lads and a few choice phrases come to mind, 41 years on. I can remember Grattan and Morgan exchanging their thoughts about the girls each had managed to partner for the night. Morgan mentioned that Grattan’s girl obviously had a good or indeed great personality and Grattan responded that Morgan’s was as bald as a coot..........this is as much as my memory will permit me to recount.

Con and I housed the “Poker Night(s)” in our room during Winter recreation Study break 8-9.15pm a healthy poker school existed with Gucks, Dingle, Morgan, Grattan, Titch Kelly and Bob Kryger being the principal benefactors for Dingle who had an uncanny knack/skill of winning the largest pots.

One day in May a US high school came to tour Clongowes and some of us were press ganged into looking after the students. The purpose of hosting these American students was to provide the whole Clongowes experience to them in 1 day. Speaking to their English Teacher and Head of Tour, early on in the day, he was fired with enthusiasm as to visiting “hallowed ground” - namely James Joyce’s early Alma Mater - I was a bit nonplussed, this was just our home. 40 years on and being in the TV Business.........we didn’t realise then what a star “Joyce was” and “still is”!

Till next month - my 6th and Final Article - continuing the theme ‘born in 1960 and made in CWC.

Courtesy of Francis Fitzpatrick @fitzlaws

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Clongowes or the  CWC 1978 committee or other groups or individuals. 

Transition Vamp 1975-1976 - O'Levels

Photo: Courtesy Jeff Pioquinto SJ

I’m sitting in the Mullingar Park Hotel, it’s the 30th October 2017, we are at our son Daniel’s Clongowes graduation ball. Chris Lumb the Headmaster is speaking “You are a fine group of young men who have spent 6 years with us in Clongowes, whatever happens in your life, please remember that although you have left Clongowes, it will never leave you”. Profound, his words echo and make an impression on an old Clongownian who is at that point 39 years out.

Its’ September 1975, my brothers and I pull up at the Castle, another year starts, I am now in “O Levels”, a new experiment, this is the second year that “O-Levels” is being run in Clongowes. A number of our colleagues who started in Rudiments with us, skip the year, we are saying good-bye to John Carey, Paul Cuddihy, Eoin Halpin, Brendan Rumley, Daniel O’Connell, Tony Egan amongst others. We become a type of hybrid year as next year we will be joined by students who skip O-Levels. Does the experiment work, only time will tell? The merging of the years – it has its’ plusses and minuses. “O-Levels” is deemed to be part of “Higher Line” – lots of additional privileges, particularly late leave for all Senior Cup Matches and Internationals. The dreadful responsibility of more state exams, except these are English State exams “O-Levels”, which the Jesuits in their wisdom believe will enhance our status particularly if we are going overseas for employment in the future.

Rhinestone Cowboy by Glen Campbell is number 1 in the singles chart as we arrive back in September. I didn’t know it at the time but I personally preferred Country music to rock and roll. David Bowie with Fame takes over the number 1 slot in October. Liverpool retain the first division title and win the European Cup – what a season. I can’t recall any Liverpool fans amongst us, which is surprising, in that among current Irish kids Liverpool vie with Manchester United as the most supported club. United once again break my heart, we lose the F A Cup Final to 2nd Division Southampton in the 83rd minute to a goal by Bobby Stokes and only finish 3rd in the League. Most of the above games are watched together in our wreck room on a black and white TV.

Our “O-Level” year was the last year of corporal punishment, next year a changing of the guard from Jake Brennan SJ and Paddy Crowe SJ, to Phil Fogarty SJ and Michael Sheil SJ would herald in a new era in the school. I can’t remember any of my colleagues or myself receiving any “pandy-bat” retribution in “O-Levels”. Perhaps we had matured to the point where a strong word of reprimand from our Teachers/Jesuits was sufficient to quell any teenage rebellious thought. There was one memorable incident when Alan Hoban had a “strong disagreement” with Poetry prefect Chris Murphy SJ, thankfully both stood back from the brink, it was more “handbags at dawn”, but perhaps Jesuit discipline was ebbing.

Our new prefect is a Jesuit scholastic David Coghlan, nicknamed “Joe Bugner” (aka British Heavyweight boxer) due to an unfortunate nasal collision at some point in his life. Mr Coghlan was pleasant to deal with and looking back I’m sure it was difficult trying to placate 60 plus teenagers. As well as keeping discipline in check. I had the surreal experience of Mocky Sheil reading out the internal report that Coghlan had written about me, when I got into a bit of trouble in Poetry, I was quite startled to find out “Fitzpatrick is a bit of a maverick, very personable and easy enough to deal with, however there is a bit of a Mafia streak in him………..”. Now as the Dad of 6, I can understand the difficulties of the job that Mr Coghlan, the Teachers and Jesuits had of policing us.

As a year we all seemed to get on better, we are now 4 years together and I suppose we had learned how to get along. Claims were pretty much non-existent, everyone had their space, there were the “Jocks”, “Smokers”, “Intellectuals”, “Debaters”, “Canoeists” and “Loners”. One minor altercation in the dorms resulted from a banana bed that a few of us made on a number of unsuspecting classmates including one of the Rugby Props – Gucks took the hit, and we all felt guilty. We pretty much knew where we stood in the CWC microcosm of the world. Were we all institutionalized at this point, possibly – the system worked reasonably well.

 

Michael Sheil

Academic Life continues pretty much as normal. Fr Johnny Looby SJ our English Master keeps a strong level of fear going in class, he questions us on our poetry recall, choosing one of the three rows of desks to recite the poems which he has proscribed. I learn to gamble, 3-1 the odds are in my favour, so I don’t spend too much time learning poetry. There is always the “second method”, where when your turn comes you confess that you didn’t learn it off and must learn the poetry for the next class when you repeat it to Fr Looby personally prior to the class. On one occasion I take the second method – and find that the extra pressure of repeating the poem before class is severe and not worth gambling with……..Johnny Looby’s 2nd method has certain similarities with the TV Game Show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” life-lines (“phone a friend”, “take away the 2 wrong answers”)………..perhaps English class did prepare me for life after CWC.

John Looby

Our esteemed editor was tasked with looking after home-work, a role whereby he would collect our English copies, bring them to the Serpentine Gallery for collection, reading and correction by J Looby SJ. Most of the time the mark was either G or VG being good or very good, occasionally one would receive “excellent” which was deemed a prize worth having, and Rossa would congratulate you as he returned your copy.

Recently in May 2017, at Fr John Sullivan’s Beatification ceremony I met Fr John Looby and bought his excellent book, “Fr John – A Man sent by God”. I requested him to sign “excellent” for one last time, on my copy…………nostalgia is a wonderful thing.

French class carried on pretty much except I am moved from Ray Lawlor’s class. I miss Ray Lawlor SJ, teaching us “French through music”, it was one of my favourite classes which didn’t carry the level of fear that Chemistry/English did, nor was it boring such as Maths. I did have great sympathy for our maths’ teacher Benny Coghlan SJ, he could barely get any response from our O-Levels class of the “non-interested” for the most part “pass maths’ students who needed “Trigonometry, Formulas or Fractions like a hole in the head”. I had known early on in the CWC pass maths classes in rudiments that maths was clearly my weak spot! 

While Chemistry under Ben Sherry, continued to be run on Machiavellian lines of “the bond of fear is greater than the bond of love” – Ben did make class interesting and often told stories of “past pupils who wrote to him when the problems of life got the better of them”. I recall in particular one story of a guy who lost his business and was at his wits’ end, but who recovered through a combination of prayer, hard work and hope………..we were prepared for all eventualities in life. 

Chemistry surprisingly provided me with my best Leaving cert/matric results yielding the necessary points for Law in UCD, I owe that to Ben’s class! Now as my son George has just this year completed his Transition Year in CWC with work experience trips to France and the UK, time in a Solicitor’s office, experience with a barrister in the Four Courts and a week with Fr Peter McVerry SJ – our O-Level’s transition year was not comparable with his, however I believe we were prepared for life with best practices at that time in 1975/6.

One of the loves of my life is horse-racing and Ned Carroll one of the Latin Masters started a “racing club”. The President of the Club is one of the Rhetoric Boys “Peter Taaffe”, a son of the jockey of the greatest horse in Steeple Chasing History “Arkle”. We would go when possible to the local race-courses “Naas, Punchestown, The Curragh”.

On a trip to Punchestown, Morgan Mooney and myself had lost all our bets and were hoping to make it home for tea as we were starving. We hitch hiked and a kindly racegoer took pity on us, brought us for a meal in the Gem in Naas and then for a couple of pints. It was my first pint of Guinness, which I quickly developed a fondness for. Morgan and myself had a problem now, we had to get back in to the Big Study prior to 8pm so that it was not noticed that we had bunked off to the races. At about 7.20pm with a couple of pints on board we each had an excuse for the Study Master – one improvised and exclaimed that we had been at an away tennis match!

1976 was a strong year for CWC rugby, the Team captained by the late Tim “Mush” Cronin” lined out in the semi-final of the SCT at Lansdowne Road with Barry Walker, Eoin Halpin and Alan Hoban starring. The Clongowes Team featured Irish International Paul McCormack and Leinster Inter-pro Jimmy Whelan. Castleknock won the day but Clongowes were back as a potential rugby force in Leinster. An emotional and disappointed Captain Cronin in an impassioned speech in the Gallery forecast that the holy grail of an SCT victory would come now that Clongowes had implemented “O-Levels” we were competing on an even pitch with the Dublin schools of Blackrock etc” …………..how right he was – in forecasting 1978’s success! We had a good super-thirds team with Fr Liam O’Connell proclaiming that we had the 2 fastest wingers in Leinster in John Hickie and Gerry Healy.

Dingle had become a force for good, in his own mind at least in attending, as our year representative the “Catering Committee” presided over by Chef Dagger. I couldn’t quite understand the advantage for Dingle until he explained that “knowing the chef and guiding the menus” was useful. I attended on a couple of occasions with him and found that once the catering staff got to know you, your helpings did improve and getting seconds was easier. A life lesson, particularly for the branch of life I qualified in, law…. knowing your Judge was definitely an advantage!

Our college librarians feature Cormac Lucey one of our year’s top academics, ably assisted by future IFSC senior civil servant Martin Moloney, David Nunes and future Scottish GP Morgan Flynn. Members of the Poetry and O-Levels quiz include Martin Coyne who is sporting an Afro in the picture in the Clongownian, Paddy Ryan and Cormac. The Phoenix Revival Debating Society picture features Con Clifford, D J Hegarty, the late Joe Prendiville and the late Brendan Rumley both of whom continue the debate in heaven.

I note also from this year’s Clongownian that we win the annual Triangular contest between the Cadets, Newbridge and CWC. Cathal Ryan and Eoin Halpin make the senior cricket team.

David Coghlan

Our fourth year together deepened the bond between us, we share many memories, many days were dull and routine, some days were magical, as we travelled together, along the teenage years road toward adulthood. No doubt our parents and elders indoctrinated us with the usual cliché “School days are the best days of your life”, we didn’t know it then and probably are just about appreciating it now. Our school of hard knocks provided us with skills and stamina that still serve us today. Yes Mr Lumb – Clongowes never left us.

Till next month – continuing the theme, born in 1960 and made in CWC.

Written by Francis Fitzpatrick CWC 1972-1978 @fitzlaws

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the Clongowes 1978 committee or other groups or individuals. 

                        

The Syntax Years 1975-76

I’m sitting in a consultation in Jurys’ Hotel Ballsbridge, its’ arranged by a Financial Adviser who specialises in representing Clients dealing with Banks. He has brought me in as the Legal Adviser, I’m grateful for any type of work. It's May 2009, Bank of Ireland is selling property as are the other banks to US Vulture funds at 10% of value, carnage on the streets as those leveraged to property as I am, are running out of road. 

Brian Lenihan TD Minister for Finance has put the brakes on family home repossessions - thank God - but there is little to be done. Our Client a middle-aged woman is in deep trouble, she owes €29M and her property portfolio is probably worth €5M on a good day. We are discussing the best options - probably Bankruptcy in the UK and quick. As the day drags on - we stop for lunch she says she is forever grateful that she sent her 2 boys to a boarding school in Kildare, at least they got a great education from the Celtic Tiger. The Accountant is from Belvo and tries to joke.....surely it wasn’t his sister school Clongowes. It was, I say nothing, other than I was there.........but deep down this is a message from above.......somehow and I just didn’t know how then.......my 3 boys would have to go to my Alma Mater.......I was praying for divine intervention or at least divine inspiration. 

The summer of 1974 whizzes by..........we were entertained no end by “Total Football” and the magical Dutch with Johan Cruyff starring........beaten by Gerd Mullers Germany in the World Cup Final in July......can’t wait to try out Cruyff’s new dribbling trick in our soccer leagues in CWC. As we arrive on the 3rd of September 1975 Rod Stewart is top of the Charts with “Sailing” - having taken over from the Bay City Rollers who held the position in July. One of the greatest songs of all time Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody is due to fill the number 1 slot for 9 weeks from November 23rd. Liverpool are due to win their 9th Division 1 title and there is some hope for Manchester United.....we had been relegated last season but come back to finish 6th in the First Division and with our loudmouth Manager Tommy Docherty at the helm, win the F A Cup.....Bliss! 

This is an important year for us.......our first major state exams.......the Inter Certificate......also for our JCT Team.......the chance to impress on the fields of Donnybrook representing the school in the Leinster Junior Cup. We win our first match against Roscrea 22-16 in Kings Hospital’s ground. Ned McQuaid, B Walker, P Mulrine and Greg all-star and the Team are welcomed home as heroes, any win in a Cup match is celebrated to the full. We lose to eventual winners Pres Bray in the quarter final - 7-5..........hindsight being a wonderful companion..........was this the signal that ‘78 would be the defining year for CWC rugby., when we would avenge this defeat and go on to bridge a 52-year gap! 

One abiding memory from the JCT match v. Pres Bray in Donnybrook, was Alan Hoban’s rugby tackle of the Pres Mascot, who dared taunt well behaved CWC supporters at half time. The tackle unleashed a crowd upset which Millwall Fans would have been proud of. Paddy Crowe SJ was not amused but we sensed that even he felt justice had been done and Alan cemented his reputation as a man not to be trifled with. 

The Monaghan - Dublin bombings of the 17th May of the previous year had severe repercussions for CWC late leave, which was the practice of allowing us to savour the delights of Dublin City until 9pm when our buses would leave from Bachelors Walk to take us home to CWC. Parents now had to sign off permission for “Late Leave” - given for JCT Cup Matches and for Internationals. My Mum was wavering - how could they be sure we would be safe, Patrick my older brother pleas with Dad “we’d be the odd ones out”, eventually won the day. Late Leave was an interesting experience - the great joy of being with friends was also coupled with the dangers of young City ruffians who were peddling O’Connell Street looking to pounce on unwary strangers opening with “give us tuppence”........once again safety in numbers was the lesson learned. 

In the days pre-McDonalds, Burger King and KFC, old style Italian chippers such as Cafollas were the taste of choice and either burger and chips or sausage and chips with extra salt and vinegar were the highlight of those late leaves. Later for SCT matches when we were in Higher Line we would be keener on a pint of Harp or Guinness and a packet of Tayto.......the hard men......would of course have insisted on Jameson chasers! 

The routine of life in Syntax was no different to Grammar. The Bell rang at 7.20am and despite Gucks in particular and other future engineers in trying to dismantle its’ shrill tones, it survived to remind us to be up for breakfast for 7.30am. Morning Study followed at 8.15am which was the last exit for chancers (myself included) to get that question or preparation for one’s most difficult class, finished. Prevarication hung heavy for all but the most studious swots - despite great study opportunities - I somehow would only complete tasks as absolutely necessary. Morning class ensues until the 11.15am break, when Dingle Moore took it on himself to dispense the morning snacks with coffee, he also had control of the supper tea/coffee snacks..........a lesson learned for a future Finance King.......control the cash at all times. Morning classes continue 11.30am to Lunch at 1pm..........the lunch stampede continuing as I understand from my 3 boys at CWC.........no generation likes to queue. Afternoon class starts at 2pm to 4pm and then the best part of the day............4-6pm Free Time for sport or other non-study/learning pursuits. Even the smokers loved this time - when they would gather for some legal nicotine prior to getting down first for Tea at 5pm. 

One memory from “the Big Study”...........Ireland were playing Russia in the European Qualifiers in 1976........those of us with radios and earphones smuggle them into Study and set about quietly tuning in to the game. All is going well, Ireland are suddenly 1 up, they go to 2, Don Givens scores a Hattrick and then a Fourth........I’m pretty sure I witnessed at least 5 super fans almost jumping with delight........the Study Prefect either Ned Carroll our kindly Latin Master or Mick O’Dowd.........were probably listening in as well. Another memory is a protest when a number of us wore “Dressing Gowns” to highlight how blooming freezing it was on occasion! 

While to the outside world - we lived in a privileged cocoon - perhaps we didn’t realize it then (as a parent, my 3 boys don’t have a clue - give them 40 years out and they will), we didn’t think so, and were always ready and willing to “best the system” if we could. One example.........overhead electric heaters were installed in our wreck room.......some Physics genius possibly “Sambo Shiel’s/Philip Murphy or 100% Hockey, discovered that those heaters could be used to make toast. The smell of toast is alluring and quickly we all want some of that. Even Con Clifford gets up for breakfast once toast is available. You needed to work in pairs, 1 on the lookout and the other making toast. Titch Kelly and myself are working away until Chris Murphy SJ, breaks our radar system and confiscates our contraband! Despite Titch’s pleas “can I have some more Sir”! 

Dingle, Morgan, Henno Donnelly and myself discovered that we had a love of 2 things that young gentlemen should probably avoid, poker and horses. In later life I put all my misfortune down to “slow horses and fast women!". We mis-spent many a Wednesday and Saturday afternoon, losing our pocket money to the bookies in Clane! In terms of Poker, Dingle was the maestro and no matter what hand I had, on one deal, I had a straight flush and Dingle comes in with a Royal straight flush........I recall it was the first hand dealt in that session.......he always won! A big learning........the house always wins. 

One of my abiding memories of a great time at CWC was during the Inter Cert exams. Most of Syntax left after about 10 days of exams, as I was taking a minority subject “Spanish” - I had an extra week of great weather and time to wallow in the splendour of the college. No rules - it truly was a holiday venue extraordinaire. I didn’t do much if any study and spent the endless hours, playing soccer, tennis, tip rugby, swimming and eating pretty much what I wanted as the skeleton catering staff felt sorry for us teenagers who had been left behind. 

Mocky Sheil kindly allowed me access to the Clongownian for 1975/76 and the following are excerpts that hopefully sum up what fellow 15-year olds were accomplishing in 1975: 

James (TC) Kelly was awarded first place in the senior Feis Ceoil. Drama talent was exhibited by “The Apprentices” our year end play starring Freddie, Jack Ronan and David Kelly, who according to the Clongownian “exhibited India Rubber resilience as “the New Apprentice”. Our Christmas debate theme was “That the era of Democracy is ended”....D J Hegarty led the opposition ably assisted by Ambrose. John Hickey’s Team win the Syntax Quiz and he has Con Clifford, Martin Moloney and Greg to thank for winning by a point! Rossa (our esteemed editor of this blog and organiser in Chief of our forthcoming re-union) and Rory are complimented for their Orienteering aptitude. Joe Prendiville bags the medal for Lower Line Debate. There are also plaudits for C Hickey and F McEnroy for their prowess in canoes. Peter Howick, who goes on to become one of Ireland’s finest journalists scores 1 of his many well-deserved Medals for English - he is peerless amongst us as a writer and wit! Gucks wins one of his All Irelands. 

It’s the May bank holiday and my editor Rossa wants this delivered for Tues. 7th May, so I need to sign off. Till next month - continuing the theme ‘born in 1960 and made in CWC.

If you have any stories that now need airing please contact whistleblowercwc72@gmail.com

in the STRICTEST confidence ;)

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