Golf Classic

Presidential Visit

Launch of the Yearbook

Jubilee Dinner

Past Pupils Dinner Dance

Jubilee Garden

 

School (By official school photographer, Anthony Hopkins)

 
       
The new school entrance

The school front

The Millenium Stone

 

 The Sports' Hall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Golden Jubilee Past Pupils Reunion

By about 8 p.m on a chilly April Friday evening the guests had begun to assemble at Citywest hotel. There was a distinctive buzz in the air. Moyle Park was celebrating an important milestone - its Golden Jubilee. A past pupils' reunion was underway.

Former students, young (and, perhaps now, not so young) men, had come from far flung corners of the globe - from England, from Canada, from France - to mark this historic moment with the Marist Brothers. Reminiscence took centre stage. Present principal, Mr John Shortt, took the guests down memory lane as he fondly remembered certain events from his forty plus years as both principal and teacher. Brother P.J. McGowan spoke of his own joy as both Marist Brother and staff member. It was a night for nostalgia.

Following a sumptuous dinner and entertainment, past pupils, spanning the decades, regaled each other with stories from the freedom-loving sixties, through the seventies and the belt-tightening eighties, merging into the Celtic Tiger nineties and the emerging millennium.

Throughout the evening, as the three hundred and more guests - business men mingling with consultants and company executives - got together, it became obvious that this was a wonderful tribute to the legacy of the Marist Brothers in the Clondalkin area. Staff members, former and present, mingled with the students they had taught. Peals of laughter were interspersed with music as tales out of school were exchanged. Former pupil, now RTE star, Brian Ormond, as the MC for the evening, enabled events to run smoothly. (Click on The Boyfriend to see Brian as he was in his first major musical role in the school.)

Events such as this bear testament to the enormous educational investment made by the Marist Brothers in Clondalkin over the past fifty years. This was a fitting tribute made possible by the past pupils reunion committee.

Pauline Cunningham

Organising Committee - Richie Williams, Colm Tyndal and Frank Lynham.

 

Past Pupils Reunion Dinner (By official school photographer, Anthony Hopkins))

 
       

Alan McGaughey
Greg Daly

Trevor Gilligan

Ross Kavanagh
Terry Flanagan
Roger Maloney

 

John Curran
Paul Curran
Brendan Stynes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
       

Paul Murphy
Noel Murphy

Seamus Hyland
Paul Bevin

Michael Spillane

 

Brother Nicholas Smith
Patrick Ging
John Shortt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
       

Sean Cunniffe
Peter Lynam
Andrew Butler
John Moylan

Kevin Conroy
James Carr
Jeremy Cleary

Ian Lawless
Dave McGann

 

Carl McGrane
John Montague

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Past Pupils Reunion Dinner (Teacher Photographs)

 

 

 

 

Two past pupils:
Kevin Breen and
John Kennedy

 

 

Three past pupils:
 Lee Kinsella
Eoin Mansfield and
Scott Mansfield

 

Three past pupils:
 Mark Doyle with his sons
Chris and Aidan

 

The 79 crew

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Four past pupils
Mathew McCormack,
Niall Rafferty, Conor O'Neill
and Jim Gavin

 

 

Teacher Eddie O'Byrne
with recent past pupil
Gavin Greene

 

Past pupil
Joseph Tynan
reading the
Jubilee Yearbook

 

Past pupil
Tommy Feighery
with former teacher
Maire Ledwith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Past pupil and MC
Brian Ormond
with former secretary
Nancy O'Connell

 

 

Adrian Walsh

 

Two past pupils:
Kevin McCourt and Pat Davis
with former principal
Brother P.J. McGowan

 

Present teacher
Fiona Quigley
with past pupil
Gerard O'Neill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Past pupils
Ronan Minihan
and Neil O'Neill
with Brother P.J.

 

 

Past pupil Gary Branagan
with present teacher
Martin Kieran

 

Past pupil
John McGrillen
with Brother P.J.

 

Two past pupils:
Paddy McCabe and
Michael Spillane

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Musicians on the night
Daragh Mayon,
Cian Lernihan
Jamie McCarthy
with present teacher
Maurice Hartigan

 

Former past pupil
and present teacher
Michael Lowry
with past pupils
Fergal Stynes
and John Jordan

 

Past pupil Eddie O'Malley
with present teacher
Terry Flanagan

 

Former teachers
Prionsíus Ó'Háilin
and Maire Ledwith
with former principal
Vivian Cassells
 

Photographs of the Past Pupils Reunion Dinner © Fiona Quigley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A complete list of graduates from 1964 is available on the site on our Graduates Page.

 

GRADUATES

 

 

 

 

 

Click on fountain to go to page menu.

 

 

 

 

Golf Classic

A Golf Classic took place in Beech Park golf course in Rathcoole on the 11th May, 2007. The weather was beautiful and the quality of the golf was excellent with plenty of high scores being achieved. 32 teams took part and the winning team, captained by past pupil, Jim Gavin, came into the club house with a top score of 92 points. The ladies team came fourth. The presentation of prizes took place later that day in the Steering Wheel in Clondalkin. Proceeds from the event, which netted over €9,000, were put into a fund for the creation of the Jubilee Garden which was officially opened by the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese at a ceremony in the school on Saturday, October 13th, 2007.

 

 

 

 

Click on fountain to go to page menu.

 

 

Official Opening, Mass and Reception

The official opening of the new Golden Jubilee Memorial garden on Saturday October 13th was performed by the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese at a ceremony in the school.

Before her arrival the many guests at the ceremony were treated to a musical and dance interlude presented by the Clondalkin Youth Band. Television interviews, relayed live to the guests in the Sports' Hall, were conducted by teacher and radio personality, Terry Flanagan, who spoke to pupils, past pupils, teachers, secretarial staff and the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin.

The President arrived at Moyle Park at 9.45 passing a guard of honour formed by 1st year students of the school and a welcoming committee of students representing the 24 different nationalities attending the school. She was met by the Principal, Mr John Shortt and by the chairman of the Board of Management, Mr Peter Duffy. She then entered the school where she was introduced to the Board of Management and the Parents' Council. As she walked through the school, she saw work produced by the students and passed the many class rooms where the school conducts its daily business. She was met in the Jubilee garden by the designers of the project and she officially unveiled a plaque commemorating the occasion.

She met a group of young students in a class room and spoke to them about their sporting interests. She then entered the Sports Hall where she was introduced by the Deputy Principal, Mr Aidan Clarke. A formal speech of welcome was given by the chairman of the Board of Management, Mr Peter Duffy. The President then addressed the gathered guests, speaking about the importance of education in Ireland today and paying tribute to the role of the Marist Brothers. Mr Shortt, the school principal, responded to her address by thanking her for her attendance and paying tribute, as the longest serving member of the teaching staff, to the many principals who preceeded him and to the staff who worked with him.

The President was then presented with gifts: a painting done by a 5th Year student, Femi Adetunji; a copy of the Jubilee magazine presented by its editor, retired teacher Mr Sean Cunniffe and a bouquet of flowers presented by school prefect, Stephen Farrell. The president was then introduced to selected guests both in the Sports' Hall and in a specially prepared reception room. She was then escorted to her state car and left for the second of three official occasions on a busy day.

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, accompanied by the priests of Clondaklin parish, concelebrated mass in the Hall. After the Mass, Brother Pj. McGowan, on behalf of the Marist Brothers welocmed all the assembled guests. Mr Peter Duffy, on behalf of the Board of Management, spoke of the unselfish work of the Marist Brothers and presented them with a perpetul award to be given annually at the graduation mass to the student in 6th year who best represented the ethos of the school.

The ceremonies concluded with a tour of the school and a reception in the Study Hall for all the guests.

 

"I just think it is so important, on a day like this,
that we say to the Marists and, indeed,
to all of those who have given Ireland
this wonderful gift of education,
that wonderful gift of revealing who we are,
what we are
and helping our country to flourish,
that we say to them, thank you for a job well done.
Fifty years here.
A job well done."
Mary McAleese (President of Ireland)
at the Golden Jubilee
ceremony in the school

Photos from the Day

Some photographs of the occasion are available in our Photo Gallery. Other photographs, taken by student, Christopher O'Dwyer, and teachers, Conor Kelly and Fiona Quigley, are available below.

 

 


School (Teacher and pupil photographs)

 
       
Moyle Park 2007

The Plaque in the Garden

A fountain in the Garden

 

 Flags in the school

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Clondalkin Youth Band

 

 
       
The band

The Dancers

Two band members:
Stephen McCarty and
David Rowan

 

 Interviewing band member
Robert Collins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Presidential Visit

 

 

 
       
Addressing the School

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin

Former school secretary
Nancy O'Connell
with the President

 

Student Femi Adetunji
presents his art work
to the President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Staff

 

 
       
Terry Flanagan

Gillian Rock and
Christine Kilcoyne
with Mrs Tully (centre)

Ultan MacGabhann
and Deirdre Brennan

 

 Interviewing Noreen Condon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Students

 

 
       

The International
guard of honour
included Burtt Calimag
and Afolabi Olabisi

Robert Keogh (past pupil)
and Robert McDonagh

Students in the Garden:
William Cassells
Abidemi Adebute
Teshun Vuong
Conor McGinnity

 

 Photographer
Christopher O'Dwyer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Former Staff

 

 
       

Former teacher
Gerry Doherty
with Sylvia and
Aidan Clarke

Teachers Fiona Quigley
and Maurice Hartigan
with former teacher
Declan Mowlds

Former teacher Vincent
Thorpe with Clodagh Dean
Siobhain Reddington
and Katrina Horisk

 

Former teachers
Maire and Sean Cunniffe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Past Pupils

 

 
       

Peter Ging, school architect
one of the first pupils
in the original school

Teacher Ultan MacGabhann
with his former pupil
Eamon Kavanagh

Michael McElgun
with past pupils
Paul Sheridan
and Tommy Feighery

 

 Past pupil Joe Tynan
with his former teacher
Maurice Hartigan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click on fountain to go to page menu.

 

 

Golden Jubilee Yearbook Launched.

On Tuesday 13th of November, the Golden Jubilee Yearbook was launched at a ceremony in the Marist Brother's residence in Clondalkin in the room in which the very first class in Moyle Park College was taught, fifty years ago. Brother P.J. McGowan, on behalf of the Marist Brothers, welcomed present staff and former pupils to a launch of the Yearbook prepared by its editor, Mr Sean Cunniffe who taught physics, maths and applied maths in the school from 1968 until his retirement in 2005. Mr John Shortt, school principal, acknowledged the immense work put in by Mr Cunniffee. The book was launched by former past pupil and present Director of Vaccines Conjugation at Wyeth Biotech, Mr Declan Ryan. Mr Ryan, who was taught in both the original prep school and the secondary school, praised the immense amount of work put into the book and shared his reminiscences of his time in Moyle Park. Also present at the event was Brother Colman Parker, now retired but ever active in the school grounds. He was among the first teachers in the school. The year book was printed by Print Solutions, a Lucan-based printers run by father and son, Aodán and Dave Ó Dúill. This company was also responsible for the 25th anniversary yearbook published in 1983 and is the school supplier of the college journals. The year book is available in both soft cover and hard cover editions and can be purchased in local Clondalkin stores, Mannions and Tuthills Newsagents. It can also be ordered directly from the college by contacting the secretary, Ms Noreen Condon at 4574837 or at info@moyleparkcollege.ie.

 

 

 

 

 

Mr Cunniffe
with the Yearbook
he edited

 

 

Mr Shortt and Mr Cunniffe
with the printers
Mr A and Mr D Ó Dúill.

 

Mr Ryan of Wyeth
launching the Yearbook

 

Mrs Cunniffe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Past Pupils:
Colm Tyndall
Neil O'Neill

 

 

Student (C O'Dwyer)
Past Pupil (Peter Duffy)
and Teacher (Bro. Kieran)

 

Teacher (Ms Quigley)
Past Pupil (Donal Rogers)
Past Secretary
(Nancy O'Connell)

 

Printer ( Dave Ó Dúill)
Teacher (C. Kelly)
Photographs from the launch of the Golden Jubilee Yearbook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moyle Park College
Clondalkin

1957-2007

Golden Jubilee Magazine

 


NOW ON SALE

 

AVAILABLE FROM:

Secretary, Moyle Park.
Mannions, Monastery Road.
Tuthills, Tower Road.

 

 

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Golden Jubilee Dinner

On Friday 16th of November, a special Golden Jubilee dinner for staff and former staff was held in the specially decorated Study Hall of the school. Guests were met by the principal of the school, Mr John Shortt, and directed by a candle-lit walk through the school to a wine reception in the newly opened Jubilee Garden. Among those present were four principals of the school - Vivian Cassells, Padraig Naughton, Brother P.J. McGowan and John Shortt. Also present was former deputy principal Mr Eddie Martin. (See photograph below.) Dinner was held in the hall specially decorated by Ms Sreenan and Ms Grey with a flowing red canopy and a central candle lit chandelier.(See photograph left.) After the dinner a presentation was made to Brother Nicholas Smith who has been twenty five years teaching in the school. Further presentations from the Board of Management and the staff were made to Mr O'Shaughnessy on the occasion of his retirement.

 

 

Former Staff

 

 

 
       

Four principals and
a vice principal

 

 Brother Colman
Parker		 Mrs and Mr O'Shaughnessy Mr Cunniffe, Mr Slattery
and Ms Ledwidth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Present Staff

 

 

 
       

Ms Heduan,
Ms Brennan,
Mrs Lowry and
Ms Jordan

Ms Cahalane and
Ms Kilcoyne

 Mr Anderson and
Ms McGowan		 The musicians:
Ms Harrington,
Ms Brennan and
Mr MacGabhann

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All photographs © Ms Quigley.

 

 

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Golden Jubilee Memorial Garden

Brief: To create an idyll within the courtyard of a school building that can be used visually and physically as a retreat. A haven, a space that can be used to reflect spiritually and mentally within.

Concept: The garden is based upon the concept of a journey; the interlocking circles represent infinity, with the flowing water as the focal point.

The design was based upon the idea of a Celtic Cross; there are four rings marking the cardinal points of the cross and the metaphysical ring representing the Christ. It also represents the thorns of Christ, with the upright posts providing protection and enclosure (within a closed courtyard).

The water provides movement and represents life bubbling from the earth; it acts, along with the posts as a median between heaven and earth. Bridging between the earth and the heavens, this was quite important as a remembrance of past pupils.

Methodology: Although the circles are not in the shape of a cross, it was the abstract quality, which was more attractive, subtle yet, present.

Therefore the circles are interlocking and provide scope to walk freely about. The motion of moving and moving in a particular direction connects with the monastic tradition of prayer and movement.

The planting in the garden is quite organic, within the straight lines of the courtyard and the geometric circles of the design, contrast with the free flowing lines of the plants.

The colours and textures of the plants have qualities of vitality and movement and harmonise with the existing trees. The trees were very important to keep, as they provide a living link with the past and shall live into the future representing a continual thread in the life of the school.

The statue of Our Lady, is a physical link with the Marist Brothers, whose traditions and values have established the school and maintained the ethos that has formed many of the lives of the pupils, past and present.

Ronan McDiarmada - Landscape Architect
Sean McDiarmada - Landscaper
(Both Past Pupils)