| Mill
Hill Past Pupils Association hosts its First
Reunion Dinner.
Former
Students of St Joseph’s College, Secondary School,
Freshford celebrated a first Dinner Reunion
on Saturday 15th November 2003. The venue was
the Newpark Hotel and a total of 200 students
and partners turned out for the occasion. The
event was organised by the Mill Hill Past Pupils
Association, a group that was formed in 2002.
People
travelled from all parts of the country and
overseas to be present and it was a night of
renewing old acquaintances and getting up to
speed on what they had been doing with their
lives for the past decades. Friendships were
renewed, memories recalled and stories were
swapped. Many people, personalities and incidents
of school days were remembered with affection.
It
was a very emotional occasion, for some of the
students had not seen each other for many years
some meeting up for the first time since 1963.
The
dining room in the Glendine suite has a grand
setting and a great atmosphere prevailed as
the former students began to filter in for the
night of nostalgia. A beautiful meal was presented
by the staff at the Newpark and afterwards Bernie
Conroy the organising Secretary acted as MC
for the evening.
He
introduced Bosco O Connell who made a short
address on behalf of the organising committee.
This address was prepared by Frank Walsh the
Association Chairperson who was unavoidably
absent. He warmly welcomed each and every person
who had made the effort to be present. He went
on to outline how the Association was formed
mainly by colleagues who had met at the funerals
of former pupils who sadly passed away last
year. The association was formed to allow people
to network and rekindle past friendships. It
was also pointed out that any past pupils who
may not be on the address database could contact
or register on the association web site at www.millhillpastpupils.com.
Bosco
outlined some of the initial hurdles to be jumped
in contacting former past pupils, as the Freshford
records have not been retained and contact with
people had to made on a networking basis. He
also pointed out the work of Mill Hill Missionaries,
“some of our comrades dedicated themselves selflessly
to alleviating the plight of the neediest on
our planet. They have given with extraordinary
generosity of their lives, energy and endurance.
What they don’t have are the monetary resources
to compliment their personal sacrifice. To this
end we set up a fund to redress this deficit
and to date have benefited from the generosity
of members”
He
also paid paid tribute to the diligent and committed
work of our educators, the Mill Hill Fathers,
“whose devotion to their mission should act
as an inspiration and example to us all, whatever
our chosen professions or vocations”
Dick
Carmody from the Class of 1963 read from a poem
that he had only recently composed especially
for the occasion. His recollection of his school
days and nostalgic look back captured the audience
and was greeted with enthusiastic applause.
Members
of the 1963 6th Year class in attendance were
celebrating 40 years since they had sat the
Leaving Certificate were presented with a record
of their class list and citation capturing the
Mill Hill crest and motto “Amare et Servire”
which means “to love and to serve”.
Bernie
Conroy thanked all those who helped out in any
way with the organising of the first reunion
and to those who had donated spot prizes and
given so generously of themselves and their
time.
The
organising committee held a raffle and some
€1400 was collected on the night. All proceeds
will go to the missionary project fund that
the Past Pupils Association has now set up.
After
a splendid meal everyone mingled freely and
got an opportunity to turn the clock back and
relive those happy carefree days, where school
was the main focus of everyday life, and to
rekindle its spirit through the reunion of all
the school members. The reunion highlighted
the appreciation of the Priests, Sisters, brothers
and lay staff of St Joseph’s that sadly closed
in the mid eighties and the spirit and camaraderie
the college engendered.
The
evening continued on and on, but was over much
too quickly. All in all an occasion which turned
out to be good fun, and thanks to everyone who
made it a success - various school friends for
tracking down lost souls and following up on
their details, and all those who supported the
reunion.
|
0502
- 64388 