4 GLENSTAL NEWSLETTER Autumn 2005
Raymond Roche (1945-1949) Raymond arrived in 1945 among a group of boys transferring from St. Gerard’s where the senior school had just closed down. He was a strong, good-looking fellow with an adventurous spirit, and was a friendly person with a markedly independent mind. His main interests were outdoor sports as he had a natural ability at catching, kicking, and striking a ball which made him a distinguished figure on rugby and cricket fields. This ability at games seemed at times to make him disinclined to concern himself with training or practice. He was not particularly amenable to authority and displayed little interest in academic study. Amongst other pursuits he enjoyed afternoons spent climbing up into tall and extensive rhododendron plantations in the hills and scrambling through them well above the ground. On leaving school, Raymond joined his family’s extensive business. Our paths did not cross again until we met up in Kerry in the late sixties where my family was made welcome on his boat and in his home. Raymond died at his home in Wales where his wife Nuala had predeceased him. May he rest in peace. John F. Smyth (1941-1949)
Fr. Vincent (Seamus) Ryan (1943-1949) Born in Dublin in 1930, Seamus was the second youngest of a family of eight. His elder brothers were educated by the Jesuits in Clongowes, while he went to Glenstal, which his mother felt would be smaller and more homely. After leaving school he studied philosophy for two years at U.C.D. He entered the novitiate in October, 1951. There were two other novices: Fr. Kevin Dan Healy (buried in Nigeria) and myself Dominic Sean Johnson. As I arrived first, living nearest in Limerick, I became the senior novice. This was a bone of contention during the novitiate between Kevin and myself. Vincent would always be the peace-maker, reminding us that St. Benedict says that monks should always make peace before sundown. Vincent’s father died when he was still young, so his mother Mrs A.V. Ryan of the Monument Creameries reared a family of eight talented young people.
His youngest sister, Ide, became a nun at the Sacred Heart Convent, Mt. Anville, and has distinguished herself by a number of patristic translations. His elder brother, John, was a prominent artist and a man of letters, His eldest sister, Kathleen, became a famous actress, starring in the movie, Odd Man Out with James Mason: Vincent attended the premiere in 1946 at the old Theatre Royal. At school he was quiet and retiring but he surprised Fr. Matthew when he founded the Jazz Club. Ordained in 1957, he did post-graduate studies in Paris and Trier. The liturgy became the theme of his spirituality and the focus of his many books and articles. He also lectured at the Pastoral Liturgy Institute in Maynooth. Fr. Vincent excelled as monastic librarian, and also administered the community’s Charity Fund meticulously. Before Christmas 2004 he got the definitive diagnosis that his condition was terminal. Early in the New Year, he wrote a simple note on our community notice board describing his condition. It was as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He became very serene, even joyful. His sister Ide and some confrères were at his bedside when the Lord called him at 3.20 p.m. His approach to that final call was edifying in the truest and strongest sense. Dominic Sean Johnson OSB (1947-1951)
Dom Paul McDonnell (1921-2005) He liked to be called “Dom”. With the snuff and the red handkerchiefs, it suited his style. Though rather tidy in stature, he was certainly larger than life. Large, too, in breadth of vision, generous to a fault, and hugely magnanimous. He was sensitive, even touchy, yet incapable of bearing a grudge for long. Paul’s importance to ecumenism in Ireland was enormous. To so many, he was venerable, which really means approachable. His friendships, across all divides, were deep, warm, and utterly sincere. He spent nearly the last 25 years of his life in Kylemore Abbey as chaplain, causing despair and delight, but the latter much more than the former. It is a fitting tribute to the love which the good sisters bore him that he did not long survive their parting. He died, as he lived, with a courageous quip on his lips.
Let Us Remember
www.myubique.com info@myubique.com
Dan Quinn (1954-1960) John Oliver Sweetman (19471954) Raymond Roche (1945-1949) David Flynn (1938-1944) Fr.Seamus Vincent Ryan (19431949) Thady Ryan, Father of John, Hugh, Chris, Mark. Ruth Anderson, Mother of Henry. John Corry, Father of Eoin. Eithne Brabazon, Mother of Richard, Peter, Anthony, and John. Hazel Goggin, Mother of Michael. Dorinda Hickey, Mother of David Alice Goor, Mother of John and Maurice. Kate FitzPatrick, Mother of David, Barré, Johnathan.
CONGRATULATIONS To Fr. Bonaventure Dunne for 50 years profession as a monk, to Fr. Alan Crawford for 25 years of the same, to Br. James McMahon on his ordination to the diaconate, to Br. Shane Ordovas and Br. Martin Browne on their solemn profession, and to Fr. Columba McCann on his first profession.
NIGER FAMINE Encouraged by the positive response to our initiative earlier in the year, when we contributed €5,000 to the S.E. Asia Disaster Fund, we propose to send an equivalent sum in answer to the Niger Famine Relief Appeal. This does not mean that we are neglecting our traditional “Hardship Fund”, which has the first call on Society resources.
Edited by Andrew Nugent osb Layout & Print by INTYPE
Wedding Bells HUGH BURNS (1992) & CATHY CAWLEY BRANDON EVANS (1978) & ANNE-MARIE SCHILLER JOHNNY MOLLOY (1990) & CARLA FERRÉ PAUL HEGARTY (1988) & ELENI ZAFEIRAKI RONAN COLEMAN (1985) & NADINE TOPALIAN ALEC GABBETT (1994) & EIMEAR O’DONNELL AONGHUS BUTLER (1994) & CAITRIONA DWYER DAVID FLANNERY (1988) & GIUILA VALLONE PAUL BURNS (1993) & ANN FOSTER ROBIN HILLMAN (1983) & SUSAN MOONEY PETER BLAND (1985) & CHACHA SEINGE DIARMUID O’DONOVAN (1995) & LUCY CARROLL ALAN BOWES (1993) & GERALDINE FANNING
Recent Publications ANY PUBLICATION BY AN OLD BOY/MONK OF GLENSTAL IS ELIGIBLE FOR INCLUSION. Martin Browne & Colmán Ó Clabaigh (Editors), The Irish Benedictines: A History. Mark Patrick Hederman, Walkabout: Life as Holy Spirit. Peter Gahan, Shaw Shadows: Rereading the Texts of Bernard Shaw. Ambrose Tinsley, Carried by the Current: A Benedictine Perspective. Mark Tierney, The Story of Muintir na Tire: 1931-2001. Sean Ó Duinn, The Rites of Brigid: Goddess and Saint. James Liddy, The Doctor’s House (A Memoir) Dan Binchy, Loopy: A Novel of Golf and Ireland. Andrew Nugent, The Four Courts Murder: A Murder Mystery* *U.S. edition available in Murder Ink, 15 Dawson St., Dublin 2.
News Items L’Arche Internationale Tim Kearney (1975) has been appointed Zone Coordinator for Northern Europe of L’Arche Internationale. He starts on November 1st 2005 and continues for four years. We wish him well in this difficult and delicate task.
Old Boys Ties We are clean out of the new fabulous pure silk Old Boys ties. Dry your tears: more have been ordered! Available from andrew@glenstal.org for €35.
AGM 2005 Glenstal Society A.G.M. will be held on Sunday October 23rd 2005. ■ Concelebrated Mass with Community 10.00 ■ Coffee 11.00 ■ Meeting 11.30 ■ Lunch 1.30 ■ Come for all or any part of the proceedings.
Golf ’05 According to President Gearoid Bradley, “a terrific day” at Castle Golf Club. There were thirty plus participants. Piers Seagrave Daly won with 40 points, “a terrific score for a very difficult course – the oldest and the wisest won it!” (Gearoid again).
CLASS OF 1985 +20
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aturday 9th April 2005 marked the occasion of the 20 Year Reunion for the Class of 1985. Whilst sticking with the recent tradition of having the reunion in Ballina/Killaloe this one started of at Harry McKeogh’s fine establishment The Cherry Tree. We were given exclusive use of this custom-built restaurant for the first part of the evening which allowed the gathering crowd to renew old acquaintances without regard for other diners (I am not sure that there was any regard for other diners when they did arrive later on!). Out of a possible 37, there were 25 present, as well as 5 partners and the guests of honour – Abbot Christopher (our former Senior Housemaster and teacher of Greek), Fr Andrew (our former Headmaster and teacher of French), Matron Anne O’Reilly and Nurse Emmy Supple. Harry and his staff served a splendid five-course meal and great wines over the course of several hours which culminated with some
gracious and well-considered words from former School Captain David O’Donovan (DOD III) and a group photograph taken outside. At this point the party moved to the nearby Lakeside Hotel where it continued until the wee hours. Some of those present even made it as far as Glenstal the following day to view recent changes and no doubt to view the things that haven’t changed at all. There seemed to be a unanimous agreement that the reunion was a great success. Thanks to those who pulled out all the stops to be there from near (Roscrea) and far (USA and Estonia). Due notice is now given that the next official gathering will be in 2010 to mark the QuarterCentury – those who could not be with us this time please take note. Tempus Fugit. Photographs from the evening can be viewed – www.gregashe.com/classof85/ Greg Ashe
2 GLENSTAL NEWSLETTER Autumn 2005
Autumn 2005 GLENSTAL NEWSLETTER 3
Glenstal In Oz
Memories of Balnagowan in the fifties he big student hostel, the Jesuit complex on Hatch Street, incubator of orderly middle class living, “The only thing you have to fight is alcoholism: sex is taken care of by marriage.”
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Then us the Benedictine Boys in Balnagowan. We were a nicer, calmer lot, our priests more sweetly eccentric. If they had the uncrowned king of Tara, the O’Conor Dun, we had in Palmerston Park the son of a crowned king, Honest John Dillon. Dom Matthew Dillon presided, “The Bear,” a practical prince who left nothing to the imagination. He had bellowed at me for carrying Yeat’s poems around the fields near Glenstal. The discourse was now on lawyers and doctors and which you could be; in his study I became a Kins Inn student. Over his pipe, repressing that enormous energy that bounded up staircases, he dolcevited me into a profession. I had to have one. Palmerston Park was an enclave of flowering bushes, clipped laurel hedges, seats, a famous jacks, a kiosk that was almost a pagoda, in front of the gateway to a Victorian pile in the hands of St. Benedict. Bedrooms floating off into turrets, carpeted lounge by the hall door, slight discussions at night with tea. The side door of the house was closed at eleven, no one got in after that. A long wooden shed, an annexe to the house, contained the oratory where Fr Matthew said mass in the mornings, we occasionally scampered to it. We called out the mysteries of the Rosary after supper; laughing we prayed
for the soul of Joseph Stalin an evening in March 1953. We were surrounded by family houses of stability and high morality. The magic brick circle consisted of a few residences, mainly the Murphy dwelling on the Edwardian row facing the other side of the park; alongside was Myles Dillon, the scholar of Old Irish. (“The Bear” was the main visitor to his brother). Gerard Murphy, another Irish professor, he had the kindly ascetic face of a saint, blessed isles’ eyes. Frail, he loved poetry. Mrs Murphy plied us with cake while he used read to us, Emily Lawless, Peguy, in breaking voice he recited the mystery of the charity of Joan of Arc. He wept over the pages. My uncle by marriage, Michael Christie, Clerk of the Senate, lived on Dartry Road. It was said of him that if he was going to buy a radio, he would begin a Novena. He kept in touch with Fr. Matthew about dangerous movements, such as sexually tinged stories in the college magazine, The National Student. Despite their clericalism, Michael and Gertie were nice. Davy Byrne’s was my first new home. With Munich beer in my hand I listened to the ebb and flow of talk I’d never heard before. One man at the bar was John Jordan. Another was Tony Cronin. He worked on The Bell. Jordan was talking about his sojourn in Venice where he had met the unstoppable actor Sir John Gielgud. Cronin’s response was a little crack about gondoliers and Fr. Rolfe. I thought to myself, that’s fireworks, that’s what this is. Amen. Excerpts from: James Liddy (1947-1952)
WEST TALLAGHT Special Project I
am a community development worker in West Tallaght, with the Special Project on Long-Term Unemployment. The area has very high unemployment, many single parent families, and high levels of early school leaving. The media paints a poor picture of West Tallaght, which it portrays as typified by addiction, crime and anti-social behaviour. Most people, however, are decent and are just trying to get on with their lives. My job is to work with locals to help them identify their issues and to facilitate them in coming up with ways of overcoming these issues. The project I work with focuses on the causes of long-term unemployment and social exclusion. Currently I am in the process of setting up a migrant workers network, and developing a network of employers interested in employing ex-offenders. I recently helped organise training for locals involved in community development but who have no formal training. About a year ago I was involved in establishing a local environment group. This group now has three action teams, one of which is involved in recycling policy, another team carried out local area clean ups, and when their estate was cleaned, they planted trees, shrubs and flowers in some of the open spaces around it. The final action team is conducting research on customer perceptions of the Council’s services, which is to be included in the Council’s new county strategy. I am on the board of HEAT, a company helping to alleviate
fuel poverty by insulating houses. There are many council houses in Tallaght; most of them were built without any insulation in their cavity walls or attics. Recently I have been working with local groups and the local newspaper to highlight some of the work community groups are doing. I am a member of South Dublin Community Platform, which is a network of organisations with an antipoverty and social inclusion focus; it has seats on local government structures. I sit on the Social Inclusion Measures and RAPID monitoring board of South Dublin County Council and some other Policy Committees. I helped to organise a seminar on mental health and to set up a group for people with mental health difficulties. Our project also helps people to develop peer advocacy, and targets training and finding and developing employment opportunities, as well as organising social events. The Special Project on Long-Term Unemployment organised a seminar recently on the cutbacks in Community Employment Schemes and the human impact on individuals involved, their families, and the community at large, A report was produced, which was sent to government ministers. I have been involved in preliminary research into the levels of interaction, and the barriers to interaction, between addiction services and community, voluntary, and statutory agencies in Tallaght. This is some flavour of the work I am involved with. Owen Binchy (1988-1992)
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fter three years of preparation, innumerable fundraisers, blood, tears and sweat on the rugby field, we finally made it to Australia on June 29th, 2005. A squad of forty players, plus Br. Denis, Kieran Vance (every tour member’s best mate!), Alban Coghlan, and Mark Coghlan: one and all had a wonderful experience. The flights ran smoothly – an omen for the whole tour. It was like clockwork from start to finish (due in no small part to Alban Coghlan). Arriving in Sydney, tired but ready for action, we spent our first day training in torrential rain before taking the ferry to Manly Harbour to meet our billets from St. Augustine’s School. We spent three nights in their houses with the highlight coming when both the Senior Team, led by Matt Nagle, and the Development Team, led by Darragh Hurley, won their matches against gutsy St. Augustines teams, 7-0 and 55-0 respectively. The relationship between the schools undoubtedly strengthened during this time as the rapturous applause following the Brush Dance and the Glenstal rendition of I’ll tell me Ma proved! The low point of this part of the trip was seeing the Lions being drubbed so comprehensively by the All Blacks – to be repeated unfortunately! At least we were flying the Northern hemisphere flag high. Next stop was Central Coast where we billeted for two nights. We trained on arrival, and the next day we were ready to keep up Glenstal’s proud tradition of never losing to CC Grammar School. Both Glenstal teams comfortably disposed of their opponents, by 24-5 and 60-0, despite the vain efforts of the Grammar Schools bag-piper! Gavin McCarthy and Ian Nagle were in particularly good form that day. One party and a chance meeting later with an old friend of Glenstal, Morgan Tucker, and we were on the move again.
An hour after arriving in Mackay airport on July 5th we were togged off and ready to play against a Mackay Schools team. Unfortunately this team was a lot weaker than we expected and we ended up with a cricket score. Everyone on the squad got a run out, so the exercise was not in vain. Now came the holiday within the holiday, 5 days in Airlie Beach with no training or matches! Some fantastic fun was had, between indoor surfing, a day spent on the Whit Sunday islands on the spectacular Whitehaven Beach and the echo of We are the mighty, the mighty Glenstal reverberating around the pubs of Airlie! By the time we left, we had made our mark! On arrival in Brisbane we knew that the real rugby was about to start, and our toughest training session of the tour ensured that our bodies knew it too. On the 10th of July we played in the Brisbane Tens Festival organised by the legendary Australian international Barry Honan. The two Glenstal teams enjoyed great success, both reaching their respective finals. The Senior team, inspired by Fergal Magee and Conor Quinn notched up victories against the respected
Aussie outfit, Nudgey Park and two New Zealand teams before being defeated by an outstanding English side, Sedbergh, whose team included the younger brothers of two current England internationals. Dan O’ Shea and Peter Steele were in supreme form for the Development squad as they reached their final, being narrowly defeated by a strong New Zealand outfit. The Festival was a huge success. It had our teams playing champagne rugby before the fast approaching Gold Coast Carnival, the rugby highlight of the tour. We couldn’t believe our luck as the bus dropped us off at our apartments in Surfer’s Paradise, we were literally on the sea front. We were scheduled to remain for eight nights. Between Jacuzzi, ocean, outdoor & indoor pools and binightly trips into Surfer’s Paradise party central, the craic was mighty! We also got to spend a day in Dreamworld theme park (among some of the most crazy rides any of us has ever seen!) But we were there for the rugby, at the Canterbury Gold Coast Rugby Carnival. Playing two forty minute matches each day, with only one rest day in between, was a tall order! The Seniors defeated an Aussie team (St. Pius college 38-0) and two New Zealand teams (Motueka High School, 19-0 and Kaipara College, 24-0) but were beaten narrowly by New Zealand team St. Andrews College in the semi. The Development Team, driven by the workhorses Tim Gleeson and Hugh McCarthy won four and drew one of their six matches to finish third in their category. Both teams ended on a winning note, winning their respective third/fourth place playoffs to round off a hugely successful Carnival. To crown it all, we were awarded the much-coveted “Spirit of rugby Award” voted for by each team in attendance at the prize ceremony. Fergal Magee and Tim Gleeson were honoured for their wonderful performances by being named in the Carnival’s Barbarian Team. Once again the Glenstal “Spirit” was noted at the Canterbury sponsored Carnival dinner where a combination of the Brush Dance (once likened to the Irish Haka!), The fields of Athenry and I’ll tell me Ma won us the best performance award; a rugby ball signed by John Eales. We made a positive impression, but with Gavin McCarthy and Brian Walsh part of the singing I’m not sure how we managed it! On the 22nd the majority of the tour party left for Brisbane to begin the long trip home. We all realised that this trip lived up to Br. Denis’ billing as the trip of a lifetime, and undoubtedly the memories will live with us forever. A huge thank you must go out to Br. Denis, Leo, Alban, Kieran and Mark, as well as to all our parents for making the whole experience a reality. The only real disappointment we faced was that Leo, after selflessly organising the trip to its finest detail, couldn’t make it. You were missed Leo, and we hope you make a full recovery! Diarmuid O’Keeffe