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UNION NEWS
It is with great pleasure that I have accepted to be the opportunity to be the President of the Clongowes Union during the year in which we will celebrate our 125th anniversary.
When a small group of Clongownians came together in 2020 to plan this special year, we adopted “Beyond the Pale” as our tagline for these twelve months. This recognises the importance of students from Munster, Connacht, Ulster and all of Leinster as part of the fabric that makes Clongowes what it is today and has been for many years. Without excluding Dublin, my own home City, we wanted the Union to have significant events in the four provinces of Ireland and beyond. We hope you will have the opportunity to support some or all of our under 40s event in the West of Ireland, our Internationals Event in Clongowes, the Ulster Branch dinner in Royal County Down or the Munster Dinner in County Limerick. That Munster Dinner is a mixed event as is our UK Dinner in Royal Thames Yacht Club on 29 th October. In Dublin, on 7 th October, we will have the Clongowes Lunch (not restricted to Clongownians) where the guest panel will include both Declan Ryan and Jack Kavanagh. The Union Dinner is restored to its traditional date on the Friday before Ireland’s first home Six Nations match (v France) in a special new venue, Dublin’s Mansion House.
There are also rumblings about potential Clongowes events during the year in USA and Hong Kong/Singapore. We will keep you updated by email and all 2022 events will be priced and available on our website by 30th June. But the Union is not all about these big events. The WhatsApp group for any particular year is the Clongowes Union in action. If you can’t make an event, perhaps you can get along to support a Clongowes team in the Senior or Junior Cup. Or maybe, with the school’s approval, attend a Sunday Mass in Clongowes and witness the incredible work of our fellow Clongownian, Cyril Murphy, and his liturgical team. Clongowes Wood College is a vibrant organisation and we would like that to be reflected in the activities of the Clongowes Union.
I’m very grateful to those of you who have taken the time to wish me well for the coming year. I hope to meet as many of you as possible at some stage in the next 12 months.
Tom Lane June 2022.
BUILDING THE DATABASE
As we continue to grow and strengthen our database we would like to invite OCs to update their email address. This can be simply done by logging on to
www.clongowesunion.ie/data
Feel free to share the above link with any classmates, brothers or OC colleagues you may be in contact with regularly. We ask that you use your personal email address rather than a work address. If you ever need to update your details in the future we will continue to keep a close eye on submissions to the link above. We hope to be able to share news and updates relevant to as many members of the Union as possible, when it becomes available, a robust and active database will go a long way to achieving this. Thank you for your continued support.
Barry Bowe, Union Registrar
THE CLONGOWES UNION BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION
The Clongowes Union Benevolent Association provides assistance to Old Clongownians and/or their relatives and dependents that have fallen on hard times. The assistance can take the form of financial grants or soft loans over an extended period, or it can be in the form of expert advice or moral support at difficult times. The past two years have been challenging for many including quite a number within the Old Clongownian community. This is reflected in the increased demand for support from your Benevolent Association. The financial assistance we disbursed in 2021 was nearly €69,000. This is well up on the €43,000 of 2019 and the €53,000 of 2020. Unfortunately, along with the significant increase in monies disbursed, there has been a significant fall off in our income due to covid related disruption of our regular fundraising activities in the last two years. At our current rate of expenditure, our funds will run out early next year. So for the first time in ten years we will have to undertake a fresh fundraising drive to replenish our coffers. Doing so will put us on a sounder financial footing and ensure we can continue to meet the needs of necessitous Old Clongownians and their families. We will be reaching out to Old Clongownians in the early Autumn. When you hear from us we would appreciate you giving as generously as you can to enable us to continue our important work. As ever, the Committee and Trustees would like to express their heartfelt thanks to all those who made donations to the Association over the years. We would also like to express thanks to those who have provided employment or employment leads, professional advice and friendship to those in need. We are always welcoming of fellow OCs or their families who may be in need of assistance. Please inform Michael Moore (086 834 0132; mdmoore@ indigo.ie) if you are in need or know of another old friend in such straits. By passing on the details now the need can be addressed in confidence and, hopefully, eliminated.
UNION DINNER
The Union Dinner took place on 25th February in Dublin brining together multi generations of Old Clongownians. Congratulations to Simon Coveney, winner of Alumnus of the Year Award. Photos: Jim Stitt
CLONGOWES UNION GOLF SOCIETY
The Clongowes Union Golf Society is up and running in 2022. We had a very successful outing in Portmarnock on May 13th with Willie McDonald producing a score for the ages and bringing home the prestigious Sir Abraham Sutton Trophy. We have a full field for the outing in Royal County Down on our traditional date of the last Friday in June. The following outing will be in Baltray on 3rd September. If there is sufficient interest, we will organise an outing in the West of Ireland to coincide with the Under 40s event towards the end of the Year. The aforementioned Willie McDonald has taken over as Secretary of the Golf Society with effect from 25th June and he will be ably supported by Padraig Whelan as Treasurer of the Society. The Union wants to thank Charles O’Callaghan and Rory McEneaney for all their work in recent years. The Golf Society is open to all Clongownians – if you want to be added to the mailing list, please send your details to Willie McDonald at clongowesgolfsoc@gmail.com
ROWAN OSBORNE
Rowan Osborne OC’15 made his Munster Rugby debut in red in their 42–17 win against the Sharks on 25 September 2021. Unfortunately, due to an injury picked up in training, Rowan has been forced to retire from professional rugby.
Rowan Osborne (OC15) in his Munster kit.
FERGUS O’FARRELL – BREAKING OUT
‘Breaking Out: The Remarkable Story of Fergus O’Farrell’ tells the story of OC’86 Fergus O’Farrell, artist, composer and songwriter who sadly passed away 2016. Fergus was the charismatic voice of ‘Interference’, one of the most influential bands on the Irish music scene in the 80s and 90s. Fergus was a deserved winner of the Aloysius Award on Union Day 1986.You can watch the documentary on Fergus’ life at the Irish Film Institute website
Fergus O’Farrell James Lambe with his Aloysius Award
Dan Sheehan playing for Clongowes
DAN SHEEHAN
Dan Sheehan has had a tremendous season making his senior international test debut on 6 November 2021 against Japan at the Aviva Stadium. In the 2022 Six Nations, Sheehan came off the bench in Ireland’s win vs Wales and earned his first start for Ireland in the February 2022 Six Nations match against Italy. In the final match of the 2022 Six Nations, he scored a try and won the Player of the Match Award in Ireland’s 26–5 victory over Scotland, clinching their 12th Triple Crown. Dan was awarded Best New Player of the Year at the Leinster Rugby Awards.
JAMES LAMBE SCHOLARSHIP
Our beloved ‘Lambo’ wrote this just months before he sadly passed away. As the first anniversary of his death approached, his family and friends along with University College Dublin (UCD) launched “The James Lambe Memorial Scholarship” – honouring his memory and legacy.
TADHG BEIRNE
Tadhg Beirne’s career goes from strength to strength. Having signed an IRFU contract to 2025, he is a pivotal player in the Irish international squad. Tadhg was a valuable member of the 2021 Lions squad, named on the replacements for the 1st and 2nd test. Tadhg teamed up with fellow OC Dan Sheehan this year where both were part of the Triple Crown winning team.
Tadhg Beirne
OC 21 RUGBY
OCs (21) playing now on opposing teams for U-20s Wanderers and Trinity College Rugby sides. Pictured: Jack Moroney (W), Rory MacGabhan (T), Rory O’Sullivan Sexton (W), Josh Gavin (T), Matthew Cassidy (W), Daniel Stokes (T) and Harry McGrath (W
RORY O’SULLIVAN SEXTON SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
Congratulations to Rory O’Sullivan Sexton, OC’21, on receiving the Naughton Foundation Scholarship Award. Rory is one of 38 exceptional students nationally who have been awarded scholarships to support their studies in the areas of engineering, science, maths and technology.
Rory O’Sullivan Sexton Sam Watson
SAM WATSON
Eventer Sam Watson, OC’04, represented Ireland at the Tokyo Olympics aboard Tullabeg Flamenco, following in the footsteps of his father John who was an Olympian at Seoul in 1988. Watson and the team secured Olympic qualification when the team won a silver medal at the 2018 World Championships – becoming the first Irish team in any sport to qualify for Tokyo.
GOLLYMOCKY WHALERS
This group of OC’s started to meet up during lockdowns for a swim and have and have since recruited a number of fellow OC’s to join into an impressive group of approx 23 members. The group swam the Forty Foot every day in February and raised an incredible €13.500 for Aware.
TOM AND JORDAN COGHLAN
Former SCT players and cousins,Tom and Jordan Coghlan battle it out against each other in the AIL,representing UCD and Terenure College.
Tom and Jordan Coughlan
Rob Kearney
Pat Taaffe ROB KEARNEY
Rob Kearney announced his retirement from rugby after one season with Western Force in Super Rugby AU and Super Rugby Trans-Tasman. Following his retirement, Kearney returned to Louth GAA Club, Cooley Kickhams, where he began training in August 2021 for the first time since 2005.
WILL CONNORS
Will Connors signed a new contract with Leinster Rugby in 2022. Backrow Will had won nine Ireland caps and been a regular presence in the Leinster squad prior to his knee injury 12 months ago.
Will Connors playing for Leinster
OCS AT OLD BELVEDERE
There was strong OC representation on the Old Belvedere side that won the 2022 McCorry Cup in a 26-22 victory over Trinity.. From left: T.Mulcair, R. McMahon, E. O’ Boyle, J. Kearney, L. McDermott, B. Dooley, C. Dowling, D. Wilkinson, H. O’ Neill, M. Behan, P. Maher, C. Grimes
PAST V PRESENT BASKETBALL
Old Clongownians came back to the College in 2022 for a Past V Present basketball match, and clenched victory with a full-time score of 59-50.
From left standing. C.Murphy, P. Dowling, S Lysaght, M Leonard, Front left kneeling O. Fagan, M. O’ Loan, C. Kennelly, R.Daly, A. Papadias
CHARLIE REILLY & MICHAEL SPILLANE
Charlie Reilly and Michael Spillane, OC’21 and former 20/21 SCT squad members - battled it out representing UCD and Trinity U20s. A tight score line 13-10 to UCD
Pat Taaffe at Fairyhouse
PAT TAAFFE
Opportunity knocked for Pat Taaffe who landed his first ride in the Irish Grand National in April aboard Gigginstown House Stud’s Battleofdoyen. The duo travelled well until an unlucky fall late in the race.
UCD ENTRANCE AWARDS
Congratulations are extended to Jack Moroney, Rory Morrin, Harry O’Neill, Ruben Stark, James Ward (all OC’21) and Alexandros Papadias (OC’20) on gaining UCD Entrance Awards for academic achievement.
IRISH UNIVERSITIES RUGBY
OC and Rudiments Rugby coach Cathal Duff and former SCT Captain Anthony Ryan were part of the Irish Universities team that took on the French University side to win 53-10 in Jonzac.
CLONGOWES WOOD COLLEGE Clane, Co. Kildare, Ireland T: +353 (0)45 868 202 E: reception@clongowes.net @clongowes @clongoweswoodcollegesj @clongowes www.clongowes.net
