This week saw the arrival of the much-anticipated latest issue of The Clongownian in the school. The journal was presented to the Headmaster, Mr Chris Lumb by the editor, Mr Declan O’Keeffe and later distributed to the pupils and staff. Every year The Clongownian attempts to reflect the breadth of activity in the school, be it academic, cultural, pastoral, religious or sporting and this issue is no different. It also has a long tradition of publishing feature articles, which touch on aspects of the college’s long history and its many distinguished alumni.
The Clongownian has been published continually since its foundation in the summer of 1895, and the many activities recorded in this Clongownian (the founder of which, Fr Willie Doyle SJ, is remembered in its pages on the centenary of his death during The Battle of Passchendaele in 1917) would be familiar to our many thousands of alumni over the centuries. Their shades would be pleased at the continuing devotion to our core co-curricular activities such as debating, music and drama as well as the way in which sport continues to foster the mens sana in the corpore sano, both within and without the school buildings.
The Clongownian 2017 also contains exclusive articles with happier news of distinguished past pupils and Jesuits associated with the school. The Beatification of Blessed John Sullivan SJ is recorded in its pages as is another centenary – that of the awarding of the Victoria Cross to John Vincent Holland. The sad passings of Fr Paddy Crowe SJ, the first Headmaster of Clongowes, and Fr Vincent Murphy SJ are noted, as is the happier news of the appointment of former Headmaster, Fr Leonard Moloney SJ as Provincial of the Irish Jesuit Province and that of former teacher and prefect, Fr Alan McGuckian SJ as Bishop of Raphoe.
A very limited number of copies of this historic volume is available and may be obtained by sending a cheque for €50 (incl p&p), made payable to Clongowes Wood College, to: The Editor, The Clongownian, Clongowes Wood College SJ, Clane, Co Kildare. All proceeds will go to the Alberto Hurtado Bursary Programme.
Declan O’Keeffe, Head of Communications
Editor of The Clongownian
