Opening of New Junior School & Gym

Celebrations to mark the Completion of the Building Programme

FOR the community, this day marked the most intimate moment of thanksgiving for the successful completion of the Building Programme. For some time, we had looked forward to having pastmen and friends of the College join with us in offering a Solemn Mass of Thanksgiving to Almighty God for bringing our joint effort to such a successful conclusion. Whatever resources we had at our disposal would lie little without the help and enthusiasm of all who came to our assistance. Though many were unable to attend, we were delighted to welcome a representative gathering from Britain and Ireland to the College.

We were particularly happy to welcome His Excellency. The President of Ireland, Eamon de Yalera, who was himself a member of the academic staff of the College in the early years of this century, and His Grace, Archbishop Gaetano Alibrandi, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland. The Mass— a Votive Mass of St. Vincent de Paul— was celebrated by Father Maurice Carbery. CM, Joint Honorary Secretary of the College Union. After the Gospel, a special homily was preached by the Vincentian Provincial, Very Reverend James Cahalan, CM.

Respect for the individuality of each person was. he said, the essence of St. Vincent's work for others and this in turn, was the distinctive mark in the Vincentian approach to education.

At lunch afterwards, the President of the College, Very Reverend Patrick O'Donoghue, CM, voiced the sentiments of all the community when he said that this whole project was very much the work of pastmen. Their response to the FUND-RAISING CAMPAIGN showed the enormous goodwill and gratitude directed towards the College. While much of this was due to the work of earlier Vins, he felt confident that the good work begun by them would be continued. The willingness of pastmen to take an active part in the running of the College would, he commented, be something both he and the community would welcome, and he looked forward to closer cooperation in the future.

He went on to thank the Department of Education, represented by the Secretary, Mr. Sean Mac Gearailt, for the cordial relations that have always existed between the College and the Department. While it would be inaccurate to state that both were always in complete agreement, he stressed that any differences were of means and not of ultimate aims. The College had its part to play in the educational programme of the Nation and was happy to do so.

Speaking on behalf of the guests, Mr. Niall McGovern, B.L., President of the Union, said that it was difficult to put into words just how much the Vins and Castleknock meant to pastmen—it was like the proverbial elephant: one recognised it even if one couldn't properly define it! It wasn't merely nostalgia for one's boyhood, but a grateful recognition of the value of the personal interest and guidance that was readily available to every boy in the College. That Castleknock had the whole-hearted support of its pastmen went without saying and, he added, he would like to assure Father O'Donoghue of the Union's unqualified willingness to assist the College in any way possible in the future.

Among the attendance were the following: Uachtaran na h-Eirinn. Eamon de Valera; His Excellency, Gaetano Alibrandi, Nuncio to Ireland; Mr. Niall McGovern. B.L., President of the Union; Professor D. K. O'Donovan: Senator Bryan Alton, M.D.; Mr. Ray Carroll; Dr. T. Rafferty, Higher Education Authority; Mr. S. Mac Gearailt, Secretary, Dept. of Education.

Very Rev. Kevin Conor Brady P.P.	Gerard P. Meagher. Cabinteely.
Mr. John Burke. Cork.	Leo Murray. Ballsbridge.
Mr. John Boland. Monasierevan.	John C. Maher. Solr.. Westland Row.
Mr. John V. Coleman. Ballsbridee.	Denis J. Nolan. Foxrock Avenue.
Fr. R. Crowley. C M . St. Patricks.	Mr. Vincent Nagle. Rathmines.
Mr. Arthur Cunningham. Ailesbury Drive.	Mr. Kevin O'Shaughnessy. Mt. Merrion.
Mr. John Cusack. Mitchelstown.	F J. O'Donnell. Rathfarnham.
Mr. John Corcoran. M.Ch.	Roderick B. O'Reilly. Bray.
Dr. Brendan St. John Canning.	Dermot O'Donovan. Solr.. Limerick.
Mr. Niall Crowley, Ballsbridge.	Philip O'Donoghue. Jnr.
Mr. James Crotty. Ely Place.	Brian O'Hegarty. Churchtown.
Mr. Con Creedon.	Conal J. O'Reilly. Granard.
Dr. T. Canty.	Thomas P. O'Reilly. Blanchardstown.
Mr. Brendan Clarke. M.R.C.V.S.. Athboy.	Mr. C. OShea. Clontarf.
Mr. Chris Cosgrave. Enfield.	Mr. Thomas J. O'Reilly. Solr.. Rathmines.
Mr. James Connolly. Upr. Dorset Street.	Mr. James P. O'Reilly. Crossakiel.
Very Rev. Fr. D. F. Cregan. C M .	Mr. James Parle. Carrick-on-Suir.
Mr. Gabriel Cleere.	Mr. R. Peters. Ml. Merrion.
Mr Colin F. Davies. Rathfarnham.	Mr. Oliver Quinn. Ballymascanlon Hotel.
Mr. Noel Duff.	Mr. Joseph Ouinn. Dundalk.
Mr. John Duhig. Lucan.	Mr. Edward Lightfoot.
Mr. Maurice Davitt. Churchtown.	Mr. Francis J. Reilly, Trim.
Mr. Richard Drew. Stillorgan.	Dr. John Ryan. Fitzwilliam Square.
Mr. G. Devlin. Stillorgan Road.	Mr. John J. Reardon. Cork.
Mr. Dore. Kilkenny.	Mr. Lawrence F. Steen.
Dr. Peter Fahy.	Dr. John J. Ryan. Limerick
Mr. Brendan Fitzgerald. Sandymount.	Mr. Brian F. Smyth.
Mr. Colm J. Galligan.	Dr. Seamus Smith. Howth.
Mr. Brendan Noel Guerin.	Mr. G. C. Sheridan. Waterford.
Dr. William Gavin. Ballsbridge.	Mr. H. J. Shortall.
Mr. Gilbert J. Green.	Mr. Patrick F. Shortall. Fitzwilliam Place.
Dr. Michael Hayes. Navan.	Mr. P. Vincent Steen.
Mr. Philip Hennessy.	Mr. Sheehan.
Mr. Thomas Hoare. Skerries.	Mr. Ra\mond Ward. Dunboyne.
Mr. Stewart Harrington. Stillorgan.	Fr. M. J. Walsh. C M . . St. Peter's Phibsboro.
Mr. Brian Hanrahan. Sutton.	Mr. Martin P. Winston. Ballsbridge.
Mr. David Hanrahan. Cork.	Mr. Patrick Walton.
Mr. Colm Howletl.	Mr. Owen P. Ward.
Mr. Patrick J. Hickey.	Mr. Matt T Wren.
Mr. Dermot Hyland.	Mr. Edward Toner. Killinev.
Mr. Edward W. Hughes. Soir.. Kilkenny.	Very Rev. B. Steen. C M .
Mr. Bernard Hynes.	Mr. Patrick McCoole, Limerick.
Mr. Kearns. B.Arch.	Mr. Eueene Scanlon.
Mr. Frederick J. Kinahan. Cork.	Rev. T.'OFlvnn. C M .
Mr. Robert Kiely. Shankill.	Very Rev. J. Cahalan. C M . Provincial.
Mr. J. G. Kennedy. Birr.	Mr. A. Herraghtv.
Mr. Dermot Kelly. Lucan.	Mr. Patrick Walsh. Solr.. Ballsbridge.
Mr. Seamus McKennu. Killiney	Mr. Brendan Jeffers. Architect.
Mr. S. McCarthy. Cavan.	Mr. Charles Macauley. Clontarf.
Mr. Gerard McArdle. Solr.	Mr. Gerald Clarke, Cork.
Mr. Brian M. McMahon. Solr.. Ennis.	Mr. John M. Sullivan.
Mr. S. Mac Neill.	Mr. John E. O'Brien.
Mr. Sean MacEntee.	Mr. Patrick Horan, Clane.
Mr. Desmond McCarthy. Templeogue.	Mr. W. Ferguson. Rathfarnham.
Dr. Alexander J. Blayney.	Mr. Joseph Downes. Ailesbury Road.
Walter Murphy. Cork.	Mr. Lorcan Brereton.
M. Maughan.	Mr. Colman Healy.
M. J. Murphy. Graiguenamanagh.	Mr. T. Francis O'Reilly. Bray.
Mr. Arthur McKevett. Dundalk.	Dr. Harry Murphy.
Or. Patrick Masterson.	Fr. D. Sweeney. C M . , Lanark.
Mr. Robin D. Ward.	Mr. Eoghan O'Suilleabhain.
Mr. N. Lacy, Kells.	Mr. P. V. Lyons. Drogehda.
Or. Martin Dyar. Loughrea.	Mr. Michael J. Regan.
Mr. John Louth.	Mr. A. P. Kearney.
Mr. Patrick J. Murphy.	Mr. Gerald Daly.
Mr. Noel McQuillan.	Mr. Wallace.
Mr. Sean P. Maguire. Longford	Mr. James Moran.
Mr. T. McKenna. Cavan.	Mr. Bernard Moran.
Dr. Patrick Nagle.	Mr. Brian Brereton.
Mr. Eddie Coonan.	Mr. Daniel J. Smyth.
Mr. Bernard J. J. White.	Mr Bill Harrineton.
Mr. Anthony A. McArdle.	Mr. Thomas A. O'Reilly. Solr.
Mr. Robert Cuddy.	Mr. James Bruen.
Dr. Philip Brennan.	Mr. Declan MacDevitt.
Mr. Eamonn M. O'Beirne.	Mr. R. Moore.
Mr. Richard Brady. Navan.	Mr. Walter Smithwick.
Mr. Brendan Nolan. Wexford.	Mr. Paul Feighery.
Mr. Patrick Kavanaeh.	Mr. Neil McCann.
Mr. Michael Rothschild.	Mr. Robert J. Moran.
Dr. Brian G. McCarthy. Middlesex.	Mr. Leo Flanagan. Skerries.
Mr. John Shanahan. Waterford.	Mr. Michael Nolan. Wexford.
Mr. Norman Molloy.	Mr. Patrick McElligott. Castleisland
Mr. Barry Molloy.	Mr. Patrick S. Moran.
Dr. D. J. Lane-O Kelly.	Mr. Vincent Coolahan.
Mr. Patrick J. Halpenny.	Mr. J. O'Hanrahan.
Mr. Michael McManus.	Mr. Jim Moran, Bray.
Mr. Tom Brown.