Clongowes Stories

6th May 2022

  Last week saw Toby Griffin deliver the final Academy of the school year.  It was only fitting that the Academy 2021/2022 was brought to a close by its standing President.   Toby began by thanking the students and staff members with special mention to Fr Michael Sheil SJ and Fr Barney McGukian SJ from…read more

29th April 2022

On Thursday 7th of April, James Wyse took to the Academy stage with a fascinating and detailed presentation entitled “Robert Mugabe: Liberator or Destroyer?”. James provided an in-depth profile on the Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician, Robert Mugabe, in terms, not only, of the historical record, but also the toll ‘the colonialist mentality’ took on the…read more

8th April 2022

On Tuesday 5th April, Joey Kennedy (Poetry) delivered his presentation to the Academy with a paper entitled “Centenary of Irish Independence – 100 years on” to an audience of assembled staff and students in the beautiful setting of the Fr Peter Kenney SJ Library. To provide some background on The Clongowes Academy for those that…read more

25th March 2022

On Tuesday 22nd March the Academy returned with a very interesting paper from Benoit Clarke (Poetry) entitled: The Flame of the French resistance in WW2  To remind those that may be unfamiliar with the Academy:  The Academy was set up by Fr Hilary Lawton SJ, Prefect of Studies, back in the 1950s as a modern-day…read more

5th March 2022

There was fantastic National and Regional success for our applied maths students this week!  Our applied maths students, coached by their teacher Mr Steven O’Hara, took part in the National Applied Maths Competition on Thursday, 3rd March. In the Regional Final, Clongowes teams took 1st and 2nd place, and had the top Fifth Year team.  …read more

13th February 2022

On Tuesday 8th March, Georóid Ryan, delivered his Academy presentation entitled: ‘Famine:Bengal & Ireland Compared‘.  It’s clear that Georóid’s research for his Academy was extensive, detailing the origins and impacts of two tragic world events and exploring those aspects that are mirrored across both. To provide some background on The Clongowes Academy for those that…read more

7th February 2022

To mark the 140th anniversary of the birth of James Joyce, Fr Bruce Bradley SJ shares an insight into life at Clongowes during Joyce’s time at the school: James Joyce was a student at Clongowes Wood College near Clane, in Co. Kildare, for three years and a term, from the autumn of 1888 until just…read more

6th February 2022

On Tuesday, Henry McCallum took to the Academy stage; the first of the Poetry Academy members this year to present to the assembled staff and students. To provide some background on The Clongowes Academy for those that are unfamiliar:  The Academy was set up by Fr Hilary Lawton, Prefect of Studies, back in the 1950s…read more

18th January 2022

Spice bags are not on the Clongowes menu but can be found and smelt in the school some evenings. They definitely have their fans and have been known occasionally to replace the ‘coffee’ during those ‘Coffee Evening’ treats, somewhat nudging out the popular pizza treat at times. As such it was impossible for Ms O’Loughlin,…read more

17th January 2022

STATEMENT OF IRISH JESUIT ORDER RE REDRESS SCHEME The Irish Jesuit Order has made public a redress scheme for survivors of abuse by Joseph Marmion. The scheme has been recommended by the Steering Group which represents survivors. Click here to access the scheme » Irish Jesuit Provincial Leonard Moloney SJ says: “Once again I want…read more