Clongowes Stories

5th March 2018

Just before the snows came and made our best-laid schemes ‘gang agley’, Poetry visited the Grand Canal Theatre in Dublin for a production of Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy Macbeth, courtesy of generous sponsorship from the Parents’ Association. ‘The Scottish Play’, as it is often dubbed by superstitious actors, dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of…read more

3rd March 2018

‘Yes, the newspapers were right: snow was general all over Ireland.’ With these words James Joyce, arguably our most famous past pupil, commenced the conclusion to The Dead, arguably his most famous short story. With its themes of love and loss, the tale of Gabriel Conroy (based on Con Curran, Joyce’s schoolmate in Belvedere) makes for poignant…read more

3rd March 2018

Although Fr Willie Doyle SJ (1873-1917) was not educated at Clongowes Wood College, he was distinctly Clongownian in nature. Our annual journal, ‘The Clongownian’ exists because of him, as he was its founder and first editor. He also argued successfully for the proposal to establish the Clongowes Union… Saturday 3rd March marks the birthday anniversary…read more

1st March 2018

Due to the adverse weather conditions, the cake sale planned for next, Sunday 4th March, has been deferred until Sunday 22nd April, when a number of students from Syntax will host a cake sale with a difference after Sunday Mass in the Concourse area. Mr Aran McMahon (OC’88) who runs the award winning Rua Restaurant, Delicatessen…read more

1st March 2018

DUE TO THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, IT HAS BEEN DECIDED TO CANCEL THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE POOL THIS COMING SATURDAY (MARCH 3RD). THE HEADMASTER WILL RESCHEDULE ANOTHER DATE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. New Swimming Pool to be officially opened by Tánaiste, Simon Coveney The long awaited new 25 metre, five-lane swimming pool in Clongowes quietly…read more

1st March 2018

Later this month (on Thursday 15th March) seven Transition Year students along with Mr Noel Murray and Old Clongownian, Pyers O’Connor Nash (OC’69) will set off for Kolkata ‘The City of Joy’ as part of the HOPE Foundation trip. The purpose of this trip is to visit and engage with students who are in HOPE centres…read more

27th February 2018

Belvedere College 26 Clongowes Wood College 7 The highest decoration given on Union Day in Clongowes is the Aloysius Award, named in honour of our patron, St Aloysius Gonzaga. The accolade is given for, inter alia, ‘courage and determination in personal and communal life – for development of character [and] placing his talents at the…read more

25th February 2018

The cup season is well and truly upon us and the Junior campaign continues apace as they reach the quarterfinal stage… At 3 pm tomorrow (or today if you’re reading this tomorrow…), in Donnybrook, the purple and white will line out against the black and white, in the quarter-final of the Leinster Schools’ Junior Rugby…read more

25th February 2018

As part of our fund raising campaign for the Clongowes Duck Push the students of Syntax are organising the Duck Push Golf Classic at the K-Club in Straffan Co. Kildare on Wednesday 16th May. There are places for up to 25 teams, each consisting of 4 golfers, to take part in this special annual event…read more

23rd February 2018

No need to panic or run for cover, this is not an early stage of the anticipated ‘Beast from the East’ (Storm Emma), expected next week – it’s just the return of our old friends from the Cork based Cyclone Repertory company who have returned to Clongowes to entertain the Transition Year boys while also educating…read more