Clongowes Stories

13th September 2017

On Wednesday (September 13th) the Syntax boys received their Junior Cert Results three months after completing the exams and following a few days of nervous anticipation. They had no need to worry as the results proved to be very good and compared favourably with those of their predecessors. The Headmaster, Mr Lumb, congratulated them on…read more

11th September 2017

Fr Willie Doyle SJ – a lesson for Europe In a lengthy article for the UK Independent, renowned British writer and journalist Robert Fisk has used the exemplary life and death of Irish war chaplain Fr Willie Doyle SJ as an anti-Brexit morality tale. “The image of an Irish Catholic going to the aid of a (Protestant?)…read more

8th September 2017

Sports Day Having been thwarted by inclement weather last year, the students were not to be denied on Wednesday (September 6th) when the Inter House Sports Day took place in Clongowes. Although the day dawned a little cloudy and cool it soon warmed up when the games commenced. ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’ as the Latin scholars…read more

6th September 2017

Making a difference On Thursday the 7th of September, five Rhetoric students – Joe Bullman, Tommy Inglis, Ben Matuschka, Ronan Molony and Paddy White – will travel to Lourdes as part of the Dublin Diocesan Annual Pilgrimage. They will be accompanied by Mr Francis Marron, Fr Dermot Murray SJ, Mrs Eileen Lumb and one of our GAP students, Philip Playoust. While there, the…read more

4th September 2017

On Thursday the young gentlemen of Rhetoric 2023 tucked themselves into the front rows of the Boys’ Chapel – the 204th Elements class to enter the school in this, our third, century. Under the benevolent, watchful eye of Mr Frank Kelly, Head of Boarding (and Master of Ceremonies), they looked around in awe and excitement…read more

1st September 2017

At lunchtime on Tuesday 29th August the corridors of Clongowes Wood College became home to the 204th class in the school’s history. While many of the future young men of Rhetoric 2023 will have been daunted by their new surroundings, the presence of 20 welcoming house-leaders undoubtedly eased some of those anxieties – or at…read more

17th August 2017

Exceptional Leaving Certificate Results for Clongowes Students An air of nervous tension was palpable in the Concourse from mid-morning as boys of Rhetoric 2017 arrived with their parents to collect the envelopes containing their Leaving Certificate Results. Some opted to find a quiet corner to open and examine the results whilst others ripped them open…read more

24th July 2017

An exhibition on Fr Willie Doyle SJ is taking place at Dalkey Library, Dublin from Tuesday, 18th July until Friday, 18th August 2017. Fr Doyle was a Jesuit who taught in Clongowes at the turn of the 19th century, when he also founded and edited ‘The Clongownian’. The exhibition by Irish Jesuit Archives, which was launched…read more

13th July 2017

Pope Francis appointed Fr Alan McGuckian SJ as Bishop of Raphoe on Friday 9th June, the Feast of St Columcille. Many Old Clongownians and members of staff have fond memories of Alan as teacher, Third Line Prefect (1980-81) and Lower Line Prefect (1984-88), when he endeared himself to all who knew him in his various roles, not…read more

4th July 2017

Paddy Crowe SJ died peacefully in the early hours of Tuesday morning, 4th July, at Cherryfield Lodge in Dublin. He reposed at Cherryfield Lodge 14.00 with prayers at 16.00 on Wednesday 5th July. His funeral Mass was celebrated in the old Milltown Park Chapel at 11.00 on Thursday 6th July followed by his burial in…read more