Clongowes Stories

7th January 2015

Following on from last year’s mathematical modelling project Tim Burke and Daniel Kilmartin (Poetry) decided to enter the BT Young Scientist Competition with a mathematical modelling solution to the problem of optimising airline-overbooking strategies. Tim and Daniel have produced a very elegant solution to this problem, which establishes precisely the percentage of seats by which…read article

5th January 2015

Creating Resilience in Families This year, the Grammar Parent Day will take place next Sunday 11th January 2015. Dr Fergus Heffernan a Clinical Psychologist, with an MSc in Family Therapies, and a PHD in Neuro Science (pictured here speaking at the Kilkenny Campus of NUI Maynooth) will be our speaker. Dr Heffernan has spent almost 35…read article

4th January 2015

Last May, exactly two hundred years after the arrival of the first student in Clongowes, a host of students, parents, staff, members of the Jesuit Community, past pupils and guests – many in period dress – assembled before the castle to witness and participate in a pageant to commemorate the arrival of the first Jesuits…read article

16th December 2014

As the trophy sat proudly beside the new Oval Pitch, it seemed destined to find its long-term residency in the castle behind it. Alas, it was not to be.  The spectacular piece will instead make its way to Ailesbury Road, having been clinched by St. Michael’s with a narrow 3-0 victory over close rivals Blackrock…read article

15th December 2014

We have just heard the sad news of the death of Brendan Campbell, former Physics teacher in Clongowes (1955-1996) following a long illness. Brendan will be remembered fondly by several generations of Old Clongownians as an inspirational teacher and thorough gentleman. Brendan (or ‘Bolly’ as he was known to his charges) took pride in being…read article

11th December 2014

There is a hunger for reading in Elements as shown by the number of students who were presented with a Reading Challenge Certificate yesterday morning by the Headmaster, Fr Moloney S.J. Over half of Elements students took on a challenge to read four books by four different authors. From a reading list that included titles…read article

9th December 2014

If, as Forrest Gump suggested, life is like a box of chocolates, then Sunday’s Christmas Concert in the Boys’ Chapel was a smorgasbord of magical auditory delights (Click on the purple texts below for some highlights). Compacted into a two-hour feast, we were treated to glorious voices, such as the memorable solo performance by Hugo…read article

5th December 2014

Discupulos Pontemque Cano: A Journey to Ancient Rome It was 4am on a Friday morning and ten intrepid (if somewhat sleepy) Latin students, led by their magister, Mr. Adam Conry and assisted by Messrs Stephen O’Hara and Tom Carroll, began their long journey to the land of myth and legend: Rome. After arriving in the…read article

3rd December 2014

One of the boys having succeeded in capturing a cockerel smuggled the bird into evening study… The original Study Hall/Refectory block was built between 1818 and 1820 during the Rectorship of Fr Charles Aylmer, whose family lived nearby at Painstown House. The study hall formed the top storey of a large two-storey building, the ground…read article

1st December 2014

Cross Country Update – The Three Counties League The Clongowes athletics team began their exceptional campaign earlier in the year at Knockbeg College. Our valiant squad would be competing in the Three Counties League, where approximately 35 schools from all across Carlow, Kildare and Laois contest to be champions. This annual event allows schools to…read article