Clongowes Stories

29th October 2013

Erik Vaughan from Kilgowan, Co. Kildare is an Old Clongownian (2007) making great strides in the musical world. As part of a new and exciting band, Shadows and Dust, Erik (bass, mandolin & vocals) continues to nurture the potential that was first unearthed under the tuition of Mr. Philip Thomas. With a fast growing following,…read more

25th October 2013

As the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness nears its end and the days begin to shorten appreciably the hardworking pupils and staff of Clongowes prepare to hibernate for a week and gather their collective strength for the very full calendar that awaits them on the other side of Samhain, always mindful of Ghoulies and…read more

24th October 2013

On the 10th of October, 2013, the boys of Rhetoric set out from Clongowes for their annual retreat in four different locations across the country, from Newry, to Roscrea. There were also two groups staying in Dublin, one at Manresa in Clontarf and another at Orlagh House in the Dublin Mountains from where Dillon Hennessy sent this…read more

23rd October 2013

Poetry were certainly putting their best foot forward on Tuesday night last when they were invited to Mt. Sackville, Castleknock for a ceilí in aid of St. Vincent De Paul.  So, with best formal dress on, dancing shoes polished and a ‘bus filled with enough after shave to fuel a NASA launch, the boys from…read more

22nd October 2013

Jack Kavanagh is an Old Clongownian (2011) who had a serious accident last year. He is now wheelchair bound, with a C5 injury, which means that he has no feeling below his upper chest, has limited use of his arms, but no use of his hands or fingers. Since then Jack has consistently achieved beyond…read more

21st October 2013

Time never stands still at Clongowes and last week (Saturday 12th October), with Elements well settled and engaged in a host of pursuits, the day had arrived to welcome potential members of the Rhetoric class of 2020. There was a palpable buzz in the air as dormitory neighbours for September 2014 laid eyes on each…read more

18th October 2013

The first Sunday “Grand Day Out” of the year saw a group of 40 boys head off to Sligo’s Strand Hill on a beautiful sunny day (22nd September) with Mr. Steven Gray and Gappie, Dan Sheehan. Sean Brogan (Elements) was there for the CWC website and he filed this report… ‘We got Mass at 8.00am, had a hearty breakfast…read more

17th October 2013

Last Thursday (10th October) the celebrated Cyclone Repertory Theatre Company from Cork brought their acclaimed Bullying Prevention Session to The Old Library in Clongowes for the boys of the Lower Line. Hugo Murray (Grammar Year Captain) was our man on the spot and this is how he saw it… The workshop on bullying that the…read more

16th October 2013

Two hundred and seventy people listened raptly to a witty and very frank Joe Schmidt, Ireland Rugby Coach, at the inaugural Clongowes Union Business Lunch, with proceeds in aid of the Jack Kavanagh Trust (www.jackkavanaghtrust.com), which took place on Friday 11th October, 2013 in the Conrad Hotel. Started with a view to increasing the opportunity…read more

15th October 2013

Clongowes sign up for Peter McVerry cup  The Peter McVerry Trust was set up by Fr Peter McVerry SJ, an Old Clongownian, to reduce homelessness and the harm caused by drug misuse and social disadvantage. Last Saturday Fr McVerry invited Ireland’s five Jesuit secondary schools to ‘Get on the Ball’ and battle it out for…read more