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“Some people want it to happen, some people wish it would happen, others make it happen.”
A large group of approximately three hundred people gathered in St. Patrick’s College, Thurles, Co Tipperary on Friday October18th last to celebrate the graduation of students from the College’s B.A. in Education programmes. Fifty two students graduated in total, forty one from the B.A. in Education, Business Studies and Religious Studies programme and eleven from the B.A. in Education, Irish and Religious Studies programme.
 GRADUATES OF 2013 CONFERRED WITH UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK DEGREES AT ST. PATRICK’S COLLEGE (THURLES) This year’s ceremony was particularly notable as this is the first year that Irish teachers graduated from the college. All of the graduates, who are now fully qualified to teach their specialist subjects in post-primary schools, were conferred with University of Limerick degrees.
The conferring ceremony was a joyous occasion, enjoyed by the graduates, their families and friends and academic staff who guided the graduates to their degrees, representatives of the university and the many others who contribute to life in the college.
Tipperary native and member of the college’s Board of Governors, John Lonergan, welcomed guests to the college. The degrees were awarded by Professor Don Barry, President of the University of Limerick. Professor Barry congratulated all of the graduates in his speech and urged them to cherish the moment; “This is your moment, so breathe it in and be very proud of yourselves and your achievements,” he said. “You graduate at a time of extraordinary economic uncertainty…you are among the best of what this country has to offer the world, have confidence in yourself, do not settle because you think you have to – think big!”
President of St. Patrick’s College, Fr. Tom Fogarty, encouraged the graduates to embrace their learning and to engage in lifelong learning and continuously strive to improve, both academically and professionally. Acknowledging the hard work of the graduates in getting to this point Fr. Fogarty quoted the legendary basketball player, Michael Jordan; “Some people want it to happen, some people wish it would happen, others make it happen.” Fr. Fogarty urged the newly qualified teachers to strive to retain their energy and enthusiasm by firstly looking after themselves. Quoting Flor McCarthy, he asked them to “avoid getting caught up in a life of feverish activity,” commenting that “too much activity can dry up the mind and the human heart.”
A highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of two Awards for Professionalism to one graduate from each programme. These were presented to Ruth McCormack (Two Mile Borris, Thurles) and John Cullinane (Kilkenny). The awards recognised the many positive attributes that these two graduating students demonstrated during their time in the College. Ruth and John were deemed to have demonstrated the best balance of professional responsibilities, including excellence in subject knowledge across all areas of study, engagement in their programmes of study, a high standard of teaching competence, involvement in professional development and extra-curricular activities, and an overall sense of commitment to St. Patrick’s College and to the teaching profession.
Additionally, two medals were presented in recognition of academic achievement. These were awarded to Shaun Bray (Kilkenny) and Pauric Hanlon (Longford).
Teachers, All Students, History Societies Take Note
To coincide with the University of Limerick’s launch of “The Armstrong Papers” in the East Room of Plassey House on Monday next October 21st, St Mary’s Famine Museum will feature, for one week only, (October 16th to October 23rd inc) the rare and exciting exhibition entitled; “Downton Abbey, A Tipperary Perspective.”
Larger than the exhibition shown just last year, this historic exposition also happily coincides with the popular Downton Abbey, Series 4, currently showing each Wednesday night on TV3 at 9:00pm.
The TV series Downton Abbey is set on the fictional estate of Downton Abbey in the North Riding of Yorkshire, England, home to the Earl and Countess of Grantham and which follows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants during the reign of King George V.
The Thurles exhibition on the other hand, while showing major similarities in life at the big house, takes a look at and follows the family of the Armstrong Family of Moyaliffe, Co Tipperary, during this very same period in Irish history, which also covers the First World War and the later period referred to as the ‘Roaring Twenties,’ and later.
Some of the items on show in this exhibition can be seen in the video shown above.
The ‘Roaring Twenties,‘ is of course a term often used to refer to the 1920’s, characterizing the decade’s distinctive cultural edge. Normality had returned to politics in the wake of hyper-emotional patriotism during World War I, jazz music blossomed, the ‘flapper,’ redefined modern womanhood, and Art Deco peaked. (Flappers were the “new breed” of young Western women in the 1920s who wore skirts short, bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, and flaunted their disdain for what was then considered acceptable behavior.)
Included in the exhibition this year are Dan Breen’s revolver, William Trant’s (Dovea) revolver together with original photographs by Heinrich Hoffmann (1885 – 1957) latter Adolf Hitler’s official photographer together with Military costumes, some dating back before 1900 from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in Surrey, with rare memorabilia from the Gallipoli Campaign including original cigarettes purchased in Port Said (1915 -1916).
Total cost of admission to this unique Tipperary exhibition is a mere €2 per person, which also incorporates a chance to examine the Famine Museum, latter which boasts the largest amount of original memorabilia, pertaining to the Great Famine (1845 – 1849). Tours will be also accommodated at night to facilitate visiting historical societies.
Note: All Schools & Historical Societies are requested to book their tour, some hours in advance by phoning 0504-21133, thus ensuring the presence of a lecture tour guide.
The Armstrong Papers
The Armstrong Papers, soon to be launched in Limerick, contain some 50,000 items including over 13,000 photographs. These documents encompass some 350 years of family history and were donated to the University of Limerick by Mrs Susan and Mr Graham Armstrong, formally of Moyaliffe, but who presently reside in Natal, South Africa.
Thurles Town and St Mary’s Famine Museum are also grateful to Mrs Susan and Mr Graham Armstrong for their continued patronage in loaning the Armstrong Collection to this area, which continues to attract tourists each Summer season, to the town.
The Thurles exhibition opens tomorrow Wednesday and is truly a ‘must see’ for lovers and students of Irish History.
St. Patrick’s Scholarship and Academic Awards Evening
On Tuesday evening October 8th last, St. Patrick’s College staff and students were delighted to host their fourth annual Scholarship and Student Awards ceremony. Thirteen students in total were honoured. Five incoming first years received scholarships (four recognising academic achievement and one recognising achievement in the G.A.A. arena). Additionally, six 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students were honoured for outstanding academic achievement and two more 1st years received G.A.A. awards.
Speaking on the night, college president Fr. Tom Fogarty spoke of the common qualities that can be attributed to high achievers both in the field of academia and sport; “qualities such as dedication, sacrifice, character, commitment and perseverance quickly spring to mind,” he said.
Guest speaker, Dr. Ann MacPhail, Head of Education and Physical Science in the University of Limerick acknowledged the extraordinary achievements of the students being honoured on the night . “I totally and fully understand the passion and commitment that is clearly part of your ethos here,” she stated when speaking regarding Teacher Education in the college.
Scholarships And Awards Presented On The Evening
Academic Scholarship Winners: Chloe Keane, Brittas, Co. Limerick; Rachel Steele, Ladysbridge, Co. Cork; Mary Ann Ní Chróinín, Macroom, Co. Cork; Laura Comerford, Naas, Co. Kildare.
GAA Scholarship Awards: Barbara Ward, Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan; Niall Bolton, Tulla, Co. Clare; Shauna Sinnott, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford.
Outstanding Academic Achievement Awards: Nora Ward, Middleton, Co. Cork; Alison Kerrane, Castlerea, Co. Roscommon; Maria O’Leary, Rossmore, Co. Tipperary; Patricia McElgunn, Cabra, Thurles; Marie McKenna, Killarney, Co. Kerry; Sarah Hennessy, Ballycallan, Co. Kilkenny.
W5, Ireland’s award winning science and discovery centre has acquired the services of Thurles-born model maker Mark Maher for an enchanting new model display called “Once Upon A Christmas.” W5, for those not familiar with this incredible exhibition centre, is part of the Odyssey, Northern Ireland’s Landmark Millennium Project, based in the Abercorn Basin, beside the River Lagan in Belfast.
So what has Mark Maher been getting up to recently. Well Mark has spent the last three years working in New Zealand as special effects artist for none other than Peter Jackson’s film adaptation of “The Hobbit.”
 Master model and effects craftsman Mark Maher from Thurles, Co Tipperary Mark has now been enlisted by W5 for his expertise as a miniature model maker and sculptor to recreate scenes for a brand new Christmas experience, where families will step into a world of ‘fairy tales’ and ‘happily ever afters’ as they stroll round a mythical castle square filled with Christmas ambience in the Odyssey Centre.
Wandering throughout this square will be wonderfully costumed fairytale and storybook characters, both meeting, greeting and posing for photos with all those who visit. To reach this castle square in the centre, visitors will enter through a display of old-style fashioned Christmas windows and discover model sets from six classic children’s books and fairy tales.
Each of these beautifully detailed models have been lovingly created by Mark especially for W5 and will feature scenes from Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland and The Snow Queen.
Mark has been working on these models at W5 now since July of this year and already some of his work has been described as “simply breathtaking.”
Of course Mark’s other work can be seen on the big screen (Trailer above) when the much anticipated “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug,” gets its cinema release on December 13th next. In this forthcoming screen episode the Dwarves, Bilbo and Gandalf have successfully escaped the Misty Mountains, and Bilbo has gained the One Ring and they will all continue their journey to get their gold back from the Dragon, Smaug.
Visitors can get up close and personal with Mark Maher’s mini masterpieces for W5 when the festive fun starts at the Odyssey centre on Saturday November 23rd next.
Note: This model collection will go on tour as “Once Upon a Fairytale,” later in the year, as it has strong links to the National Curriculum for Literacy and Creativity.
Fr. Christy O’Dwyer And Alumni Priests Are Honoured In St. Patrick’s College, Thurles
 Fr. Christy O’Dwyer and all former student priests were honoured in St. Patrick’s College in a special ceremony held on Tuesday, October 8th last.
Following the annual Student Scholarship and Awards evening a special tribute was paid to Fr. Christy and former student priests.
The East Wing of the College was re-christened as the “Alumni Wing,” and the Student Library is now to be known as “The Fr. Christy O’Dwyer Library.” Two commemorative plaques to mark this occasion were unveiled to those in attendance on the night and patron of the college, His Grace Archbishop Dr Dermot Clifford, blessed both plaques.
The library was renamed in recognition of Fr. Christy’s enormous contribution to the College down through the years. He gave in excess of thirty years of service to the college, 19 years of which was spent working as the College Librarian.
Fr. Fogarty in paying tribute to this “humble and unassuming man,” stated that he knows “with absolute certainty – all alumni would be very pleased to hear that this library will be called after Fr. Christy O’Dwyer. He gave sterling service to the college here for over thirty years.”
On accepting the honour Fr. Christy stated that he was “so taken aback,” on hearing that he was to be honoured in this fashion. “On an occasion such as this, one doesn’t expect to be present at it,” he humorously commented; “you expect to be in a very different place! I am very honoured and very grateful.”
Our gratitude and congratulations go to Fr Christy.
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