50th CELEBRATIONS OF CLOSURE OF MUNGRET COLLEGE

Friday September 6th. 2024 at Nenagh Golf Club.

On a marvellous day 29 hardy souls bolstered by a hearty breakfast, served speedily by a good natured club kitchen staff took to the fairways. These fine golfers were greeted by a well presented golf course, challenging but honest. They went out with great intent and the day produced joy for some and a little bit of woe for others. They were met by a combination of birdies, pars, bogies ( lots ) and many narrowly missed putts!

Good golf produced some notable scores as recorded below.

1 st. PAUL MALONE ( 18 ) 38 pts.
2 nd. HARRY CASEY ( 23 ) 37 pts.
3 rd. LARRY Mc ENTEE ( 17 ) 36 pts.
4 th. MICHAEL LYNCH. ( 13 ) 34 pts.
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BACK 9.
VICTOR RYAN. ( 13 ) 18 pts.

FRONT 9.
JAMES HUGHES. ( 19 ) 20 pts.

Much credit must go to Nenagh Golf Club for accommodating us in a delightful and efficient manner overseen by the wonderful Tom Donaghy who served as a wonderful host for the day. We pay special thanks to our own Victor Ryan who year on year runs the golf competition with enthusiasm, buying the prizes and ensuring golfers are accommodated before and after the golf. We would also like to thank Roger Fitzgerald for his sponsorship of the goody bags much appreciated by all.

Saturday 7th September 2024 at Mungret College.

Once again we were blessed by a wonderful day weather wise. We boarded the coach to bring us to Mungret to meet up with the rest of our group approx 60 past pupils. The events of the afternoon are fully covered in our two hour video and coupled with twenty minutes of highlights segment. Just a few thanks to individuals who contributed greatly to the visit.

Our thanks to John & Peter McGarry Videographer, Limerick who captured the moments of the afternoon and evening in a highly professional manner. Thank you both. Denis Cregan of THE Milk Thistle Kitchen greeted us with very welcome refreshments, served in the Old Library. Willie Sheahan showed us around the chapel and the lower corridors. Willie is a trustee of the Limerick Christian Centre and he spoke eloquently in the chapel to us, in a most uplifting manner. Tom Cassidy recently retired from Limerick County Council showed us thru the College and brought us outside to give us a most interesting history of the origins and influences of local and British dignitaries in the formation of Mungret College.

A special thanks to Tom not only for deferring his holidays to attend but for his solid support to the P.P.U in the past. Our valuable Mungret Historian Nessan O’Donoghue added to Tom’s words with additional information delivered in a most humorous manner.

Delighted to have the ultra busy Principal Liam O’Mahoney of Mungret Community College with us. Liam proudly showed us the very recently opened Mungret Community College which at a cost of 36M Euro is a most spectacular seat of education. Liam’s aspirations to educate and produce well prepared girls and boys for the future will be greatly enhanced by such an environment.

The inclusion of facilities for Special Needs speaks loudly of the serious intent of the College. The spirit of education and learning continues at Mungret and to recognise that, there was a presentation of a plaque demonstrating the links between the old Mungret and the new Mungret. Our President Fr.John Guiney S. J. was delighted to present same to Liam. Mungret’s P. P.U. are indebted to Principal Liam O’Mahony for his interest and support to our Council and long may it continue.

We then returned to the College to attend mass in the Analog’s building (by kind permission). Mass was celebrated by Fr.John Guiney / Fr. Michael Sheil and Fr. John Lynes. Past and Present Mungret pupils were remembered by the lighting of a candle. Then the coach took us all back to the Kilmurray Lodge Hotel driven by the jolly Martin for the A. G. M. and Dinner and the Election of Mr. John Daly as President for 2025. John’s election was witnessed by all our esteemed guests from other Jesuit Colleges and elsewhere.

It was heartening also to see circa 97 Past Pupils and guests in attendance demonstrating the excellent support and loyalty to the Alma Mater which we have to understand is now closed for 50 years. Congrats to all of you who attended which made the occasion a very special event. It was most pleasing to see the funds raised by you the Past Pupils of Mungret for the two recipients Mungret Community College represented by Liam O’Mahoney and by Fr. John Guiney S. J. on behalf of Loyola Secondary School, Sudan. We appreciate the very generous contributions made which will go to assist with the development of the two projects and we thank you again.

Finally we wish President John Daly well in his year and thank Fr John Guiney outgoing President for all his fine efforts in 2024.

In closing many thanks to Kilmurry Lodge Hotel who once again looked after us so well.

The Council