WEEKLY REVIEW September 26th 2014 Im told by those who know (arent we always?) that the most important years in the personality development of a humble human are the first two. There are other periods after that but the hard drive has been wired and resistant to change. Every September I beg to disagree. I tell the incoming first years that beginning secondary is an excellent opportunity to redefine who they are: to shed the unwanted skins of primary school and to become the person they want to be. A fresh start. So it promised to be last Wednesday for many as we had our open night in the College. I like open nights. There is an enthusiastic sense of community as the staff and students, parents and past pupils demonstrate their affection and loyalty to SMC. They make the effort to show case the College to those who have to make a big decision regarding not only the next half dozen years of their sons life but also, given the impact these years will have on future friendships and life choices, on the rest of their life in general. The chapel was packed to capacity with parents who were given all the necessary stuff by the Principal, Gamesmaster and First Year Head. Mike Mc Inerney gave a parents perspective and Evan O Sullivan-Glynn to whom I had the pleasure of teaching English four years ago gave a fresh account of Munchins through the eyes of a student. Meanwhile I and some other hardy pedagogues were left to babysit over two hundred interested 6th class boys who were given the school tour. And what a fine tour it was too with lots of oohs and lots of aahs. My tour started in the Chemistry lab where the now retired Mr. Crosss vital energy was replaced this year with the equally vibrant Ms. Mc Geer who got the boys attention by setting fire to her hands in the cause of chemistry. Dont worry a protective film of water prevented any injury. Then it was over to Mr. O Dea in the new Physics lab where Conor Carmody decided to bend the truth as Newton bent light in order to make his Ohms law experiment more meaningful. Stephen Clancy stole the show with the Van Der Graffe generator. Finally over to the Biology lab where Ms.Ni Fhlatharta had everything to do with the life sciences including a corn snake. Being a bit of an ophidiophobe I didnt explore that one. All three teachers had able lab assistants drawn from the entire student body. And may I say that our Prefects looked dapper in their school blazers. We then did the whistle stop circuit of classes on the first floor. Ms Hayes had one of our I.T. classes open for business and told the lads about how it had helped contribute to our success in last years National coding and scratch competitions. Who knows, perhaps among these newcomers there will be another Liam O’Brien who came first in the Junior category in the National scratch championships last year. Then it was on to Mr. Mc Dermotts class where he inflicted German music on the lads. The Deutsche Volk make great cars but their modern music sounds like something from a bad episode of Bosco. Perhaps Beethoven next year; I suggest the third movement from the ninth symphony. Out into the yard and down to the pitches which looked like sleeping battlefields in the moonlight and then down the steps towards the new sports hall. It looked fantastic with the doors thrown open and the basketballers giving a full blooded exhibition match. Made me feel ten years younger just watching. A quick skip over to the weights room with its rainbow of weights waiting to be attacked. I drew the attention of the lads to the floor covered in the black, red and blue of our college. Maybe your colours next year, and forever, lads. Back inside for a rushed visit to the new Technology room, the new art room and the new TG/DCG room and with that the circuit was over as we returned to the bustling Assembly Hall where Mams and Dads now released from their ordeal in the Chapel were ready to collect their darling. A good honest perspective without any of the sales hype and fiction that often goes with these affairs. I have another son starting next year, its a decision not to be taken lightly but one which myself and my wife are happy we have made. Well done to Ms. O Donoghue in particular who organised the evening with characteristic efficiency and without fuss. A special mention to TYs Glen, Charlie and Richard who have been working on their first, of many we hope, video productions in recent weeks. It was on show in the TY room and was about the first weeks in school for our present first years. An excellent snapshot which is already becoming an historical document that will no doubt bring a lump to some throats when the present crop graduate and look back on just how small and innocent they once were. On the subject of historical documents, our first years took over the Assembly Hall on Friday for an exhibition of primary source material. These sources were drawn from the family archives, granny and granddad and attics and sheds and were varied and multifaceted. Coins, programmes, shell casings, ceremonial caps, a copy of the Beano which once entertained kids before the micro processor destroyed all such life with the power of an asteroid strike. My personal favourite was a vinyl album Thin Lizzies Live and Dangerous with Whiskey in the Jar’ and The Boys are Back in Town. I can still see me and the lads playing air guitar and that irritating moment when the record stuck- You better forget her, forget her, forget her, forget her. A fine piece of hands on history. Top marks to the history Dept. And one got a sense of history when the first photos went up of our new weights room. Once upon a time it was the swimming pool but the building had lain derelict for years so it is a credit to everyone involved who have rescued it and put it to good effect. The response on Facebook was staggering with over three hundred likes and many comments recalling a garage, the old Gym and Declan O Donoghues Trojan efforts to provide training with a couple of free weights. It just so happened that I met Flann O Friel, in to tell us how some of our former pupils had won the national junior golf championship. Flan who taught P.E. here for over 35 years was clearly showing mixed emotion - delight that the college at last had such facilities and a touch of envious regret that they werent around to smoothen his working day. On the sports front it was one of those weeks when Murphys law plays out perfectly - what could go wrong did go wrong. Our 15s A and B had no joy down in PBC while our Juniors went down away to Glenstal and at home to Comp. Our Bowen Shield had the week off after they had beaten Castletroy while our seniors managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory against Comp. And although the first years went down to Comp on Thursday it was heartening to see so many on the pitches - once again well over seventy with the accompanying logistical nightmare for Mr. Nelligan and Mr. Conneely. Well done to everyone involved in this preparation and movement of troops. I sometimes wonder what an army quartermaster would make of the silent work that goes on without any reward other than the satisfaction of a job well done. TYs had a day out in the South Court Hotel where they were mentored on their mini company projects. They are also busy working on the Musical which will kick off in November. This years production is All Shook Up which I suspect features a few numbers by the King. Well done to our LCVP students who raised 493 euro for the Childrens Ark and the Kari Foundation. Thanks to everyone who contributed. A more localised fundraiser is the second hand clothes collection. Anyone with a bag of clothes cluttering up the house can drop them into the school where the parents Council will turn them into cash. When I arrived in SMC nearly a decade ago I was struck by the absence of any Past Pupil network despite the obvious spiritual attachment of so many to the College. In recent years the College authorities have tried to address this deficit by making the school more accessible to all its stakeholders, past and present. With that in mind the Dog Night on October 17th would be a fine place to get to know others who are part of the SMC family. And with The Past Pupils Big Day Out on October 11th there will be an opportunity to catch up on old comrades as we can all share memories and hopefully reactivate old friendships and create some new ones based on a shared experienced. The Munchins network should be and will be a powerful instrument that we can all use to our own benefit. On the subject of past pupils well done to Edward O Keeffe who made the Munster under 20s and who I overlooked in the last review. Also well done to Conor Murray who captained Munster for the first and, we suspect not the last time. And finally hard luck to Parteen who narrowly lost the County final. Eleven of the starting fifteen, all but two of the bench and two of the management team are Munchins men. Special mention reserved for Donal Madden and Alan Murnane. With bright futures ahead of them congratulations to John Foley Munster U 18s and Peter Meyer Munster U 19s. The Munchins extended family is a big creature. See you at the upcoming events.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 21:09:40 +0000
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