The Castleknock College Union (referred to as ‘the Union’) is an association of the teaching staff, Members of the Vincentian Community, past pupils and parents of pastmen of Castleknock College.
The objects of the Union are:
· to constructively support the principles of Christian aid and in particular to support worthy activities in which pastmen or the College are involved.
Castleknock College Union began life on 5th December 1896 when a representative body of past pupils met at Dr. Nedley's house, 4 Cavendish Row, Dublin. It has the distinction of being the oldest College Union in Ireland. The first President of the Union was Lord Russell of Killowen, G.C.M.G., Lord Chief Justice of England. (His portrait will be familiar to past and present alike and still hangs in the College Refectory). The Vice Presidents of the Inaugural Committee were the Most Rev. Nicholas Donnelly, D.D., Bishop of Canea; Thomas Nedley, M.D.; Right Rev. Mgr. Molloy, D.D., D.Sc., Catholic University ; Professor J.P. O'Reilly, C.E., M.R.I.A., Royal College of Science, Dublin. The Executive Committee were M.C. Macinerney Q.C. (Secretary); Henry J. McGill, M.A.; Stephen R. Cunningham (Secretary); Ambrose E. Birmingham, M.D., F.R.U.I.; Wm. R. Nolan (Treasurer) and Patrick J. Brady, Solicitor (Treasurer).
The Committee organised an Inaugural Banquet on 6th January 1897 which was held in the Ancient Concert Rooms in Dublin. On that occasion we are told, the Committee had taken no chances. The menu was drawn up by a doctor. It was, the Chronicler observes, "an excellent dinner, admirably served and one could safely forget for the time that he had lost his juvenile powers of digestion". At that dinner, Lord Russell spoke of the objects of the Union, of the work of the Vincentians and its results, and went on to speak of higher education in Ireland and the need of a National University.
In his reply to the toast, Mr. Macinerney spoke of the evolution and spirit of Castleknock and of the men it produced such as Capt. Kane V.C.; the surgeon Major Reynolds, V.C. of Rorkes Drift. He concluded "This in flood or field, in science or literature , pulpit and press, Episcopal chair and judicial bench - in a word, wherever courage and devotion equipped by early training could prevail, past students of Castleknock have won the brightest laurels of successful effort". He went on to add; "There are hundreds of Castleknock men deserving of mention whose paths have not been along the heights of fame, but in the lowly valley - sometimes in the valley of death - where pale duty, offering no earthly honour, pointed the way. They have done and dared and often died, with the courage of heroes and the devotion of martyrs. They are as well worthy of admiration, and reflect as much credit on the College which produced them as their more famous brethren".
The above is taken from the Castleknock College Centenary Record, 1935.
Today's Union still cherishes the same objective - to facilitate the coming together of pastmen, members of the staff of the College and the Vincentian Community, to enjoy each others company, to help and support each other.
