Castleknock College Union

Honorary Members of the Union

SVC long serving members of staff

Dec 5, 2016
Honorary Members of the Union - KnockUnion.ie

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The outpouring of affection on the passing of Vinnie Coolahan, a much loved teacher, was a timely reminder that ours is a Union of pastmen, their parents and teachers of St. Vincent’s Castleknock College and members of the Vincentian Community associated thereto, and that the teachers are a highly respected component of that mix - witness their attendance as honoured guests at class reunions and at the annual business lunch and dinner.

We have been remiss though in formally recognising their role, and so at our AGM on the 6th December, and in accordance with long standing Union rules, those listed below will be formally proposed as Honorary Members of the Union.

It is worth noting that the twenty two retired teachers listed account for a remarkable 650 years SVC service, and perhaps even more, for even though he retired in 2001, Ronald J. McCarten continued working till 2005, and since seems more active than ever in hosting visiting teams at Knock. Clement A. Passmore also spent more than 39 years at Knock for he is also a past man, class '62.

The current teachers are not too far behind for the thirty two long serving members listed account for 535 years service and counting. Again one is a past man, James McElroy, class '98 and it would be remiss of us not to point out that the longest serving at 35 years, Geraldine Corrigan, has also served for 20 years on the Union Committee.

All served under one of two headmasters; Andrew McGeady, the first lay head at SVC following on from 158 years of Vincentian Vice-Presidents, and Andrew's sixteen years at the helm set the College on the road to a successful future, one that is reaching new heights of excellence under the current incumbent, Oliver Murphy. The common denominator between both terms is Christopher Kinder who since 2004 has excelled as Deputy Principal.


HONORIS CAUSA SODALEM SERVITIUM
RETIRED PROFESSOR
Brown, Thomas, BSc, HDE 1967 - 2004 (37 years)
Bruen, James, BA, HDE 1967 - 1998 (31 years)
Byrne, Dermot, BA, HDE 1973 - 2004 (31 years) *
Byrne, Gerard, BA, DCC 1986 - 1997 (11 years)
Cummins, Nicholas, BA, HDE 1972 - 2006 (34 years) *
Davey, Statia, MA, B.Rel. Sc. 1992 - 2008 (16 years)
Fitzgerald, Irene, BA, HDE 1975 - 2008 (33 years)
Hague, Maria, (assist.Librarian) 2000 - 2015 (15 years)
Harmey, Paul, BSc, HDE 1968 - 2005 (37 years) *
McCarten, Ronald J., DPE 1971 - 2005 (34 years) *
McDevitt, Declan, BA, HDE 1967 - 2009 (42 years)
McGee, Marcia, BA, HDE 1978 - 2014 (36 years)
Melvin, Edward, BA, HDE 1973 - 2005 (32 years) *
Mulcahy, Margaret, BA, HDE 1993 - 2014 (21 years)
Passmore, Clement A., MA, HDE 1970 - 2009 (39 years)
Passmore, Mary, MSc. HDE 1972 - 2006 (34 years)
Power, Edward, BA, HDE (Librarian) 1990 - 2014 (24 years)
Tiernan, Sandra, B.Sc, Ph.D, HDE 2006 - 2015 (9 years)
Wafer, Richard, BA, HDE 1970 - 2007 (37 years) *
CURRENT PROFESSOR
Brosnan, Tadgh, BA, HDE 2004 - --- (12 years)
Cassells, Peter, MA, HDE, MDSG 2004 - --- (12 years)
Cassidy, Shane, BA, HDE 2004 - --- (12 years)
Coombes, Sharon, BA, HDE 1998 - --- (18 years)
Corrigan, Geraldine, B.Comm, HDE 1981 - --- (35 years)
Cronin, Nicola, MA, HDE 2006 - --- (10 years)
Deasy, Michael R., MA, HDE 2006 - --- (10 years)
Doran, Laura, BA, HDE 1998 - --- (18 years)
Gallagher, Kieran, BSc, HDE 2002 - --- (14 years)
Healy, Desmond, BA, HDE 1998 - --- (18 years)
Hunt, Paul, MA, HDE 2006 - --- (10 years)
Kavanagh, Michael, BSc, HDE 1984 - --- (32 years)
King, Claire, BA, HDE 2004 - --- (12 years)
Maguire, Sheena, BA, HDE 2005 - --- (11 years)
McDonnell, Trevor, BSc, HDE 1998 - --- (18 years)
McElroy, James, BA, HDE 2005 - --- (11 years)
McGauley, Thomas, BA, HDE 1998 - --- (18 years)
McLoughlin, Mark, MA, HDE 1997 - --- (19 years)
Mulvany, Derek, MSc. HDE 1999 - --- (17 years)
Nolan, Eilis, BA (Ed.) 1995 - --- (21 years)
O'Gaora, Colm, BA, HDE 1986 - --- (30 years)
O'Grady, Sarah, BA, HDE, M.Ed 2004 - --- (12 years)
O'Halloran, Justin, B.Mus, HDE, LRSM 2000 - --- (16 years)
O'Loughlin, James, B.Comm, HDE 2006 - --- (10 years)
O'Sullivan, James, BA, HDE 2000 - --- (16 years)
Sheils, Darran, BA (Ed.) 2005 - --- (11 years)
Tierney, Tom, BA, HDE 2000 - --- (16 years)
Townsend, Colin, BA, HDE 1990 - --- (26 years)
Vaughey, Lorna, BA, HDE, PGCE 2000 - --- (16 years)
Wall, Mary, MA, HDE 1996 - --- (20 years)
VICE PRINCIPAL
McManus, Michael, ANCA 1963 - 2005 (42 years) *
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
Walsh, Raymond, MA, HDE 1967 - 2004 (37 years) *
Kinder, Christopher, MA, HDE 1989 - --- (27 years)
COLLEGE HEADMASTER
McGeady, Andrew, MSc, HDE 1993 - 2009 (16 years)
Murphy, Oliver, BA, Dip. PR, HDE 2009 - --- (7 years)
DIRECTOR OF RUGBY
Quinn, Mickey, Head Coach 1991 - 2004 (13 years)
COLLEGE CHAPLAIN
Gallagher, John, C.M. 2002 - --- (14 years)
COLLEGE PRESIDENT  
Slowey, Harry, C.M. 1980 - 1985 (5 years)
O'Shea, Kevin, C.M. 1985 - 1999 (14 years) *
Slevin, Peter, C.M. 2005 - --- (11 years)
UNION JOINT HON. SEC.
Coyle, Rita, BA, HDE 1998 - 2016 (18 years)
* memorandum only as already an Honorary Member

However man does not feast on books alone and any who handled the oval shaped ball during the 90's will have come under the tutelage of Mickey Quinn and his team, and indeed Mickey mentored many other past men who went on to play in the colours of Lansdowne FC. Not that there was ever any doubt, more long overdue recognition - Mickey Quinn, a Newbridge College man, is also an Honorary Knock man.

The soul also needs nourishment and for the last 14 years, John Gallagher, CM, as College Chaplain has tended the flock admirably. Then we have the College Presidents - the current incumbent, Peter Slevin, CM, and his predecessors Kevin O'Shea, CM and Harry Slowey, CM. Harry is a past man, class '53, and whilst neither Kevin or Peter are past men, both are Vincentian alumni, and the College we have today is primarily down to this duo.

Fr. Kevin, a past pupil of St. Paul's College, Dublin, joined SVC staff after ordination in 1965, was Dean 1968-77 and then returned as College President 1985-99 bringing up 26 years of SVC service. He was a very popular Dean and at 14 years is the secnd longest serving SVC President, and one of the most highly regarded. His legacy lives long for it was he who introduced the modernisation program and the Board of Management structure that serves the College well to this day. Our loss was London's gain for these days Kevin is Parish Priest in Mill Hill.

Fr. Peter, a past pupil of St. Patrick's College, Armagh, joined SVC staff in 1963 and served as Dean 1977-81, then left us for six years but returned 1987-93 as Prefect of Studies and was appointed President in 2005, a role he excels in to this day. At 47 years service, including 10 as Dean & Prefect and 11 and counting as President, Peter is by a long shot, our longest serving College resident 'Vin', and is now the key link between the many generations that have passed though Knock.

Lastly but not least we recognise the contribution of Rita Coyle who has almost single handily run the Union these last 18 years.

We are delighted to salute all as Honorary Members of the Union.