Clongowes Life 2026

SUMMER 2026

CONTENTS

CONTENTS COLLEGE LIFE

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ACADEMIC LIFE

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CULTURAL & ENVIRONMENTAL LIFE

24

PASTORAL LIFE

31

TRANSITION YEAR

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SPORTING LIFE

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CLONGOWES FOUNDATION 54 UNION NEWS

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CLASS NOTES

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MESSAGE FROM THE HEADMASTER For over 200 years, Clongowes has proudly educated boys, recognising their individual needs guided by our Jesuit ethos of cura personalis. St Ignatius had an important principle that love is shown more in deeds than in words and so, for him, generosity shows itself more in the things we do for others than in what we say. However, we should never simply measure our generosity by what we give, but rather by what we have left. Small acts of kindness and compassion make a huge difference. This is what it means to be big-hearted and truly generous.

The boys here live life to the fullest. They are encouraged to try out different experiences, to embrace new opportunities, and to develop an open mind and a heightened sense of curiosity. Most of all, they value friendships forged in the classrooms and dormitories, on pilgrimage and retreats, on the sports fields, and on the stage and in rehearsal rooms, and so much more. The pages which follow in Clongowes Life 2026 provide a glimpse of school life during the past 12 months.

I know my way around the College reasonably well by now! Our immersive boarding school life continues to delight, test and reward in equal measure. It is an inspiring setting, living and working with stimulating, hardworking and talented colleagues, and surrounded by impressive, characterful and caring young people. There is so much to be grateful for and to cherish. I hope that you enjoy reading about it.

Chris Lumb Headmaster

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to this year’s edition of Clongowes Life. Capturing the energy, achievements and day-to-day life of Clongowes is no small task in our busy community, with so much happening every day.

Through the photographs and stories in these pages, we hope to give you a sense of what has been another memorable year in Clongowes’ 212th year full of fun, friendships and growth.

To the boys, staff, OCs and parents who contributed photographs and written pieces, thank you for helping to bring this publication to life. A special word of thanks to Ian McDonald (Syntax), who captured the striking cover image during this year’s TY ski trip to Austria and OC Gerry O’Sullivan for the cup rugby photos.

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June 2026

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CONTRIBUTORS

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POSTGRAD FOR MR CARLOS Congratulations to prefect and teacher Mr Carlos (OC’03) who was awarded a postgraduate in education in October.

ARTS BUILDING We broke ground on the new arts building in the summer so the build was well underway by the time the boys came back in September. Located at the heart of the school, the new building will be a hub for music, debating, public speaking and drama. We are very excited to see the finished building at the end of 2026!

NEW HOUSE LEADERS ANNOUNCED At Clongowes, developing leadership skills through the lens of Ignatian values is a key part of the educational experience. Ignatian leadership is rooted in humility, hope, authenticity, discernment, and a strong sense of purpose. The school is organised into ten Houses, each comprising students from every year group and led by two Rhetoric House Leaders. Our newly appointed House Leaders will play an important role in the year ahead, supporting both their peers and the wider school community. They will also have the opportunity to lead their Houses in a range of fun events, including Sports Day and Book Character Dress Up Day. 4

HOUSE

HOUSE LEADERS

SCHOOL CAPTAIN

Arrupe

Pharell Evenor & Philip Kenny

Simon Ward

Collins

Owen Hough & Kye Lacey

Claver

Nic Hunter & Martin Naughton

SCHOOL VICE-CAPTAINS

Gonzaga

Sean Sheehan & Andy Zheng

Hopkins

Joshua Grant & Hugo Ivers McCormack

Kenney

Charlie Mangan & Fionn Lysaght

Kostka

Hugo McHugh & Teddy Crowley

Loyola

Hugh Keaney & Mal Moynihan

Sullivan

Hugo Blessing & Jack Dunne

Xavier

Victor Chauvire & Edward McCarthy

Alex Evans Vincent Hardiman

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UNION DAY A fantastic day of celebration as Rhetoric ‘26 graduated. After a special graduation Mass with family, a group ‘confetti’ photo, there was a delicious lunch. Later in the afternoon the Awards Ceremony celebrated the achievements of Rhetoric ‘26 The rest of the school community were on the pitches enjoying fantastic picnics and games in the sun!

1.

1. Matthew Colton wins the Ó’Dálaigh Cup for Irish Converssation 2. Brian A McCulloch wins the Nardo Award for outstanding contribution to sport 3. James Maguire Aloysius Award winner 4. Jack Reams the Ethos Award winner 2.

3.

4.

CHESS CLUB Great to have the members of the Curragh Chess Club visit us to play the Clongowes Chess Club.

CEILI MT SACKVILLE In March, Elements boys had a great night in Mount Sackville School for a céilií!

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CHRISTMAS AT CLONGOWES Christmas is a very special time of year at Clongowes with lots of traditions and festivities for the whole school community.

After Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, staff and students came together for the annual Christmas lunch in the refectory to enjoy the delicious 3 course lunch cooked to perfection by the talented catering team. As is tradition, the House Leaders were on duty to serve the whole school community - no mean feat! The Elements dorms were a wonderland of lights and decorations as the boys transformed the space for Christmas. The musical Christmas gathering the day before we broke for the holidays really put us all in the Christmas mood!

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PORTRAIT FOR FR SHEIL Fr Rector Michael Sheil SJ got a wonderful surprise in November when past pupils, Joe Rooney and Willie Burns OCs ‘79, presented a portrait on behalf of their year group. The members of Rhetoric 1979 wanted to thank Fr Sheil for his kindness, wisdom and spiritual guidance over the years. The portrait, by artist Laura Cronin, was taken from a photograph of Senior Cup Coach Fr Michael at the 1978 Senior Cup Quarter Final

DYLAN’S CREATIVE CARD Elements student Dylan Roche created a beautiful lino printed artwork of the nativity for our Christmas card. Well done Dylan and his art teacher Ms Brennan!

CHRISTMAS MILE Elements ran the Christmas Mile before exchanging Secret Santa gifts. Congratulations to Matthew Ennis 1st place, Henry Griffith 2nd place and Andrew Lucey in 3rd place.

ELEMENTS SECRET SANTA Great excitement at the Elements Secret Santa exchange of gifts.

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ELEMENTS TOUR Maybe the most anticipated tour of the school year …the Elements annual trip up North for 4 days packed full of fun, activities and sport. The boys had great fun and made lots of memories with their new friends.

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SCHOOL ARCHIVE DAY During School Archives Week, the boys got a fantastic tour of the College Museum, Chapel and archive storage facility from Mr Bird, School Archivist.

A real highlight was getting to study a deed from 1753 as well as one of the most popular items - an original copy of the 1916 Proclamation of Independence.

RETIREMENTS TOMMY CORCORAN, HEAD CHEF

After more than four decades of dedication, skill, and leadership in the kitchen, we bade a heartfelt farewell to Tommy after 41 years of excellent service. Over the years, generations of students and staff have enjoyed not only his culinary expertise but also the warmth and pride he brought to every meal served. As Head Chef, Tommy was a mentor, a colleague, and a friend to many. His calm approach, strong work ethic, and willingness to share his knowledge meant that he has made many friends over the years. Tommy even met his wife Josie in Clongowes and tied the knot in 2025!

JOE ROONEY, CHAIR OF FUNDRAISING

Joe, OC’79, stepped down as Chair of Fundraising of the Foundation after 10 years. In his time with the Foundation Joe drove remarkable success in the area of Fundraising, supporting developments and championing the bursary programme among the OC network. He led the establishment of the Alberto Hurtado Endowment Fund in 2020 which will ensure long term funding of the programme into the future. Joe remains involved with the Clongowes Foundation as an Advisor and continues his role on the Foundation Board of Trustees.

SHANE HESLIN, TEACHER OF ENGLISH AND RELIGION

Shane arrived in Clongowes in 2026 after a distinguished career in the Middle East. He coached rugby for several years before being appointed Director of Athletics where he established Clongowes as a major force in Irish Schools Athletics. Shane was also a member of the college Trad group. He gave his time and musical expertise generously and was a great mentor for the young musicians. The classroom, however, was always the most important place for Shane.

His style of teaching, his enthusiasm and encouragement made him a much loved and respected teacher.

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ELEMENTS AWARDS ACADEMIC AWARDS Jake Redmond, Jack Nagle, Michael Mehigan, Ollie Nolan, Jack Kieran, Alojzy Karczewski

DILIGENCE AWARDS Henry Griffith, Cael Dunning, Nicolas Grant, Hugo Casley, TJ Dunne, Donovan Gaffney

ENDEAVOUR AWARDS Oisín MacMathuna, Aidan Sinnott

CREATIVITY IN ART Toms Priede, Sam Dolan, Qianyu Wang

PERFORMANCE Ollie Nolan, Dylan Coppinger, Charlie Casey

MUSIC Cael Dunning, Jack Nagle, Alojzy Karczewski

EAL Jaime Molina Cruz-Conde, Ace Liu

LIBRARY Alojzy Karczewski

CHESS - PLAYER OF THE YEAR Alojzy Karczewsk

SPIRIT OF THE ELEMENTS James Cottin, Charlie Casey, Matthew Ennis

SPORTS AWARDS RUGBY

Elements A Back of the Year Huw McCarthy Elements A Forward of the Year Charlie Kerin Elements B Back of the Year Sam Dolan Elements B Forward of the Year Lucas Cleary Elements C Back of the Year Carlos de Corral Aldecoa Elements C Forward of the Year Joe Gu Elements A Most Improved Player Eduardo Sanchez Delgado Elements B Most Improved Player Alvaro De Sitjar De Togores Elements C Most Improved Player Oisín MacMathuna

BASKETBALL

Elements Basketball Player of the Year Leo Nguyen Elements Basketball Most Improved Player Jack Pinschmidt

GOLF

Third Line Match Play Winner (Golf) Carlos De Corral Pearse Scratch Cup Alvaro Sitjar de Togores

KAYAKING

Paddler of the Year Alfie Queally

ATHLETICS

Best Elements Result – Triangle Race Matthew Ennis South Leinster Gold Medal (Hammer) Hugo Casley South Leinster Gold Medal (Discus) Oli Feeney South Leinster and Leinster Silver Medal (Shot Put) Charlie Kerin South Leinster Gold Medal and Leinster Silver– 4x100m Relay Team Ted Noone, Alex Jordan, Charlie Kerin & Leo Nguyen

TENNIS

Third Line Doubles League Winners Charlie Casey & Jack Pinschmidt Third Line Doubles League Runners-Up Michael Mehigan & Russell Boyd Third Line Singles League Winners Charlie Casey Third Line Singles League Runners-Up Michael Mehigan

CRICKET

Minor Cricket Player of the Year TJ Dunne Minor Cricket Most Improved Player Oisín MacMathuna

PICKLEBALL

PickleBall Player of the Year Eduardo Sanchez Delgado

SWIMMING

Most Improved Swimmer Alojzy Karczewski

GAA

Third Line GAA Player of the Year Tom Priede

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RUDIMENTS AWARDS ACADEMIC AWARDS

CHESS - MOST IMPROVED

Matthew Casley, Declan O’Connor, Conor Landy, DJ Leonard, Evan Cunningham-Horan, Cameron King

Eoin Devlin

DILIGENCE AWARDS JP Reynolds, Morgan Dunne, Eoin Devlin, TJ Linnane, Julian Clare, Alan Wen

ENDEAVOUR MEDALS Conor Brady, Daithi Walsh

CREATIVITY IN ART Chaoyu Cui, Tom Breen, Michael Prendeville

RUGBY

Rudiments A Player of the Year Finn Cassandro Rudiments A Most Improved Player Eoin Devlin Rudiments B Player of the Year Cian McKenna Rudiments B Most Improved Player Michael Prendeville Rudiments C Player of the Year Alvaro Nieto Fontan Rudiments C Most Improved Player Santiago Avalos

BASKETBALL

PERFORMANCE Eoin Devlin, Russel Kehoe, Daithi Walsh

MUSIC Evan Cunningham Horan, Lucas Xu Ryan, Max Liebenberg

EAL Alan Wen, Santiago Avalos Acevedo

LIBRARY

Player of the Year Declan O’Connor Most Improved Player Odhran Hogan

ATHLETICS

Third Line 100m Cup Darragh Doyle Best Rudiments Result – Triangle Race Finn Cassandro

GOLF

Clongowes Open (Non-Handicap) Winner Julian Clare

Eoin Devlin

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SPORTS AWARDS

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GRAMMAR AWARDS ACADEMIC AWARDS

SPORTS

Thomas McKenna, Patrick Sheridan, Callum Mooney, Zack O’Leary, Lochlainn Sweeney, John Kenny

RUGBY

EAL

Junior Rugby Man for Others Max Kinsella JP1 A Team Player of the Year Ryan Mahon JP1 A Team Most Improved Player Thomas McKenna JP1 B Team Player of the Year Frankie Keogh JP1 B Team Most Improved Player Lewis Ward JP2 Player of the Year Come Wiedemann-Goiran JP2 Most Improved Player Laith Nolan

Come Wiedemann-Goiran,Qiran Hu

BASKETBALL

DILIGENCE AWARDS Arnold Kateregga, Luke McCullen, Max Kinsella, Come Wiedemann-Goiran, Luke Sinnott, Aran O’Donnell

ENDEAVOUR AWARDS Ronan Hennessy, Dermot Mulrooney, Johnny Rock

PERFORMANCE Lochlainn Sweeney, Luke Sinnott, Davin Gaffney

MUSIC Qiran Hu, Nicholas Finnegan, Arnold Katterega

CREATIVITY IN ART George Lawlor, Bobby Mulready, Patrick Sheridan

CREATIVITY IN ART George Lawlor, Bobby Mulready, Patrick Sheridan

CHESS Hugo Cooke

Junior Basketball Player of the Year Ciaran Cabral Junior Basketball Most Improved Player Sean Keegan Clongowes House Cup Junior Winner Sean Keegan

GOLF

Lower Line Match Play Winner Luke Gilligan

ATHLETICS

House 800m Cup Michael Dillon House 1500m Cup Sean Keegan Lower Line 100m Winner Luca Blessing Best Grammar Result Triangle Race Luke McCullen

TENNIS

Lower Line Singles League Runner-Up Come Wiedemann-Goiran

CRICKET

Junior Cricket Player of the Year Eli-John Kiernan Junior Cricket Most Improved Player Lochlain Sweeney

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POETRY AWARDS ACADEMIC AWARDS

ATHLETICS

Ching Chi Chan, Enrique Kampkoetter, Hugo McHugh, Will Murphy, Godswill Ukaga, Andy Zheng

House High Jump Cup Peter Hogan Higher Line 100M Godswill Ukaga

DILIGENCE AWARDS

GOLF

Jules Baron, Nic Hunter, David Lannon, Gorden Li, Martin Naughton, Will Shepard

CRICKET

ENDEAVOUR AWARDS Hugo Ivers McCormack & David Lannen

Higher Line Match Play Winner Malachy Moynihan Senior Cricket Player of the Year Nic Hunter Senior Cricket Most Improved Player Teddy Crowley

TENNIS

Higher Line Doubles League Winners Will Shepherd, Harry Reams

EAL Johann Henniges, Gorden Li

MATHS MODELLING

CONTRIBUTION TO THE MULTI SPORTS GAMES PROGRAMME Martin Naughton

Martin Naughton, Andy Zheng, Teddy Crowley, Dylan McGriele, Will Murphy, Zhenshu Huang, Enrique Kampkotter, Vincent Hardiman, Johann Henniges, Hugo McHugh, Leopold Ophoff

MUSIC Henrik Peciulis, Janji Chan, Dylan McGriele

CREATIVITY IN ART Andy Zheng, Janji Chan, Luke Hynes

SPORT AWARDS RUGBY

Leinster U17 Schools Hugo Ivers McCormack Leinster U17 Schools Victor Chauvire Leinster U17 Schools Philip Kenny SP1 Most Improved Player Eddie McCarthy Senior 4ths Forward of the Year Nic Hunter Senior 4ths Back of the Year Godswill Ukaga Senior 5ths Panelist of the Year Finnian Browne Senior 5ths Most Improved Player Johann Henniges

BASKETBALL

Senior Basketball Player of the Year Valentin Gawaz

SWIMMING

Swimmer of the Year Simon Ward

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RHETORIC AWARDS ACADEMIC AWARDS James Lee, Tony Zhu, Terrance Long, Edison Cheung, Rian Kehoe, Alex McKenna

DILIGENCE AWARDS Max Sweetman, James Maguire, Liam Keogh, John Leahy, Jack Reams,Mikie Guiney

ENDEAVOUR AWARDS Adam Coffey, Sebastian Hamilton, Sean Mangan

EAL Shannon Chan, Sunny Du and Terrance Long

SOCCER

Senior Soccer Captain Dhillon Broderick Senior Soccer Player of the Year Joseph O’Reilly

GAA

Higher Line GAA Player of the Year Dara Cronin Senior Hurler of the Year Sebastian Veal

BASKETBALL

Senior Basketball Most Improved Player Calixte Fraigneau Clongowes House Cup Senior Winner Leonard Linker

GOLF

MUSIC

Clongowes Open (Handicap) Winner Balthasar Von Bentzel

Patrick Jones, James Lee, James Maguire

TENNIS

CREATIVITY IN ART AWARDS James Lenehan, Michael O’Grady, Jack Reams, Richard Hyland

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE LITURGY Conor Trichardt, John Leahy & Max Sweetman

Higher Line Singles League Winner Leonard Linker Higher Line Singles League Runner-Up Balthasar von Bentzel Higher Line Doubles League Runners-Up Leonard Linker, Balthasar von Bentzel

SAILING

Sailor of the Year Max Sweetman

MINISTERS OF THE EUCHARIST Matthew Colton, Dara Cronin, Ethan Dockery, John Leahy, James Lee, Harry Loftus, James Maguire, Marcus Ryan, Max Sweetman, Patrick Twomey, Tom Walsh

SPORTS AWARDS RUGBY

Senior 3rds Captain James Lenehan Senior 4ths Captain James Lee Senior 5ths Captain Eddie Jones Senior 3rds Forward of the Year James Lenehan Senior 3rds Back of the Year Lincoln Chen Senior 5ths Player of the Year Warren Bell

GOLF

Golf Captain Jack Coghlan

SWIMMING

Swim Captain Max Sweetman

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WELCOMING BACK PATRICK MULLINS It was an honour to welcome OC’08 and 2025 Randox Grand National winning jockey, Patrick Mullins back to Clongowes.

Patrick, in conversation with Mr Murray and Mr McGovern, gave the Syntax and Poetry boys a fantastic insight into his life as a jockey and assistant trainer to his father Willie. Patrick very generously donated his silks from his historic Grand National win to the College.

PROF TESS LAMBE The inaugural Fr Sheil SJ People for Others address was given

by Professor Tess Lambe of Oxford University. As a principal co-developer of the Oxford-Astra Zenica Covid-19 vaccine, Prof Lambe gave remarkable insights into her groundbreaking work, her own journey in science and some of the wider impacts of her research. Inspirational stuff for our budding scientists!

SUPER SUNDAY In September, we pulled out all the stops to give our Elements a fun and active first Sunday at Clongowes.

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RUDIMENTS ON TOUR The annual Rudiments trip to Delphi during the last term of the year was a fantastic way to celebrate a great year!

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HORSING AROUND What an honour for our students to be invited by OC’08 Patrick Mullins to visit his family National Hunt Racing Yard in Closutton, Co Carlow. The boys received a warm welcome from the Mullins family and got to watch the equine athletes in training and meet some of the stars of the track.

COMMENDATIONS FOR ELEMENTS Well done to our Elements who received commendations at the end of the first term that recognised their positive contributions to the year group. Alvaro Gonzalo Mendez and Ollie Nolan were presented with special awards to recognise their contributions to our culture of kindness and positivity.

ASSEMBLY OPENS THE 212TH YEAR We gathered as a whole school community to welcome in the 212th academic year at Clongowes.

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SUCCESS AT THE MAGGIE GOUGH Congratulations to Andy Zheng who was one of only 90 students nationally, out of 23,200 entries, to receive a trophy for achieving the maximum 100 points in the IMTA Maggie Gough maths competition during Maths Week 2025. The overall mean was 68.92% and the standard deviation was 18.16%. Well done Andy and his teacher Mr McGrath!

NATIONAL WIN FOR ZACK Zack O’Leary (Grammar) was crowned national SciFest champion for his project M.A.N.T.I.S.

YOUNG ECONOMISTS A fantastic result for our young economists as they came home with lots of medals and Tom Cotter (Grammar) won Junior Young Economist of the Year!

Congratulations to all and Ms Browne who supported the boys.

The medalists were: Kye Lacey & Hugo Blessing: “Why Ireland needs a Personal Investment Scheme” - Bronze Medal Will Murphy & Freddie Farrington: “To what extent will AI increase inequality in the labour market”- Bronze Medal Jules Barron & Leopold Ophoff: “AI and the Labour Market Transformation - Responses from Employers, Governments and Universities” - Silver Medal Harry Reams: “Under what economic conditions would nuclear energy be a welfare improving investment for Ireland” - Gold Medal⁠ Tom Cotter: “The Hidden Supply Crisis - Estimating Ireland’s True Housing Supply” - Gold Medal, ⁠Best Overall Presentation, Winner of the 3rd Year Category and Overall Junior Young Economist of the Year⁠

APPLIED MATHS TEAM Our applied maths team took 1st place at the Regional Final of the Senior Applied Maths Competition! The team went on to take 4th place in the National Final in a very tight contest.

Well done to the team of Tony Zhu, Alex McKenna, and Andy Zheng as well as Mr O’Hara for preparing the team so well.

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CAMPUS NEWS ACADEMIC LIFE

DÁIL VISIT A wonderful opportunity for our Politics and Society students to visit the Dáil. They even got to see the portrait of OC’65 and iar-Thaoiseach, the late John Bruton.

THE ACADEMY The Clongowes Academy brings together Poetry and Rhetoric students to research and present on topics of particular interest to them. This year’s Academy presentations in the Castle showcased another eclectic and engaging range of papers, delivered to an audience of students, staff, and members of the Jesuit community.

The Academy provides an excellent opportunity for students to develop their research and presentation skills, as well as their ability to respond confidently to questions on the spot.

The quality of work on display reflected the considerable effort involved in preparing and delivering these papers. Congratulations to all the students who took part, and to Fr Sheil himself a former Academician - for his expert guidance throughout.

CLONGOWES LIFE

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James Maguire

The World of Darts

James Lee

The Art of Storytelling - Why Video Games Matter

Alex McKenna

Thinking Straight in a Misinformed World

Tim Boyle

The Visionary’s Debt

Noah Dunne

The Dark Side of Hollywood

Rian Kehoe

The Uncomfortable Truths of Mathematics

Cian Duro

Who Shot JFK?

Vincent Hardiman

Has Modern Cinema Lost its Magic?

Kye Lacey

Redefining Genius

Dylan McGriel

Creating Meaning after “The Death of God” [Nietzsche]

Martin Naughton

Dreams in One Piece

Hugo McHugh

Hitler’s Games - 1936 Olympics

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SCIFEST AT CLONGOWES SCIFEST OVERALL WINNER Jake Redmond

Attenuation: The optimisation of SuDs solutions in the prevention of water runoff from hard surfaces in urban settings

SCIFEST OVERALL RUNNER UP Donovan Gaffney

Is there a significance difference between low and high SPF sunscreens?

STUDENTS’ CHOICE AWARD Henry Griffith

Hydrogen electricity: A viable path forward

EIRGRID CLEANER CLIMATE AWARD Ollie Nolan

Which soil conditions will maximise the electricity output of a Microbial Fuel Cell?

KEENOVA STEM EXCELLENCE IN STEM AWARDS Jack Kieran

The effect of temperature on blood viscosity and its impact on athletic performance

Jack Nagle

Measuring randomness in human generated sequences v computer randomness

SCIFEST 20TH ANNIVERSARY AWARD Alvaro Dominguez

Ending Plastic Permanence

SCIENCE COMMUNICATION AWARDS Cael Dunning

What is the difference between filtered water and tap water?

Matthew Ennis

Which footwear allows me to run faster over 100M

Oisín Burke

Do shoes affect how high you can jump?

COMMENDED Sam Dolan

Does the colour of light affect how fast a plant grows?

Alvaro Gonzalez Mendez

Do shoes affect your running on grass?

Miguel Small

How does multilingualism enhance brain performance?

Jack Pinschmidt

Can a sea-weed based gel conduct electricity?

Patrick Carr

How do different types of snow affect the speed at which a skier travels down a slope?

Michael Meighan

Is solar an option for aeroplane flight?

Hugo Casley

California Wildfires

Charlie Casey

All Wind? Has there been an increase in Irish wind in the past 30 years?

Tom Priede

Which Paper Airplane Flies the Farthest Distance?

Nicholas Grant

Why salt is an important tool to keep roads safe in icy conditions

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CAMPUS NEWS ACADEMIC LIFE

ISTA WINNERS For the third year in a row our Junior Science team won the ISTA Junior Science Quiz with our other Clongowes team taking second place after a tie breaker.

Congratulations to the winning team - Tom Cotter, Lochlainn Sweeney and Callum Mooney

ARTIST ELIZABETH COPE A real treat for Ms Brennan’s Poetry art class who had a masterclass with artist, Elizabeth Cope.

MATHS COMPETITION FOR ELEMENTS Success for Elements students Alvaro Dominguez, Oli Feeney, Joe Gu, Alojzy Karczewski and Eugene Comte in the Irish Mathematics Teachers Association First Year Maths Competition! All of the boys achieved 95%, placing them in the top 1.4% of students.

JUNIOR CYCLE RESULTS Congratulations to our Syntax students who received a great set of Junior Cycle results!

DOWN ON THE FARM We are so lucky to have the Clongowes Farm on-site. Miss MacNeany’s Agricultural Science class enjoyed a visit to the farm to get involved in milking.

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CSO AWARDS Grammar student, Eli-John Kiernan, received his award for Top Student Nationally in the John Hooper CSO Competition (U16s). Eli-John also received an honourable mention in the The International Statistical Literacy Project - a global initiative to promote statistical literacy. Eli-John and Max Kinsella teamed up to represent Ireland in the European Statistics Competition 2025. The competition is organised by Eurostat and volunteering National Statistical Institutes and aims to encourage students to get familiar with statistics and official statistical sources.

Well done Eli-John and Max!

BOOK CLUB The Third Line Book Club had a great year! Meeting two to three times each month they chat about the books they have read and pick a new one. A great way to improve literacy skills and learn about new topics.

BECKETT-JOYCE AWARD James Maguire (Rhetoric) took the runner up spot in the coveted Beckett-Joyce Award for creative writing this year. James took his inspiration from both Oscar Wilde and Psalm 130, for his short story, De Profundis, telling the tragic story of an up-and-coming musician who is ensnared by the lure of fame and fortune. Well done James!

MATHS MODELLING Our maths modellers were hard at work this year on three new challenges set

by Prof Gleeson from the University of Limerick and our own Mr O’Hara. The challenges were diverse - one asked the boys to model an invasive species of their choosing, in the second the boys had to 22

model when to invest in solar panels and the third was centred on the factors that determine the stopping distances of a car.

their work and also treated their parents, staff and students to a presentation of their projects at Clongowes in May.

The TY and Poetry students worked in groups throughout the year to model the answers to these real world problems.

With finished projects the boys travelled to the University of Limerick to present

Fantastic work this year and well done to all involved. Our thanks to Prof Gleeson and Mr O’Hara for their continued support of this unique and valuable programme.

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CAMPUS NEWS ACADEMIC LIFE

SCIFEST DCU It was time to celebrate after the Regional SciFest competition at Dublin City University. TY students Joba Adeyemi and Igor Mazur won the Maths in Science Award while Riain Singh took the prize for Overall Top Project and sees Clongowes back to the National Final for the third time in four years. Best of luck Riain!

ZACK ON TOP OF THE WORLD In May, Zack O’Leary (Grammar) won the software design category at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix, Arizona. In winning, Zack achieved one of the highest honours in global pre-college STEM competitions. He represented Ireland as the 2025 SciFest STEM Champion and his victory places him among the youngest major category winners at this year’s competition.

Zack earned his place in Phoenix after winning the overall SciFest STEM Champion title in Ireland in 2025 for his project M.A.N.T.I.S — “Muon Analysis for

Non-Invasive Tomography and Image Simulation.” SciFest, Ireland’s largest second-level STEM fair programme, now involves more than 16,000 students annually across over 165 fairs nationwide.

Zack worked with science teacher, Ms Nolan, who also mentored another first-place ISEF winner in 2024, making this success an exceptionally rare accomplishment in international STEM competition.

Congratulations Zack for your win on the world stage - a well deserved win after your hard work and dedication.

LEARNING WITH GAMES Ms Larkin’s EAL students learning language though game play.

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CAMPUS NEWS CULTURAL & ENVIRONMENTAL LIFE

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS The cast and crew of Little Shop of Horrors did not disappoint; delivering a multi show run of the thoroughly entertaining show at the Moat Theatre in Naas, Supported by young actresses from St. Wolston’s - the boys wowed us all with their talent. The show went on to win the ‘Best Student Production Team’ at the Association of Irish Musical Societies Schools Mentoring Awards. Well done to everyone who was involved!

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CAMPUS NEWS CULTURAL & ENVIRONMENTAL LIFE

YEAR OF THE HORSE Celebrating the new lunar year - the Year of the Horse! Thanks to Mr Li and students for organising games and activities.

BRESSIE & THE POLARIS QUARTET We were delighted to welcome musician and mental health advocate Niall ‘Bressie’ Beslin and his Polaris Quartet for a talk on mental health and an uplifting concert!

ORCHESTRA ON TOUR The orchestra packed their bags (and instruments) and set off to Bratislava and Vienna for 4 days of culture and music.

GREEN SCHOOLS A busy year for the Green Schools Committee saw new members joining from Elements and a renewed commitment to our Green Schools Flag. The team’s focus on recycling led to the introduction of large bins for bottle and can recycling, as well as collection bins for batteries and ink cartridges. A system for composting pizza boxes for use in the polytunnel was also established. Work continued to reduce food waste, and energy consumption monitoring of major appliances was introduced.

Well done to all involved!

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NAVAN INTERNATIONAL CHORAL FESTIVAL Well done to our singers that took part in the Navan International Choral Festival in May. Naoise O’Dálaigh won first place in the U16 Irish Song Competition while Freddie Farrington took second place in the U18 Song category. Lochlainn Sweeney was Highly Commended.

TRAD GROUP Our fantastic Trad Group had another busy year! From entertaining visiting families at our open mornings, to performing at our in-house concerts, and taking to stages across Dublin and Clane, it has been a wonderful year of music and performance.

ORCHESTRA LEADER Violinist Zack O’Leary (Grammar) was named Orchestra Leader following in the footsteps of his older brothers OCs Matt and Luke.

PAST V PRESENT DEBATE The motion for this year’s debate was “Europe is becoming more irrelevant by the day as a force in world politics.” Both the government (past) and the opposition (students) put forward strong and lively arguments. In the end, the past team was victorious. OC. Mr. Felix McEnroy was named speaker of the night while Patrick Jones and Ethan Dockery were highly commended.

Our thanks to the OCs, adjudicators, Chairperson and Clongowes Union President Mr Johnathan White.

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MACBETH In a two night production, the boys of Third and Lower Lines (1st to 4th Years) took part in a special production of Macbeth.

The boys were outstanding bringing the Shakespearean tragedy to life. Well done to cast in crew for such a memorable production.

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CONCERT SERIES Throughout the year we were treated to a series of concerts that incorporated the breadth of musical aptitude and interest in the school. Thanks to all who took part.

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BOOK TREE Ivann, Charlie and Daniel were on hand to help Ms O’Loughlin build the library book tree at Christmas.

A CAPELLA What a treat to have an a capella group from Yale University visit us for workshops with the boys and an evening performance.

MARIAN CARR We were delighted to welcome renowned playwright Marian Carr to the Black Box Theatre.

DEAR School Librarian, Ms O’Loughlin, once again invited us all to Drop Everything and Read.

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CHRISTMAS CONCERT The Christmas Concert was a fitting showcase of the musical talent in the school and put us all in the Christmas spirit!

CULTURE NIGHT We opened our doors for Culture Night in September and welcomed the public to a talk on the stations of the cross in the Boys’ Chapel. The wonderful art is by renowned Irish artist, Seán Keating.

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JUBILEE FOR FR. BARNEY In January, we celebrated Fr. Barney’s Golden Jubilee - marking 50 years since Barney took his final vows. We are blessed to have Barney as part of our school community.

DARKNESS INTO LIGHT An early start for students who took part in the walk to promote positive mental health.

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE Our student leaders were delighted to take part in the Annual Meeting of the Jesuit Schools’ Leadership Council where the guest speakers was OC’11 Jack Kavanagh . Student leaders from all of the Irish Jesuit schools took part in this valuable event as they learn to lead with hope, humility, a sense of purpose and with discernment. They also attended workshops hosted by Foróige focusing on values and decision making, effective communication, goal setting, and student council leadership.

CONFIRMATION AT CLONGOWES We were honoured to welcome the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, the Most Reverend Denis Nulty, to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation for our students.

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IMMERSION IN AFRICA What an amazing experience for Poetry students to take part in the Global Immersion Programme in Kenya! We partnered with the Jesuit parish of St Joseph the Worker in Nairobi where the boys worked with their peers in vocational training and lots of fun activities together like soccer, swimming, cultural dance, visits to wildlife parks, museums and more! The programme is designed to support understanding and appreciation between young people helping them to grow as global citizens.

A huge thank you to Ms Fitzpatrick and Mr Gray Jnr. for accompanying the group and to our hosts in Kenya - your hospitality, warmth, fun and friendship made this an incredible experience that will never be forgotten.

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MASS FOR THE OPENING OF THE 212TH SCHOOL YEAR

REMEMBERING IN NOVEMBER A beautiful tribute to those we have lost was placed in the Concourse in November to invite boys to think of and pray for their loved ones that have gone home to our Lord.

TY RETREAT A wonderful day for the Transition Year retreat - visiting churches in Dublin and learning about their history and significance.

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ELEMENTS RETREAT Elements spent a wonderful day on retreat in Glendalough National Park.

The day was a busy one, packed with activities like forest walks, skipping stones in the lake and a visit to the waterfall. The boys were encouraged to “Find God in All Things” and it is in nature that we can so easily see God through the beauty of the natural world. The day finished with a visit to a chipper van for ice cream and chips! An unforgettable trip for the boys.

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IJI FUNDRAISER Well done to Dermot Mulrooney, Jeffrey Black and Jake Redmond who volunteered for our Irish Jesuits International fundraiser at Christmas.

LOURDES PILGRIMAGE Well done to the Rhetoric boys, Toby Costello, James Lenehan, Ethan Dockery and Max Sweetman who travelled with Mrs Lumb to be part of the Dublin Diocese Lourdes pilgrimage.

WELLNESS WEEK Wellness Week this year focused on “The Elephant in the Room” - a campaign making mental health conversations more visible and normal. Our teachers embraced the bring your pet to school day and introduced some very welcome visitors during wellness week!

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CHRISTMAS MURAL Well done to the TY art students who created a beautiful mural in the Concourse at Christmas.

AVCON A really interesting day at Avcon, learning about careers in aviation.

FORDHAM PREP EXCHANGE We are so happy to have such a strong bond with our sister school in New York, Fordham Prep. Clongowes boys spend time in the Big Apple before welcoming their exchange brothers to Ireland. Such a wonderful opportunity for the boys and no doubt that great memories were made.

BOX FIT Learning to box though Irish!

CLONGOWES RUN The biggest one yet! This year’s run was hugely successful as we welcomed runners from near and far. All proceeds went to the Duck Push for Barretstown.

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DUCK PUSH This year the TYs once again undertook to raise money for a children’s charity as part of the Duck Push. As part of a 32-year long tradition, the boys sold Christmas and Cup Rugby merchandise, undertook a 24 hour swim, played a 24-hour football match, did a Spinathon and lots more - all in aid of Barretstown. Barretstown provides support for seriously ill children and their families. Thanks to all who donated!

OUTDOOR EDUCATION TRIP The year started well as the boys headed off to Delphi Adventure Centre for teambuilding and outdoor fun!

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IGNATIAN CAMINO PILGRIMAGE A real highlight of the TY year, the Ignatian Camino Pilgrimage in the footsteps of St Ignatius is a special time spent with friends.

SPEAKERS AND WORKSHOPS This year’s TYs heard from a wealth of diverse speakers and had some really interesting workshops. Among the visitors were singer Bressie, Mick Medeiros (OC) social media influencer, Colm Keegan, Poet, Shay Wildes, Alex Hibbert polar explorer, lifesaving, self defence workshop, LawEd, John O’Shea (founder of GOAL) and lots more! Thank you to the speakers and workshop facilitators

SKI TRIP The ski trip to Ehrwald in Austria was great fun - packed full of great memories and adventures. Highlights included skiing the Zugspitze glacier, night skiing and enjoying long days on the slopes!

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SCUBA DIVING In May, TYs took to the open water to complete their PADI certification in beautiful Killary Fjord.

CLIMATE ACTION CLASS TRIP Airfield Estate was the venue for the Climate Action class trip that was packed full of activities. The boys had a tour of the regenerative farm and organic food gardens, they learned about sustainable farming and solar energy, explored reed bed filtration and took part in a debate about organic farming.

CROAGH PATRICK To round out a great year, the boys took on Croagh Patrick the 764m mountain in Co Mayo with stunning views at the top.

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CAMPUS NEWS TRANSITION YEAR

TRANSITION YEAR (SYNTAX) AWARDS ACADEMIC AWARDS

SPORTS AWARDS

Michael O’Dowd Memorial Cup Fíonnan Boyle

SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS

McCarthy Medal for Science Igor Mazur Silver Medal for Lower Line English Essay Charlie Doyle

GAISCE AWARDS Joba Adeyemi, Johnny Boyd, Edmond Cogan, Yan Jiang, Igor Mazur, Ian McDonald, Daniel Nikookam, Eze Nwike, Tom O’Brien, Henry Peedom

CREATIVITY IN ART Rayann Naransemy, Jim Chen, Daniel Nikookam

CREATIVITY IN THE PERFORMING ARTS Joba Adeyemi, Fionnan Boyle, Felix Li, Richard Kallmayer, Daniel Maguire, Daniel Mahon, Ian McDonald, Charlie McGriele, Rayann Naransemy, Daniel Nikookam, Eze Nwike, Henry Peedom, Julian Schmalz, Senan Walsh

Leinster U17s Representatives Tom English, Harry Lawlor, Daniel Maguire, Shaun Priede Connacht U17 Representative Senan Walsh Leinster silver medals 400m & 400m hurdles) Victor Lamph

ATHLETICS House 400m Cup Victor Lamph Best Syntax Result in Triangle Race Victor Lamph

GAA

Lower Line GAA Player of the Year Daniel Maguire

TENNIS

Lower Line Singles Tennis League Winner Christian Veal Lower Line Doubles League Winners Christian Veal, Ignacio Gomez-Fernandez

EAL AWARDS Carl Freiherr von Boeselager, Bosco Ortiz

MATHS MODELLING Joba Adeyemi, Fionnan Boyle, Carl Freiherr von Boeselager, Oran Gately, Felix Li, Yan Giang, Richard Kallmayer, Daniel Maguire, Daniel Mahon, Igor Mazur, Ian McDonald, Eze Nwike, Ang Shen, Senan Walsh, Conan Wilson

GROWTH IN LEADERSHIP AWARD Ian MacDonald

EXCELLENCE IN INDEPENDENT LEARNING Felix Li

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TRANSITION YEAR (SYNTAX) AWARDS

RUDIMENTS ADVENTURE Rudiments headed West to the Delphi Adventure Centre for their annual tour.

A great trip full of new experiences, fun and friendships.

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ATHLETICS Clongowes continued its proud tradition in athletics this year, with students training twice weekly throughout the academic year and representing the school with distinction at cross-country and track and field competitions.

The highlight of the season was the success of the Minor team, who retained their South Leinster Track and Field Championship title. In doing so, they became the first school in over twelve years to successfully defend the title, a testament to the commitment and talent within the squad.

There were also several outstanding individual and team performances throughout the year. The Minor 4 x 100m relay team of Ted Noone, Charlie Kerin, Leo Nguyen, and Alex Jordan enjoyed a superb season, claiming gold at the South Leinster Championships, silver at the Leinster Championships, and bronze at the All-Ireland Championships.

At Intermediate level, Victor Lamph produced excellent performances on the national stage, securing silver in the 400m hurdles and bronze in the 400m at the All-Ireland Championships.

These achievements reflect the dedication of the athletes and coaches alike and provide a strong foundation for continued success in the years ahead. Congratulations to all involved on another excellent year for Clongowes athletics.

Mr Carlos, Athletics Coach

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BLACKROCK SWIMMING GALA

ROLLING PIN

A total of 6 gold medals for our swim team at the Blackrock Gala in May. Well done Joshua Grant, Hugo Ivers, Mark O’Leary and Simon Ward.

Rhetoric once again took the coveted rolling pin in their annual soccer match v Poetry.

ELEMENTS RUGBY Always a special day for our Elements as they line out for the first time in Clongowes purple and white.

U18S INTERPRO Mr O’Donoghue, Munster U18s forwards coach, with Hugh Keaney and Joshua Grant at a summer Leinster v Munster U18 match.

KAYAKING Elements kayakers had great fun paddling on the River Liffey over the summer term!

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SPORTS DAY A brilliant sports day to kick off the year despite a few showers! Congratulations to Sullivan House who won the Aloysius Bowl.

ATHLETES OF THE DAY Elements Henry Griffith Rudiments Daragh Doyle Grammar Luke McCullen Syntax Victor Lamph Poetry Joshua Grant Rhetoric Rian Keogh

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SENIOR TENNIS

RUGBY INTERPRO Brian A. McCulloch

Ireland U18 Clubs/Schools

Harry Lawlor

Leinster U17 Schools

Ollie Worth

Ireland U18 Clubs/Schools

Hugo Ivers McCormack

Leinster U17 Schools

Ireland U18 Clubs/Schools Ireland U18 Schools Leinster U18 Schools Leinster U18 Schools Irish U18 Schools

Philip Kenny

Leinster U17 Schools

Shaun Priede

Leinster U17 Schools

Tom English

Leinster U17 Schools

Turlough Devitt

Leinster U18 Schools

Victor Chauvire

Leinster U17 Schools

Tom Walsh

Connacht U19

Daniel Maguire

Leinster U17 Schools

Joshua Grant Hugh Keaney

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JESUIT SCHOOLS BLITZ

ELEMENTS CRICKET

Elements enjoyed a great blitz with our sister Jesuit schools.

What a way for the Elements cricketers to finish off their year - a win in the league final!

JUNIOR TENNIS

SWISS SUCCESS

CAP FOR JOSHUA

We were proud to hear that Eoin McGrath (Rudiments) was chosen to captain the Swiss National U14 team in April.

Joshua Grant received his first cap for Ireland U18 Schools in the Six Nations campaign.

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TRIANGLE RACE Another competitive Annual Triangle Race on a lovely summer evening - congratulations to the winners!

Elements

Matthew Ennis

7:38

Rudiments

Finn Cassandro

8:35

Lower Line

Luke McCullen

7:45

Higher Line

Hugo McHugh

8:31

SAILING Despite the landlocked nature of our surroundings in Clongowes, there is plenty of appetite to get on the water amongst the student body. To this end, sailing has established itself as a growing sport in Clongowes in recent years.

For a third year running, we entered a team in the Leinster Schools Team Racing Championships, hosted this year by the Royal St George Yacht Club on Sunday 8th March. The team sailed in three double handed firefly dinghies. Helms and crew included: John Kenny and Reuben McElwee (Grammar), Tom Flannery and Peter Hogan (Poetry), Max Sweetman (Rhetoric) and Sixte De Kerdrel (Rudiments). After a competitive day of sailing, the team were delighted to qualify for the Irish Schools Team Racing Nationals on Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th April at the Royal Irish Yacht Club. Emile Hennessy (Grammar) and Charlie Casey (Elements) joined the team that weekend. This may well be the first time that Clongowes have reached the team racing nationals and it was pleasing to see the team finishing mid-fleet in a competitive regatta.

shores of Ireland during the Summer holidays. Those attending learn skills such as how to rig the boats, manoeuvre on the water and recover from a capsize.

Max Sweetman was awarded sailor of the year for this academic year. Max captained

our sailing team this year and has had considerable achievements in his 420 during his years in Clongowes. Fair winds to all of our students who get out on the water over the Summer.

Mr. Wright

The Summer term brought the opportunity for over 30 boys to enjoy sailing at the Irish National Sailing School in Dun Laoghaire.

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JUNIOR CUP RUGBY After an intense pre-season and an extra week’s wait due to poor weather, the Junior Cup team finally took to the field against Wesley College in Energia Park, Donnybrook. Before kick-off, the jerseys were presented by SP1 captain Tom Walsh and vice-captains Turlough Devitt and Ollie Worth, whose words of encouragement helped inspire the squad.

Backed by a large purple-and-white crowd, Clongowes made an impressive start.

Strong carries and quick attacking rugby saw scrum-half Johnny Rock break through the Wesley defence and bring play deep into opposition territory. Soon after, full-back Cal Kehoe capitalised on a loose kick, showing excellent footwork before scoring the opening try.

Wesley responded by applying sustained pressure, but Clongowes’ defence stood firm. A crucial moment came when hooker Luca Blessing forced a turnover from a defensive maul on the Clongowes five-metre line, lifting both the team and the travelling support.

Clongowes gradually regained control through strong work from Luke Ryan, Thomas McKenna and Matthew Casley.

Captain Ryan Mahon extended the lead with a powerful try before the break, converted by Rock. The juniors added a third score before half-time after good work from Lucas Aveling and Eze Nwike, giving them a commanding advantage.

Their dominance continued in the second half. Tries from Odhran Doyle, Luca Blessing and Ronan Hennessy completed an emphatic 40–0 victory. While the performance secured a place in the quarter-final, the squad knew a much tougher challenge awaited against an in-form St Mary’s side.

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Back in Donnybrook for the quarter-final, Clongowes started brightly. Jude Murtagh’s pressure at the set piece created early momentum, and winger Boe Binham opened the scoring after reacting quickest to a grubber kick from Kehoe. St Mary’s, however, soon took control and launched wave after wave of attack. Outstanding Clongowes defence repeatedly denied them through turnovers and heroic goal-line stands, but Mary’s eventually broke through and added a second try to lead 14–5.

Clongowes responded impressively. After a powerful lineout maul and clever kick in behind the defence, Kehoe gathered the loose ball to score, reducing the deficit to 14–12 at half-time.

The second half produced a thrilling contest between two evenly matched teams. A promising Clongowes attack ended in a turnover that led to a St Mary’s breakaway try, but Mahon quickly replied by charging down a kick and scoring under the posts. Mary’s again extended their advantage through a series of driving mauls, making it 28–19.

With time running out, Clongowes refused to surrender. Following a scrum deep in opposition territory, sustained attacking pressure created space for Aveling to power over for a vital try. Rock’s conversion narrowed the gap to just two points at 28–26.

Despite relentless pressure in the closing stages, Clongowes could not find the winning score. The result brought their Junior Cup campaign to an end, but the team left the field having produced a performance full of attacking ambition, defensive courage and determination— qualities that reflected the very best traditions of Clongowes rugby.

Mr Duff, Assistant Coach JP1 CLONGOWES LIFE

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SENIOR CUP RUGBY After an exciting pre-season, the Senior Cup Team was selected to face St Mary’s College in Energia Park, Donnybrook.

The jerseys were presented by Michael “Midge” Donnelly, captain of the 1993 SCT. After an inspirational speech from Midge, followed by the team send off in the concourse, the boys were ready to take the field. Donnybrook was packed with support in Purple and White, and it proved to be a close encounter against a strong St Mary’s side. The game was played in difficult weather conditions, with wind and rain leading to a set piece driven start.

St Mary’s got on the scoreboard within the opening 15 minutes, with a converted try and a penalty from the opposition.

A wake up call for Clongowes, followed by a number of “pick and goes”, second row Turlough Devitt scored on the Mary’s line, followed by an excellent strike from out- half Ollie Worth. Clongowes conceded just before half time, leaving the score at 15-7.

An early penalty in the second half saw Worth add three points, the scoreline to 15–10 in Mary’s favour. Unfortunately the Clongowes pack conceded a maul try shortly afterwards. Following a stint of attacking pressure, Clongowes opted for a lineout from a close range penalty.

This proved to be a wise decision, as a strong 10 man maul steamed over the line, scored by hooker Michael O’Sullivan.

A difficult conversion attempt was missed by Ollie Worth, leaving the score at 22–15 to the opposition. Hard working Michael O’Sullivan looked set to bring Clongowes in for a draw when he made a go for the line from a maul on 67 minutes, but he was unfortunately held up by the opposition.

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disappointing result, the boys fought hard and represented the Purple and White with pride and determination from start to finish.

The Senior Seconds Premier League resumed shortly after, and the team recorded a strong start to the campaign with a 36–19 win at home to St Mary’s College. Soon after, the side played Blackrock College on the VMP and, unfortunately came up short in a close game - finishing 36–19. Focus then turned to the training grounds, and the Senior Seconds went on to record an excellent 24–7 win over our sister school, Belvedere College SJ, on the VMP. The semi-final took place at Ailesbury Road, where the side faced a strong St Michael’s team but unfortunately missed out on a place in the final.

Focus then shifted to the Fr. Hampson Plate, where our Senior 1st side had two great wins, a 43 - 14 victory over St Gerard’s College in the Quarter Final and a 31-26 win against Wesley College in the semi-final. The final was played on the back pitch in Donnybrook, where unfortunately the result did not go our way against Belvedere College SJ, finishing 18-14.

My thanks to every player who was a member of Senior Panel 1 this year.

The commitment, dedication, character development, and, most importantly, the enjoyment were evident at all times. My thanks also go to all the coaches for their tremendous work throughout the year both on and off the pitch. A sincere thank you to Dr Jim Ryan and physio David Lyons for their care and medical support throughout the season.

Mr O’Donoghue Director of Sport 49

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PAST V PRESENT TENNIS The sun came out on Sunday 21st September for the inaugural Past v Present Challenge Cup which saw OCs and current students face each other on the newly refurbished tennis courts at Clongowes! The competition was intense with both singles and doubles matches. With all play finished, the teams were level at 6-6. Both captains decided to go for sudden death which was won by Grammar student Tom Cotter. The day also marked the official opening of our 8 new courts by Headmaster, Mr Lumb, and the blessing of the courts by Fr Rector Michael Sheil SJ.

THIRD LINE RUGBY LEAGUES The in-house league of mixed Elements and Rudiments teams is great fun! This year ‘Team England’ took the overall prize, captained by Patrick Gohery (who after injury was replaced by acting captain Luke Byrne) and vice captain was Oli Feeney. The final was a gripping match as Team France, led by DJ Leonard, were beaten 29-24. The wooden spoon went to Team Ireland, captained by Odhran Hogan, who beat Team Wales.

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POPE FRANCIS CUP

LIAM ON TOUR

Great to host our sister Jesuit schools, Belvedere College SJ and Gonzaga College SJ for the Pope Francis Memorial Cup soccer tournament.

Liam Keogh (Rhetoric) represented Cayman in the Rugby Americas North 7s in Trinidad and Tobago.

IRELAND CLUBS & SCHOOLS Brian A McCulloch, Ollie Worth and Joshua Grant were selected to represent Irish Clubs/Schools U18 v Scotland in Murrayfield

HUGH KEANEY Well done to Hugh who represented Ireland UI8s Schools v Wales in Clontarf. Pictured with Mr O’ Hara (Ireland Schools Manager)

RECORD BREAKING VICTOR Victor Lamph (Syntax) set a Championship Record at the National Championships when he won the 400M in a time of 48:97

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JCT CAPTAINS

STAFF V STUDENTS SOCCER

Junior Cup Team Captain Ryan Mahon, Vice Captains, Odhran Doyle and Luke Ryan with Mr Lumb.

A spirited Staff v Students match took place in May with the Rhetoric students taking the win!

SCT CAPTAINS Senior Cup Team Captain Tom Walsh, Vice Captains Turlough Devitt and Ollie Worth with Mr Lumb.

ELEMENTS BASKETBALL A midlands shield win for Elements basketballers!

RECORD BREAKING VICTOR Victor Lamph (Syntax) set a Championship Record at the National Championships when he won the 400M in a time of 48:97

SENIOR CRICKET Our senior cricketers had an active season!

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SENIOR GOLF TEAM

JUNIOR GOLF TEAM

UK TOUR Senior Panel 1 and Junior Panel 1 both headed to the UK on their rugby tours.

GAA The senior footballers and hurlers were busy again this year with fixtures against local GAA clubs and schools.

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CLONGOWES FOUNDATION

ABOUT THE FOUNDATION Clongowes Foundation continues to support the College in its mission to provide the highest standards of Jesuit education. For more than 20 years the Foundation has played a key role in enhancing the school’s infrastructure and since 2007 has broadened access to a Clongowes education with the establishment of the Alberto Hurtado Bursary Programme.

The Foundation is immensely grateful for the generosity of its donors—past pupils, parents, the Jesuit Community and Province, and friends of the College.

The Foundation Team: Antoinette Kelly (Director of Development), Emma Robinson (Development Officer), Joe Rooney (Advisor to Clongowes Foundation), are supported by Denise Nichol and Clare Daly in Finance. The team continues to engage the wider Clongowes community in support of the College’s vision for the future.

(L-R) Clare Daly, Denise Nichol, Joe Rooney, Antoinette Kelly and Emma Robinson

ARTS BUILDING DEVELOPMENT Construction of our dedicated Arts Building continues onsite and is on target for completion by December 2026. Incorporating new classrooms, practice rooms, a multi-media recording studio and a double height multi-purpose rehearsal and performance space, the building will provide increased opportunity for boys to take part in music and drama performances and formalise the debating and public speaking programmes in the school.

The importance of continued capital development at Clongowes is recognised and the Foundation continues its work with parents, past pupils, and relevant stakeholders to support these developments.

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CLONGOWES FOUNDATION

EXTENDING ACCESS THROUGH THE ALBERTO HURTADO BURSARY PROGRAMME The Foundation provides bursary support for up to seven students each year who may not reach their potential due to socio-economic disadvantage. The majority of students come from the DEIS school network. The bursary offers the opportunity to live, study and receive the broad education that Clongowes provides; through this, lives can be transformed.

The AHP has become an integral part of life at Clongowes Wood College. There are currently 44 AHP students enrolled in the school and more than 80 graduates have benefitted from the programme to date.

Funding the AHP is an ongoing challenge (the AHP is an ambitious initiative which costs circa €1m per annum). The Clongowes Foundation is dedicated to funding the AHP, with the long-term goal of making it financially self-sustaining through the Alberto Hurtado Endowment Fund (AHEF), which launched in 2020

with assets of €4m. Its target is to grow to €20 million in assets, enabling it to generate sufficient income to fully fund the programme in perpetuity. Now six years in existence the Fund has benefitted from generous contributions by past pupils and positive performance in the markets which brings its value to approximately €9.7m in June 2026. The first drawdown from the fund took place in April 2025 (a 5% drawdown is planned for each year).

facilitated by the Foundation through their set up of the dedicated online iDonate fundraising page and managing the charity tax refund submission.

Other generous supporters of the bursary continue to support with individual direct pledges which was the original funding model for the bursary programme.

The OC Bursary Funding Initiative which commenced in 2024 is also playing an increasingly important role in funding the AHP. This initiative allows past pupils give back to the College with a pledge for their Year Group to fund a bursary student through his six years at Clongowes. This initiative continues to gain momentum with three Year Groups actively fundraising and another Year Group planning involvement.

The OC Bursary Funding Initiative is

FR PETER KENNEY DAY 2026 CELEBRATING THE FOUNDATION OF THE SCHOOL IN 1814 Our annual event for OCs who have left Clongowes more than 40 years took place on June 10th with more than 100 OCs gathering from far and wide.

Some classes (OC’56 & OC’61) took the opportunity to celebrate their reunions as part of the day with 14 attendees from OC’61 and 10 from OC’56. The guests had the opportunity to reconnect and enjoy some time back at Clongowes.

OC’61

The guest speaker on the day was Judge Fergal Gaynor OC’89. He spoke eloquently on his work at the International Criminal Court and its role in upholding the protection of non-combatants in warfare through the prosecution of individuals responsible for war crimes. His talk “Shattered Lives: combatting impunity for atrocity crimes” gave great insight into the process of the court and the lives behind the stories. Fergal truly embodies the values and ideals that Fr Peter Kenney would have hoped to instil in every Clongownian.

Clongowes Foundation thanks all donors for their support. For information on developments at Clongowes and how you can support please contact: Antoinette Kelly 045 838215 antoinettekelly@clongowes.net Antoinette Kelly, Tim Kiely & Fergal Gaynor

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NEWS OF THE PAST CLONGOWES UNION NEWS

UNION DAY

UK BRANCH DINNER

Noting the distinguished list of Union Presidents since Christopher Palles in 1897, it was an absolute honour and privilege to accept the Presidential chain of office from Shane Dowling (OC1983) following the well-attended Union AGM in the Castle. The prize-giving which took place later that day reminded all who attended both of the depth and breadth of student talent currently in Clongowes, and of the dedication of all in the school who help to nurture and develop that talent.

Now in its fourth year, this Union event has become increasingly popular with the UK based OCs on whom it is focused. Over 70 OCs, from all over the UK attended and it was clear from the conversations in the room that many connections and reconnections were made across the OC years.

FATHER PETER KENNEY SJ DAY – 11 JUNE 2025

CLONGOWES BUSINESS LUNCH 220 OCs and guests attended this sold-out, and now well-established Union event in the Conrad Hotel. Patrick Mullins (OC 2008), multiple times champion amateur jockey, and Henry de Bromhead, the renowned trainer, treated the attendees to a fascinating discussion on “the business of racing”, ably moderated by David Keene (OC 1995).

One of the highlights was Patrick’s fence by fence description of the closing stages in his Grand National win on Nick Rockett trained by his father Willie. A substantial sum for the Clongowes Union Benevolent Association was raised by the attendees.

As usual, this event, organised by the Clongowes Foundation and hosted by Fr. Rector, Michael Sheil SJ (OC 1956), was most enjoyable. I attended as a guest of the Foundation on what was a gloriously sunny day in Clongowes. More than 80 OCs had the opportunity to spend time reconnecting with the school and each other. We enjoyed a fascinating insight into the life of Fr. Willie Doyle SJ, provided

by Fr. John Hogan, Postulator for the canonisation and beatification cause of Fr. Doyle. As a master and prefect in Clongowes between 1894 and 1903, Fr. Doyle, amongst other things, founded the Clongownian publication and first proposed the idea of a Clongowes Union.

UK BRANCH GOLF OUTING The sylvan surroundings of Edgbaston Golf Club were the location for this event which, for many years now, has been a great focal point for UK based OCs, golfers and non-golfers alike. Following what I was reliably informed was golf of varying degrees of quality, and drinks on the clubhouse terrace, we adjourned to the clubhouse where celebrations continued over dinner and well into the night. Well done to the organisers, especially Ross Finegan (OC 1987).

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ANNUAL DINNER And so to the main Union event of the year, held in the RDS again this year.

Another sell- out, with 320 attendees, OC years from 1956 to 2024 were represented. From the buzz around the room all evening, it was clear that there was lots of OC interaction, and connection or reconnection going on. Fergal Gaynor (OC 1989) was the popular and well-deserved winner of the Alumnus of the year award, which award was celebrated by 32 of his OC 1989 classmates who were in attendance.

Another substantial sum was raised for the Clongowes Union Benevolent Association.

PAST V PRESENT DEBATE Once again ably organised by Mark Lochrin (OC 1970), it was my privilege to chair this well attended debate. The Motion was that “Europe is becoming more irrelevant by the day as a force in world politics”. The Past team comprised Barry Murphy (OC 2016), Jonathan Kelly (OC 2004), David Kearney (OC 1996) and Felix McEnroy (OC 1978). The Present team was Patrick Jones, Ethan Dockery, Fahad Kabalaoui, and Dara Cronin. Both teams went at it hammer and tongs with the adjudicators declaring the Motion carried, a declaration disagreed with by a show of hands from the floor. The number and quality of the contributions from the floor was remarkable.

UNION RETREAT Once again, the Union Retreat took place in Clongowes on Holy Thursday and Good Friday, hosted by Union Committee member John Sheehan (OC1974). A total of 33 OCs attended, with 24 staying overnight on Holy Thursday in the Rhetoric rooms. The Retreat Director was Fr Tom Casey SJ. Based in Gonzaga College as Chaplain, he delivered thought-provoking and erudite talks of the highest quality which stimulated good audience participation. On Good Friday, Professor Barry White gave a talk on Christian Meditation. Barry is a prominent exponent of Christian Meditation in Ireland as well as being a Professor of Haematology. Fr Tom was joined by Fr Barney McGuckian SJ for the Good Friday Liturgies which were held in the People’s Church, long associated with Blessed John Sullivan SJ. As the retreatants headed off after supper on Good Friday, all agreed that the event was most enjoyable, informative and spiritually uplifting and an excellent way to celebrate Easter while at the same time, reconnecting with Clongowes.

UNION GOLFING SOCIETY It’s fair to say that the Society has gone from strength to strength under the stewardship of Willie McDonald (OC 1986) and Padraig Whelan (OC1989).

With always full timesheet outings to Royal County Down, Rosslare, Portmarnock, Baltray and Galway golf clubs, the Golfing Society is a microcosm of what the Union is about, OCs from a broad range of years, connecting, socialising and celebrating the purple and white. Long may it continue.

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UNION EVENT SPONSORSHIP With event overheads and costs increasing year on year, it has become clear that sponsorship is now essential to enable Union events to continue. To that end, sincerest thanks to our Union event sponsors over the last year; Pembr, The Merrion Hotel, Fieldfisher solicitors, The Ivory Peacock Bar, Poe Kiely Hogan Lanigan solicitors and many other individual sponsors.

CONCLUSION As this Presidential year comes to a close, we remember the OCs we have lost during the last year, all of whom will remain in our thoughts.

To conclude then, a number of personal thank yous. To the Union Committee who have worked tirelessly on all things Clongowes Union over the past 12 months, and to Vicki and Emma without whom the Union machine cogs simply would not turn. Also, to Headmaster Chris Lumb, Rector Fr. Sheil, and all in Clongowes, for their unqualified support for what the Union does To my good friend Tim Kiely (OC 1987), the incoming President, best of luck, I am certain the Presidency will be in good hands.

Finally, to all OCs, thank you for supporting your Union, and here’s to the purple and white.

Jonathan White (OC 1986) Union President

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LEINSTER SENIOR CUP Arthur Ashmore and Ross Adams OCs 25 teamed up again as part of the Terenure RFC Leinster Senior Cup winning side.

CHAMPIONSHIP WIN OCs Brian Maher, Padraic Spillane and Michael Spillane along with Mr McGovern were part of the Athy GFC squad that won the Kildare Senior Football Championship in October.

CATHAL DUFF Cathal Duff, playing with his longstanding club MU Barnhall, celebrated their AIL Division 2A win this year.

GEORGE STRICKLAND George OC ‘23 scored his first international try in April representing Malta.

BOBBY SHEEHAN Bobby had a great year - selected for Ireland Club XV squad v Scotland and made his debut for Leinster seniors.

JACK O’LEARY Jack O’Leary had a great year with personal bests in both 5,000m and 10,000m and a bronze medal in the 5,000m at the 2025 Irish Athletics Championships. At the 2025 European Cross Country Championships in Portugal, he finished 5th individually and was part of the Irish silver medal winning team.

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LATIN AWARD

GERARD MULLEN

Lukas Felten and Finn Kehoe (OCs ‘25) received an award from the Classical Association of Ireland as two (of the four) students who received the highest marks in Leaving Certificate Latin.

Gerard has been appointed to the position of backs coach for Connacht rugby.

RICHARD LOFTUS RIP We were saddened to hear of the passing of Richard Loftus OC’24 in October. Richard was a treasured friend, son, grandson, brother and member of the Clongowes community. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

MAX REEVA Max OC ‘25 received the Naughton Scholarship that promotes the study of STEM at third level colleges.

WILL CONNORS We wish Will well as he moves to Connacht rugby for the 2026/2027 season.

ARTHUR ASHMORE Arthur OC ‘25 represented Ireland U20s v South Africa in Cork.

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SPILLANE BROTHERS In January, brothers Michael and Padraic Spillane made their competitive debut with Kildare in the O’Byrne Cup.

IRELAND U20S OCs ‘25 Arthur Ashmore, Max Doyle and Luke Murtagh all capped for Ireland, in a Six Nations warm up game v South Africa.

KAVY MEBUIN OC’25 Kavy received an Entrance Scholar Award from University College Dublin in recognition of his exceptional Leaving Certificate results.

DAN SHEEHAN Dan Sheehan was selected for the British and Irish Lions in the summer and captained the side v Western Force. He has secured a new contract with Leinster, securing his position at the club.

ED BYRNE Ed made a return to Leinster on loan from Cardiff to provide his old club with front row support.

JOSH WILLIAMSON Josh made the transition to the professional ranks in January 2026 and recorded his first winner as a professional at Gowran Park aboard Grimaud on 14th February.

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IRELAND U20S

JP FANAGAN LEAGUE

OCs ‘25 Max Doyle and Luke Murtagh represented Ireland U20s in their triple crown winning Six Nations campaign.

OCs 25 Finn Kehoe, Conor Keogh (Old Belvedere) faced fellow OC, Jack O’Connor (MU Barnhall) meet in the JP Fanagan League

FRASER MCMULLEN Scott Hickey, Rossa Williams and Lexi O’Connor (Landsdowne) faced brothers Conor and Joey Moynihan (UCC) at the Fraser McMullen Quarter Final.

JP FANAGAN LEAGUE OCs 25 James O’Neill (St Mary’s) and Rowan Finnegan (UCD) met in opposition at the JP Fanagan League.

TADHG BEIRNE Tadhg continues to captain Munster and be a pivotal player on the Irish squad. He was selected for the British and Irish Lions squad and captained the side v NSW Waratahs.

Tadgh was named Men’s Player of the Year at the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland awards.

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CLONGOWES WOOD COLLEGE Clane, Co. Kildare, Ireland T: +353 (0)45 868 202 E: reception@clongowes.net @clongowes @clongoweswoodcollegesj @clongowes www.clongowes.net