Outgoing President's Message - Archived from May 2023-

Dear Rockwellian,

As my term of office ends next week I just want to write to each one of you to express my gratitude to all past pupils who attended the various functions during the past 12 months and who supported me during my Presidency.

It has been a really enjoyable experience meeting up with so many past pupils from so various different years from the Union " Gathering " event last November in the Clayton Hotel, Dublin, the Past Presidents Dinner in December in Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club, the Junior Christmas Event held in the Horseshow House, Ballsbridge attended by graduates from Class of 2018 to 2022, the Annual Dinner held in Hotel Minella, the LC Class of 1965 held their 55th year reunion dinner(delayed due to the pandemic) in Cahir House Hotel last September and the LC Class of 1963 held their 60th year out last month in the Talbot Hotel in Clonmel, plus attending the various Annual Dinners of our sister Spiritan Order Schools in Dublin. It has been a real pleasure to be back in Rockwell on occassions and the minute you step into the Long Hall you are transfered back in time to your schooldays and the memories of days past. Certainly Prize Day is a very special event which was held in the school last Friday and a highlight for me.

My interaction with Rockwell, the students and Principal Audrey O'Byrne & school colleagues, just re-emphasised what a great school Rockwell is today and it was always a great pleasure to be back in the College. I would like to thank the Union’s Governing Body who worked extremely hard and supported me throughout the year.

Rockwell is constantly changing to meet the needs of its students. Part of this change is improving the College facilities. In recent years the past pupils have financially supported the development of the new Fr Aidan Lehane CSSP Sports Pavilion at a cost €1.25m. It opened in 2018 and provides new changing rooms, showers, gym, medical room and referees changing rooms.

I have the pleasure of attaching a letter from a couple of past pupils who are now engaged in raising funds to construct a new 3G All-Weather Rugby facility in Rockwell. They have raised c €500k to date for the project. They need to raise a further €150k to construct Phase 1. Please take a few minutes to read the attached letter and hopefully you can support this project - they need your support now. This new facility will give the students in Rockwell access to all-weather hockey, 5 a-side soccer and rugby facilities which complements the other sporting facilities on campus. This project is a past pupils funded project and I, and my colleagues in the Governing Body of the Union, are happy to support it. Please support this project and your alma mater.

Earlier this week, we circulated an announcement from Ms. Audrey O’Byrne (Principal) that from the start of the 2023-2024 school year, girls will be boarding as on-site residences at Rockwell College. They will be housed in Shanahan Hall Residence. This move to inclusivity and making Rockwell College the first and only co-ed Catholic boarding school in Ireland has been the work of many over the years. We want to wish Mr. Michael Doyle Snr, Residence Manger and his staff the very best of luck in this exciting time for the college.

Finally, the AGM of the Rockwell College Union will be held in Rockwell on Tuesday May 16th @ 5.30 pm in the Library. All past pupils are very welcome to attend and if you are in the vicinity on the day then please join us. I will be handing over the Presidency to Ross Thompson (LC 1988) and wish him great success during his term of office.

Thank you again for your support during the year - it has been a great pleasure to serve as President of your Union. 

Regards,

Yvonne Kennedy (LC 1990)

President, 

Rockwell College Union 

Fundraising letter: Click here!

CHY4 Tax Form: Click here!