Reunion lunch May 2013 INSIDE AGM reports College news Guild Committee members In Memoriam Appreciations News 2 4 5 5 6 8 Please send your email details to our correct address, apologies for a misprint last time: [email protected] From this edition we will only routinely post out the Summer edition of the newsletter. The Winter, less formal, one will only be emailed . All recent editions can be seen on the past pupils section of the College website http://alexandracollege.eu .The website is being revamped at the moment and we hope to have an active presence on it, so keep an eye on it. Please advise us if you particularly want the Winter edition of the newsletter posted to you. UP COMING EVENTS AUTUMN SOCIAL IMMA Kilmainham COLLEGE EVENTS 20th September - Culture night 9/9.45/10.30pm 27th September - Joan Kearney Science Lecture 22nd November Lunchtime talk 7th - 9th November - Musical „Portraits of Eileen Gray‟ + guided 12th November - Calcutta concert 7pm 20th December - Carol service 11am tour 1pm—3.30. Café on site. 24th February - Eithne Ryan Classics lecture 7pm Booking required by 1st November 24th March - Arts week For details and booking contact Heather at 01 2886145 or [email protected] SPRING SOCIAL AGM + REUNION LUNCH Dropping Well Pub 10th MAY 2014 28th February 2014 ALEXANDRA COLLEGE 8pm AGM REPORTS PRESIDENT‟S REPORT Attending the annual dinners‘ of the other past pupils unions that make up the ASU has been enjoyable but also provides a profile for Alexandra College in the wider schools‘ community. Lesley Rankin represented the Guild at the annual service of thanksgiving for the gift of sport, held this year in St Ann‘s, Dawson Street. Along with Lesley Rankin and Esme Lyttle, I travelled to Belfast to the an- Heather and Ruth, Presinual lunch of the Northern Branch. This year is their 60 th anniversary so dent and Secretary, at they are holding a special lunch on the 12th October in Belmont Tower to the Reunion Lunch 2013 celebrate and would be delighted to see any Guild member attending. I also travelled to London to attend the London Branch annual lunch which was in a new venue close to Covent Garden. It was lovely to make the acquaintance of the women there, many of whom travel quite a distance to meet up each year. We had three events during the year. A presentation by Amanda Scott (née Greacen) looking at how we use our networks and how important they can be. At the social in the Dropping Well in March past students from a number of decades came together and we had a good night. We were particularly pleased that a group from the 2012 graduates came along. The Reunion lunch in May 2013 had about 150 people in attendance, we had a good afternoon. This year we invited past and present staff to the reception prior to the lunch as we felt that past pupils would like to meet up with them. College organized a special event this year to celebrate 20 years of the Hermione Art Exhibition. The current Duchess of Leinster attended and presented the inaugural Duchess of Leinster Art History prize to Beth Milofsky. Historian Collette Jordan presented a history of 5 Duchesses of Leinster up to and including Hermione. She enlightened the gathering on the relationship between Alexandra College and Hermione, who died at the young age of 31. Old Alex Hockey Club had a Ball in the Charlemont Hilton to celebrate 120 years of the club. I attended at club president Jenny McNulty‘s invitation. It was a very successful evening with a good balance of past and present players. It was with sadness that the Alex community learned of the death of Norah (Belle) Golden who was deputy principal and teacher of Irish and French in Alex for many years. A very good representation of Alex people gathered to bid farewell. May she rest in peace. Old Alex hockey club players who have represented Ireland OLD ALEXANDRA GOLFING SOCIETY The Annual Outing of the Golfing Society took place on Monday 10 th September in Charlesland Golf Club, Greystones. Charlesland has proved to be a most successful course on which to hold our outing and last year was no exception. We had 37 Ladies play golf and 6 Ladies joined us for Dinner in the evening. The winner of the Lady Captain, Ruth Wann‘s prize (Golf Bag) was won by Susan Whelan, R/Up : Jackie Kilroy, 3rd : Barbara Roy. The Past Captain‘s Prize was won by Joan Mc Crum and the Gross by Lynda Keartland. The weather could have been kinder to us but we shortened the course and all sat down a little earlier and enjoyed a delicious meal followed by our AGM. Anyone interested in joining our annual event please contact: Barbara Roy 0872549388 or Jane Mc Collum, 0868436124 / [email protected] ALEXANDRA GUILD BURSARIES At the end of 2012 we had 18 Ladies receiving Bursaries. During the year we granted two new Bursaries. One Bursary has been cancelled as the Lady is no longer in need of it at the present time due to a long term hospital stay. Three of our Ladies moved into Nursing Homes during the year. Our Bursary remained at €1,800.00 per annum, paid by cheque every two months. The Bursary Ladies enjoy receiving visits from Committee Members during the year and we get many letters and phone calls from them expressing their appreciation. We would particularly like to thank all those who supported us financially during 2012. A special thank you to the Alexandra College Guild - London Branch, Northern Ireland Branch and Munster Branch. We thank our good friends in Rathfarnham Golf Club for their very generous donation and also to the Old Alexandra Golfing Society. Our Collectors continue to act on our behalf and we are indebted to them for organising Coffee Mornings and collections throughout the year. The Macgregor Garden at The Glebe Nursing Home was formally opened in June 2012. The enclosed garden is being enjoyed by residents, staff and visitors and is a very welcome new amenity to the Nursing Home. The Committee were delighted to organise this garden on behalf of a legacy received from the late Elizabeth Macgregor. We organised our Christmas Hampers again this year with the help of the Transition Year Alexandra girls. Nine hampers were delivered by our Committee Members which were very gratefully received. The Ladies in Nursing Homes received a gift or cheque in lieu of a hamper. Very many thanks to the Alexandra girls for such wonderful hampers this year. With regard to our Committee we would like to express our sincere gratitude to Susan Whelan, our Treasurer, for all her continuing hard work. During the year Audrey McNab resigned from the Committee and we thank her for her commitment over the years in keeping in contact with the Ladies and assisting the Hon. Treasurer. We thank Fiona Ryan for taking on Audrey‘s work. Olwen Naismith and Lesley Rankin also resigned during the year and we thank them for their many years of dedication as valued Committee Members. We are also delighted to welcome two new members to our Committee, Ms Heather Tennant as Guild President, and Mrs Priscilla Kirwan Brown. We would like to express our appreciation to Ms Annette Waldron for auditing our Accounts again for 2012. Janice Johnston Hon. Secretary TREASURER‟S REPORT Unfortunately our income has dropped this year by almost €400 – when you disregard last year‘s bequest of €27,000. The receipt of this bequest which has been set aside to support education, has enabled us this year to pay part fees for a 6 th year student which were delighted to be able to do. The remaining €24,000 will now be invested separately with monies being available each year for Student Support as required. Our income next year is set to increase due to agreement by the school to once again include a 10 year guild subscription to the final school bill for 6 th year students. The printing and distribution of the XAlexpress and an Autumn and Spring social were the main expense items this year. These items, together with the previously mentioned student sponsorship brought the total expenses figure to €6,679.74. Our income being €1,789.90 and excess of expenditure over income of €4,889.84. In conclusion I would like to thank David Taylor for auditing these accounts and to thank the committee for their support during my years as Treasurer. Gillian Haine Treasurer NORTHERN IRELAND BRANCH We have been saddened this year by the death of 2 long-standing members. Moira Elliott had been an enthusiastic and active member for many years and Chairman of the Branch until October 2012. She always enjoyed coming to events in Dublin and recollected staying overnight in the sick bay of Residence. Vivienne Atkinson had written accounts of her childhood and time in Alexandra and Clergy Daughters‘ School in the 1930s in her books ―Children of Dunseverick‖ and ―The Straight Furrow‖. We now have 30 paid-up members most of us in the ‗bus-pass‘ category but hope to keep going for a while more. We will have our 60 th AGM and luncheon on Saturday 12th October 2013 in the Belmont Tower, Belfast and hope there will be a good representation from Dublin. We have reports and notices of meetings dating back to 1953 that have been in members‘ wardrobes and roof spaces for many years and hope to put some of these on display at the AGM. We value our contacts with the Dublin Guild. Members make donations every year to the Guild Bursaries and to the Belfast Bryson Care Laundry Service. Our Summer Outing in 2012 was a conducted tour of the North Down Heritage Centre Museum in Bangor dealing with the history of the area from the role of Bangor Abbey in early Christian Ireland to the present day. We enjoyed tea together and a sunny walk in the restored Bangor Castle Walled Garden. Our 59th AGM was held in Belmont Tower on 6th October 2012. We welcomed the Guild President, Heather Tennant, who reported on the Alexandra Guild Past Pupils‘ Association events, Lelsey Rankin who spoke on developments in the College, and Esme Lyttle from Dublin. We were sorry that Honor Stuart , a faithful visitor, had broken a hip but we are glad that she was well enough to enjoy her 95th birthday celebrations soon afterwards. Moira Elliott handed over the Chairman‘s badge of office to Patricia Darling. After lunch our member, Joan Thompson, gave a talk and power-point presentation on her visit to Egypt and Jordan led by the Dean of St Anne‘s Cathedral. COLLEGE NEWS Developments at Milltown Mrs. Ennis gave a very interesting overview at the AGM of progress on the new building beside the playing fields which will open in October. This is a multi use building that will facilitate Drama, Music, Arts & Sports activities. Facilities will be state of the art and include a full size indoor hockey pitch. Fund raising is now in full swing and various ways which people can contribute were outlined. You might like to sponsor a seat in the main hall. Contact Barbara Ennis [email protected] Prefects Alexandra College 2013-2014 They were a great asset to the reunion lunch, helping out where needed and serving lunch to their fellow Alexandrans. Thanks girls! The Guild Committee 2013-14 Patron Barbara Ennis, Principal Other Contacts Editor X-AlexPress Lesley Rankin ([email protected] ) President 2012-2014 Heather Tennant (086 0670980) Bursary Committee Secretary Callie Gleeson Bursary Committee Treasurer Susan Whelan ([email protected]) Secretary Ruth Whittaker [email protected] Glebe House Visitors Committee Mary White (Richardson) ([email protected]) Treasurer (interim) Gillian Haine (086 8566233) Northern Ireland Branch Secretary Margaret Marshall ([email protected]) Callie Gleeson (Roy) Sandra Gray (Fenelon) Jane McCollum (Crampton) Helen Sheridan (Craven) Aideen Corr—staff representative President of the Prefects 2013-14 London Branch Secretary Lynda Soltysiak (Wright) ([email protected]) Old Alexandra Hockey Club Jenny McNulty, President (www.oldalexhc.ie) IN MEMORIUM GOLDEN, Nora (Belle) May 1st 2013. Formerly Vice Principal, Alexandra College, Milltown, peacefully at Belmont House Nursing Home, Galloping Green, Stillorgan Road, beloved daughter of the late John and Margaret. SCOTT, Elsie (née Reynolds) At home, aged 94 years, dearly loved wife of the late Trevor Scott M.R.C.V.S., treasured mother of Maeve, Derek and Carol, devoted grandmother of Johnny, Andrew, Susan, Clare, Stuart and Simon, great-granny and friend of Daniel, Arabella and Chloe, mother-in-law of Billy and the late Joyce and grandmother-in-law of Emma and Sean; fondly remembered by all her family, relatives and wide circle of friends. Mrs. Scott was for many years a well-loved and respected member of staff in the Secretarial Department of Alexandra College. We will include an appreciation of both Miss Golden and Mrs Scott in the Spring edition of XAlexpress. If you have any memories or thoughts you would like to have included, please send them to [email protected] before Christmas HOLMES, Hazel (née Tyner) Deansgrange, Dublin 8th August 2013. Peacefully, at The Glebe Nursing Home, Kilternan. Beloved wife of Dr. John Holmes and loving mother of Audrey, Linda, Zandra, Roy and the late Jean. Sadly missed by her husband, son, daughters, sons-in-law Adnan, Werner and Tim, daughter-in-law Ingrid, grandchildren, brother Bill, extended family and friends. NEWENHAM, Vola (née Grainger) March 27th 2013. Beloved wife of the late John and loving mother of Rachel, Dee and Rowland. Vola was in C.D.S. Our condolences go to Ann Cassidy, past President of the Northern Ireland Branch. Her husband Herbie Cassidy, formerly Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral Armagh died earlier this year after a long illness. His funeral was held at St Patrick's Cathedral Armagh. APPRECIATIONS Moira Elliott (nee Patterson) 1933 -2013 Moira was an enthusiastic member of the Northern Ireland branch of the Alexandra College Guild. She had served on the committee several times and was Chairman until our AGM in 2012. She always enjoyed returning to Alexandra for Guild functions, sometimes staying in Residence Sick Bay. She attended Alexandra School and College as a day pupil along with her sister Gillian and enjoyed tennis, bike riding and hockey as well as academic work. After College she worked in an insurance company in Belfast but on her marriage moved to a farm in South Armagh where her four children were born and brought up. She studied as a mature student at Queen‘s University for a degree in general studies and a law diploma. As a lay magistrate she served in the juvenile court and worked for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. She had moved to Banbridge when her husband retired and took part in many community and Church activities, played golf and enjoyed the company of her grandchildren. Joyce Scott (nee Bradbury) 1953 to 2008 Joyce was a pupil in Alexandra School and College from 1963 to 1971. The daughter of Herbert and Doris Bradbury and sister of Alan, she grew up in Woodbine Avenue, Blackrock. From an early age she took an interest in school life and liked to take on roles of responsibility, culminating in becoming a prefect in College. She was always interested in other people and particularly liked those with a sense of humour and ‗a bit of go‘ in them. Many of those she met in school remained lifelong friends. While not an avid sportswoman, she liked playing goalie in hockey, sometimes enjoying a chat with the backs while the game was at the far end of the field. She went on to play for Old Alex and help with goalie coaching. After her Leaving Cert., Joyce attended Alex Secretarial College and from there went on to work with a Dublin dentist. Soon after, she joined Allied Irish Finance where she rapidly rose to become an assistant manager. As ever, she was practical and efficient and had a good business sense. She very much enjoyed working in the commercial world, again making many good friends along the way and winning the respect of colleagues and customers alike. In 1976 Joyce married her husband Derek, whom she had known since the age of nine, and her bridesmaids were her Alex friends Mary Maconchy and Derek‘s sister Carol. Joyce and Derek had two sons, Stuart and Simon. They had a succession of dogs and cats, all of whom were her pride and joy. Home and family were very important to Joyce throughout her life and she liked nothing better than welcoming people to share a meal and a chat and to have a good laugh. She loved cooking and baking and her pavlovas were legendary. After her children were born Joyce cut back on work for a time but later returned to the Bank and worked in a number of branches in the South Dublin area. Again she gave of herself and took a personal interest in the customers she met, going out of her way to help them. Joyce was a committed and active member of Kill O‘ the Grange Parish and she worked on a number of church committees and at parish events. Behind the scenes she became a practical and devoted friend to many who were lonely or who needed support. Her desire to help others led her to the Dun Laoghaire Citizen‘s Information Service and she was an Area Director of three local centres at the time of her death. Carol Scott In 1999 Joyce‘s beloved brother Alan died and the following years brought further sadness with the loss of her father and then her mother, whom she had cared for lovingly. After her mother died, Joyce took the opportunity to travel to some of the places she dreamed of visiting, such as Japan and the USA. She had a large collection of hippos and planned to visit them live in the wild and also Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands but sadly it was not to be. In late 2007 she was diagnosed with leukaemia. She fought her illness with great courage and faith and, incredibly, her customary sense of humour. On learning that her illness was terminal Joyce embarked on her last great selfless project – to ease her parting for all those around her. She died in May 2008 at the all too young age of 54, having won the admiration of all who met her and leaving treasured memories of a very special person. C.S. Mary Maconchy 1953 to 2010 Mary was in Alex in Earlsfort Terrace from 1963 to 1971. The daughter of Canon Richard and Theodora Maconchy she spent her early years in Kilmeague, Co. Kildare and then in Blackrock, Co. Dublin. Tall and slim, she had a clear and distinctive voice. While well behaved, she had a sense of mischief and loved to do daring things in school like breaking the rules by sneaking up the back stairs! An early riser and full of energy, she liked to be active and enjoyed tennis, cycling, swimming, walking and hill climbing. Sometimes it took double helpings of school lunch to keep up her energy levels. While in school she wore very thick glasses but blossomed when she changed to contact lenses. She sometimes found her concentration lapsing when confined in class so set about learning how to write with her left hand, a useful skill in her final illness. Perhaps because she was an only child, Mary loved meeting people. From school onwards she made firm friends who stayed with her throughout her life. She never blew her own trumpet and performed many quiet acts of kindness. She loved her pets and supported many animal and other charities. When she left school Mary went to London to train as a nurse and returned to Dublin to do midwifery. She later spent several happy years nursing in Little Rock, Arkansas. She made good friends there and took to the outdoor life doing lots of canoeing and hiking and travelling around the States, Mexico and Canada. In 1978 Mary‘s mother died and Mary later returned to Bray to care for her father. She immersed herself in the local church and community and joined the tennis club and Ramblers Walking Club. Back in Dublin Mary worked first in hospitals and then in nursing homes such as St. Mary‘s in Pembroke Park and Kinvara in Bray. She trained as a public health nurse and loved the variety of work and meeting so many people. She also pursued her love for travel and adventure and had many exciting trips like walking in the mountains of Nepal, climbing Kilimanjaro and touring New Zealand and Tasmania, and numerous walking holidays in Europe. After each trip she loved to tell her friends all about the countries she visited and to share her photos with them. After her father died, Mary married Leslie Whitehead, whom she met while nursing in Bray. Although significantly older than her, Mary was looking forward to her life with Leslie but sadly he died soon after their marriage. In 2006 Mary developed cancer but made a full recovery. In a cruel twist of fate, she was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2008, the same year that her close friend from Alex, Joyce Scott died. Throughout her illness Mary refused to be defined by her condition. She remained strongly independent and managed her life and her illness in her own way. She never complained and continued to take an interest in people and events right up to the end despite the debilitating nature of the disease. She was supported by her many good friends, among them her new friend Michael, and in 2010, at the age of 56 she died, as she had wished, peacefully in her own home. Carol Scott NEWS Margaret Wynne (Lennon), Heather Adams (Squires), Lesley Rankin (Risk) and Fionuala Christodoulide (níc Aogáin) on the occasion of their retirement from teaching in College. We wish them a happy, healthy and lengthy retirement! Four Alexandrans, Emily Beatty, Nicola Gray, Nicola Evans and Hannah de Burgh helped University College Dublin Ladies Hockey team add to their 2012/13 Leinster League success, winning GOLD in the Eurohockey Women's Club Champions Challenge I, in May 2013. UCD beat Italian side HF Lorenzoni 4-3 in Catania, Sicily. Earlier, UCD had beaten the leading club sides from Belgium, Italy and Scotland to reach the final. CONGRATULATIONS to Kate Brady who was the only female finalist in the 2013 Irish Times Debate, representing Trinity College Dublin Historical Society. Kate won the individual award, the Christina Murphy memorial prize, arguing against the motion ―That this house would emigrate‖. Friends of Christ Church Cathedral Dublin Invite you to an afternoon of “Turkish Memories” With Honor Stuart In the Chapter Room On Saturday 21 September 2013 At 3 pm No admission charge Please contact Lesley Rue [email protected] CONGRATULATIONS to Andrea Pappin on her appointment in a PR position with the government. She will be coordinating their employment message. This appointment comes on foot of Andrea‘s role as spokesperson for the Irish EU presidency in the first half of 2013. History of Alexandra College 1966 - 2016 Robert Kirkpatrick has a committee organised to help him towards publication of the history of the College from 1966-2016 for the 150 year anniversary of the College. Dr. Kirkpatrick addressed the AGM and requested information, pictures, memories etc. for his book. If you have any contribution please contact him at: [email protected]