College Record 1987

It is particularly appropriate that this issue of the St. Kieran’s College Record should be produced in the wake of the 150th. anniversary (1836-1986) of the building of the ‘new college’ on the Callan Road. This issue also com­memorates the thirtieth anniversary of the launching in 1956 of the Record itself As with all previous issues, it is our earnest hope and objective that the current issue will be a welcome and valuable link between the present generation of seminarians and pupils and the many generations of alumni around the world. ‘Aspects of Mission’ is the theme we have chosen to cover the series of articles by past pupils (some, I am happy to note, from the recent past) who have written of their life and work . A quick glance at the titles will give the reader some indication of the important contributions they are making in so many walks of life and in the service of humanity generally – famine relief in Ethiopia, volunteer work in the Sudan, caring for drug addicts in Dublin, missionary work in Peru, community radio in Kilkenny and chaplaincy work in the Lebanon – to mention but a few. Within the college itself two new magazines have been appearing regularly since the last issue of the Record – Leargas in the seminary and Focus in the secondary school. Long may they continue to flourish as for­ums in which students can practise the art of writing and test their liter(J.ry skills. Here the Record wishes to acknowledge its indebtedness to their editors and contributors who have kindly allowed us to use material which first appeared in their pages. A Record such as ours has the duty to chronicle the ordinary as well as the extraordinary events – today’s reporting is tomorrow’s history. The opening of the new Computer Centre in the Spring of 1984 and the visit of the Minister for Education, Mrs. Gemma Hussey, T.D., in the Autumn of that year for the official opening of the Joint Schools’ Complex, were historic developments in the life of the college. Speaking on that occasion, the Minister said: ‘Ultimately, all our efforts must be directed towards the young people. It is for them we want the best of facilities and for them that we plan the use of resources wisely. We want them to have access to up-to-date equipment and exposure to the most modern curriculum and breadth of sub­ject choice. I am deeply indebted to each and every contributor to the Record – those who have written full length articles and the many teachers, seminarians and pupils who have prepared reviews and reports for the seminary and layside sections. I am happy also to thank the many priests who have written with news of what is happening in dioceses as far as Paisley and Maitland. Thanks and appreciation are also due to Denis Bergin, who as Managing Editor has brought his professional skills to bear on the finalisation of scripts, layout and production .. In conclusion a special word of thanks to our Patron, Most Rev. Laurence Forristal, for his continued interest in the Record and for his kind­ness in writing the Foreword. My sincere thanks too, to the President, the Bursar and the firms who have contributed towards the cost of publication. To one and all, thank you, and to you the reader, I hope you will find this, the thirteenth issue of the St. Kieran’s College Record enjoyable and interesting, and a valuable medium for maintaining contact with the college.

Father Michael Ryan, Editor