We did not all start together, nor did we all finish together; but for a time we worked together.
What's Happening? |
Christopher Bowen: Christopher here, 25 years down the road!
Eugene Ivory told me about this site, it's a wonderful idea and I hope it will continue to attract past pupils.
I'm now living in Paris . After 4 years in Trinity College and 6 yrs in California getting physics degrees, I was hired in 1994 by the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique near Paris , in the French nuclear weapons program. I have been working there since then, mostly around atomic physics issues.
I was married for 8 years, with 2 children (Louis, 8.5 and Helene, almost 6), divorced after a miserable period, and am now living with my second wife, Carine. We have one daughter, Marie-Gabrielle, who will be 1 year old in September.
I keep in touch with Eugene Ivory and Tom Bashford on a regular basis, and this summer we managed to get together with Nick Cushnahan, Billy Flynn and Martin Wright, thanks to the information contained in this site. Some of us hadn't seen each other for probably 20 years... it was wonderful.
I was sad to see Dara Shakespeare had passed away. She was a wonderful person, and I have many happy memories of her (including our table-tennis matches).
My only serious hobby is playing the piano, a passion for close to 30 years now.
I would love to hear from other past pupils. It's going to be 25 years next year for the people who left in 82. Can we organise a reunion?? maybe with some of the people from 81/83 depending on numbers.
What about yourself? I hope all is well. I have fond memories of table-tennis games with you and Bro. Joe. I don't know of any other school where that might have happened.
Can we have teachers contributing to this site?
Hope to hear from you soon. Best wishes, Christopher [Aug ‘06]
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Billy Flynn: I'm a househusband these days. My wife Monica is a nurse working with children on the autistic spectrum. We have a son, Christopher, who is seven years old and in 2nd class and preparing for his Holy Communion.
Apart from housework, school runs, more housework, and driving Christopher to his many sports clubs. I also do a lot of writing. I'm in the process of submitting a novel to various publishers who are only too delighted to send it back with rejection slips.
I also enjoy fitness, and am a member of Bushido Karate Gendi in Citywest hotel.
Anyway I wish all the best to the Marianist Community and the staff of St Laurence College. In that ever changing Loughlinstown there is still one beacon of circular stability! [Dec. '05] |
Paul Hickey: I "did the full 5 years" at St Laurence, 1977-1982. Then came Aisling, my sister, 1984-1989, and later my other sister, Sinead. She repeated her Leaving at St Laurence, to get higher points for entrance to UCD, in 1993-1994.
Actually I became aware of the website a while back, must have been in 2004 or 2005 .
Every so often I've been curious to see it and remember the names of past pupils. . . Now I'm writing.
I've noticed that Christopher Bowen has suggested a CLASS REUNION, as he says , 2007 marks the 25th Anniversary of the Class of '82 . I think that's a great idea
I've been living in Budapest , Hungary for most of the time since May 1998 . I make my living teaching English to adults, most of whom are employed in jobs where they have to acquire, or at least maintain, a decent level of English. Through this I get to know a variety of people (some of them real characters!). It's not always easy. Most of the time I enjoy it. Now and again I correct translated texts, or translate small parts of websites from German to English.
I had 5 months back at home between Nov. 2001 and April 2002.
Before Hungary , I had over 8 years in Germany , followed by a year back at home in Dublin 1997-1998.
I get home on family visits every Christmas and one or two other times during the year . I've contact with a few friends going back years who are still in Ireland .
But the only friend from Laurence’s with whom I still have some contact is Paul O'Riordan, also from 1977-1982....we were fairly well-known in Mr Kavanagh's Physics classes :-) Paul is living in San Francisco , he married a nice lady from there, Carole, back in the '90's . I attended their wedding, which was held in Munich , Germany . Until 1998 I knew where Ciaran Harrington was and had kept up the friendship . However we lost contact with each other, though I am informed that he's married in Germany and has children.
My next visit home: just a few days after I'm sending this: Friday 27th April 'til Monday 7th May.
I can't see anything on the Website about a proposed reunion for the 1982 class.
Although I see that 1983's reunion in the Silver Tassie coincides with the period when I'll be home.
It would be nice if I get back in touch with at least a few people from Laurence’s.
Best wishes [April ‘07]
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Freda Lacey: I'm in my third year of a part-time Diploma and subsequent
Master's Degree in Counselling and Psychotherapy which will be accredited by
De Montford University in Leeds. I'm specialising in Transpersonal
Psychotherapy, which takes a spiritual focus. I love doing this and have
definitely found my mission in life. I'm currently volunteering at the
Kingston Women's Centre and also am starting to build my private practise in
Oxford.
To help pay my bills, I work three days a week at a Digial Marketing Agency
in Reading as an Account/Sales Manager. I sell e-marketing software.
I'm also on the Board of Directors for a company called Soul Purpose who run
self-development courses and am in training to become a teacher for these
courses. I also belong to a jambe drumming circle who meet once a week.
That keeps me limber and is a great deal of fun. I find myself with very
little spare time in my weeks, but still find time to date and have fun with
friends.
I'm off to the States to visit lots of my old friends there for a month in early December, returning second week of January. I do periodically come home to Ireland to see my family and will certainly pop up to see you all.
I send you all my fond regards and wishes for continued well being to
everyone.
Freda Lacey, Account Manager, eMarket2 Limited [Oct. '05]
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T.J. LYNCH (Dublin) May 31, 2006, (suddenly), T.J. (Teach), darling, youngest son of Monica (Heaney) and the late Tommy, beloved brother of Muireann, Killian and Malachy; sadly missed by his Mum, sister, brothers, girlfriend Ila, brother-in-law Sean, nephews Philip and Brendan, relatives and friends. May he rest in peace. Reposing at the Patrick Massey Funeral Home, The Coombe. Funeral tomorrow (Saturday) after 10 o'c. Mass in the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Whitefriar Street, to Shanganagh Cemetery. [June '06]
A Tribute to TJ: I first met TJ Lynch as young child in Scoil Lorcan in Monkstown in Dublin , our friendship was commissioned and neither of us knew how entwined our lives would become. I left that school at the beginning of second class and finished my primary education in another establishment.
Some years later I attended St Laurence College and once again my friendship with TJ was reinstated. I left in this school after Intermediate Certificate and continued elsewhere.
Once again, some years later I attended Rockwell Hotel School and there once again my friendship with TJ was continued. This time we both finished together (circa 1983) and travelled to separate areas of the globe.
Returning to Ireland in 1992 I met TJ walking down Harrington Street and for the next seven years we enjoyed a close and affectionate friendship. We talked, drank and enjoyed life together and it seemed as if the future held nothing but promise for us all.
Both of us were always interested in further education and in the mid-nineties I returned to college to read for a degree. In 1999 I left Ireland once more and returned to England where I read law. I initially qualified as a barrister and subsequently as a solicitor.
We talked endlessly on the phone about the murky world of criminal law and he seemed fascinated by the motivations that drove people to commit crime. For someone such as he who did only good to others and failing that, nothing at all, he was perplexed by the way people behaved.
TJ returned to third level education and was pursuing an area that was of enormous interest to him. Anthropology was his favoured area of expertise and I can remember many conversations late at night discussing the "human ape". Indeed TJ attended my wedding in 2004 and his infectious love of learning had not diminished in any way shape or form.
The world is a poorer place today without him but rather than mourn him, I choose to celebrate his life. He was, is and will always be a human being worth knowing and I am proud to say he was my friend.
Fin O Fathaigh [June '06]
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David Mahon: Still living in Dublin. I'm self-employed working as a control systems engineer in the pharmaceutical industry. [Nov. '05]
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Jennifer (Mullen) Kavanagh: Just came across the web site by accident, nice to hear what everyone is doing.
Sorry I missed the reunion, but it looks like it was fun and the picture of people as teenagers just look so odd.
Just to fill in my news, married with 3 children: Caoimhe 19, Alexander 17 and Mia-Hollie 13 – all hail and hearty, thank God .
After many years as a hairdresser, I went back to school to retrain and studied Food Science and Computers. I‘ve had various jobs over the years from, obviously hairdressing to General Manager of a food factory but now I work as a Sales Co-coordinator for Holfeld Plastics. I really am enjoying it.
I am living in Gorey, Co Wexford. We moved here 8 years ago and have settled into the community quite well .
I’d love to hear about more of you and if there is a Newsletter please sign me up Regards [Apr. 08] |
Angie Sperry-Campe: Dear Graduates of St. Laurence, my name is Angie Campe, but perhaps you remember me as Angela Sperry. I am American and went to St. Laurence from about 1977 ‘til 1980.
My best friends were Caoilfihionn Costello and Grainne O'Neill, along with Patricia, Helen, Martina, Connor Caufield, Patrick, Ronan, Kevin (I honestly can't remember all the last names). I wish I knew about a reunion, because I am bringing my children to see Ireland next summer. I want them, 1 girl (Shannon) and 1 boy (Ryan) to see the land I loved so much before I moved back to America . I am desperate to find Caoilfhionn or Grainne so if anyone knows of them please e-mail. After all it's been 25 years and there never was e-mail back then!
I have so many fond memories, and the pictures on the website made me cry! I was only at St. Laurence for 3 years, I don't know if anyone remembers me, but I was the only American besides the Brothers. (Brother Jim was headmaster)
Remember when we went to Paris on the Ferry? I was so sad to see T.J. has passed away. He was my first kiss.
I am so happy to see the website; it brings back so many wonderful memories, really the best of my life.
I went to University of Illinois and became an artist. I freelance and have 2 children and would be rather poor except I met my husband at school, and he is a lawyer. Let me tell you, don't try and make a living as an artist!!!
I currently live in Libertyville , IL , which is north of Chicago. I have a B.F.A in painting, but really ended up a jack of all trades. Being a stay at home mom I really needed to work out of the house, so I paint watercolors mostly, usually house "portraits" which people commission me as gifts. (I used to do children's portraits as well). As my kids got older and I was able to leave the house I started getting a lot of commissions to do wall murals. I've done schools, day-care, and a lot of children's rooms. Once a year I have a show with a friend who is a jeweller, and then I show sample artwork, small scenes or still life, and also hand painted glass work and other more craft type things. Sometimes clients will come up with some crazy ideas of their own, so it's always changing.
I also wrote and taught an art history program for 9 years at our elementary school for K-5th grade. That was all volunteer work though, but very rewarding to share my passion with the children. Now my daughter is 15, and I volunteer for the Fine Arts support team at the high school. My son is 13 and very involved in sports so my husband Tom does a lot of coaching. I feel truly blessed that Tom has a good job and to have been able to stay home with my kids, and also live in a community that is family oriented.
It was hard to move to America during high school. I was American but not really, after spending my entire life overseas. I think that is why I look at my time at St Laurence as the happiest part of my childhood. It was the end of my childhood. I called my brother Ty, who lives in Arizona and told him I found you, now he is going to look up St. Gerard's.
I can tell you how it has really pulled at my heartstrings! I will stay in touch. We will definitely come by this summer for a visit to the college.
Well, you know us Americans, all we do is talk! So for now I send my heartfelt greetings.....with memories of fieldtrips to Powerscourt, and Glendalough, and silly dances in the gym, grass fights in the fields, and Halloweens where you get apples and peanuts instead of candy.
All my love, Angie Sperry-Campe [Dec. ‘07]
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Martin Wright: I am living in Maynooth, Co. Kildare and married to Claire. We have two children, David and Rebecca.
I am working in Dublin in a company called Microsol as Telecoms Manager and have been there for almost 16 years. I still keep in touch with Billy Flynn from the 1977-82 class where I started and he recently joined me with a gang of other friends on a lads' weekend in Dubrovnik.
I would love to hear more about all the others in my class(es). Cheers [Dec 2005] |
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