What's Happening?

Anita Doyle: I really miss my college days!!!!

I'm now living in England, just outside Manchester . I work in Manchester with Friends Provident Life & Pensions as a Corporate Pensions Support Consultant. I have lived here since I was 16 years old. I go back to Ireland (still home) about twice a year as Seamus, Stuart and David, my 3 brothers who also went to Laurence's, still live in Dublin .

Haven't heard or seen anyone since I left, so it would be really nice to get in contact again -- for when I come home. [Dec '05]

Sean Forsyth: I got an email about the past-pupils page. What a nice idea! Anyway, here's a quick summary of what's happening..

I went off to Denmark after the Leaving Cert, and spent 5 years there, 3 of them in Copenhagen studying IT. Since then I've lived in Italy for a year and long to go back one day. I've been working in software for years and am now working as a 3D graphic artist in an Irish robotics company, creating the virtual reality graphics for a surgical simulator. I'd love to hear from some of the others in the year. Those names are such a blast from the past! [Nov. '05]

Alan Kelly: Bro. Jim writes: "I just returned from the wedding of Alan Kelly to Susie Curran. Besides Best Man Niall Kelly ('90), the Groom's Men were Anthony Kelly, Colin Kelly ('93) and Mark Wynn ('86). Other attendees included Paul Howard ('88), Paul Wallace ('88), Robert Brophy ('89), Linda Brophy ('91), Ivor Larkin ('85) and Lisa Barnes ('90). Congratulations and blessings to the newly married couple." [Oct. '05]

Sharon Perry: Having left Laurence's at 15, I became a Hairdresser for 10 years and decided to travel abroad for the summer in 1992. I landed in Paris and stayed for almost 3 years. When I returned home I decided I wanted to return to education (should have stayed in the first place!!) and went to UCC as a mature student where I did a degree in Social Science, which I absolutely loved.

While there I met my partner Ollie, a Dub, and we now have two children, Justin 6 and Isobel nearly 3. I came back home once more, in 1999 and started working in the Community Development area where I have worked in the addiction field as a Project Worker and then as a Development Worker in Bray. Between these I also did a short stint back at Laurence's, which was great, although strange – calling our teachers by their first names!

I am now a Project Manager of a Family Resource Centre in Greystones and am living in Dun Laoghaire , and am still continuing to learn and do courses as I have definitely been bitten by that bug.

Hope you are all well and enjoying your lives. Myself and Avril Williams want to organise a reunion this year for our 20th anniversary and would love to hear from everyone who is interested in meeting up as it would be great to see everyone again...my contact details are with Bro Jim if you want to ring or email. [April 08]

J Thomas: Like most, I miss my school days and often lament wasted opportunities “but we did have a lot of fun”

Most importantly for me, Marie Therese and I got married on the 17th of November 2006 and not before time I might add & very good times were had by all.

We have three fine daughters: Chloe, Molly and Jodie – all beautiful & healthy.

We are all living happily together in the borough, raising each other the best we can.

Seven out of 95 people in our class have made contact – that’s a little disappointing – I don’t remember too many people being overly shy way back when, so no excuses

I often get asked by my daughters as we pass by the college “what’s that?” I reply with a chuckle “It’s a spaceship.” This always brings my mind right back to MY first thoughts on the school as I approached its doors on entrance exam day, meeting Bros Fred, Joe, Leo, Jim and Gerry for the first time and, of course, all of you who later knew me.

5 years seems like nothing now, but it was a lifetime then. What seemed important then is nothing but a memory now, however, some of these memories stand the test of time and gladly seem unerasable.

To my friends from St Laurence College, "youth is wasted on the young." [April '07 ]

Conor Walton: My parents are still living in Loughlinstown, so I pass by often, but the area’s changed so much! All those lovely fields where I used to walk my dog are gone. I’m not in touch with anyone from my year. I’m down in Ashford in Wicklow now, found a girl called Jane who teaches climbing; we’ve two boys, 11 months and two years old, so we’ve our hands full. All’s well though; I feel very fortunate to have got to where I am.

You can see some of the work I have been doing at http://www.conorwalton.com/ [Dec. '07]