What's Happening?

Karen McGovern: Hiya, just saying hello after seeing the website.  I left St Laurence College and went to DCU (Business and Finance) for 4 years -- then took a few evening classes in Information Systems at various colleges.  I have to smile when I remember back to our computer classes, when we used to leave the library and it would take a whole 45 minutes for the discs to load up...... the computer in the middle of the network never worked and then the computer class would be nearly over ...I still have nightmares about that dreadful typing program uggggggh!  I have still never learned how to type.....was afraid I would be career-steered towards secretarial work :)

After DCU, I worked for various insurance companies in their IT departments before doing some travel around Thailand, Singapore, Australia, Tasmania  and New Zealand (the obligatory year way before your 30's loom, eh?)  Would recommend it to anyone!

I have now returned to take a "proper" job to pay off my Visa which crept up after my travels:)  Having spent the last year in Waterford , I am now coming back up to the "big smoke" to work for another Insurance company as a Senior Software Engineer (God help me).

I haven’t been in touch with anybody since I left and was saddened  to see Karl's name on the RIP list. I seem to remember with a smile the band that he played in at our rag day in the room beside the dreaded home economics room ......they seemed more talented than U2 at the time! A sad loss.

On a lighter note, if there’s anything I can do to help to steer any future pupils away from I.T.,  please let me know:)  All the best! [June ‘06]

Tina ( Murray ) Spivack : Since leaving St. Laurence’s in 1991, I studied Business Management in Sports and Leisure and worked as a Health Club Manager for many years in the Isle of Man where, lo and behold, I bumped into 2 other past pupils: Kim Murphy and Lisa Barnes.

From there I ended up coming back to Dublin and meeting my wonderful husband Gavin whom I married in December 2005 (late starter I know!). We traveled to Australia for a year before settling down and buying a house in Co. Kildare where we lived for 2 years before moving back to Bray this year. I have worked for the St. John of God Hospitaller Order for nearly 4 years now as Project Manager of their service based in Islandbridge.

I keep in contact with Kim and Sarah Holmes, Graham O’Rourke! From the repeat year in 1990-1991 I am in contact with Sean Moran, Vinny Morris and Donal Cronin. In fact we were all at Sean’s wedding in Wexford earlier this year!

I can’t quite believe it but my baby sister has just started in Laurence’s this year (the last of all the Murrays to attend there!) My other sister Paula left last year.

I pass by the school every day on the way home from work and remember all the great days we all had there and sad times – losing Frank Blake so suddenly in 2 nd Year, for example. Can’t quite believe that Karl, Colin, Ciara and Frank are no longer with us .

I remember the school band playing in the old gym on our Rag Day – Dotts, Corco, Vinny, Mo – what a year we were! So many good people to grow up with. Does anyone remember the Radiator Gang????? How about the retreat to Glendalough with Br. Dave where we had a petition to Free the Glendalough 6!!!! My fondest memory of those times is sitting around in a gang with a Corco, Mo, Dotts, Casso and all the girls singing Hotel California! I also remember when I was in 7 th Year when Tessie caught us in Kilbogget fields with our cans of bud and frog marched us all back to the school (Oh the shame!) Ahhh the memories………

I often wonder what everyone is up to. I missed the last reunion as I was in Oz at the time, but would really love to meet up with everyone again. I’m always finding old photos of our school days and would love to see photos that anyone else has!! All in all, I loved my time in Laurences and sometimes wish I was that age all over again, after all I made some friends for life there and if I was that age again I wouldn’t feel as knackered as I do now when I try to run on the basketball court!!!!! [Dec. 06]