I’ve no doubt that many of you spent much of the last month marvelling at the exploits of Tadhg Beirne, Dan Sheehan and Ed Byrne in New Zealand. Many of us were saddened at the absence through injury of Will Connors. Perhaps it made you think of the number of times you experienced pride at the performance of Gordon D’Arcy and Rob Kearney on some of the greatest days of Irish rugby when they were often joined in the Irish team by Fergus McFadden and David Kearney. In earlier days, Clongowes contributed Michael Dargan, Sean MacHale, Tom Feighery and Rory Moroney to Irish teams in the fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties. Clongowes also produced the dual Rugby Union and Rugby League international, Brian Carney, whose career is a fascinating story in its own right.

As part of our 125th year celebrations, the Clongowes Union is combining with the College on 22nd September to host an evening in Clongowes  during which we will recognise the thirteen living Clongownians, named above, who have represented Ireland at Senior International level in Rugby Union.

Many tickets have already been pre – sold to the years in which the Internationals finished their time in Clongowes. From today, we are opening it up to the whole Union but numbers are strictly limited to a total of 250 .We expect the ceremony will be attended by 450 students, 250 Past Pupils and 75 guests of the Union ( primarily family of the players).

The Ceremony will run from 6.30pm to 7.45pm and will be followed by a dinner in the refectory in Clongowes for all Past Pupils and Visitors in attendance. Dress Code will be Smart Casual. There are more details on the plans for the day below. Clearly, it makes most financial sense to buy in tables of 10. The Event is only open to Past Pupils.

The payment links are below :

CWC International Event – Single Ticket (€75) https://buy.stripe.com/00gdSJaqqf7a7ja009

CWC International Event – Table of 10 (€600) https://buy.stripe.com/14k9Ct0PQ3osfPGdR0

There are three elements to the event. The first is primarily for the school – we hope that as many of the players as possible will agree to do a training session with the younger teams in the school from 3.30pm to 5.00pm.

During the ceremony, there will be a film playing that includes highlights of the careers of the various players. The plan is that the players will be brought up in four different groups and a Presentation made to them by a notable figure from the world of Clongowes or Irish Rugby. They will then be interviewed in the same small groups.

After the event, there will be a carvery dinner (self-service) in the refectory for the players, their families and the 250 Union members. There will be reserved tables (eg for Year Groups etc). The school did a very good job with similar arrangements at recent Union Day and Fr Kenney day functions. It will need to wrap up by 11 pm.

This will be a unique event in the history of Clongowes – I hope many of you will be able to join us.

Regards,

Tom Lane