ANNUAL EVENTS
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ANNUAL SUMMER LUNCHEON
During the presidency of Hilda Beare, a special 75th Anniversary Summer Luncheon was held in The Vaults of The Royal Hospital Kilmainham Dublin on 17 June 1989, to celebrate the founding of the Union. Attendance was excellent and 183 past pupils spent a very enjoyable afternoon in the company of friends, many of whom had not seen one another in years. Guests included Mrs May Walsh, the oldest member of the Union, Sr Henry OP and Sr Maurice OP. A tour of the beautifully restored Hospital was availed of by many after the meal, while others strolled around the grounds in the bright sunshine. In 1990 a Summer Luncheon was again held, this time in The Chapel of The Royal Hospital Kilmainham, and in 1991 the venue was changed to The Dining Hall in Trinity College Dublin.
Annual Summer Luncheon, The Dining Hall, Trinity College Dublin, 1991
These Summer Luncheons proved such a success that it was decided to make it an Annual Event. The 25th Summer Luncheon - the Centenary luncheon - was held on the 26th April 2014 in Dominican College Griffith Avenue, to celebrate 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Union. Click here for a complete record of Annual Luncheons.
Members of the Past Pupils' Union at Lunch at Beaufield Mews, 2005 and O'Reilly Hall, UCD, 1996
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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)
Annual General Meetings (AGM) have been held each year since the foundation of the Union in 1914, at which Officers and Ordinary Committee Members are elected onto the Executive Committee of the DCPPU. Originally, AGMs were held in Dominican College Eccles Street. Traditionally the AGMs were held on the afternoon of Low Sunday each year, by kind permission of the Prioress. Mass was celebrated prior to the meeting. With high numbers attending, light refreshments and a re-union of members was always an enjoyable end to the business of the meeting.
Annual General Meeting (AGM) in 2012
Since 1984, when the Convent and the College moved to Griffith Avenue, the AGM has been held in the College by kind permission of the principal, and in recent years changed from a Sunday afternoon to a mid-week evening meeting after Low Sunday. Numbers attending are now small, but the light refreshments and reunion of members after the meeting continue to be enjoyed. Notice of the AGM is posted out to all paid up members of the Union. Since 1979 the first Newsletter was included, which contain reports of Union activities. Prior to this date, these activities were recorded annually in the Past Pupils’ Union section of The Lanthorn. Addressing envelopes is much easier now with the arrival of computer labelling, but was originally all done by hand. Currently, membership of the Union is c.450 members.
Members of the Executive Committee preparing for the AGM in 2012
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GOLF SOCIETY (1930 – 2014)
On 30th July 1930, Dominican College Past Pupils’ Union inaugurated their new Golfing Society at the Grange Golf Club. This was a very successful outing and a second outing (a Scotch Foursomes where each member of the union was partnered by a player who was not a member of the union) was held at Hermitage Golf Club later in the same year. To make you all envious the cost of the Green Fees was one shilling and the total cost including Tea was three shillings and six pence. The outings continued annually henceforth.
Enjoying the Golf
In 1934 the Executive Committee of Dominican College Past Pupils Union presented the Silver Challenge (Perpetual) Cup to the Golf Society and this cup is presented annually together with the Lady Captain’s Prize to the golfer with the Best Gross.
Mrs Griffin, the first winner with the Cup, 1934
A 9 hole competition was also held until recent times with a silver challenge cup presented to the winner. The runner up of the 18-hole competition is presented with the President of Dominican College Past Pupils’ Union’s Prize and a small silver challenge cup. A small silver cup is also presented to the winners of the Past Lady Captains Competition. A putting competition was also held in the early days. In 1953 the office of Lady Captain was introduced and the outing from then on was held at the golf club of the Lady Captain appointed for that year.
Past Pupils' Union Golf Society Outing, 1958
In 1952 Kathleen Taaffe, a member of the Executive Committee of the Union, was appointed Hon Secretary of the Golf Society. Kathleen was very active in recruiting members of the society and the union and revitalised the society. She remained the Hon Secretary until 1972 when the Executive Committee appointed Pauline Daly who continued in that role until her untimely death in 2001. Pauline Coakley was appointed to take over this role and remains in situ to date. A listing of the Winners of the Perpetual Challenge Cup, the Lady Captains and Hon Secretaries is below. The Golf Society celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 1979. In 2014, the Centenary year of the Union, the Golf Society will hold its 85th Outing at St Anne’s Golf Club, with Patricia McGrath the Lady Captain, on Friday 19th September.Click here for a full list of winners from 1930.
2013 Perpetual Challenge Cup Winner Liz Murphy
2015 Perpetual Challenge Cup Winner Geraldine Hughes with Margaret Hunter Sinnott (Lady Captain)
2016 Perpetual Challenge Cup Winner Margaret Hunter Sinnott with Marie Forrester (Lady Captain)
* * * * *
COMBINED DOMINICAN UNIONS’ GOLF SOCIETY AND OUTING
In 1963 Joan Priestman (nee Horne) a past pupil of Muckross and Wicklow founded a golf society for Dominican girls. Our Golf Society members participate in this Combined Dominican Unions Golf Society and Outing where teams from the different Dominican schools compete for the Waterford Cut Glass Trophy which was presented to the Society by Waterford Glass. The trophy is Waterford Glass on a mahogany plinth with silver plates on all sides on which is engraved the name of the winning school and the year. The team with the best three scores wins the trophy and the team from our union is very well represented on this trophy. 71 ladies played in the first outing and to make you envious again, the green fees were ten shillings and the cost of the supper was four shillings. In 2008, 65 ladies played with 24 golfers from DCPPU. In 2014, the Centenary year of the DCPPU, the Combined Dominican Golf Society held its 51st Outing in Naas Golf Club. Click here for current details.
Waterford Cut Glass Trophy
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ANNUAL RETREAT
The Annual Retreat is held every year and in part continues the Sodality of the Children of Mary which was founded by the Union in 1928. While the Sodality is no longer active, the Retreat is now held at the Dominican Retreat House, Tallaght, Dublin, organised by Olive Clarke. Click here for current details.
Father Phillip McShane with participants of the Past Pupils' Union Annual Retreat 2013
* * * * *
MASS FOR DECEASED PAST PUPILS
The first Mass for Deceased Past Pupils was celebrated on 27th November 1925, and has been an annual event since then. For many years the Mass was celebrated on the First Sunday of Advent in the Convent Chapel, Eccles Street, by kind permission of Mother Prioress. The Mass is now celebrated in November at the Convent Chapel at Griffith Avenue, again with kind permission of the Prioress. All who attend are treated to light refreshments in the Convent after the Mass, many thanks to the Sisters of the Community. Click here for current details.
Mass prior to the AGM, School Hall, Griffith Avenue
* * * * *
ANNUAL SUMMER LUNCHEON
During the presidency of Hilda Beare, a special 75th Anniversary Summer Luncheon was held in The Vaults of The Royal Hospital Kilmainham Dublin on 17 June 1989, to celebrate the founding of the Union. Attendance was excellent and 183 past pupils spent a very enjoyable afternoon in the company of friends, many of whom had not seen one another in years. Guests included Mrs May Walsh, the oldest member of the Union, Sr Henry OP and Sr Maurice OP. A tour of the beautifully restored Hospital was availed of by many after the meal, while others strolled around the grounds in the bright sunshine. In 1990 a Summer Luncheon was again held, this time in The Chapel of The Royal Hospital Kilmainham, and in 1991 the venue was changed to The Dining Hall in Trinity College Dublin.
Annual Summer Luncheon, The Dining Hall, Trinity College Dublin, 1991
These Summer Luncheons proved such a success that it was decided to make it an Annual Event. The 25th Summer Luncheon - the Centenary luncheon - was held on the 26th April 2014 in Dominican College Griffith Avenue, to celebrate 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Union. Click here for a complete record of Annual Luncheons.
Members of the Past Pupils' Union at Lunch at Beaufield Mews, 2005 and O'Reilly Hall, UCD, 1996
* * * * *
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)
Annual General Meetings (AGM) have been held each year since the foundation of the Union in 1914, at which Officers and Ordinary Committee Members are elected onto the Executive Committee of the DCPPU. Originally, AGMs were held in Dominican College Eccles Street. Traditionally the AGMs were held on the afternoon of Low Sunday each year, by kind permission of the Prioress. Mass was celebrated prior to the meeting. With high numbers attending, light refreshments and a re-union of members was always an enjoyable end to the business of the meeting.
Annual General Meeting (AGM) in 2012
Since 1984, when the Convent and the College moved to Griffith Avenue, the AGM has been held in the College by kind permission of the principal, and in recent years changed from a Sunday afternoon to a mid-week evening meeting after Low Sunday. Numbers attending are now small, but the light refreshments and reunion of members after the meeting continue to be enjoyed. Notice of the AGM is posted out to all paid up members of the Union. Since 1979 the first Newsletter was included, which contain reports of Union activities. Prior to this date, these activities were recorded annually in the Past Pupils’ Union section of The Lanthorn. Addressing envelopes is much easier now with the arrival of computer labelling, but was originally all done by hand. Currently, membership of the Union is c.450 members.
Members of the Executive Committee preparing for the AGM in 2012
* * * * *
GOLF SOCIETY (1930 – 2014)
On 30th July 1930, Dominican College Past Pupils’ Union inaugurated their new Golfing Society at the Grange Golf Club. This was a very successful outing and a second outing (a Scotch Foursomes where each member of the union was partnered by a player who was not a member of the union) was held at Hermitage Golf Club later in the same year. To make you all envious the cost of the Green Fees was one shilling and the total cost including Tea was three shillings and six pence. The outings continued annually henceforth.
Enjoying the Golf
In 1934 the Executive Committee of Dominican College Past Pupils Union presented the Silver Challenge (Perpetual) Cup to the Golf Society and this cup is presented annually together with the Lady Captain’s Prize to the golfer with the Best Gross.
Mrs Griffin, the first winner with the Cup, 1934
A 9 hole competition was also held until recent times with a silver challenge cup presented to the winner. The runner up of the 18-hole competition is presented with the President of Dominican College Past Pupils’ Union’s Prize and a small silver challenge cup. A small silver cup is also presented to the winners of the Past Lady Captains Competition. A putting competition was also held in the early days. In 1953 the office of Lady Captain was introduced and the outing from then on was held at the golf club of the Lady Captain appointed for that year.
Past Pupils' Union Golf Society Outing, 1958
In 1952 Kathleen Taaffe, a member of the Executive Committee of the Union, was appointed Hon Secretary of the Golf Society. Kathleen was very active in recruiting members of the society and the union and revitalised the society. She remained the Hon Secretary until 1972 when the Executive Committee appointed Pauline Daly who continued in that role until her untimely death in 2001. Pauline Coakley was appointed to take over this role and remains in situ to date. A listing of the Winners of the Perpetual Challenge Cup, the Lady Captains and Hon Secretaries is below. The Golf Society celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 1979. In 2014, the Centenary year of the Union, the Golf Society will hold its 85th Outing at St Anne’s Golf Club, with Patricia McGrath the Lady Captain, on Friday 19th September.Click here for a full list of winners from 1930.
2013 Perpetual Challenge Cup Winner Liz Murphy
2015 Perpetual Challenge Cup Winner Geraldine Hughes with Margaret Hunter Sinnott (Lady Captain)
2016 Perpetual Challenge Cup Winner Margaret Hunter Sinnott with Marie Forrester (Lady Captain)
* * * * *
COMBINED DOMINICAN UNIONS’ GOLF SOCIETY AND OUTING
In 1963 Joan Priestman (nee Horne) a past pupil of Muckross and Wicklow founded a golf society for Dominican girls. Our Golf Society members participate in this Combined Dominican Unions Golf Society and Outing where teams from the different Dominican schools compete for the Waterford Cut Glass Trophy which was presented to the Society by Waterford Glass. The trophy is Waterford Glass on a mahogany plinth with silver plates on all sides on which is engraved the name of the winning school and the year. The team with the best three scores wins the trophy and the team from our union is very well represented on this trophy. 71 ladies played in the first outing and to make you envious again, the green fees were ten shillings and the cost of the supper was four shillings. In 2008, 65 ladies played with 24 golfers from DCPPU. In 2014, the Centenary year of the DCPPU, the Combined Dominican Golf Society held its 51st Outing in Naas Golf Club. Click here for current details.
Waterford Cut Glass Trophy
* * * * *
ANNUAL RETREAT
The Annual Retreat is held every year and in part continues the Sodality of the Children of Mary which was founded by the Union in 1928. While the Sodality is no longer active, the Retreat is now held at the Dominican Retreat House, Tallaght, Dublin, organised by Olive Clarke. Click here for current details.
Father Phillip McShane with participants of the Past Pupils' Union Annual Retreat 2013
* * * * *
MASS FOR DECEASED PAST PUPILS
The first Mass for Deceased Past Pupils was celebrated on 27th November 1925, and has been an annual event since then. For many years the Mass was celebrated on the First Sunday of Advent in the Convent Chapel, Eccles Street, by kind permission of Mother Prioress. The Mass is now celebrated in November at the Convent Chapel at Griffith Avenue, again with kind permission of the Prioress. All who attend are treated to light refreshments in the Convent after the Mass, many thanks to the Sisters of the Community. Click here for current details.
Mass prior to the AGM, School Hall, Griffith Avenue
ANNUAL SUMMER LUNCHEON
During the presidency of Hilda Beare, a special 75th Anniversary Summer Luncheon was held in The Vaults of The Royal Hospital Kilmainham Dublin on 17 June 1989, to celebrate the founding of the Union. Attendance was excellent and 183 past pupils spent a very enjoyable afternoon in the company of friends, many of whom had not seen one another in years. Guests included Mrs May Walsh, the oldest member of the Union, Sr Henry OP and Sr Maurice OP. A tour of the beautifully restored Hospital was availed of by many after the meal, while others strolled around the grounds in the bright sunshine. In 1990 a Summer Luncheon was again held, this time in The Chapel of The Royal Hospital Kilmainham, and in 1991 the venue was changed to The Dining Hall in Trinity College Dublin.
Annual Summer Luncheon, The Dining Hall, Trinity College Dublin, 1991
These Summer Luncheons proved such a success that it was decided to make it an Annual Event. The 25th Summer Luncheon - the Centenary luncheon - was held on the 26th April 2014 in Dominican College Griffith Avenue, to celebrate 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Union. Click here for a complete record of Annual Luncheons.
Members of the Past Pupils' Union at Lunch at Beaufield Mews, 2005 and O'Reilly Hall, UCD, 1996
* * * * *
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)
Annual General Meetings (AGM) have been held each year since the foundation of the Union in 1914, at which Officers and Ordinary Committee Members are elected onto the Executive Committee of the DCPPU. Originally, AGMs were held in Dominican College Eccles Street. Traditionally the AGMs were held on the afternoon of Low Sunday each year, by kind permission of the Prioress. Mass was celebrated prior to the meeting. With high numbers attending, light refreshments and a re-union of members was always an enjoyable end to the business of the meeting.
ANNUAL DINNER
The 4th Annual Dinner was held in 1966. In October 1980, Olive Clarke (nee White) organised the 19th Annual Dinner in the Clarence Hotel. These continued to be very popular and from 1980 on, Olive organised the Annual Dinner until 2003, when the 42nd Annual Dinner in the Maples Hotel in Iona Road was held, and this was to be the last Annual Dinner.
Annual General Meeting (AGM) in 2012
Since 1984, when the Convent and the College moved to Griffith Avenue, the AGM has been held in the College by kind permission of the principal, and in recent years changed from a Sunday afternoon to a mid-week evening meeting after Low Sunday. Numbers attending are now small, but the light refreshments and reunion of members after the meeting continue to be enjoyed. Notice of the AGM is posted out to all paid up members of the Union. Since 1979 the first Newsletter was included, which contain reports of Union activities. Prior to this date, these activities were recorded annually in the Past Pupils’ Union section of The Lanthorn. Addressing envelopes is much easier now with the arrival of computer labelling, but was originally all done by hand. Currently, membership of the Union is c.450 members.
Members of the Executive Committee preparing for the AGM in 2012
* * * * *
GOLF SOCIETY (1930 – 2014)
On 30th July 1930, Dominican College Past Pupils’ Union inaugurated their new Golfing Society at the Grange Golf Club. This was a very successful outing and a second outing (a Scotch Foursomes where each member of the union was partnered by a player who was not a member of the union) was held at Hermitage Golf Club later in the same year. To make you all envious the cost of the Green Fees was one shilling and the total cost including Tea was three shillings and six pence. The outings continued annually henceforth.
Enjoying the Golf
In 1934 the Executive Committee of Dominican College Past Pupils Union presented the Silver Challenge (Perpetual) Cup to the Golf Society and this cup is presented annually together with the Lady Captain’s Prize to the golfer with the Best Gross.
Mrs Griffin, the first winner with the Cup, 1934
A 9 hole competition was also held until recent times with a silver challenge cup presented to the winner. The runner up of the 18-hole competition is presented with the President of Dominican College Past Pupils’ Union’s Prize and a small silver challenge cup. A small silver cup is also presented to the winners of the Past Lady Captains Competition. A putting competition was also held in the early days. In 1953 the office of Lady Captain was introduced and the outing from then on was held at the golf club of the Lady Captain appointed for that year.
Past Pupils' Union Golf Society Outing, 1958
In 1952 Kathleen Taaffe, a member of the Executive Committee of the Union, was appointed Hon Secretary of the Golf Society. Kathleen was very active in recruiting members of the society and the union and revitalised the society. She remained the Hon Secretary until 1972 when the Executive Committee appointed Pauline Daly who continued in that role until her untimely death in 2001. Pauline Coakley was appointed to take over this role and remains in situ to date. A listing of the Winners of the Perpetual Challenge Cup, the Lady Captains and Hon Secretaries is below. The Golf Society celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 1979. In 2014, the Centenary year of the Union, the Golf Society will hold its 85th Outing at St Anne’s Golf Club, with Patricia McGrath the Lady Captain, on Friday 19th September.
2013 Perpetual Challenge Cup Winner Liz Murphy
2015 Perpetual Challenge Cup Winner Geraldine Hughes with Margaret Hunter Sinnott (Lady Captain)
2016 Perpetual Challenge Cup Winner Margaret Hunter Sinnott with Marie Forrester (Lady Captain)
* * * *
COMBINED DOMINICAN UNIONS’ GOLF SOCIETY AND OUTING
In 1963 Joan Priestman (nee Horne) a past pupil of Muckross and Wicklow founded a golf society for Dominican girls. Our Golf Society members participate in this Combined Dominican Unions Golf Society and Outing where teams from the different Dominican schools compete for the Waterford Cut Glass Trophy which was presented to the Society by Waterford Glass. The trophy is Waterford Glass on a mahogany plinth with silver plates on all sides on which is engraved the name of the winning school and the year. The team with the best three scores wins the trophy and the team from our union is very well represented on this trophy. 71 ladies played in the first outing and to make you envious again, the green fees were ten shillings and the cost of the supper was four shillings. In 2008, 65 ladies played with 24 golfers from DCPPU. In 2014, the Centenary year of the DCPPU, the Combined Dominican Golf Society held its 51st Outing in Naas Golf Club.
Waterford Cut Glass Trophy
* * * * *
ANNUAL RETREAT
The Annual Retreat is held every year and in part continues the Sodality of the Children of Mary which was founded by the Union in 1928. While the Sodality is no longer active, the Retreat is now held at the Dominican Retreat House, Tallaght, Dublin, organised by Olive Clarke.
Father Phillip McShane with participants of the Past Pupils' Union Annual Retreat 2013
* * * * *
MASS FOR DECEASED PAST PUPILS
The first Mass for Deceased Past Pupils was celebrated on 27th November 1925, and has been an annual event since then. For many years the Mass was celebrated on the First Sunday of Advent in the Convent Chapel, Eccles Street, by kind permission of Mother Prioress. The Mass is now celebrated in November at the Convent Chapel at Griffith Avenue, again with kind permission of the Prioress. All who attend are treated to light refreshments in the Convent after the Mass, many thanks to the Sisters of the Community. Click here for current details.
Mass prior to the AGM, School Hall, Griffith Avenue
ANNUAL UNION DINNER DANCE
An inaugural DCPPU Dinner Dance was held in 1918. Then in 1921 a Dance was held in the Gresham Hotel which the President Miss Mary Hayden attended. Also in 1921 a Cinderella Dance was held in Royal Hibernian Hotel. In 1942 and 1943 the annual dance was again held in the Gresham Hotel and they were outstanding successes both socially, with 432 and 480 respectively guests present, and financially, resulting in the provision of a substantial sum for St Dominic’s Club. The Club was totally dependent on the profits of the social functions of the Union. This Dance was to establish itself as an Annual Union Event and was held until 1957. It was revived again in 1966 and admirably organised for many years by committee member Olive Clarke.
ANNUAL NEWSLETTER APRIL 2014
A meeting of past pupils was held on 14 June 1914 in Eccles Street, followed shortly by a General Meeting on 11th November 1914 at which the President, Officers and committee members were elected, thus our Past Pupils’ Union was established. We are very proud that it has now flourished for one hundred years. We could not let 2014 go by without marking the Centenary with significant celebrations and Ms Olive Laffoy, Principal, has very kindly invited us to hold our Annual Lunch 2014 at the College in Griffith Avenue, on 26 April. This will give us the opportunity to get to know the school, and meet some of the present pupils. For those of us who spent our schooldays in Eccles Street, it is sad and regrettable that we can no longer walk along the Red or Green corridors. We cannot peek into St Hyacinth’s Hall and remember the Drill class - marching in formation to live piano music. We cannot admire the Concert Hall or the Chapel, the Refectory or the Nuns’ Garden. But thanks to those past pupils who sent in photographs and memories of life in school and in the Union, we have put together a collection of photographs to help you reminisce about ‘the good old days’. Thank goodness they didn’t de-clutter!
We have photos of Union sporting and social events down through the years, eg the Camogie and Golf Societies, Dinners, Lunches and Debs and photos of the Union’s social services activities - St Dominic’s Club, Sr Sheila Skeffington in Dollardstown Cottage, and the work of many Sisters on the Dominican Missions in South Africa, Argentina and Bolivia. We are delighted with the great response from members of the Union. The Centenary Lunch and Exhibition is fully booked. Unfortunately the capacity was limited to 170. For those unable to attend the Lunch, do not despair! These photos will be available for viewing on our new website which is to be launched shortly. We hope as many of you as possible will take part in the Golf Society Outing on 19th September and make this a memorable occasion. The closing event is the special Centenary Mass of Remembrance on 16th November where we will remember our past pupils, Dominican Sisters and teachers, and their families, who have gone before us to their eternal reward.
Come and join with us in celebrating the Centenary at one or more of our Centenary events. It is, after all, a once in a life time event. There won’t be another one for a hundred years!