Rolling back 40 years at reunion!
FOUR decades just melted away recently, when the girls of the Sacred Heart class of ‘78 met for their 40th school reunion.
35 ladies turned out to the Boyne Valley Hotel to catch up, and by all accounts, a brilliant night was had by all.
“It was great craic and if you could have bottled the noise in the room after the first ten minutes it would have been deafening when you opened it,” says Miriam McCabe with a laugh.
“To think we were worried that people might be too shy to talk to each other, and in the end, we had two hours of music planned which never got played, so the ladies would have more time to chat.”
She said at one stagehertable said to just stop and listen, and all they heard was chatter and laughter from every courner of the room.
Miriam, who organised the get-together with Rosaleen Butterly, Margaret Smith and Rosemary Guild, said it was a night of fun and reminiscing, and it did take them a while to recognise everyone!
“We had a classmate come from Holland, Portlaiose and a few from Dublin, and some had changed so much, there were two or three who we had no idea who they were when they first walked in!” she laughs.
“It’s amazing to think that so many of the girls have been living here in the Drogheda area for the past 40 years and our paths might never have crossed in all that time.”
They would have loved if more of the class of 1978 had been able to come, but getting the word out can be difficult, as there are no roll books left in the schools!
“Most people brought their treasure boxes with them from under the bed or the attic, with photos, newspaper cuttings and even posters we had all signed, and we had fun giving out recognition awards, with fun categories like ‘Most Noisy’ ‘Most Grandchildren’ and ‘Most Titanium Body Parts’!”
The evening started off with a poignant little ceremony to remember those class mates or teachers who were no longer with them, where a candle was lit, and a wreath presented.
It was a nod to some class mates who had been taken too soon, or who had lost members of their own family. Even though they were gone,they had not left their hearts or memories.
“We then donned name badges to make things easy for everyone, and served finger food and drinks, finishing with a fabulous chocolate biscuit cake by Elizabeth Rafferty from Termonfeckin” she adds.
“I would urge everyone not to be afraid of holding a reunion – there was no-one being judgemental – and we are already looking forward to our 45th!”