Thirty years on at St Vincent’s reunion
Gillian O’Hanrahan, Blakely Close and Anita McEneaney, Meadow View at the St. Vincent’s past pupils reunion night held in Byrne’s of No. 10, Hill Street. Katriona Mathews-Lynch, Lower Point Road and Catherine Maguire, Dowdallshill ON Friday night I headed for Byrne’s No10 where a rather special Class Reunion night was taking place for the St. Vincents Class of 1987 who were celebrating 30 years since they walked the corridors of the Seatown Place school and a good crowd had turned out specially for the occasion.
I wasn’t too long in the door when I met up with organiser Jennifer Harrison from Newtownbalregan who told me they were running the night to get all the girls back together and also as a mark of respect to the girls who were no longer with them. She also wanted a special mention for fellow classmate Mandy Fee who couldn’t make it on the night but had provided the music, the best hits from their time at school from 1982 to ’87.
Next I caught up with Catherine Maguire from Dowdallshill whom when I asked her if she recognised everyone said no but when they started to giving out, then she knew who they were.
Catherine was sitting with Linda Hearty from Fr. Murray Park who told me she said she felt they had all aged well and was delighted to be there.
Also in their company were Selena Clarke from Happy Valley, Siobhan McGoldrick from Bay Estate, Anita McEneaney from Meadow View and Gillian O’Hanrahan from Blakely Close who were all looking fab, having a great laugh together and wanted to thank Jennifer for organising a brilliant night.
After this I headed over for a chat with Mary Dullaghan from Dromiskin and Rita Boyle from Garrybawn who were in great form and assured me it was going to be anything but a quiet get together.
Also in their company were Majella Keating from Mulholland Avenue who told me that she and Gillian were the first to arrive and could possibly be the last to leave the craic was that good.
Making my way through the crowds I then met up with Siobhan Rice from Newry who was sitting with Paula O’Reilly from Tullyallen and Fiona Flood from Point Road who told me there were 8 different leaving cert classes when they were there and it was great to see all their old mates again.
I then met up with my old friend Sandi Murtagh from Manydown Close who was having a fond look at Joanne Conlon from Dublin’s photos from their time in school and told me about their religious experience back in the day when they went to see Luv Bug who were performing in Keady.
Just arrived in the door was my old friend Oonagh McKevitt form Upper Merches who said it was great to see all the faces again and told me it was going to be a fantastic night.
She then joined up with Geraldine McGuinness from Springfield Manor, Katriona MathewsLynch from Lower Point Road, Teresa Carroll from Point Road, Dorothy Cairns from Racecourse Road and Janette Byrne from Medebawn who told me they were all in the same class A1 and had some catching up to do.
I then headed for a table where I got talking to Niamh McKeown from Lough Egish and Theresa McKenna from Culloville who told me they almost recognised everyone but were going to have a nostalgia filled evening with their old class mates.
Finally, before I departed I then got talking to Barbara English from Meigh who was sitting with Fionnuala Birdy who had come over specially from Isle Of Mann and was definitely going to make a night of it with all their old mates.