OLD CBS SCHOOL FRIENDS MEET FOR 50TH REUNION
One evening I certainly wasn’t going too miss was the 50th anniversary of the CBS Class of 1968 which took place in the Windsor on Saturday night.
The night was organised by Anthony Hoey from Stonetrough and Gerry Lambe along with a number of helpers who decided that it was about time all the lads that entered the CBS secondary school in ’ 68 got back together. With 65 of the original 116 classmates making it to the night, identification was made that much easier by the unique name badges they all wore, complete with name in Irish, name in English and their photo from the legendary CBS yearbook.
I wasn’t too long in the door when I met up with Anthony who was delighted with the turn out and was chatting to Seamus Brennan from Manydown Close who was delighted to see all his old mates again.
Next I got talking to Neil Mulroy originally from Annagassan but now from Drogheda who told me the badges were a really good idea and was having a laugh with Gerard Callan from Barleyfield and Michael Byrne from Togher who said he didn’t recognise anyone say a lot of them had deliberately changed their hair colour!
I then caught up with Jenkinstown lads Jimmy Hughes and Tony Gaskin who told me the tour of the school earlier in the day was very nostalgic and the corridors were still the same, if a little smaller than they had remembered.
After this I met up with Paul Bellew originally from Broughton Street but now from Silverbridge who was having a laugh with Pat Watters from Nicholas Avenue who told me they recognised most from their class, but the other ones were a bit of a loss to them.
Beside them were Ciaran Lally from Tateetra and Sean Murphy from Dromiskin who were having a laugh and admitted it wasn’t a total connection when they met up with the rest of the lads on the night.
Not too long later I then got a word with John Nelson originally from Lordship now from Dublin who was with Pat Donnelly from Meigh and Peter Rust from Blackrock who told me that they were doing okay when it came to remembering the names, but their trip to the school had unearthed a number of changes, like the smaller than imagined classroom sizes, now having a soccer team and the girl’s toilets!
I met up with Hugh ‘Booey’ Murphy from Carlingford who was having a quick word with Sean Murphy from Annagassan who said he was very impressed with the development of the school and lots of the lads had swapped over their hair for beards too!
Making my way over to another table I got talking to Knockbridge boys Brian McKenna, John Devin and Gerry McNally who were with Martin Byrne from Dromiskin who tried to tell me it was going to be a quiet night too!
Not too far away I then got talking to President of DCU Brian MacCraith originally from Old Muirhevna who told me that DCU have had the pleasure of taking students from Colaiste Ris and the other secondary schools in the Dundalk area over the years. He also went to tell me that he had actually taught Colaiste Ris principal Padraig Hamill who just arrived in when the fact was being divulged!
I then ventured over to table where I caught up with Henry Galligan from Priorland Grove who was having a great laugh with the lads and said he had remembered most of them.
Up at the bar I caught up with Fintan Nelson from Priorland Grove and Eddie Rocks from Blackrock who were joined by Gerry Lambe now vice principal of the Marist and they were having a great laugh together and said it was fantastic to see all the faces again.
I then headed over for a word with Pat Carolan from Knockbridge, Alan Moore from Broughton Street and Noel Connolly from Mount Avenue who were in great forma and assured me it was going to be a fantastic night for certain.
Finally, before I departed I got talking to Ronan Callan from Point Road, and Chris Noonan from Carrick Road who were delighted to be there and told me they had loads of time to make up for.