Page 23 - The Gonzaga Record 1987
P. 23
early days) and back to the school yard. The most famous runners in
those days were Barry Bresnihan, Donnacha O'Buachalla and Paul
Montgomery.
John Wilson, a current Government Minister, taught us Greek for a
while. As with many of the Jesuits his love for his chosen subject was very
apparent. He was I believe, the first Inter-County Gaelic footballer,
perhaps the only one, to teach at Gonzaga.
Noel Barber, who subsequently became a well known and very com-
petent Head Master who accomplished a great deal for Gonzaga and was
a very strong influence in the revival of the Past Pupil's Union, was a
scholastic during my days in Gonzaga; he taught us Religion and was
very keenly interested in Cricket.
Ray Kearns, who taught us Honours Maths, was a magnificient teacher
who spoke authoritively on the law of averages but still came out of the
Prize Bond Draw twice in the space of one week.
Fr Hughes, who took over from Fr O'Connor, was an excellent choice
for the job, he was very strong on discipline but he had a very kind heart
and did a great deal for Gonzaga.
Tony Clare, John Mulhearn, Kevin Liston are all individuals I
remember as being very kind to the younger boys, but when it comes to
kindness and amusement I have no doubt that many of us will remember
Fr Billy Lee. He always found it hard to give anyone less then 60 per cent
in the Science exams, and he was notorious for experiments which went
wrong. Minor explosions were not uncommon. One time after lecturing
us at length on our inability to visualise distances, he arranged for us to
meet in the school yard with our bicycles; he announced that 10 to the
power of 1 was ten yards and so we moved forward that distance. 10 to
the power of 2 brought us to the Priest's House and 10 to the power of
3 to Sandford Road, 10 to the power of 4 brought us about six miles, he
hadn't considered 10 to the power of 5 and if he had gone 10 to the power
of 6 we would have needed a ship.
Having grown up in Park Drive, which is at the back of Gonzaga, I
spent not only the school terms but many happy holidays there. Over the
thirty-three years since I first set foot in the Gonzaga grounds, I have
always had enormous affection for the school.
Memories
Marching in a single line to Mass in Milltown Park, the laying of the
foundation stone for the new building which now encompasses
classrooms in the school hall, the retreats in Milltown Park, the cow in
the field incident-when John Barnwell tried to convince one of the lay
teachers that the reason for his looking out the window during class was
due to the presence of a cow in the field . When none seemed to be
present, he questioned the eyesight of the teacher involved much to the
amusement of all. Needless to say, he appeared in the three o'clock queue.
21
those days were Barry Bresnihan, Donnacha O'Buachalla and Paul
Montgomery.
John Wilson, a current Government Minister, taught us Greek for a
while. As with many of the Jesuits his love for his chosen subject was very
apparent. He was I believe, the first Inter-County Gaelic footballer,
perhaps the only one, to teach at Gonzaga.
Noel Barber, who subsequently became a well known and very com-
petent Head Master who accomplished a great deal for Gonzaga and was
a very strong influence in the revival of the Past Pupil's Union, was a
scholastic during my days in Gonzaga; he taught us Religion and was
very keenly interested in Cricket.
Ray Kearns, who taught us Honours Maths, was a magnificient teacher
who spoke authoritively on the law of averages but still came out of the
Prize Bond Draw twice in the space of one week.
Fr Hughes, who took over from Fr O'Connor, was an excellent choice
for the job, he was very strong on discipline but he had a very kind heart
and did a great deal for Gonzaga.
Tony Clare, John Mulhearn, Kevin Liston are all individuals I
remember as being very kind to the younger boys, but when it comes to
kindness and amusement I have no doubt that many of us will remember
Fr Billy Lee. He always found it hard to give anyone less then 60 per cent
in the Science exams, and he was notorious for experiments which went
wrong. Minor explosions were not uncommon. One time after lecturing
us at length on our inability to visualise distances, he arranged for us to
meet in the school yard with our bicycles; he announced that 10 to the
power of 1 was ten yards and so we moved forward that distance. 10 to
the power of 2 brought us to the Priest's House and 10 to the power of
3 to Sandford Road, 10 to the power of 4 brought us about six miles, he
hadn't considered 10 to the power of 5 and if he had gone 10 to the power
of 6 we would have needed a ship.
Having grown up in Park Drive, which is at the back of Gonzaga, I
spent not only the school terms but many happy holidays there. Over the
thirty-three years since I first set foot in the Gonzaga grounds, I have
always had enormous affection for the school.
Memories
Marching in a single line to Mass in Milltown Park, the laying of the
foundation stone for the new building which now encompasses
classrooms in the school hall, the retreats in Milltown Park, the cow in
the field incident-when John Barnwell tried to convince one of the lay
teachers that the reason for his looking out the window during class was
due to the presence of a cow in the field . When none seemed to be
present, he questioned the eyesight of the teacher involved much to the
amusement of all. Needless to say, he appeared in the three o'clock queue.
21
