Page 21 - Gonzaga at 60
P. 21
GONZAGA IN THE EARLY DAYS We had exams at the end of each term and the school
report was posted, with Gestetner print on the envelope,
to obnes father; in those days mothers were not writen
My irst glimpse of Gonzaga, at the age of eight, was in to. Each year there was a school prize-giving ceremony at
May 1954 when I walked up the avenue with my mother which four book prizes were awarded for 1st, 2nd, Most
to be interviewed by the Rector, the aristocraic Fr Improved and Religious Knowledge in each class.
(Charlie) O’Conor. The grounds in Front were surrounded The irst lay teacher, I recall, was Signor Volpi, an Italian
by low wire fencing and siles. There were boys happily who conducted drill (later PE) in the courtyard and who
playing cricket in the nets and I was excited by this. I introduced us to the delights of the French language:
wore my peaked wine-and-green school cap as I cycled Toto est peit. Toto ouvre la porte. Signor Volpi told us
there each day. There were two bike sheds, one at the far-fetched stories From around the world in which he
Park Drive entrance and the other starred as the Walter Mity hero. He inished his exoic
at the end of the avenue. Bikes had stories with the encouraging words ‘You will go...’
to placed in the iron stalls in either There was great enthusiasm for sports even though
unlocked shed; leaving them around we had limited success against other schools. There were
the school grounds was not allowed. twenty-eight in our class and selecing iteen for a rugby
The priests kept their bikes in an team invariably meant we had a few weak links. Against
enclosed shed beside the boys’ Park some of the bigger schools we oten played against their
Drive one and all of them cycled with 2nd iteen.. We had a match on either Wednesday or
clips holding in their black trousers. I Saturday aternoons. In the early years we had classes
don’t recall any of the priests driving on Saturday mornings followed by Confessions in the
at that ime. priests’ house. Team selecions were posted on an
The Prep classrooms were in the outside noice board in the courtyard. In those non-
basement, which had poor natural light. Outside the ecumenical days we did not play against Protestant
classrooms was the cloakroom where dark and oten wet schools other than when drawn against them in the
Corporation Men coats hung and added to the gloominess. Each morning Junior or Senior Cup.
the Prefect of Studies, Fr (Wally) White entered the irst Some of us played soccer on Sunday mornings in the
class and asked in sot tones: ‘Cé tà as lathair?’ and ‘Bainne school which involved boys From all classes. This internal
go tapaidh’ and some of us,who stayed in for lunch, put up compeiion had three teams: Clonskeagh Dynamo,
our hands to order half-pint botles Sandford Rovers and Syndicate. Many of those playing
of Dublin Dairies milk which arrived used go to nearby Milltown on Sunday aternoons to
in noisy metal crates. As Prefect cheer on Shamrock Rovers. Ater-school soccer was also
of Studies Fr White was energy played and some priests, Fr Harry Lawlor and Joe Kelly -
personiied and was as versaile as then a Scholasic, paricipated.
a circus employee. Despite his many Cricket was the main sport of the Summer term and
duies he was always considerate of some success was achieved. It was directed by Fr Ned
us; if you forgot your lunch he would Keane. The opening of the season was signalled by the
make up some tasty jam sandwiches smell of Freshly mown grass generated by Fr Keane as
in the priests’ kitchen. Fr White he manoeuvered the sit-on Dennis motor mower around
delivered the bifs in his unidy, paper the cricket pitch. We played, it seemed, always on sunny
illed room. Outside his room was a days in the shadow of the magniicent copper beech
high metal radiator and as you queued you warmed your tree. Nerves used afect most young batsmen and a team
hands to lessen the impact of the bifs. score of around 40 was generally a winning total. Fr
The lunch break was an hour and boys who lived Keane photographed many of the sports aciviies and he
nearby cycled home to be fed by their mothers. The rest developed and printed the photos himself.
of us ate sandwiches with our Dublin Dairies milk and There was an inimacy about the school. Authority
played sport unil classes recommenced. Some boys who was irm but fairly administered. Academic achievement
were not interested in sport joined what was called ‘the was encouraged, and sport was savoured. Above all, to
Corporaion’; this involved helping Fr O’Conor keep the my recollecion, boys liked being at Gonzaga.
grounds idy by collecing leaves and liter into a red
coloured wooden cart with long handles. Fr O’Conor David Fassbender
rewarded them with apples From the orchard. Class of 1964
report was posted, with Gestetner print on the envelope,
to obnes father; in those days mothers were not writen
My irst glimpse of Gonzaga, at the age of eight, was in to. Each year there was a school prize-giving ceremony at
May 1954 when I walked up the avenue with my mother which four book prizes were awarded for 1st, 2nd, Most
to be interviewed by the Rector, the aristocraic Fr Improved and Religious Knowledge in each class.
(Charlie) O’Conor. The grounds in Front were surrounded The irst lay teacher, I recall, was Signor Volpi, an Italian
by low wire fencing and siles. There were boys happily who conducted drill (later PE) in the courtyard and who
playing cricket in the nets and I was excited by this. I introduced us to the delights of the French language:
wore my peaked wine-and-green school cap as I cycled Toto est peit. Toto ouvre la porte. Signor Volpi told us
there each day. There were two bike sheds, one at the far-fetched stories From around the world in which he
Park Drive entrance and the other starred as the Walter Mity hero. He inished his exoic
at the end of the avenue. Bikes had stories with the encouraging words ‘You will go...’
to placed in the iron stalls in either There was great enthusiasm for sports even though
unlocked shed; leaving them around we had limited success against other schools. There were
the school grounds was not allowed. twenty-eight in our class and selecing iteen for a rugby
The priests kept their bikes in an team invariably meant we had a few weak links. Against
enclosed shed beside the boys’ Park some of the bigger schools we oten played against their
Drive one and all of them cycled with 2nd iteen.. We had a match on either Wednesday or
clips holding in their black trousers. I Saturday aternoons. In the early years we had classes
don’t recall any of the priests driving on Saturday mornings followed by Confessions in the
at that ime. priests’ house. Team selecions were posted on an
The Prep classrooms were in the outside noice board in the courtyard. In those non-
basement, which had poor natural light. Outside the ecumenical days we did not play against Protestant
classrooms was the cloakroom where dark and oten wet schools other than when drawn against them in the
Corporation Men coats hung and added to the gloominess. Each morning Junior or Senior Cup.
the Prefect of Studies, Fr (Wally) White entered the irst Some of us played soccer on Sunday mornings in the
class and asked in sot tones: ‘Cé tà as lathair?’ and ‘Bainne school which involved boys From all classes. This internal
go tapaidh’ and some of us,who stayed in for lunch, put up compeiion had three teams: Clonskeagh Dynamo,
our hands to order half-pint botles Sandford Rovers and Syndicate. Many of those playing
of Dublin Dairies milk which arrived used go to nearby Milltown on Sunday aternoons to
in noisy metal crates. As Prefect cheer on Shamrock Rovers. Ater-school soccer was also
of Studies Fr White was energy played and some priests, Fr Harry Lawlor and Joe Kelly -
personiied and was as versaile as then a Scholasic, paricipated.
a circus employee. Despite his many Cricket was the main sport of the Summer term and
duies he was always considerate of some success was achieved. It was directed by Fr Ned
us; if you forgot your lunch he would Keane. The opening of the season was signalled by the
make up some tasty jam sandwiches smell of Freshly mown grass generated by Fr Keane as
in the priests’ kitchen. Fr White he manoeuvered the sit-on Dennis motor mower around
delivered the bifs in his unidy, paper the cricket pitch. We played, it seemed, always on sunny
illed room. Outside his room was a days in the shadow of the magniicent copper beech
high metal radiator and as you queued you warmed your tree. Nerves used afect most young batsmen and a team
hands to lessen the impact of the bifs. score of around 40 was generally a winning total. Fr
The lunch break was an hour and boys who lived Keane photographed many of the sports aciviies and he
nearby cycled home to be fed by their mothers. The rest developed and printed the photos himself.
of us ate sandwiches with our Dublin Dairies milk and There was an inimacy about the school. Authority
played sport unil classes recommenced. Some boys who was irm but fairly administered. Academic achievement
were not interested in sport joined what was called ‘the was encouraged, and sport was savoured. Above all, to
Corporaion’; this involved helping Fr O’Conor keep the my recollecion, boys liked being at Gonzaga.
grounds idy by collecing leaves and liter into a red
coloured wooden cart with long handles. Fr O’Conor David Fassbender
rewarded them with apples From the orchard. Class of 1964
