2017 Roscrea Review
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Review Summer 2014_Layout 1 7/25/14 8:53 AM Page 36 Review Summer 2014_Layout 1 7/25/14 8:52 AM Page 1 NO. 99 - NEWSLETTER OF THE CISTERCIAN COLLEGE ROSCREA UNION Summer 2017 A bright future beckons. The onus is on us, through hard work, honesty and integrity, to reach for the stars. Nelson Mandela Four first year students react with unbridled joy to Dom Richard’s announcement on 16th March of CCR’s future. In this issue... • Tributes to Frankie Bergin and The Future of CCR. • Hugh McDonnell. New Board of Management for the College. • • Class Reunions. Ronnie Culliton: A Profile. • • Round up of Union events. www.graphprint.ie Roscrea Review 36 The Future of CCR To say it’s probably been the most pastman might have to CCR, he or Trustees chose three CCR pastmen tumultuous few months in the 112 she would not be likely to pledge, Ronnie Culliton, Andrew Cody and year history of CCR is surely putting still less donate, one, two ten or a Jack Kennedy, along with Brother it mildly! The announcement of hundred thousand euro, pounds or Malachy from the Monastery Friday 17th February, while most dollars to a venture without some and Sr. Ann O’Donoghue of the immediately affecting the current prospect of it being a successful Loreto order. Sr. Ann was until pupils, their parents and the staff, and worthwhile investment. recently the Principal of St. sent shock waves throughout the Ronnie Culliton, Andrew Cody, Aidan’s Community School in CCR diaspora scattered all over the Padraic Ó’Máille, Bill O’Brien, Brookfield, Tallaght and brings world. Tears were shed and feelings Fergal Cox, Paul Davey, Graham huge experience to the Board. The of regret mingled with thoughts Ross, Arthur Spring and others Board which also has three staff that a school with as eminent a are to be commended for the sheer members, Catherine Smyth, Jim history as CCR just shouldn’t be credibility they brought to the McManus and Kevin Kelly and two closing down. venture. parents Sinéad Lawlor and Peter Murphy, has been up and running And some people decided that they Early in March, when things were since April and has been extremely were determined to see that CCR very much in the balance, a survey busy. WOULD NOT CLOSE DOWN! seeking expressions of interest was organised members of the Parents’ A Status Update was emailed to Meetings like the one in the Association and staff assisted by pastmen on the Alumni database County Arms, Birr on Wednesday pastmen Denis Delaney, Gareth on 8th June and can be had on 22nd February are often just Doorley, David Ryan, Conor request from the Alumni Office. occasions for people to vent their Loughnane, Peter Ormond, Steven This was an extremely positive feelings of regret, frustration Miller, Barry Liffey, Tim Meaghar document which gave details on and even anger, but never lead to and Paul Davey. This involved the Board and its work of so far, any concrete outcome. From the distributing 15,000 flyers to its plans for the near future under beginning it was apparent that this schools in the Laois, Offaly and the headings: Fundraising, Capital one was going to be different. An North Tipperary. Expenditure, Enrolments for 2017 Action Group was formed, mainly and beyond, the Scholarship/ involving parents and pastmen: a Then on 16th March, Dom Richard Bursary Programme, Marketing/ number of meetings were held with made the announcement that in Communications, Teaching and Dom Richard and on Friday 24th the light of the submission to the Learning, Boarding, Finance and February he gave a commitment Trustees from the CCR Action Strategic Plan. This latter will be that no action to close the College Group, the monastic community developed under the Chairmanship would be taken before St. Patrick’s had decided that Cistercian College of Professor John Geary (CCR Day. would remain open and extend its 1975-’80), Professor of Industrial enrolment options to include 5-day Relations and Human Resources In years to come, someone may and day boarders, and that the at UCD School of Business prior write the story of all that happened Trustees would immediately begin to the end of 2017. The update over the following three weeks. the process to appoint a Board of also contains biopics of the Board Parents, College Staff, pastmen of Management. Members. All told it runs to just all ages worked flat out to get the over 12 pages and is a testament to message across that CCR could While the Abbot’s letter to pastmen the great work done by the Action and would be saved. The hard described that day as one of the Group and the Board these past work was accompanied by the best most joyous in the history of the few months, and offers great hope possible example of leadership College, and said that they had for the future of CCR. – leaders who were committed witnessed a small miracle over the themselves and could convince previous four weeks, of even greater The Strategic Plan will help the others that the venture could significance was the fact that when College return to financial stability succeed. No matter how much it came to nominating five members through integrated enrolment, emotional attachment a parent or a to the Board of Management, the financial and fundraising strategies. Roscrea Review 2 ROSCREA Review As an additional benefit, the plan Law Graduate School and, until an emotional video entitled “We will help with both enrolments recently, was Director of Doctoral are only getting started” which was and fundraising Parents are more Studies at the UCD Michael Smurfit viewed by hundreds of thousands of likely to send their sons confident School of Business. He is the co- people. And though older pastmen in the knowledge that the College’s author of many books including mightn’t realise it, the reality is future is guaranteed and donors Partnership at Work: The Quest that many of today’s parents are are more likely to support a for Radical Organizational regular users of Facebook and other College that has a clear vision and Change. He has contributed to the social media. If you haven’t seen it a strategy to make it happen. coverage of news stories on work click on https://www.facebook. and employment on TV and radio, com/search/top/?q=ccr%20 The Board recognises that including RTE’s Prime Time and support%20group - in particular key to a successful strategic This Week programmes, and in I loved his inspirational collage plan is unity of purpose and The Irish Times and the Industrial backed by the song “You Raise the Board is committed to Relations News. Me Up” and the more recent one engaging as early and as “Dreamers and Doers”. widely as possible in the A number of committees will process. examine a large range of issues Many events have taken place and make recommendations for recently – including an Open key improvements over the next Day, on 1st April which was The Board wishes to keep the aims six years and should report no later planned and superbly executed simple and they are; than 31st of October 2017. The in less than 10 days by a group of Board of Management is looking parents, staff and pastmen, and 1. Achieve excellence in the for past pupils to assist them an U-12 Hurling Blitz on 20th accomplishment of our core by becoming involved in these May that saw approximately 500 mission, the education of boys. committees. The Co-ordination boys representing 32 teams from Committee will then be tasked with 9 counties enjoying themselves 2. Plan for financial stability integrating the aims of the various thoroughly. In the photographs within 3 years and long committees and asked to complete from the day on the Facebook term financial equilibrium. their work in November 2017 page are two huge groups of boys bringing all the reports together at the front steps of the College. 3. Retain the Schools unique into one unified plan. The organization of this, and the ethos. feeding of the multitude of c.1000 One cannot leave this subject must have been a mammoth effort. The Board of Management is without mentioning Andrew Cody. Well done to all concerned!. delighted that Professor John Like all of us he was shattered by Geary has agreed to Chair the the February 17th announcement. I have tried to give a snapshot of committee that will produce this Like most of his age group and recent activity around the one integrated strategic plan prior to older, he knew very little about ambition we all share – the future the end of 2017 dealing with all social media, except that they have of an extraordinary educational aspects of Cistercian College. great influence. So, he started institution that has served us well As well as his role in UCD he is a Save CCR Facebook page not for over 100 years. I have never Honorary Professor at the Marco knowing what effect it would have. seen such interaction and co- Biagi Foundation, Università di Within two days it had 2,000 operation between parents and Modena e Reggio Emilia, Italy. followers and today has 3,500, pastmen working together for a A native of Rathkeale County this number growing weekly. common cause. Generations yet Limerick, after leaving CCR he Thousands of people accessed it unborn will salute those who took obtained his primary degree in and Andrew learned new skills of up the challenge, rolled up their NUI Maynooth and studied for editing video and incorporating sleeves and worked so hard to his Doctorate at Oxford.