TIME FOR ANOTHER HOLY CROSS PHOTO (EDITED POST!)

It is time to post another Holy Cross Class Photo and have I ever got a beauty for you!  It was sent to me by Dianne HAWLEY King and it belonged to her late brother, Roger, who passed away last December.  I think many of you will remember Dianne who lived on Water Street and then Sudbury St.  I am also pretty certain that quite a few of you will remember handsome Roger who was a real heart throb.  There were many 'heart throbs' at Holy Cross!  Here are just a few of them.

Another group of Holy Cross Heart Throbs!

***I am very pleased to edit this post because we have recently been given some more names of the boys in the photo.  Originally Dianne and I came up with a few names but Enid O'Brien has once again come to our rescue!  Enid and her friend, Jim Dodd, have been able to supply many more names for us. Jim, by the way, is one of the boys in this photograph. 

Here is the updated version:

 

FRONT ROW, L-R:

Jim Dodd, Bruce Jones, Pat Casey, Damien Ryan, Brian Moriarity, Donald Dinn and Paul Duggan

 

 

2nd ROW:

Jack Power, Hubert Dunne, Bud Gushue, Pat Power, John Dewling, Kevin Martin, Jerome Dinn

 

3rd ROW:

Mike Kelly, Gus McGrath, Pat Ryall, Roger Hawley, Brian Leonard, Andy Samuelson, Mike Power and Tom Fagan

 

4th ROW:

Cyril O'Leary,   Ed Shapter,  Bob Perchard, Don Murphy, Bill Neville, John Anderson and Bernard Sheehan

 

 

5th ROW:

Stuart Rose, Gus Samuelson, Alan Murphy, Dennis Coffey, Bill Hynes

 

6th ROW:

Leo Power, Pat Downey, Brian Philpott, Mike OKeefe, John Whelan and Tom Wakeham

 

We don't know the year this photo was taken nor do we know what grade it is.  We are hoping that someone out there can help us with that and also with any of the names that we don't yet have. 

***The previous paragraph is now redundant because, thanks to Gus Samuelson, we have all the names as well as the grade and year.  Gus informed us that this is a photo of the Grade 11 class of 1958.  Gus noted that  Jack, Pat and Leo Power are three brothers from Fort Amherst.  I rememebr them Gus.  Their father was the Lighthouse Keeper at Fort Amherst. 

 

Thanks Dianne.  This is a great picture and if you come across any more pictures of Holy Cross or St Patrick's, please share them with us.  We all get a lot of pleasure from seeing old friends and classmates.   To Jim Dodd, a very big thank you for you help. Thanks also to  Enid O'Brien who is always helpful!   Last, but by no means least, thank you very much Gus Samuelson.  Whatever would I do without you all?

MISS ANGELA GREENE'S CLASS, 1967

 

Donna CONSTANTINE Walsh has sent this lovely picture from 1967.  It is Miss Angela Greene's Grade 3 Class.  They all look so neat and smart in their green uniforms.

 

AREN'T THEY CUTE?

Donna was able to give us the names of some of the girls.  Donna said:

"These are the names I remember, maybe someone can fill in the rest.
Top row L-R: #6 Kathie Donnelly, #7 Madonna Hearn
Next Row L-R: #1 Sharon Power, #3 Charmaine Maher, #4 Donna Constantine, #6 Eileen Mullins, #8 Peggy Pennell,
Second Row L-R: Mrs Angela Greene, #4 Cathy Foley, #8 Veronica Pitcher
Front Row L-R: #1 Yvonne Cullen, #4 Darlene Thomas, #5 Cathy Walker, #6 ?Ursula Jarvis, #8 Bonnie Mullins, #9 Debbie ( died in a house fire later that year)"

Oh Donna, that is so tragic about that little Debbie.  It must have been so very sad for all of you.

Thanks for the photo and the information that you were able to give us.  As you said, perhaps someone can help fill in the missing names.  And Donna, keep the great pictures coming, please.

**Thanks to Kathie DONNELLY Johnson, Debbie THOMAS Mayer and Judy Ann, I have a few more names to add.  I am grateful for your help ladies.

A LETTER HOME

The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

As tomorrow, 21^st November, is Presentation Day I wanted to do something special for this day that had so much meaning for us in our school days.   I was thinking hard about what to post and, while browsing the Internet, I unexpectedly came upon something which, I think, is very special!  It was an article written by Jim Corley in Blessington.info History Articles.  If you want to, you can find the article on http://blessington.info/history/historypage17.htm  

 

Mr Corley tells of finding a letter in a grubby old book which he purchased at an Auction in Kells, County Meath, Ireland.  And how does a letter in an old book in Ireland tie in with Presentation Day?  More to the point, how does it tie in with us? 


Well, this letter was headed:

“PRESENTATION CONVENT,

ST JOHN’S N.F.L,

JAN 12^th 1923”.  

It was written by Sr Xavier O’Malley to her niece, Lizzie, in Ireland.  In the letter, Sr Xavier told Lizzie that she was ill in bed, felt very weak and did not expect to live for much longer.  The poor soul also commented on the weather, the cold being too severe to permit her getting up!  It seems a lady called Josephine had asked for her family history and she gives what she knows of it.  Sr Xavier wrote:

“Firstly, my grandfather was Owen O’Malley of Burrishoole, Newport, Co Mayo.  He had three brothers namely: first Joseph who was executed as a rebel: second Austin who escaped to France on one of the French ships sent by Napoleon Bonaparte to pick up all the Irishmen they could get to enter his army as they had gained the name of being great fighters and indeed they were fighters but the poor fellows gained but little for their courage.  Uncle Austin married in France and had two sons.  His eldest son Auguste entered the French army and rose to be Colonel.  Through his bravery Uncle Austin’s sight became impaired and he returned to Ireland when my mother was young, and he lived with my grandfather.  His wife was dead and his eldest son was an officer in the French army.  He had his second son with him, Alexander, but this poor boy had met with an accident at school and was quite deaf.  The French government kindly paid him a yearly pension even after his father’s death.  He died in Dublin some years ago.  Alexander’s brother Auguste O’Malley rose to be general in the French Army.  At the siege of Algeria in the north of Africa only two men were left alive of one particular regiment.  They were Uncle Austin’s son Auguste and a private soldier.  Auguste was made a captain and the soldier a lieutenant.  During a visit which I paid to the French Nuns near here on the island of St Pierre I met a lay sister who had been acquainted with General O’Malley when she was a nurse in a military hospital.”

 

Sr Xavier ended her letter by asking Lizzie to pray for her when she hears of her death and sent her regards to Lizzie’s husband and little ones.

 

Now Mr Corley’s interest had been tweaked, as I hope yours is too, so he wrote to Presentation Convent in St John’s.  He was rewarded with a reply from then Presentation Archivist, *Sr Perpetua Kennedy.   Thanks to Sr Perpetua, Mr Corley and we learned more of Sr Xavier’s story.

 

Sr Xavier was born in Castlebar, Co Mayo, Ireland in 1842 to Austin and Mary O’Malley.   She was baptised Mary Jane.   In 1866 Mary Jane O’Malley said good bye to home, parents, family, friends and all that she held dear.   The courageous young lady set out on a perilous journey to a strange and distant country, Newfoundland.  Like so many other intrepid souls, she would never see her homeland again.

 

On 21^st February 1866, Mary Jane O’Malley entered the Presentation Convent, St John’s.  On 15^th January 1867, 25 year old Miss Mary Jane O’Malley was received into the Order and given the name Sr Mary Xavier Joseph O’Malley.   Here are Sr Xavier’s vows:

 

“I, Sister Mary Jane O’Malley called in Religion Mary Xavier Joseph, do vow and promise to God poverty, chastity and obedience, and to persevere until the end of my life in this Institute for the charitable Instruction of poor girls in this Enclosure, according to the Rules and Constitution of this Order of the Presentation of Our Blessed Lady, approved of and confirmed by the Apostolical Authority of Our Holy Father Pope Pius VII under the authority, and in the presence of you, Revd Edward O’Keefe V G and of our Revd Mother, Margaret O’Shaughnessy, called in Religion Mary Magdalen Superioress of this Convent of the Presentation – in the year of Our Lord Oct 23^rd 1867.

Signed: Mary Jane O’Malley in religion Mary Xavier Joseph

Superioress Margaret O’Shaughnessy

Assistant M de Pazzi Mullock”

 

Sr Xavier was Professed at Presentation Convent, Cathedral Square on 8^th November 1869.  On 8^th November 1923, exactly 54 years after being Professed and just months after writing to her niece Lizzie in Ireland, Sr Xavier O’Malley died at Presentation Convent, Cathedral Square, St John’s.   She is buried in the Convent Cemetery.

Ending his article, Jim Corley urges us to “Spare a thought for those many long-forgotten Irish missionaries like the noble Sr Xavier.”  On this Presentation Day, let us indeed spare a thought and a prayer for all the valiant young Irish ladies who came to our shores and, as Presentation Sisters, spent their talents and their lives instructing the children of Newfoundland.  Let’s prove Mr Corley wrong and make certain that they are never forgotten! 

 

*Sr M Perpetua Kennedy, Presentation Archivist for 20 years, passed away at St Clare’s Mercy Hospital on 7^th May 2013, aged 90 years.  She too is buried in Presentation Cemetery, Cathedral Square.    

MISS WALKER'S GRADE 1 CLASS, 1967

We are very grateful to Pam WADE Rumboldt for this lovely photo.  Pam said it is her Grade 1 class.  The year was 1967, and the teacher's name was Miss Walker.  Pam  has done a great job of remembering the names of her classmates too. 

 



Miss Walker with her Grade 1 Class, 1967

 

Row 1: Janet ?, Denise MacLeod, Brenda Barrington, ? Roche, Janet Handrigan, Kelly Norman, Diane Foley, Michelle Cooper

Row 2: Karen Ennis, Pamela Wade, Maria Hurley, Valerie Bhnicsh, Joanne Adams, Elizabeth Evans, ?, Lynn Barron, Debbie Power

 

Row 3: Ramona Curtis, Michelle McCarthy, Barbara Curtis, Paula Reese, Edwina Lush, Maureen Taylor, ?, Terri O' Toole, Judy Shano, Jill Cole

 

Row 4: Karene Collins, Debbie Dower, Christine Barry, Barbara Peddle, Janet Flynn, Patricia Flynn, Karen Ryan, Pamela Brown, Bernadette Walsh, ?,

 

As I said, Pam has done a great job of identifying her classmates.  We would be very happy to hear from anyone who can name the few that Pam has missed. 

 

Thank you Pam for sharing.  I know your photo and the memories it revives will be enjoyed. 

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

I have received two beautiful photographs from Darrin Feehan.  Darrin is the son of Rita WALSH Feehan.  Both photographs are from the years 1946/47. 



The first photo is of, as Darrin says,   "The Walsh sister's from Southside Rd". The girls, smart in their school uniforms, are Helen (Feehan), Imelda (Murray) and Rita (Feehan).  Darrin informs us that the picture was taken in his Nan's back garden on the Southside Road.  The year was 1946/47 and the occasion was Rita's first day of school. 

The Walsh Sisters, Helen (Feehan), Imelda (Murray)
 and Rita (Feehan)

This second photo certainly is  one to be treasured.  It is Rita's First Holy Communion picture.  Her teacher was the famous Miss Margaret Murphy and the year was still 1946/47.  Rita thinks one of the Nuns in the photo is Mother John but she doesn't remember who the other Nun is.  That is quite an impressive number of First Communicants.  Unfortunately, we don't get anything near that number today.

First Communion group 1946/47

Darrin, I am grateful to you for these special photos.  I think they will be enjoyed by so many who follow this blog and its facebook page.  Just one little query, Darrin.  Can you tell us where your Mom is in the First Communion picture?  And, Darrin, if you happen to come across any other gems like these, please, please share them with us.  You can send anything you have to mcallistersmith@gmail.com and I will be forever in your debt.  Thank you Darrin and thank you Rita.

SEPTEMBER GET-TOGETHER AT PAPA'S

Joan Reynolds Fogarty sent us this lovely picture, taken at their September get-together at Papa's.  Joan says that they meet for dinner three times a year, May, September and December.  That is such a wonderful idea Joan.  It is a fantastic way to keep in touch with school friends.  I am really impressed, not to say touched, by the long lasting friendship that you people share.  Good for you!

GOOD FOOD, GOOD COMPANY, GOOD FRIENDS!

The ladies gathered  at Papa's Restaurant are:
 

Back Row, L -R:  Betty Fitzgerald Pye, Judy Fitzgerald Squires, Patricia Connolly Leonard, Joan Reynolds Fogarty, Mary Fitzgerald, Rosemary Ashley Healy

Front Row, L-R: Mary Bulger Corcoran, Brenda Casey Grouchy, Kathleen Dobbin Benson, and Catherine Corbett Stanley

 

Thanks very much Joan for sharing with us.  I hope your get-togethers will continue for many more years and that you will share them all with us.  I hope your idea will inspire other St Patrick's groups to meet up on a regular basis.  It is so nice to keep in touch.