FRIENDS FESTIVE GATHERINGS

We have two nice festive pictures to post today. The photos come to us courtesy of Joan Reynolds Fogarty and Pat Hurley McDonald.

Joan Fogarty and her school friends really have something very special.  Their friendship! These ladies have been friends since their school days at St Patrick’s and they maintain that friendship by being there for one another in good times and not so good times.  They also meet up several times a year to share a meal, chat, laugh and just take pleasure in each other’s company.  Long may they continue to do so!

This photo was taken on 2^nd December at The Sheraton Hotel where the friends held their Christmas Dinner and enjoyed a lovely evening.

BACK ROW: Rosemary Ashley Healy, Joan Connolly Alston, Kathleen Dobbin Benson, Judy Fitzgerald Squires, Mary Bulger Corcoran, Brenda Casey Grouchy, Joan Reynolds Fogarty

FRONT ROW: Madeline Adams Thomson, Catherine Corbett Stanley, Mary Fitzgerald, Betty Fitzgerald Pye, Eleanor Sears Vatcher.

Our second festive photo  comes from Pat Hurley McDonald.  Again we have a group of school friends who have become life-long friends.  Janet McGrath Crane is home from Florida to celebrate Christmas with her daughters and their families so, as always, the friends took advantage of the opportunity to meet up.  The celebratory meal took place on 16^th December at Milestones Restaurant on Torbay Road.  From the looks of the ladies, we can see that it too was a happy and enjoyable event.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Kay Johnson, Cynthia Murphy, Maureen O’Brien, Pat Hurley, Carmel Hayes, Mary Johnson and Janet McGrath.

Many thanks to Joan and Pat for the photographs and thanks to both of you for all the help and support you give to this blog.  We wish you and all your friends a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy 2016.  We look forward to hearing about your future escapades.  May they be many and may they all be happy ones!

ST PATRICK'S BASKETBALL CHAMPS, 1975

Norma PEDDLE Bulger is the youngest of seven sisters who all attended St Patrick’s Convent Schools.  Norma attended St Patrick’s from 1967 to 1976.  Norma’s mother, the late Nellie Sparrow, also attended St Patrick’s so the family’s St Patrick’s roots run deep.  Sadly, Norma’s dear Mom passed away this year on 17^th January at the age of 84 years.



Norma's beautiful Mother,
the late Nellie (Sparrow) Peddle

Norma’s mother had prepared an album for each of her girls and, while going through hers, Norma came across a wonderful picture which was published in the Evening Telegram on 16^th December 1975.  That is exactly 40 years ago today! Once again, St Patrick's girls had displayed their talents - this time by winning the  Roman Catholic Junior High School Basketball Championship for 1975!  Therefore, Norma & I thought it would be a good idea to post it on our St Patrick’s School Blog and facebook page today, the  FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY.  Where do the years go?  Anyway, here is the picture just as it appeared forty years ago today.




ROMAN CATHOLIC JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
BASKETBALL CHAMPS, 1975

I have also cropped the picture so, hopefully, you will be able to see the champs more clearly.

OUR TALENTED CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM, 1975

It might be  a bit difficult to read the details that accompany the photo but here is what it said:

"St Patrick's Girls School captured the Roman Catholic Junior High School Basketball championship during the weekend by defeating St Francis of Assisi of Outer Cove 18-16 in the championship game.  Members of the winning team are, first row (l-r) Patrice Power, Vicki Walsh, Mary Hearn, Paula Noseworthy, Chris Howlett, Susan Hayes, Cathy Walsh, Marion Walsh.  Second row; manager Michelle Walsh, Michelle Brennan, Debbie Hanlon, Janet Flynn,  Debbie Pittman, Norma Peddle, Daphne Howard, coach Susan Poole"

 

Norma, thank you very much for sharing these wonderful photographs and memories.  If you or your sisters come across any other pictures of your school days, we hope you will share them with us also. 



THE PEDDLE SISTERS
(L-R) BRENDA, MOYA, JANET, DIANNE, BARBARA, NORMA & THE LATE LAUREN 

If any other members of the championship team are reading this, please tell us  your memories of that happy event.  You can contact us on mcallistersmith@gmail.com.

MISS PATRICIA LAIDLEY'S GRADE 7 CLASS, 1967

Today we have a photo from 1967.  It was sent to us by Paula Jackman who is on the extreme right in the front row.  It is Paula's Grade 7 class and the teacher is Miss Patricia Laidley.  Paula has given us most of the girls' names but there are a few missing.  Perhaps you can help us out with the missing ones.  If you can, please get in touch with us at mcallistersmith@gmail.com.

ST PATRICK'S CONVENT SCHOOL, GRADE 7, 1967

 

ROW 1, L-R: Janice McGrath, Marilyn Whalen, Brenda Carroll, Donna Aylward, Donna Power, Karen Ryan, Donna Martin, Paula Jackman, Miss Patricia Laidley

ROW 2:  Marilyn Skinner, Victoria Osborne, Elizabeth McDonald,?, Patricia Murphy, Barbara McAllister, Dianne Madden, Caroline Courish

ROW 3: ?, Maxine Miller, Susan Walsh, Carol Short, Diane Fagan, Mary McDonald, Denise ?, Alice ?,

ROW 4: Debbie Murphy, Judy Kane, Maureen Hamilton, Sharon Reddy, Regina Whelan, Reverna Griffin, ?, Teresita Healey, Cathy Emberly

Paula, we are very grateful to you for sharing this lovely class photograph.  Anything else you might like to share, photos or stories, would be very welcome.  We are always on the lookout for material for this blog so anyone who wishes to share memories of their days at St Patrick's can contact us at mcallistersmith@gmail.com.  Don't forget to check us out on facebook also!



CONGRATULATIONS, MARIAN WALSH

I expect you will probably be reading about this in the media too but I could not let it pass without adding our CONGRATULATIONS to one of our own St Patrick’s girls, MARIAN WALSH. Marian was born in St John’s to Betty and the late Leo Walsh.  Many of us will have been schoolmates and friends of Marian and her sisters, who all attended St Patrick’s Convent Schools.

At present Marian is the Associate CEO and Chief Transformation Officer with Sinai Health System.  She has recently been named a WXN 2015 CANADA’S MOST POWERFUL WOMEN: TOP 100 AWARD WINNER. 

In speaking of Marian’s award, Joseph Mapa, President and CEO of Sinai Health System, said; “I have been an admirer of her long-standing commitment to positively impacting the lives of patients and families. Possibly her most significant accomplishment to date has been the transformation of Riverdale Hospital into Bridgepoint Active Healthcare and, under her leadership, its evolution into a preeminent, high performing leader in healthcare for complex patients.”      He goes on to say; “The Top 100 Awards recognizes exceptional female leaders, role models and change agents.  In my view, Marian exemplifies every trait at the highest level.”

MARIAN WALSH

 MARIAN WALSH
Associate CEO & Chief Transformation Officer, Sinai Health System
BIO:

Identified as a futurist by Canadian Healthcare Manager magazine, Marian Walsh is a visionary and advocate for transforming the health-care system to meet the evolving needs of patients. She has built Canada’s leading health-care organization for research, education and care focused on complex health conditions.             

BREAKING BARRIERS:

“When I became CEO there were virtually no other women CEOs, unless they came from religious orders. I initiated a network for hospital women CEOs in Toronto to support and promote more women in the C-Suite.”

TEAM/LEADERSHIP BUILDING:

“Engage team members individually and collectively on strategy and vision every quarter at least. Make time and space for thoughtful discussion. I deliberately surround myself with nice people who are smart, have different perspectives and are willing to challenge.”

 

Marian, our heartiest congratulations go to you.  You have done us all proud!

 

(My thanks to Doreen Walsh Noseworthy, Marian's understandably proud sister, for alerting us to this happy news.)