FRIENDS FOR LIFE, AND BEYOND!

I have heard it said that in order to have a friend, one must be a friend.  If that is true, then Eileen Maher Hickey must have been a most excellent friend indeed!   I am happy to post the following article which I have received from Betty Simms.  I think it perfectly illustrates that ties of friendship can last a lifetime and longer.

 

"Some St Patrick's girls and friends of Eileen Hickey (nee Maher) gathered at Lucky's Restaurant on May 27th to honour Eileen on her Birthday.  Eileen, who passed away in April, always enjoyed going out to lunch with the girls."

 

Friends who gathered to honour the late Eileen Maher Hickey
on her Birthday

 

 

"The St Patrick's girls in the picture are Doreen Noseworthy (Walsh), Mary Kennedy, Maureen Sullivan, Betty Simms, Marina Grace, Bernadette Moyse (Grouchy), Alice Flynn (Hennessey), Jenny Finlay, Bernice Devereaux (Rose) and Bride Ryan (Colbert).  Dot and Nettie are long time friends of Eileen's."

 

Betty has sent us the Order of Service Sheet from Eileen's funeral.  It includes a beautiful and very touching poem written by Eileen's son, Martin.

 

 

Page 1, Order of Service. 
Note Martin's  touching poem.

 

 



Page 2. 

 

Page 3.  
Family and friends have all 
played a part in Eileen's Funeral

 

 

Page 4

 

 

Thank you, Betty, for sharing this with us.  We have lost a great friend in Eileen and we will miss her very much.  But, oh, the happy memories she has left us!  Rest in peace, dear Eileen, our friend for life, and beyond.

IN THE LIBRARY WITH SR REDEMPTA

We have two interesting pictures today.   Both pictures were taken in the Library at St Patrick's Convent School.  Sr Redempta O'Brien was the Librarian and she is in both pictures.  WHO ARE THE GIRLS IN THE FIRST PICTURE?

 

Sr Redempta O'Brien and some
happy looking girls in the Library

 

 

 

This first photo comes from Presentation Archives.  The details are scant but we know it is Sr Redempta O'Brien, who was Librarian at St Patrick's for much of the 1970s & early 1980s.  We also know the picture was taken in the Library.  Did Sr Redempta conduct classes in the Library or was this some sort of special project?  Do you have any information about this photo?  Do you know anyone here?  Please get in touch with us at mcallistersmith@gmail.com if you can tell us anything about this photo.  (The uniforms have certainly improved since the 1950s!)

 

This second photo is from the 1979 Yearbook and we are fortunate  to have the names of the girls who, according to the Yearbook, are Library Aides.

 

Sr Redempta and Library Aides

 

 

 

SEATED L-R: 

L Maher, B Ducey, E Thomas, B Carew, R A Gillingham, H Gushue, E Efford

 

STANDING L-R:

C Flynn, M Moores, L Hickey, K Noftall, N Mulrooney, P Carew, C A Carroll, C Ryan, S Francis, Sr Mary Redempta

 

I hope the two pictures bring back some good memories for you.  Don't forget, we LOVE to have your comments and recollections so if you are in the pictures, if you know anyone in the pictures or if you have any memories, experiences or anecdotes to relate about Sr Redempta and the Library, please send them along to us at mcallistersmith@gmail.com and let us all enjoy the nostalgia.

FORTY YEAR REUNION, 1974-2014

 

Donna Constantine Walsh has sent us details of a "Small but sweet gathering of some of the 1974 St Patrick's Grade Nine Graduates". 

 

This month marks the 40th anniversary of their Graduation so, on 1st June 2014, the group of classmates got together at the Woodstock Colonial Inn on Topsail Road.  Old friendships were renewed and Donna  says that "Oh my God!" and "You haven't changed a bit!"  could be heard as classmates introduced themselves.

 

Donna also sent the great photo which we are very happy to post below.

 

FORTY YEARS LATER

 

 

 

BACK ROW (L-R)

Sharon Murphy, Christine Rossiter, Donna Constantine, Marilyn Maher, Cathy Bishop

 

FRONT ROW (L-R)

Terri Healy, Debbie Barron, Joanne Greene, Donna Simmonds, Karen Mugford, Judy Kavanagh, Barbara Holden, Collette Beaudoin, Marilyn Taylor, Gladys Layman, Cathy Foley, Janice Fagan, Ann O'Driscoll

 

A good time was had by all and Donna hopes that more people will be able to attend next year.  I am sure that Donna  speaks for all who attended when she says that thanks are due to Christine Rossiter Butler for organizing the event.   

 

 

 

Thanks Donna for sharing this happy gathering with us.  If anyone has other pictures or stories you would like to share, we would love to receive them and if you send them to mcallistersmith@gmail.com we will post them here on the blog and on the St Patrick's Convent School facebook page. 

LET'S TRY AGAIN!

This photo, from Presentation Archives, was posted here before.  Thanks to some of you, particularly Joan Fogarty, we were able to identify some of the girls in the photo.  We are re posting this photo in the hope that someone will be able to give us a few  more names and perhaps even supply a bit of information about it.  For instance, it would be interesting to find out the year and the occasion.  If you can help in anyway, please contact us at mcallistersmith@gmail.com and  you will make us very happy.

A group from the 1950s. 
Who are they & what's the occasion?

Row 1: ?, Barbara Parsons, Yvonne Beck, ?, ?, ?

Row 2: Connie Jackman, ?, ?, Patricia Ann Roche, Sharon Horan

Row 3: Sheila Carew, ?, ?, Patricia McCarthy

These are the names we have so far.  Can you add more?   Do you know what the occasion was? 

MEMORIES OF HOLY CROSS SPORTS DAY

Once upon a time, June was the month in which Holy Cross Sports Day provided an exciting diversion for the boys at Holy Cross and for their sisters and friends at St Patrick's.  Craig McAllister has sent me some great pictures of one such Sports Day.  The first picture was taken as the boys marched along Water St, near the foot of Leslie St.  I was tempted to crop the picture but I thought it better to remind ourselves of how Water St at Leslie looked before progress set in!  The second picture shows the boys marching into Brother Egan field on Leslie St.   These great pictures were  taken either in 1959 or the early 1960s.  My thanks go to Craig for sharing them with us. 

 

Holy Cross Boys marching up Water St,
near the foot of Leslie St

 

Arrival at Brother Egan Field,
Holy Cross Sports Day

 

This third picture is one I found among my old photographs.  It was probably taken at the first Sports Day held in the new field on Leslie St.  That would have been in June 1959.  Time certainly does fly!

 

My brother, Shannon McAllister,
Holy Cross Sports Day, 1959
 

 

This final picture is also from my own photo collection.  I am sure many of you will remember Gerry Dawson for his prowess on the sports field.  If my memory serves me correctly, Gerry ran away with many trophies at previous Holy Cross Sports Days.  Reg Farrell, from St Lawrence, was known for his sporting achievements for his home town and for St Bon's College in St John's.

Gerry Dawson and Reg Farrell,
keeping in touch with Gerry's old School,
Holy Cross Sports Day June 1961

 

Are there any more H C Sports Day pictures out there?  If so, please send them to mcallistersmith@gmail.com and we would be very happy to post them.

GRADE 6, 1959/60 (REPOSTING WITH A NOTE FROM NOREEN CULLETON)

Today, 27th June 2017, I am re-posting this  with the addition of an email I received from Noreen Culleton Press. Noreen has come up with some more names plus an added bit of information which I didn't know. Here is Noreen's email.

"Hi Beth Anne,

My cousin’s son emailed me with the link to your blog, as he had seen my name in a class picture. Pat Hurley McDonald had posted a picture on May 10/14.

I was in Grade 4 in this picture. It was a Grade 5 class. There was a row of Grade fours, as there wasn't enough room in the Deanery Avenue School for all the Grade Fours. In the first row, I have Helena Turner as the 1st ?, Patsy Dinn as the 2nd ?, and Mary Healey as the 3rd ?.

In the 2nd Row, I don't have a name for the 1st ?. I have Catherine Sheehan instead of Patricia Penney. I don't know which one is correct. I have Stella Brazil for the 2nd?.

In the 3rd Row I have Bonnie Guy instead of Elizabeth Guy. I have a last name Grant for the 1st?. I have Maureen Healey for the 2nd ?. I have Elizabeth Pynn for the 3rd ?, and Patsy O'Keefe for the 4th ?. I have no name for the 5th?.

In the 4th row, I have Maureen Walsh instead of Sharon Walsh. I have no name for the 1st ?. I have Ellen Dobbin for the 2nd ?.

My name is Noreen(Culleton)Press.

Thanks,

Noreen"

This picture comes courtesy of Pat Hurley McDonald.  It is Pat's Grade 6 Class, 1959/60.  Pat has also identified many of the girls but a few names are missing.  If you can name any of the unidentified girls in this photo we would appreciate hearing from you with the names.  Oh, yes, the teacher's name was Sr Mary Immaculata.  Lots of corridor mopping that year girls? 

Grade 6, 1959/60

"Grade 6 – Sister Immaculata's Class probably 1959/60

I think the first person in this first row half cut out of the picture is Carmel Hayes

1^st Row L – R:  Rosemary Bishop,  ?,  Patricia Hurley, Catherine Sheehan, ?, Janet McGrath, Catherine Walsh, Noreen Culleton, ?.

2^nd Row:  Sheila Moriarty, ?, Elizabeth Guzzwell, Margaret McManus, Brenda Murphy, Ann Marie Cleary, Phyllis Reardon, Patricia Penney, ?, Diane Flynn, Elizabeth Finch, Maureen O'Brien.

3^rd Row:  Elizabeth Guy, Catherine Tobin, ?, Geraldine McDonald, Carol Ann Fowler, Margie Whitty,?, ?, Esther Scott, ?,?.

4^th Row:  Trudy Ashley, Sharon Griffen, Kay Johnson, Sharon Walsh, Nancy Stanley, Joan Roy, Diane Mulcahy, Sheelah Hurley, ?, Sheila Moyst, ?, ?, Sharon Perchard"

I am sorry, I was unable to make the photo any clearer.  Thank you Pat for sharing this photo.  I am always delighted to receive  photographs.

Thank you Noreen for taking the time to update us.  I find it very interesting that grade 4s and 5s shared a classroom. Although I was at St Patrick's at that time, I wasn't aware of the sharing.  Of course, thanks again to Pat Hurley McDonald for the original post.  I hope to hear from both of you again soon.  

SR MARY TERESITA MARTIN

Enid O'Brien has been a constant help to me with this blog and a wonderful source of material.  For today's post I am once again indebted to Enid as she very kindly supplied this picture and the relevant information.  Thank you once again, Enid.

 

Sr Teresita with her childhood friend

 

This is a picture of Sr Mary Teresita Martin P B V M.  The picture was taken when Sister was enjoying a visit home to Cape Broyle.  Also in the picture is Sister's childhood friend, Kathleen Hartery Murphy. 

 

The only child of Ned and Catherine Martin, Sr Teresita was born in Cape Broyle  in April 1914 and given the name Susannah.  When Susannah was just eight years old her beloved mother died. 

 

Eventually, Susannah Martin entered the Presentation Congregation in St John's.  Upon receiving her white veil, Susannah was given the name of Sr Mary Teresita.  Trained as a teacher, Sr Teresita taught in various Presentation Schools around the province, including St Patrick's Convent School in the west end of St John's.  Many former St Patrick's pupils will remember Sr Teresita as a very kind and gentle person with a sweet smile and a quite voice. 

 

Sr Mary Teresita Martin passed away on 1st April 1986 at the age of 72 and she is buried in the Presentation  Convent Cemetery, St John's.  Her dear friend, Kathleen, died on 30th September 2011 at the wonderful age of  98 years.

 

Enid  tells us that Kathleen's sister, Annie Hartery Hayes, was also a good friend of Sr Teresita and she named her daughter Teresita in honour of her friend.  Annie's granddaughter is also named Teresita.  I think it is safe to say that Sr Teresita's memory still lives in the hearts of grateful pupils and loyal friends. 

 

 

Sr Mary Teresita P B V M
1914 - 1986

 

 

"SMART IN THEIR UNIFORMS"

There isn't much information with this photograph.  All we have is that it was taken in the 1960s, and that it could be a class of Grade VI or Grade VII students looking "smart in their uniforms".    I think it is too small a group to be a whole class because in the 1960s classes consisted of at least 30 girls and very often up to 40 students.  However, it certainly is a smart looking group and if anyone can name any of the girls or tell us anything about the group, it would be enormously helpful.  You can email us at mcallistersmith@gmail.com or leave a comment in the comments section of this post.  So very many of you have been extremely helpful in the past and I am confident you will be just as helpful with this little puzzler!   So, I thank you all very much and I look forward to hearing from you.

UPDATE:  I never give up hope that someday, somewhere, someone will supply us with a name or a snippet of information about a photo.  Well, it has been a long time coming (4 years!) but we now have some names to add to this photo.   Only ten more names and we will have everyone so come on now, have another look at the picture and see who you remember.  You can send any names or information to me at mcallistersmith@gmail.com.   Once again, thank you all for your help.
FRONT ROW, L-R: ?, Barbara Parsons, Bonnie Beck, ?, ?, Lucy O'Keefe 
MIDDLE ROW, L-R:  Connie Jackman, Betty Broderick, ?, Patricia Roche, Sharon Horan
BACK ROW, L-R:  Sheila Carew, Patricia Ann Power, Marie Carter, Fay Murphy, Patricia McCarthy

A group of St Patrick's Girls, looking "smart in their uniforms"

ST PATRICK'S DAY, ONCE UPON A TIME

Once upon a time,  St Patrick's Day wasn't St Patrick's Day in our parish without the annual play put on by Miss Kay Hayes and the St Patrick's Dramatic Troupe. Years move on and tastes change and now those wonderful plays are just a happy memory.  Thanks to my sister-in-law, Pat McAllister, I have been given an opportunity to stroll down memory lane with the help of an old programme from one of those magical nights.  I know  many of you also remember those plays so I am posting excerpts from the programme.  There are also some adds that will bring back fond memories because the companies and products they advertise are no longer with us.  Anyway, I hope you enjoy this and the memories it evokes.

 

The cover of a St Patrick's Day Concert Programme

 

Setting the scene

The synopsis

 

 

Love the ads!

Meet the cast
(Remember Marty's?)

The cast, continued

 

Did Mary Downey play two parts?



Sometimes multi-talented George also acted in the plays

Did you, or your mother, shop at the London?



With all of this amazing talent entertaining us between acts,
we certainly got our money's worth!

The final "thank you" and the last page of the programme

For those of you who, like me, have had the very great pleasure of listening to "THE BIG 6" on Saturday mornings, here's the tune that still brings me back to those lazy, carefree Saturdays. 

 

 

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!

SR CARMELITA'S CHORAL GROUP

We have another interesting picture for you. 

 

St Patrick's High School Choral Group
(Right click the photo to enlarge it)

 

This priceless picture is another from the Presentation Archives.  There isn't a lot of information but we know it was taken in front of the stage in the Auditorium and it is the St Patrick's High School Choral Group.   The Music Director was Sr Mary Carmelita Meaney and it was in the 1950s.  Sr Carmelita spent just a short time at St Patrick's, somewhere around  1955 - 1957.  Sadly, she died on 20th February 1958.

 

Please get in touch with us at mcallistersmith@gmail.com if you are able to name any of the girls in this photo.  Perhaps you are even in it.  Any information you can supply would be very much appreciated.  I hope you enjoy this little look back at the way we were and thank you for all your help.

MEN'S MISSION, 1953

As you know, today, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of Lent.  What some of you younger readers may not know is that, in years gone by, Lent was the time for Parish Missions.  In St Patrick's Parish there was always a Men's Mission, a Women's Mission and a Mission for the School Children.  Sometimes there were two Men's Missions and two Women's Missions! There would be a Mission for the married men and one for the single men.  The same applied for the women, a Mission for the married women and one for the single women.  The Mission was given sometimes by Redemptorists, sometimes by Jesuits and I remember one given by Franciscans. 

The Men's Mission, St Patrick's Church, Lent 1953

This amazing picture is copied from St Patrick's 100th Anniversary Book and it shows how well attended were those Missions of yesteryear.  Just look at that crowd!  Even the aisles are blocked with men.  We know such scenes could never take place today, and not only because of health and safety rules either.  What would it take today to get this many men, after a hard day's work, to turn up for a couple of hours praying and preaching?   

MORE FIRST COMMUNICANTS

I am so pleased that people are sending their First Communion photographs.  The pictures are always so lovely & First Communion and Confirmation Days are such an important  part of our childhood memories.  For these beautiful pictures, I have to thank Cynthia Murphy Downey.  The pretty little girls are Cynthia  and her cousin, Marie Madden. 

 

Cynthia Murphy and Marie Madden, before
going to St Patrick's Church to receive
First Holy Communion

 

First Communion, Cynthia Murphy
 

 

 

Cynthia has also sent us a photo of the Holy Cross First Communion Class of 1955.  Cynthia's husband, Ted Downey, is on the extreme left in the back row.  Have you ever seen a more angelic looking group of boys?

 



First Communion Class, Holy Cross School, circa 1955

 

 

Thanks Cynthia for this beautiful addition to our St Patrick's Convent School Blog.  Contributions are always most gratefully received.

FIRST COMMUNION CIRCA 1958

This beautiful First Communion picture has been received from LIZ FINNEY CROFT.  She said it was 1958 and she was in Grade 2.  Liz is in the front row, far right.  While Liz remembers the day well, she cannot remember the names of the other girls in the picture.  Do you recognise yourself or anyone else on this picture?  Let us know if you do because Liz, as well as the rest of us, would love to be able to put names to the young faces.

First Communion, St Patrick's Convent, circa 1958
(Right click any picture to enlarge it)

Thank you very much, Liz, for sharing this lovely memory with us. If anyone else has First Communion or Confirmation photographs to share, please send them to us at mcallistersmith@gmail.com and we would be glad to post them on the school blog and facebook page.



ARE YOU IN THIS PICTURE?

It is time to get your Deerstalkers on again, my sleuthing friends!  This time we have a photograph of a Grade 4 Class,  St Patrick's Convent School.  We know that the year is 1950 but we don't have any names for the lovely young girls nor do we know the name of the teacher.  If you are on this photo, or if someone you know is in it, we would love to hear from you.  You can contact us at mcallistersmith@gmail.com with any names or details.  I look forward to hearing from you  and I thank you in advance for your help. 






Grade 4, St Patrick's Convent, 1950
(IF YOU RIGHT CLICK THE PICTURE IT WILL ENLARGE)

It is time for a bit of editing!  Thanks to Joan (Reynolds) Fogarty, I now have the names of the girls on this picture. 

 

 

ROW 1: Kathleen Dobbin, Emily Bishop*, Lorraine Sheehan, Rosemary Ashley, Joan Abbass, Yvonne Beck, Margie Miller, Mary Bulger, Brenda Casey, Brenda Molloy, Andrea Martin*, Eleanor Sears, Joan Predham*.

 

ROW 2: Mary Whalen, Catherine Corbett, Rita Kielley, Joan Reynolds, Joan Ryan, Joan Connolly, Irene Viscount, Barbara Ryan, Joan Byrne, Ruth Howell*, Patricia McCarthy, Marie Madden, Barbara Mahoney.

 

 

ROW 3: Joan O'Dwyer, Lillian Hynes, Marie Fitzgerald, Gertrude Cleary, Betty Antle, Joan Stanford, Mary English, Mary Farrell.

The Teacher was Mother John.

 

THE * INDICATES  DECEASED.

 

 

Thank you,  Joan, for all your help.  Thanks also to the other ladies who were able to give me a name or two.  I appreciate your help.

VOLLEYBALL TEAM, 1979

St Patrick's Convent School  Volleyball Team, 1979

This is a picture taken from the 1979 St Patrick's Yearbook.  Thank you Paula for the loan of your yearbook.  It has a lot of great pictures in it. 

 

 

Are you on this picture?

1st Row: S Evans, B Martin, C Power, L Barrett, T Hefferman/Mary Heffernan, S Prim,

 

2nd Row: Mrs S Wade (Coach), L Gallagher, V Hawco, J Tucker, C Thompson, M Keating, E Donnelley, L Hickey, P Harding, J Walsh (manager)

If anyone has any stories about this team, it would be nice if you would share them with us on the blog. You can send them to me at mcallistersmith@gmail.com

I am very grateful to "Anonymous" who has been kind enough to send us the correct name of one of the girls in this picture.  Here is the comment, which was received yesterday:

Anonymous16 November 2014 17:20

"Hi! In the photo of the Volleyball players, it's Mary Heffernan, I believe I am correct."