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AMASC IRELAND Society of the Sacred Heart Alumnae Spring 2016

AMASC Ireland - Incorporating Armagh, Leeson St, Monkstown, Mount Anville & Roscrea Associations, Benevolent Fund and Sophie Barat Residences

Message from the Chairperson Dear Fellow Past Pupils,

Spring is now in the air and the days are getting longer! The recovery in the Irish economy is continuing and hopefully life will become a little bit easier for many people who have lived through the economic stress of the past few years. Your support for the Benevolent Fund remains critical, as there are more calls for sup-port from this Fund than ever before. Any legacy in a Will, whether big or small, makes a huge difference.

The Committee of AMASC (Ireland) and the other Committees (MAPPA, Benevolent Fund, Sophie Barat and Cork) are all preparing a list of events and gather-ings for 2016. AMASC (Ireland) are moving into the 21st Century by connecting into the MAPPA Facebook and Twitter pages on the web. We hope that some of our AMASC members will actively engage with Face-book and Twitter so that the activities of our past pupil groups can be publicised to a greater degree.

We hope that many of you will take part in our Time Out Day in Milltown Park on Sunday 13th March. The numbers attending our Time Out Day last November were double the number originally anticipated and so we are doing this again. We hope that many of you will also join us on our visit to Joigny (April) and Glenstal Abbey (May). The Coffee Mornings on the second Saturday of every month throughout the year are also becoming more popular and everyone is welcome.

Thank you all very much for all your support of the vari-ous past pupil committees in 2015. We look forward to your continued support this year.

With best wishes,

Joanne Sheehan Chairperson, AMASC (Ireland)

AMASC (Ireland) AGM

The AMASC (Ireland) Annual General Meeting will talk place on Sunday 10th April 2016 in

Mount Anville School.

All Welcome

2.30 pm Reception

3.00pm AGM

4pm Mass in School Chapel.

Guided Tour of Rathfarnham Castle

With Mary Clare Norris

Saturday 23rd April 2016.

Meet at main entrance to Castle at 11.45 am. Entrance is on

Grange Road near Rathfarnham Village.

Entrance fee is €3 per person ( Group rate).

Bus routes…16 / 15B from city centre…17/75 from Dun Laoghaire.

Afternoon Tea in Rathfarnham Village afterwards.

Monkstown Class of 1965 , National Yacht Club, 4th Sept.

Susan Boland (O'Rourke), Susan Lennon (Hilary), Katriona O'Keefe (Smith), Valerie Brouder (Purcell), Elizabeth Nolan (Drew), Cliona Weight (Lawlor), Pauline Caffrey (Roche), Eilis Ryan (O'Sullivan), Jean Sheehan (Scott), Olivia Stones (Bermingham Doyle) Front Row seated: Aileen Sheehan (McCartney), Richelle Crowley (Courtney), Barbara Vignale (Donovan) Two of our class who live abroad - Cliona in the UK and Barbara in

Rome - came home for the occasion. Unfortunately Annette was

unable to come from France. We met for a celebratory glass before

a lunch in the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire. Post lunch

entertainment included kris kindle exchange of something reminding

us of our schooldays and Susan Boland reimagined "Notes" to the

great amusement of all present. (Valerie Brouder)

Sophie Barat Residence.

Set in beautiful surroundings off the old Kilmacud Road in Dublin, the Sophie Barat Residence offers secure inde-pendent living in 28 houses set in the grounds of Mount Anville. These lovely properties have been developed for all Sacred Heart Past pupils.

The Residence offers independent, secure living to those with associations to the Sacred Heart schools. A high level of security with a 24 hour co–ordinator on site is pro-vided for the assis-tance and peace of mind of the residents.

The houses are availa-ble to all Sacred Heart Past Pupils worldwide. This includes both men and woman who may have attended the Montessori, Junior or Senior schools.

Tel: (01) 2984 717

EMAIL sophiebaratresidence@gmail.com

Charirperson Irene Doody

Roscrea Class of ‘65, Sept 2016, Fitzpatrick’s Hotel.

Brianne (O'Connor) McHugh, Brigid (Crowley) O'Sullivan, Carol Duke ,Catherine (Montgomery) Crimmins, Daphne (Ryan) Boyle, Denise Morrison, Eleanor (Barry) O'Mahony, Liz (Kennealy) Brennan, Fina (Smith) Dooly, Geraldine (Fitzpatrick) Madigan, Geraldine Mullan, Linda (Sharpe) Pennfield, Louise Harty, Mary (O'Meara) Quinn, Sandra (Farrell) Kiely, Valerie (Murphy) McGarr.

We had a wonderful and heart-warming reunion on 12th September 2015 and it was amazing to reconnect with classmates after 50 years. There was such a buzz of warmth and conversation. Inevitably the time was far too short despite gathering again on the Sunday for a morning coffee during which Sr. Eleanor Dorgan joined us. We were delighted to see her and of course she brought back memo-ries of our schooldays. On Monday 21st December we followed up the reunion by having a lunch in the Westbury Hotel. This was to include those who were unable to come to the reunion. There were 11 of us with some arriving from far afield including New York, Germany, Netherlands and Sri Lanka. (Brianne McHugh)

Roscrea Class of ’75, Sept 2016, Johnstown House

24 former classmates got together with people flying in from Brussels, London, Chicago, San Francisco, Portugal and from all corners of Ireland. A fantastic opportunity to rekin-dle old friendships, recount old memories and make new ones.

Fiona Buggy, Katherine Burke, Caroline Corcoran, Hylda Cullen, Helen Dromey, Judith Dwyer, Martina Galvin, Mar-garet Garvey, Tessa Greally, Angela Hogan, Theresa Hughes, Ann Kehoe, Deirdre Kelly, Gabrielle Leavy Clare Lenehan, Joan Maher, Ann Marie McInerney, Caroline Mary Murphy, Gaye O’Hare, Phil O’Loughlin, Toni O’Neill, Ann O’Shaughnessy, Mimi O’Sullivan,Nuala Spooner

With numerous apologies from people who would love to have been there but could not make it.

Margaret (Head Girl!) made the speech and Caroline (Corcoran) presented beautiful Hand Painted Scarves de-signed by Hazel Greene from our Class to the Organisers Caroline (Murphy) and Gaye. (Caroline Murphy)

THE TWO WINDOWS:

With Sr Ishpriya (Society of the Sacred Heart)

The Mystery in the Sanctuary & the Mystery in the Market Place

Sat 5th & Sun 6th March 2016 10am – 5 pm

Avila Retreat Centre, Bloomfield Ave, Morehampton Rd, Dublin 4

Sr Ishpriya rscj will develop these concepts as they relate to us today and guide us through 2 days of reflection, silence, sharing & joy.

Sr. Ishpriya is a gifted teacher and spiritual guide. With a deep knowledge of Eastern Spirituality and a doctorate in Psychology she combines the spiritual teaching of the East and West. (See Insert for more details.)

AMASC is funded solely by your subscriptions

and runs due to the hard work and dedication of

The Committee.

Annual Subscription is €30 and we receive

this with gratitude by cheque or postal order

to

Past Pupils Office, Mount Anville House,

Mount Anville Road, Dublin 14.

Or phone Danielle/Jessica on 01 2783362

AMASC (IRELAND)

COMMITTEE 2016

Léan McMahon (Mount Anville), MAPPA President

Michelle Melotte (Roscrea)

Mary Clare Norris ( Armagh)

Hilda O’Connell (Leeson Street)

Perdita Quinlan (Mount Anville), Benevolent Fund

Joanne Sheehan (Monkstown) (Chairperson,

AMASC)

Eilish Tennent (Armagh)

Laura Casey (Roscrea)

Marie Doyle (Monkstown), Treasurer

Pat Egan (RSCJ)

Phil Elwood (Roscrea), Cork Branch

Jean Fitzgerald (Mount Anville) Sophie Barat

Elizabeth Gebruers (Roscrea), Cork Branch

Muriel McAuley (Roscrea)

The Sacred Heart Connections to 1916

There were seven young Plunketts, three boys and four girls. All except Moya (Mary Josephine Patricia) who had become a Sacred Heart nun, found themselves political prisoners between 1916 and 1923 and one, Joseph, was executed as a Signatory of the Proclamation and a Leader in the 1916 Rising.

As children they had strange, unpredictable lives thanks to their mother’s eccentricity and, since this included not paying school fees, not funding materials such as copybooks and not buying school uniforms for them, their times in the various schools they attended were often unsettled and usually brief. Their father, Count Plunkett, left all such matters to his wife who held the purse strings.

The boys, Joseph, George and Jack went to CUS, Leeson St., Belvedere, Clongowes and Stonyhurst in Lancashire.

Their mother, Countess Plunkett, had only been in school for one year and that was at a Sacred Heart School in Kensington. The rest of her education was with her brothers and their tutors. She obviously developed a trust in the Sacred Heart Order and the girls were always sent to Sacred Heart schools, Leeson St., Mount Anville, even Trinita dei Monti at the top of the Spanish Steps in Rome where Mimi (Philomena) the eldest, spent some time and enjoyed what she found there.

My grandmother did have a full year in Mount Anville however and enjoyed it in her own way:

The moment I always loved most in Mount Anville was the day before each holiday, when we stood in the study hall and sang the plainchant Magnificat in Latin at the tops of our voices.

Geraldine Plunkett Dillon

Geraldine afterwards studied for Matriculation in Loreto on the Green and was a high-achieving student of Chemistry in UCD. At the same time as studying for her degree she was housekeeper, nurse and Aide de Camp to her brother, Joseph in the run-up to the 1916 Rising. Her sister, Philomena, carried messages to New York from Joseph Plunkett and her brothers George and Jack were part of the Headquarters’ Garrison in the GPO. At the end of the Rising their parents, Count and Countess Plunkett were arrested making a total of five Plunketts under arrest in Richmond Barracks in April/May 1916.

Honor O Brolchain,Editor: All in the Blood from the Memoirs of Geraldine Plunkett Dillon

Photos: The Plunkett Children (left) and Joseph Plunkett 1887-1916 (right)

Madame de Markievicz on Trial.

Starring Barbara Dempsey (Mount Anville)

www.pavilliontheatre.ie 31st March & 1st April

Irish Tour Dates www.thenewtheatre.com

Rebel Sisters

By

Marita Conlon McKenna

(Mount Anville)

A story of 1916

www.easons.com

Contact Contact Danielle/Jessica on

Mon/Tues/Thurs +353 1 278 3362

W: www.amasc-ireland.org

Past Pupils’ Office, Mount Anville

House, Mount Anville Rd, Dublin 14.

Email: pastpupilsoffice@mountanville.ie

MEETING FACILITIES AVAILABLE

Are you planning to hold a meeting or function in 2015?

Did you know that the facilities at the Sophie Barat Residence are available to you as a past pupil?

Please contact the office at the Sophie Barat Residence on

01 2984717 for availability and terms.

01 2984717

Dates for your Diary 2016

‘Drop In’ Coffee Mornings at the Sophie Barat Residences AMASC and MAPPA would love you to join them for one or more of their Monthly Coffee Mornings. These lively gatherings are held in the Sophie Barat Residence where there is a warm welcome from the

Residents & it is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with other Past Pupils and members of the Sacred Heart Community.

Drop in between 10.30 and 12.00, we know you will enjoy it and why not bring a friend!

We are always looking for new hostesses please let us know if you would like to join our team.

13th Feb Hilda O’Connell & Marie Harte

12 March Marie Doyle & Eileen Pentz

9 April Mary C. Norris & Jean Fitzgerald

14 May Pat Egan & Moya Farrell

11 June Perdita Quinlan & Peggy Massey

9 July Eilish Tennent & Joan Minch

13 August Emer Greif & Alice Davy

10th Sept Muriel McAuley & Pauline Scanlon

Sat 5th & Sun 6th March Sr Ishpriya, RSCJ. Avila Retreat Centre

Wed 9th March Annual Day Retreat. Carmelite Friary, Kinsale, Co Cork

Sun 13th March Time Out, Milltown Park, Dublin 6

Sun 10th April AMASC AGM, Mount Anville School

14th—17th April Visit to Joigny, France

Sat 23rd April Tour of Rathfarnham Castle

Thurs 28th April Bridge Evening, Milltown Golf Club. Benevolent Fd.

Fr 20th to Sun 22nd May Weekend in Glenstal Abbey

MAPPA & AMASC

Weekend of Reflection in Glenstal Abbey

This year’s trip to Glenstal is €130 and will take place from

Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd May 2016

“TIME OUT”

Milltown Park, Sandford Road, Dublin 6 Sun 13th March

Take a day off from your busy life with this silent retreat

lead by the Jesuits. (see flyer enclosed)

€30 including lunch & supper.

AMASC Cork

AMASC Cork will hold their Annual Day Retreat on

Wednesday 9th March from 10am—4pm in the Carmelite Friary

in Kinsale.

All are welcome.

€35 including Light

lunch and pick up and

collection from the

Train Station can be

arranged.

Joigny 2016

Thursday 14th April to

Sunday 17th April 2016

Open to all AMASC & MAPPA Members

The annual visit to Joigny is a wonderful occasion to see the his-toric town where Sophie Barat grew up and to enjoy a relaxing break with fellow past pupils.

If you would like to visit Joigny in

April 2016 please contact Danielle in

the Past Pupils Office.

Contact Danielle or Jessica on 01 2783362 or EMAIL: pastpupilsoffice@mountanville.ie