On Thursday, the 21st of October, the Patrician Academy celebrated the 50th anniversary of its student council, possibly one of the oldest student councils in Ireland. It was held in the Monastery to a great reception.
There were a multitude of speakers at the event, namely principal Miss Elaine O Regan, past student council coordinator John Lucey, past student council chairman Eoghan Kenny, current student council member Donal Cronin and current student council coordinator Miss Regina Glynn The current chairman of the council, Eddie Hennigan, MCed the event.
The hall was decorated with old documents of the council, dating back to 1971, when the council was initiated by Brother Maurice. This was elevated by the beautiful boards from the art department, headed by Miss Regina Glynn and Mr Conor Stokes. One displayed the core tenets and events of the school over the last 50 years, while the other was an eye -catching black and white painting of significant sporting figures who were past pupils of the school. This helped raise a sombre nostalgia in the room, as people recognised old faces and shared stories of past council experiences.
The music department, specifically the trad group, headed by the illustrious flautist and music teacher Mr Plunkett O Toole, graced the occasion with a fulfilling variety of tunes and provided the perfect reprieve between speakers.
John Lucey spoke about the importance of Faith in the council’s history, while Eoin Kenny and Donal Cronin shared their favourite moments from their time on the council. Miss Regina Glynn
