Power of a good education

In the annals of educational history, the 150-year journey of Saint Patrick’s College in Cavan Town stands as testament to resilience, excellence, and the enduring impact of nurturing young minds.

Amidst the backdrop of social progress and cultural transformation, it was Cardinal Paul Cullen, Archbishop of Dublin, who laid the foundation stone of the then new school, which first opened March 12, 1874. It replaced the former St Augustine’ Seminary on Farnham Street.

Designed by architect William Hague Jr using stone hewn from Ross Quarry near Oldcastle, the new school emerged as a beacon of enlightenment, shaping the destinies of countless individuals. The original Hague building, and present-day Kilmore Diocesan Pastoral Centre, continues the legacy of providing an holistic education rooted in Christian values and a commitment to service.

Tuesday, March 12 marked the sesquicentennial milestone, and later this week Bishop of Kilmore Martin Hayes will celebrate a special Mass in the Cathedral of Saint Patrick & Saint Felim on Saturday, March 16 (11am).

Following this a number of commemorative events are scheduled to take place in the original college building, including a short talk by Monsignor Liam Kelly, followed by refreshments. Past students, teachers, and friends of the college are especially welcome to attend.

George Cartwright is chair of the college’s 150 year commemoration committee. He was a student at Saint Patrick’s College during the centenary in March 1974, when Cardinal William Conway, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All-Ireland joined by President of Ireland Erskine Childers and the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, Rev Gaetano Alibrandi, visited for the celebrations.

That occasion was marked by the unveiling of a plaque to school founder Rev Nicholas Conaty, Bishop of Kilmore.

“We’re 50 more years on now,” said Mr Cartwright. “Obviously there are celebrations for Saint Patrick’s College, but there are also celebrations for the Pastoral Centre, a more recent addition, but one that has flourished.”

Mr Cartwright says the halls of Saint Patrick’s College have echoed with the footsteps of those who would go on to become leaders, from politics to business, science and the arts.

“Each bear witness to the transformative power of education,” regards Mr Cartwright, also stating that at the heart of Saint Patrick’s College is an ethos embedded in fostering not only intellectual growth but also “moral integrity and social responsibility”.

“It has always been a place where a tradition of excellence was encouraged, where students were urged to explore their potential. As Saint Patrick’s College celebrates its sesquicentennial anniversary, it is not merely commemorating a milestone but celebrating a legacy of empowerment and inspiration,” said Mr Cartwright. A native of Butlersbridge, Raymond Dunne was a student at Saint Patrick’s College from 1958 to 1963, and later returned to join the teaching staff in 1969.

From 1974 until his retirement in 2005 he was guidance counsellor in the college, and through that role has borne witness to generations, each leaving their own unique imprint on the school’s rich and historic tapestry. He feels, that since its formation, Saint Patrick’s College has “transformed the prevailing ecclesiastical, education, economic, and social landscape” of the diocese and further afield.

“The Diocesan Education Project, begun in 1839, has enriched and really changed so many people’s lives,” he considers, by creating and providing “confident and educated leaders to the parishes of the Kilmore diocese and beyond”.

He says, through setting high standards in education and formation, the college has had an “empowering and liberating influence”, giving a “head start” in life to a great many.

“It is fitting to recall and salute, on this sesquicentenary of the opening of Saint Patrick’s College, the dedicated contributions made down through the decades, by the Kilmore diaspora, people and the staff and past pupils of the college,” said Mr Dunne.

Patsy Lee was “privileged” to make history and become the first Lay Principal at Saint Patrick’s College (2004-05), ending the tradition of having a priest at the helm, dating back to Fr Bernard Finegan in 1874.

A past pupil from 1958-63, four years later, he became a teacher there. When he started he shared a staffroom with the likes of future Cardinal Séan Brady, Fr Fintan McKiernan, and Fr John Murphy.

“After teaching under seven Priest Principals, I appreciated greatly the contribution of the many priest colleagues and nuns who had contributed educationally and financially to the school.

“By 2004 the school had expanded to include very professional men and women teachers and an ever increasing number of students, then all day pupils.”

It was Mr Lee alongside Fr Gerard Alwill who set the “wheels in motion” for a redesign of St Patrick’s College to meet modern students’ needs. “While looking back with fondness on the old school buildings, I admire the new school with its amazing facilities.

“I salute all who made St Patrick’s College Cavan an educational, cultural and sporting success for 150 years.”

Séan Coll is Director of the Kilmore Diocesan Pastoral Centre and a proud past pupil of the school from 1977-82. He believes that as society grapples with unprecedented challenges, the college building and what it stands for, remains a bastion of hope, equipping those who attend with the tools needed to navigate an ever-changing world with wisdom, integrity, and grace.

“When the school was first built in the 1870s the diocese was coming out of what was a period of pastoral reform, and you look at today, the church in Kilmore and universally is also moving into a new phase of pastoral development. The centre will continue in that role, of still being a centre of education, of formation, of support, of well-being.”

Current college principal, Christopher Rowley, helped oversee the transition from the old building into the new state-of-the-art €9 million school, officially opened in May 2013.

Under his custodianship Saint Patrick’s College is set to see pupil numbers exceed 800 in 2024/25 year for the first time in its honourable history.

It is his belief that whether students went on to become captains of industry, champions of social justice, or even ambassadors of goodwill, they carry with them the “values instilled during their formative years” at Saint Patrick’s College. Today, the school is as “committed” as ever to nurturing the hearts and minds of tomorrow’s leaders, ensuring this legacy endures for another 150 years and beyond.