Headmaster’s Address to the Clongowes Union Dinner: 5th February 2016 Mr President, Fr Provincial and Reverend Fathers, Guests, members of Staff, and Old Clongownians, as we gather as an extended community, it is a great pleasure to have the opportunity to address you. It is some 109 years since the inaugural annual Union dinner in 1897. History is being made, in this our 202nd year, as both a layman, and an Englishman to boot, speaks at the Union Dinner for the first time as the College’s Headmaster. In the words of our Rector, Fr Sheil, history is also being made, as far as we know that is, that the Headmaster is accompanied by his wife, and Clongowes now has, in Eileen, its ‘First Lady’! It is a delight for us to be here with you this evening. With our two sons joining the Clongowes family as boarders, we are experiencing life as parents too. The sense of welcome we have received from all quarters, the resident Jesuit community and the Order, and our sister Jesuit schools, the boys, staff, parents and Old Clongownians, has been simply exceptional, and for that we are most grateful. My early months in Clongowes have been hugely enjoyable, gaining a sense of what makes the College just so special to so many. I am treading where others have gone before me for over 200 years, and it is beholden upon me to be mindful of that as I now lead and manage the College community day-to-day and begin to plan for its future. My understanding and deep appreciation of Jesuit spirituality and education was nurtured during my years as the Assistant Headmaster in Mount St Mary’s College, our sister Jesuit boarding school, in the north of England prior to first becoming a Headmaster 12 years ago. So, what are some of my early impressions of Clongowes? In this 2016 Olympic year, I am reminded that almost 2500 years ago, at the time of the ancient Greek Olympics, Aristotle insisted on the duty of every citizen to be a participator in community life and said we should not be: “Solitary pieces in a game of chess” There is nothing at all solitary about life in Clongowes; quite the reverse in fact. The College has a vibrant community, which has such a strong sense of its own identity. Sadly we do live in a society where the idea of ‘community’ is all too often seen as something which is old fashioned, where the needs of the individual seem to be more important than the greater good or benefit of all. Well, not in Clongowes. Our sense of community really is palpable. Boys and staff are charged with playing their part to the full in the daily life of the school. The way in which we work and live alongside one another is governed by our Jesuit values, which, quite simply, encapsulate our guiding principles and the basis of the school community. Our Ethos Programme is underpinned by a varied and challenging liturgical calendar, and crucially a focus on social inclusion and justice. Boarding life, and our sport, music, and drama and a strong co-curricular programme develop the whole, well-rounded individual. Academic achievement and excellence are a vital foundation – indeed education in the Jesuit tradition would be a contradiction in terms if we were not to provide academic rigour. My induction into school life has taken an altogether different tack in recent weeks as the rugby Cup season has come upon us. It has been quite a revelation to witness how the

excitement and interest of the boys and the staff has been at least equalled by parents and Old Clongownians! That we actually have organised chanting practices in the Concourse beforehand adds to the sense of razzmatazz around Cup Rugby! We were all delighted, of course, that the Senior Cup Team came through its first round match against Kings Hospital quite comfortably in the end and a second round tie against CBC Monkstown awaits us next Tuesday. My congratulations are extended too this evening to our Junior Cup Team for their fine win against Kilkenny College this afternoon It was Aristotle again who said: “Without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods.” That is as true today as it was all those years ago. The power of friendship transcends most experiences. Clongowes is characterised by its friendly atmosphere and closeness of relationships, which become lifelong friendships – this evening is testament to that. As I have begun to get to know this year’s Rhetoric (and we have our School Captain, Vice-Captain and Secretary here this evening representing the boys), I am already recognising that it will be a big step for them as they leave - exciting, but probably also tinged with a hint of sadness. I will be saying to them: “Remember the education you have received. Remember the fun you have had, and the good things you have done. Remember too the things that you stand for, the moral compass Clongowes has developed in you, and the keen sense of justice you feel. Have the courage of your convictions, and hold on to your friendships.” I became a teacher some 30 years ago because of my fundamental interest in teaching young people and in learning from them. This has remained my central focus and the rewards of seeing young people mature, find direction and a sense of community are deep, lasting and immeasurable. I have long believed that a school is judged, above all, by the quality of its community life, by the values, which are practised by its members, and by the attitudes and principles of its past pupils. Without wishing to slip into easy self-congratulation, in this essential respect I believe Clongowes, both past and present, can take great pride. I look forward to having the opportunity of speaking with many of you during the rest of the evening and indeed over the years ahead. Thank you Chris Lumb