Reunions rekindle alumni bonds and friendships
St Patrick’s Class of 1970 reunite in Drumcondra
In August 2022, the Class of 1970 held a (Covid-delayed) 50th anniversary celebration at St Patrick’s Campus. Deceased classmates were remembered in a prayer service by Fr Paul Hampson, accompanied by music from class members. The evening proceeded with a tour of Belvedere Library, and a class photograph was followed by a drinks reception hosted by the DCU Alumni Office. DCU President Prof Dáire Keogh and DCU Institute of Education Executive Dean Prof Anne Looney extended a warm welcome address to alumni returning to the campus for this special occasion. Congratulations to the organising committee led by Jim Kells and Michael Griffin for their commitment to this event.
“It was a brilliant get together and a respectful commemoration to all our deceased colleagues,” said 1970 graduate Frank Coen. “It was great to meet and chat – a huge thanks to the organising committee.”
His classmate John Harrigan said: “What a wonderful experience our reunion was. My head is still buzzing from stories shared and heard, the memories of old days, the joy of catching up with fellow Bangor House residents and the remarkable classmates from other houses. We were seeds back in 1970. These have flowered, fruited and spread far and wide in the educational landscape. Happiness held is the seed; happiness shared is the flower.”
Fifty years a-growing
The Caoga Bliain ag Fás group reunited on the St Patrick’s Campus to celebrate the 50th anniversary reunion for the St Patrick’s graduation Class of 1972. Some attendees stayed in campus accommodation with some placed in their original houses – Glendalough, Bangor, Clonmacnoise and Moville. Back in 1971, Declan Kelleher led his year group in a protest to express frustration over the short duration of their course. On a visit to the college, the protestors blocked the Minister’s car in the driveway for 15 minutes. At the time, studies could be completed in two years. The BEd is now a four-year long degree including placement. This protest meant that the group did not receive a graduation ceremony. To mark the 50th anniversary, the group re-enacted the protest during their reunion celebrations. This was followed by a service in the campus chapel to commemorate their fallen classmates. The service was led by Father Kevin Moore, son of the Class of 1972’s Irish lecturer, Seamus Ó Mórdha.
The ceremony concluded with a moving speech from DCU President, Prof Dáire Keogh. He emphasised how the class has embodied the meaning of ‘Dóchas Éireann’ (Ireland’s Hope). This was the name of the St. Patrick’s College GAA club. Executive Dean of the DCU Institute of Education, Prof Anne Looney, welcomed the Class of 1972 to the Cregan Library. There, Prof Looney spoke about the progress and development of the university since their time. She echoed Prof Keogh’s sentiment by noting the positive impact that the class of 1972 have had on the students and future teachers of Ireland.
“Re-establishing college reunions after a Covid driven gap of more than two years was always going to be a challenge,” said the event organisers Declan Kelleher and Matt Hume.
“However, the task was certainly made easier due to the encouragement, experience and sheer professionalism afforded to us by the administrative staff in DCU Alumni.
“From the very first tentative conversations, through the many rounds of Zoom meetings and the final face-to-face engagements, we were overwhelmed by the sheer enthusiasm of our alumni friends. There was a real openness to engage with our ideas and requests. The facilities provided by the excellent teams in DCU Accommodation, DCU Catering, together with security and housekeeping, were all top class.
“Tá muidne fíor bhuíoch dóibh ar fad as deireadh seachtaine a bhí thar barr. Gura fada buan iad.”
Celebrating Reunion Years Golden Anniversaries
The Classes of 1973 and 1974 will celebrate their 50th Anniversary reunion year in 2023 and 2024. Details are available at dcu.ie/alumnievents
Mechatronic engineering alumni celebrate 20th anniversary.
In October 2022, the 2002 Mechatronic Engineering Class gathered at the DCU Glasnevin Campus to celebrate their 20th anniversary year. The evening featured a welcome reception by the faculty with addresses from DCU President Prof Dáire Keogh and the Heads of School. Entertainment for the event, organised by Enda Levey, was provided by DCU Trad Society.
“Reuniting with University friends was fantastic. From diverse backgrounds entering University life, we each carved a unique path,” said Enda. “Over the last 20 years, the industries that have benefited from our education and experience at Dublin City University are equally distinct and varied. The most important fact is that DCU provided the common link, and our friendships endure.
“I highly recommend working with the DCU Alumni Office to help organise any gathering of friends that you have made while studying at Dublin City University. We had an outstanding evening that stretched late into the night,” added Enda. “It was wonderful to return from overseas and visit the great group of people I studied with,” said his classmate Mick O’Neill. “It rekindled an excitement to reconnect and to stay in touch. It reminded me of why I became an engineer in the first place.”
2001 eCommerce alumni reunite in Glasnevin Graduates of the 2001 MSc in eCommerce returned to celebrate an alumni reunion on the DCU Glasnevin Campus. The Alumni Office was delighted to assist the class in marking their reunion year. We welcomed graduates from the class who travelled from New York and Barcelona to attend the event, and it was great to hear class members share stories of their time here at DCU.
The evening commenced with a welcome reception in the Business School, followed by a campus tour, class photograph and a reception in the 1838 restaurant. Some members of the class had stayed in contact with the University through their engagement with international alumni chapter events or by participating in our mentorship programme. For others it was a great opportunity to return to their alma mater and reconnect with DCU. DCU President Prof Dáire Keogh extended a warm welcome to the class on return to the Glasnevin campus and provided updates on future developments here at DCU. Special thanks to class reunion organiser Peter O’Halloran for booking the class reunion date in this year’s alumni calendar.
Reunions rekindle alumni bonds and friendships