Dear Past Pupil,

Following the AGM of the PPU last month, I am delighted to be elected President of the Presentation College Bray Past Pupils Union for 2020 and leading into our centenary in 2021. This is my second stint as President having served during the Diamond Jubilee in 1996!

I wish to pay tribute to my predecessor, Brian Quigley, who served as President for four years from 2016 through to 2019. He helped keep the Past Pupils Union alive and is to be commended for his valiant efforts on all our behalves.  I am pleased to report Brian is staying on the committee in an ex-office capacity as we count down to the centenary. Indeed, I am fortunate to be able call on the experience of the existing committee, including Graham O’Neill, Michael Glynn, Michael Walsh and Brian Delahunty for the interesting times ahead.

The current Principal, Pat Gregory, was a teacher in the school when I attended during the 1970’s. I look forward to working with him over the coming months before he hangs up the chalk and takes his well-earned retirement.

Annual PPU Mass – Sunday 1st March 2020, 11am
The first event on this year’s calendar is the Annual Mass to remember deceased past pupils and their families. If you would like someone remembered, please drop me a mail at [email protected]. We are fortunate to be able call on past pupil, Fr. Eddie Creamer, to celebrate Mass and welcome all past pupils, young and old, together with their families to pop along to the college and enjoy a chat over a cup of coffee and some light refreshments following the Mass.

While it was disappointing that the schools’ Senior and Junior rugby teams made an early exit from their respective cup competitions, I was impressed by the manner in which the Junior Team won the Junior League in December for the first time in a decade. Trailing by 5 points at full time, Jack Murphy, son of past pupil and Ireland Skills coach, Richie Murphy, spotted the space on the edge and threw an amazing flat skip pass to Senan Rogan to score the leveller right in the corner. 24 all and time was up.
A sideline conversion to come…. Under the stand into the Wesley end…The perfect strike and the perfect end. The ball sailed over and the match was won (Jack is now a twitter sensation, his kick viewed almost 50,000 times at the time of writing!!). Queue wild celebrations. Finn Treacy accepted the cup on behalf of his squad, speaking lovely words in his speech.

This finish has amazing similarities to when Pres won the Junior Cup in 1975 with John Cullen scoring the try to level the match and Brendan Toolan slotting the touchline conversion to record the school’s first victory in the competition in 45 years. Hard to believe that was 45 years ago!

Rugby is very much back on track in the school with trojan work being done by the likes of Ger Glover with the Cubs and teacher Kevin Conroy as Director of Rugby, ably assisted by many of the teachers, coaches and other support staff. The Junior team coaches are Joe Duffy, Adam Philpot and past pupils Olan Savage and Stewart Gilbert with support from Richie Murphy. 

The Past Pupils Union is facing a challenge. While we do our bit to support the school in various ways, (the latest project is to refurbish the changing rooms), we need some new blood. If you have left Pres since the start of the Millennium and would like to give something back to your ‘Alma Mater’, please do contact me on 086 383 1300 to see how you can help.

If you are unable to join us for the Mass on 1st March, we hope you can diary some of the other activities later in the year, including;

Friday 15th May 2020, Annual Golf outing, Bray Golf Club
Friday 16th October 2020, Annual Presidents Dinner, Location TBC

Wishing you, the staff and pupils all the best for 2020.

Kind regards

Brendan Toolan
PPU President 1995, 1996, 2020