Presidents Message
Dear Past Pupils,
Thank you for logging in to the Westland Row PPU website, and I hope this message finds you all well.
I’m pleased to report your Committee is back working after the summer break and has started planning for the regular annual events which have just been announced. Firstly there is the Annual Mass for deceased Past Pupils which takes place on Sunday 1st December at St. Andrew’s Church Westland Row and the PPU Annual Dinner which takes place as usual at the Westbury Hotel on Saturday 25th January 2025. We would like to see as many past pupils as possible at these events and as always, we appreciate your support.
Sadly, as the Committee reconvenes, we reflect on the loss of a great supporter and Committee member, with the unexpected passing of our colleague Jerry Carroll in May of this year. Jerry was a former Past President of the PPU and also served for many years as Chairman of the School’s Board of Management. We will miss Jerry’s friendship, wisdom and experience on the Committee and we extend our sincere sympathies to Jerry’s wife Mary, their children and extended family.
The 2024-25 school year is now well under way and September 2024 saw a group of 27 new students joining first year, which brings the school close to capacity at 205 students. We wish all students an enjoyable and successful year at the “Row”.
Thanks to the ongoing support of our members with their annual subscriptions and occasional donations, the PPU currently makes a number of scholarship awards to deserving students each year. We are currently in discussion with the School Principal about the distribution of the 2024 awards and expect to complete this over the next few weeks. We have also resumed sponsorship of the “Student of the Year” awards and were pleased to present these to the Class of 2023-24 at their awards day in June 2024.
Finally, I would ask all past pupils to consider getting back in touch with your former colleagues from the school. The Past Pupils Union belongs to all who attended the “Row” and our continued success depends on the goodwill of all former “Row” students. Regardless of when you attended, or how many years you spent at the school, the Past Pupils Union has a welcome for everyone and we look forward to meeting you at one of our upcoming events!
Dan Ferrari
President
