Row Person of the Year

PPU President, Pat Neill and committee, are delighted to announce that Vivian Guerin (class of 1974) has been selected as ROW Person of the Year for 2026. Vivian will be presented with the PV Doyle Trophy at the PPU annual dinner in the Westbury on Saturday November 1st. 2025.

Born (1957) and raised in Windy Arbour, Dublin. Eldest in a family of six children. Having attended Holy Cross National School, Dundrum, went on to secondary school at Westland Row CBS starting in 1969, completing the Leaving Certificate in 1974. Joined the Department of Social Welfare as a Clerical Officer in early 1975, before leaving to complete a Bachelor in Social Science degree (UCD – 1979 to 1982). Subsequently worked as a social worker with Dublin County Council, before joining the Irish Probation Service as a probation officer in 1987.

Worked in the Probation Service, in various roles and levels, for almost thirty-three years. Completed research master’s degree (MLitt) in social policy (TCD) in 1996, a Masters in Social Work (UCD) in 1997, and Diploma in Leadership and Management (ILM – 2010). Appointed national Director of the Probation Service in 2012, a position held for seven years, up to retirement at the end of 2019. While Probation Service Director, built organisational effectiveness, which saw proven reductions in rates of reoffending by people under probation supervision in Ireland and the Probation Service received a number of Public Service awards. (The Probation Service engages with and supervises around 15,000 people who have offended and been sanctioned by the criminal courts each year, managing community-based sanctions [including probation, community service and restorative justice] imposed by the Courts and helping the individuals involved towards reduced reoffending, rehabilitation and reintegration).

Since retiring from the Probation Service in 2019, appointed in 2020 to position of Adjunct Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work and Social Policy, TCD. Teaches modules on the two TCD social work programmes. Also guest lectures each year in UCC, Maynooth University and the Law Society. Commissioned by then Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD in 2020 to complete a review and report on drugs, crime and community safety and wellbeing in Drogheda, following the brutal murder of seventeen year old Keane Mulready-Woods there earlier that year. The report – Drogheda: Creating a Bridge to a Better Future – and its set of 73 recommendations for action was submitted to the Minister in January 2021, and the Drogheda Implementation Board was established to implement the recommendations of the report.

Was Chair of the Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW) from 2021 to 2025. Currently Chair of the Ana Liffey Drug Project; member of the Judicial Council’s Sentencing Guidelines and Information Committee; Board member of CUAN, the Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Agency; and Fellow of the (London based) Probation Institute. One of Ireland’s three representatives on the International Penal and Penitentiary Foundation (IPPF). Former member (up to end of 2023) and past-President (2016-2018) of the Council of Europe’s Council for Penological Cooperation (PC-CP), which develops European practice standards for prisons and probation services in Member States.

Undertakes consultancy projects for various criminal justice bodies, and specifically on behalf of the Academy of European Law (ERA), the Council of Europe and the United Nations Office of Crime and Drugs, including work on two international handbooks on implementation and delivery of probation programmes. Has had numerous articles published in academic journals and presented at various national and international social work and criminal justice conferences. In 2022, co-authored with Dr Shane McCarthy a book – Probation and Parole in Ireland: Law and Practice, which won the Irish Law Book of the Year award at the Irish Law Awards, 2022.

Married to Paula (Fitzpatrick) – from Stepaside – since 1983. Two children; son Karl, who lives in Kildare, and daughter Nicole who lives in Frankfurt, Germany, with her partner, Tim. One granddaughter – Lauren, 14 years – Karl’s daughter. Nicole is expecting a baby (Vivian and Paula’s second grandchild) at the end of 2025.

Interests: Community development, Spanish language and culture, travel, walking, reading, football, basketball, cycling, table tennis, theatre. Over the past couple of years, it has been great to reconnect with many former Row classmates in our class WhatsApp group and to meet up a couple of times a year.

The Past Pupils Union is delighted to announce that John Murray (class of 1962) has been elected ROW Person of the Year for 2025. John is one of six brothers who attended the ROW and who are still active members of the PPU. John, accompanied by his family and four brothers, was presented with the Award at our Annual Dinner on Saturday, January 28.

John has been a PPU committee member for many years and served as President in 2010/11. He continues to contribute greatly to all aspects of the PPU work and social activities, especially the organisation and running of the Annual Dinner. In her speech at the Dinner the School Principal Kate Byrne, congratulating John on the Award said it was “about time”, a recognition of the contribution John has made over the years to the school as well as the PPU.

John’s career, after leaving school in 1962, was spent in the Worlds of Accountancy and Life Assurance. He attributes his aptitude for figures to the excellent teaching in Maths which he got in the ROW. He believes that skill in numeracy is very important for all students on leaving school.

He started his career in 1962 as an audit clerk with Coopers and Lybrand (now PWC) and continued his studies in the evenings at the College of Commerce, Rathmines.

John’s next posting in 1963 was to the newly opened Intercontinental Hotel in Ballsbridge where he got his first introduction to computers, an IBM 4200 punch-card system. During this posting, JFK visited Ireland so the entire hotel was taken over by the US State Department. Exciting times indeed for a lad fresh out of school!!

John’s next assignment was at Aspro-Nicholas on the Naas Road. Whilst there he took up a position in the Cost and Works, Purchasing and Production Planning functions.

John’s further evening studies brought him to the NIHE where he made contacts who later enticed him to get involved in a start-up venture importing nursery/toy brands.

In accordance with the tradition John, accompanied by the President and a number of Committee members, visited the school and spoke with the fifth and sixth year pupils.

Pictures of the Dinner and the Presentation to John are available on our Blog. The pictures on this occasion were take by John’s son Stephen, a professional photographer who also workes as an architect and actor.