Westland Row – PUPILS UNION

As has been the tradition for a number of years the PPU Annual Dinner is scheduled to take place on the last Saturday in January, January 27 2024. The hotelier, PV Doyle, was one of the first winners of the Row Man (now Row Person) of the Year Award and through the support of his family we have enjoyed the hospitality of the hotels in the Doyle Group, latterly the Westbury, for our Annual Dinner. Photos from previous dinners are included in the Blog.

Gerry Keenan (Class of ‘71) has been selected as the Row Person for 2024 and will be presented with the Award at the Dinner.

Members wanting to attend this year’s Dinner should advice the Secretary, John Cullen, as soon as possible – email [email protected], or by phone 087 231 2728.

We look forward to welcoming past pupils to the Westbury on the evening.

Each year the Archbishop of Dublin celebrates a Mass in Westland Row Church commemorating Sr Andrew’s Day. Past pupils who died during the past year are also remembered in the Mass.

While the PPU normally learns about the deaths of past pupils it is inevitable that some deaths will be missed. Anyone who knows of any such deaths is asked to advise the Secretary.

This year’s Mass was celebrated by the Archbishop of Dublin, Dermot Farrell, on Sunday December 3. 2023. By arrangement with the Parish deceased past pupils are included in the prayers of the Mass. Their names also appear on the Parish Newsletter and Mass leaflet. An unusually large number of past pupils passed away since the 2022 Mass. The following were included in the prayers – Noel Halloran, Stephen Kenny, Michael Doyle, Paul Kealy, Ian McGarry, Martin Conway, Denis McKennedy, Bryan O’Higgins, Gerry Hammond and Willie Meier. May they all rest in peace.

The PPU was well represented in the congregation by a large number of past pupils including Monsignor Dan O’Connor and our Chaplain, Fr. Eugene McCarthy, who was a con-celebrant on the altar with the Archbishop and Fr. Enda Cunningham, the Parish Administrator.

The President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, was amongst the VIP members of the Congregation.

Each year the PPU makes an Award to one of our past pupils. The Award is typically made to a past pupils who has made a significant contribution in business, the public sector, academia or sport and or who has made a contribution to the school or the work of the PPU. Members are invited to nominate suitable candidates. The 2023 Award was made to Gerry Davey to recognize the contribution he made to sport generally and in particular to commemorate the goal he scored in winning the 1963 All Ireland Football Final. Gerry was one of a number of Davey brothers who attended the Row.

The Award was presented at the 2023 Annual Dinner where, thanks to modern technology, the attendance was treated to a replay of the winner goal (in full technicolor).

Gerry is one of a number of leading figures in sport who received the Award. Other sportsmen who received the Award included Jackie Carey, one of Manchester United’s icons, Gerry Mackay, who captained the famous Shamrock Rovers team in the 1960’s, Ken Doherty for winning the World Snooker Championship, Ray Tracey, international soccer star and subsequent media pundit, Chris Kane who was a member of the 1963 Dublin winning team with Gerry Davey (and also had a very successful career with Board Failte) and Brendan “Ginger O’Brien one of our the country’s outstanding cricketers whose sons have been stalwarts of the recent Irish Cricket team.

Past Row Persons of the Year