Moyne Latin School class of 60 years ago to meet again

Pictured right is a 2nd year class at the old Moyne Latin School, taken all of sixty years ago, in the autumn of 1963.
Four years later, this class of sixteen young lads sat their Greek Exam on 16 June 1967, the final day of their Leaving Cert.

Of those sixteen, eight of them were from Leitrim, six from Longford and two from Cavan - three provinces were represented.
Now, fifty-six years later, they are all “pensioners”, having experienced the joys and sorrows of life.

On Thursday, 1 June they will meet again, to talk and reminisce about the days when they cycled long distances in good weather and bad to study Latin and Greek.

The Leaving Cert class of 1967 was the last before the introduction of free education, school busses and third-level grants.
A new era was about to commence that September under Donogh O’Malley’s grand scheme for Irish education.

Neither did they have the pleasure (or temptation) of sitting beside girls in class, as it was boys-only until autumn 1967.
It was a humble school in ways, with just five teachers, five rooms and seven subjects.

The school had a historic reputation for preparing young men for the priesthood and two of the 1967 Leaving Cert class became priests, Fr Pat Lennon, now Parish Priest in Dromard and Fr Michael Kiernan who has served his priestly life in Sacramento, California.

The class will meet at the old Moyne Latin School, now the Community Centre, on Thursday, 1 June at 3.00pm and anyone who may have been in the group in first year will be welcome to call.
Beidh fáilte romhaibh.

Pictured above : Back row: Michael McCabe, Rocullion, Cloone; Gerry Masterson, Beaghmore Carrigallen; Gene Dowling, Rathmore, Aughnacliffe, Pat Redehan, Corglass, Moyne; Ciarán O’Rourke, Druminbawn, Aughavas; Bernard Grimes, Beaghmore, Carrigallen; Donal Brady, Loughdavin, Loughduff, Benny Cumiskey, Berneyhill, Gowna. Front Row: Gerry Lyons, Carrigallen; Seán Ó Súilleabháin, Aughakine, Aughnacliffe; Pat Lennon, Crealaughta, Ballinamuck; Michael Kiernan, Bandra, Ballinamuck; Liam McNamee, Drumkeeran, Cloone; Mark Reilly, Berinagh, Moyne; Éamonn Maguire, Carrigallen. (Four others not in the photo on that day - John Lee, Drummerkane, Aughavas, John Dermody, Mullinroe, Dring, Peter Lee, Carrigallen and John Francis Murtagh, Legga)