News of The Past

13th November 2024

On June 12th, 2024, Clongowes welcomed French Ambassador to Ireland, His Excellency Mr. Vincent Guérend, for the annual Fr Peter Kenney Day event hosted by Fr Rector Michael Sheil S.J. This celebration in honour of Fr Peter Kenney’s founding of the college in 1814, highlighted the accomplishments of distinguished Old Clongownians who have been awarded…read article

8th February 2024

The following is a statement released on 8th February 2024 by the Irish Jesuit Province: The Irish Jesuit Order has welcomed the publication of a narrative record of the abuse perpetrated by Fr Joseph Marmion SJ on students in Jesuit schools. Fr Joseph Marmion SJ. His abuse, the harm caused and Jesuit accountability: A narrative…read article

19th December 2023

The Importance of Giving A celebration of those who have given to Clongowes past and present took place on Sunday 10th December at Clongowes as part of our annual Mass of Thanksgiving for Benefactors.  The role of giving has always been of great importance in the story of Clongowes allowing the school to develop and…read article

14th November 2023

On September 2, 2023, the Rhetoric ’93 boys drove up the avenue in a Bartons bus, feeling the mix of apprehension and excitement we all have felt after a long break.  This break was slightly longer.  On a gloriously sunny day this moderately older bunch of young lads were greeted in front of the castle…read article

26th June 2023

Dr Pat McCarthy, Joe Rooney & Antoinette Kelly. As we conclude the 209th Academic year since the foundation of Clongowes Wood College 100+ Old Clongownians and their guests took the opportunity to revisit the college on June 14th.  This annual event which celebrates the founding of the College by Fr Peter Kenney in 1814 is…read article

7th February 2022

To mark the 140th anniversary of the birth of James Joyce, Fr Bruce Bradley SJ shares an insight into life at Clongowes during Joyce’s time at the school: James Joyce was a student at Clongowes Wood College near Clane, in Co. Kildare, for three years and a term, from the autumn of 1888 until just…read article

30th July 2021

The following is information published by the Jesuit Province for past pupils impacted by Joseph Marmion SJ   Barbara Walshe and Catherine O’Connell have worked extensively both as practitioners and as academics in the advancement of restorative justice processes. They are now engaged in an independent process with survivors of abuse by Joseph Marmion SJ….read article

9th July 2021

The Foundation and College are deeply grateful to the late Richard (Dick), Robinson who in his will, generously bequeathed a substantial legacy to the Foundation.  Born in 1920, Dick lived into his 100th year. Richard Robinson of Newberry Hall, Carbury, County Kildare, attended Clongowes between 1932 and 1938, where his uncle Fr. Mathias Bodkin S.J….read article

22nd June 2021

It is with great sadness that we learnt of the death of Professor J. Peter Neary. Born in Drogheda in 1950, Peter left Clongowes in 1967. He was the Rhetoric Imperator winning prizes in Latin, Irish, Mathematics, French and History and was secretary of the House Debating Society. He went on to study economics at…read article

17th June 2021

James Lambe – 7th July 1998 –  17th May 2021     It should come as no surprise to anyone if I say that the past month has been a very special God-given time during which we were blessed to see Him putting the finishing touches to one of His rare masterpieces – as we gathered…read article