Old Navan school friends take trip down memory lane

A group of former schoolmates from the old De La Salle Boy's Primary School in Navan relived a school excursion of over 45 years ago when they reunited for a trip to Dublin last Friday. Some 22 members of third class from 1963/'64, together with senior boys, enjoyed a nostalgic reunion to replicate a school trip which had been organised by their teachers in conjunction with Fr Holloway, then Administrator of Navan parish, as a reward for the class with the best attendance that academic year. The attendance in third class was 97 per cent - a remarkably high figure, particularly in view of the fact that the pupils' average is only nine-and-a-half, the Meath Chronicle report of from July 1964 said. The 1964 trip took in an educational tour of Dublin by CIE bus, visiting the airport, docks, National Museum, Dail Eireann, Trinity College, the zoo and Portmarnock Strand. They had lunch and tea at Amiens Street Station restaurant. Last week's trip saw the group gather at their old alma mater, between 9am and 9.15am, as in their schooldays. They visited their former classroom and the old assembly hall where each student was presented with a copy of the roll from the 1963/'64 year, along with the photograph of the original students who had travelled. As on the original trip, Dublin Zoo was the first stop. From there, they went to Leinster House where, after a lunch, a guided tour of both Upper and Lower Houses was enjoyed, thanks to Deputy Damien English and Minster Dermot Ahern. The third location visited was a slight departure from the original as the Guinness Storehouse was explored, culminating in the customary one pint after which the original tour came into focus again and the bus hit for Portmarnock. The students had played a game of football on the beach there in 1964 and last week's travellers were not to be outdone despite the passing years and the persistent rain. A poignant and moving few minutes was spent in memory of six former classmates since gone to their eternal reward, on the strand. Frank Rogers, Richie Ledwidge, Jim Fay, Francis Clarke, Padraig Wall and Gerry Marmion were fondly remembered with words by their old schoolfriends and six yellow roses were gently floated out with the tide. On return to Navan, the group gathered at Michael Marmion's Bermingham's Pub at Ludlow Street where they were later joined by Andy O'Callaghan, Andy Hosie, Liam Dunne and Pat Lynch. During the course of the day, many former teachers with whom the group had contact were remembered, including Brother Dermot, both Brothers Damian, Brother Richard, Brothers Kevin, Leo, Cornelius and Fintan and lay teachers Liam Creavin and John Gallagher.