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Voices Of Pres Voice Of Cork

Ep.3 - Scholars Of The Arts

Season 1, Ep. 3

We look at the Arts in Pres as we go down memory lane with Oxford Professor and award winning poet Bernard O Donoghue as he recalls his year in Pres in 196/62. Eoghan Harris talks about debating in Pres in the 1950s and recites a poem he wrote as a 15-year-old. We're graced by a song from Noel Walsh who remembers Gilbert and Sullivan musicals during his time in Pres. Renowned actor, Kieran Ahern talks about his acting career and his 6 decades spent in Pres as a student and teacher including the establishment of a media center in the school by Brother Jerome in the 70s. To close out the show Dan Donovan recites a piece from the archives and talks about acting and theatre as a student in Pres in the 1940s.



This podcast is presented by PBC alumni George Hook and Ronan McAuliffe. It was produced by PBC teacher Éanna O'Loinsigh with Elaine Smith on sound and post production and piano composition by PBC student Liam Ring. Thank you to our contributors for sharing the stories and fond memories and to Presentation Brothers College Cork for their continued support.

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  • 10. Ep.10 - A Passion For Pres

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    We have two men who hold an incredible passion for Presentation Brothers College Cork. UP first is Dan Donovan where he talks passionately about his time in Pres in the 1930's and 40's including detailed descriptions of Brother Connolly and Loyola and shares lovely sketches and appreciations of the teachers who taught him in those years, both. To close out the series and in such a fitting manner, is the man whose innovation to creativity and teaching, introduced podcasting to PBC. Caleb Sheehan sat down as he reflects on his time teaching at Pres, his absolute passion and love for the school and his outlook on life now facing MND. It is a very strikinginterview and perhaps shows more than any interviewee on the series, just how much Pres can mean to one person.This podcast is presented by PBC alumni George Hook and Ronan McAuliffe. It was produced by PBC teacher Éanna O'Loinsigh with Elaine Smith on sound and post production and piano composition by PBC student Liam Ring. Thank you to our contributors for sharing the stories and fond memories and to Presentation Brothers College Cork for their continued support.
  • 9. Ep.9 - Memories Of The Past, Plans For The Future

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    We hear from memories on the pitch with PBC rugby and in particular from one of the legendary figures of Pres, Munster and Irish rugby in the 1960's and 70's - the great Barry McGann who is also, as far as we know, the only Pres boy to line out against the Dutch football wizard, Johann Cruyff in a competitive international. We also revisit some sadder moments in PBC rugby history as Barry remembers Pat Barry and Noel Walsh recalls his death at Thomond Park in 1965. Ray Clarke who was present as a member of the Senior Cup team at training in Wilton on that fateful day in 1979 remembers Des Barry. To hear about the future of the school, Jack O Sullivan, Chairman of P.B.C. Board of Management reflects on his time at Pres while Michael Sexton outlines his role as CEO of the PBST and his vision for the school.This podcast is presented by PBC alumni George Hook and Ronan McAuliffe. It was produced by PBC teacher Éanna O'Loinsigh with Elaine Smith on sound and post production and piano composition by PBC student Liam Ring. Thank you to our contributors for sharing the stories and fond memories and to Presentation Brothers College Cork for their continued support.
  • 8. Ep.8 - Success Beyond School

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    We hear some stories from those who had success outside of the school grounds, by those who had success in Cork and beyond. Musician Johnny Campbell recalls his time at Pres and his musical career touring Hamburg in 1966 with the legendary Rory Gallagher. Olympic swimmer Brian Clifford remembers representing Ireland at the 1972 Games while only 16 as well as his selection for the first Ireland Schoolboys rugby team. To close the show Declan Hasset reminisces on his long life in journalism and the arts as well as his recollections of Pres in the 40's and 50's.
  • 8. Ep.7 - Culture And Cork

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    It's an eclectic mix of stories from society, culture, history and what Cork was like way back when. Firstly, we focus on a very interesting aspect of Presentation Brothers College history and indeed Cork social history: Pres and the Jewish community. We begin with a brief segment from Dan Cowhie as he recounts the Jewish students in his class in Pres in 1934 before moving onto an interview with David Goldberg who tells us about his father, Gerald, a Pres boy and the first Jewish Lord Mayor of Cork. We feature an interview with Fergus Finlay, a Pres student in both Pres Bray and Pres Cork who talks about Pres and his career as a political advisor with Labour and CEO of Barnardos. To close, we feature an interview with the late Kieran Clancy on his schooldays in Pres in the 40's and early 50's as well as his wartime memories and the pub trade in Cork.This podcast is presented by PBC alumni George Hook and Ronan McAuliffe. It was produced by PBC teacher Éanna O'Loinsigh with Elaine Smith on sound and post production and piano composition by PBC student Liam Ring. Thank you to our contributors for sharing the stories and fond memories and to Presentation Brothers College Cork for their continued support.
  • 6. Ep.6 - A Sporting School

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    It's not just rugby that the school is renowned for, given its stunning location on the banks of the River Lee, it was inevitable that rowing would play a part in the sporting history of theschool. Dan Cowhie recalls sitting on Tivoli Docks watching regattas in the early 1930's. We hear from former principal, Michael Hennessy who was instrumental in the resurrection of rowing in Pres in the 1970's, 80's and indeed right up to the present day. Moving to the field, soccer in Pres and its long history is recounted by Noel Spillane while Larry O Neill tells us about his father Liam and Ken O Riordan talks about schoolboy soccer in Pres and Cork in the 60's. Another sport that would be inevitable considering the proximity to the Cork Cricket club, we hear about the great tradition of one of the oldest games in the school with reminisces from Noel Walsh and also Peter Dineen on a great Pres cricketer, his father Pat and finally we link back to cricket and Pres in 2024.This podcast is presented by PBC alumni George Hook and Ronan McAuliffe. It was produced by PBC teacher Éanna O'Loinsigh with Elaine Smith on sound and post production and piano composition by PBC student Liam Ring. Thank you to our contributors for sharing the stories and fond memories and to Presentation Brothers College Cork for their continued support.
  • 5. Ep.5 - Voices Of Pres

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    Let's take walk throught the school halls and hear from those who graced the classes with the voices of Pres alumni, men now in their late 70's and early 80's who reminisce on their time in the school but alsofocus on their lives after they left the front gates here on the Mardyke for the last time. We hear from former Lord Mayor Michael Ahern, a Pres scholarship student whose political leanings were fostered selling newspapers door to door in the poverty-ridden Marsh here in Cork City in the late 1940's. Entrepreneur, Michael O Connell, cornered the lucrative 3 stripes Adidas market in this country in the 1960's and recalls selling gear to the Irish rugby team from the boot of his car. Another incredibly successful entrepreneur and financial giant, Brian McCarthy of Fexco discusses his career after Pres. Finally to lands beyond the school, Father Gerry Murphy talks about his life as a Columban Father and his mission in the Philippines.This podcast is presented by PBC alumni George Hook and Ronan McAuliffe. It was produced by PBC teacher Éanna O'Loinsigh with Elaine Smith on sound and post production and piano composition by PBC student Liam Ring. Thank you to our contributors for sharing the stories and fond memories and to Presentation Brothers College Cork for their continued support.
  • 4. Ep. 4 - Voices Of Cork

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    Let's take a trip down memory lane to Cork in the 1920's with Dan Cowhie who paints a picture of our beautiful city at the time and remembers the trams and bustle of the city centre in the 30's. What did school children do in their spare time back then? Well, Michael O'Callaghan talks about his childhood games and road bowling in the 1930's over Cork's Viaduct. Onto more difficult times, Seamus O'Mahony remembers the scourge of the 40's and 50's - TB and Polio while Eoghan Harris reminisces on his mother and the poverty in the Cork of his childhood. To close out, Brother Matthew and Kieran Clancy remember World War 2 in the city and the first time oranges made it to the shores of Cork.This podcast is presented by PBC alumni George Hook and Ronan McAuliffe. It was produced by PBC teacher Éanna O'Loinsigh with Elaine Smith on sound and post production and piano composition by PBC student Liam Ring. Thank you to our contributors for sharing the stories and fond memories and to Presentation Brothers College Cork for their continued support.
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