Presentation Brothers College, Cork
PBC Cork | |
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File:PBC-Cork-Crest.jpg | |
Location | |
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Mardyke, Cork Ireland | |
Information | |
Type | Private |
Motto | Viriliter Age (Act Manly) |
Established | 1878 |
Principal | Michael Hennessy |
Enrollment | 678 |
Colors | Mauve, Black and White |
Website | http://www.pbc-cork.ie/ |
Presentation Brothers College (Irish: Coláiste na Toirbhirte; colloquially known as PBC or Pres) is a Catholic, boys-only, fee-paying college based in Cork, Ireland.
The college's traditional rival is Christian Brothers College; as the two main fee paying all-boys schools in Cork, both share similar histories, student bases, and sporting and academic traditions.
History
The college was founded by the Presentation Brothers in 1878, in the South Mall. Soon afterwards it moved to the Grand Parade and, in 1887, to the Western Road. In 1985, the college moved to a new building on the Mardyke on the site of the college's rugby facilities; the Western Road premises is now owned and used by UCC. The college has developed new rugby facilities at Dennehy's Cross & uses Shandon Boat Club, for rowing.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/44/ShareCrib2006.jpg/250px-ShareCrib2006.jpg)
In 1969, Brother Jerome Kelly returned home from missionary work in the West Indies and was appointed principal of the college.[1] He organised a series of workshops, in which the students of Presentation College were encouraged to think globally and act locally:[1]
"Imbuing teenagers with a sense of responsibility and social consciousness is a vital part of any education, and it was with this in mind that Brother Jerome sent his senior Pres students out to walk the streets of Cork…"[2]
The result was the founding of the charity Students Harness Aid for the Relief of the Elderly in 1970.[1] SHARE expanded and now includes pupils from other secondary schools in Cork city.[1]
In 2005, the Preslink organisation was founded in the school; a group of junior students whose stated aim is to forge links with other Presentation Brothers communities.[3] In 2006, the organisation received an "Edmund Rice Award", which recognises groups that work to improve the lives of others.[3]
Curriculum
The school offers both the Junior and Leaving Certificate cycles. It has been named the best boys' secondary School outside Dublin by the Irish Examiner. The current Curriculum teaches First Years : Religion; Irish as L2; English as L1; Mathematics; Latin; French as L2; German as L2; Science; Business Studies; History ; Geography; CSPE; SPHE ; Art; and Physical Education. In Second Year, the students may choose to drop one of the (L2) foreign languages. Unusually for a private school, streaming is not used until Third Year.
After completing the Junior Certificate, the college requires students to complete a mandatory Transition Year. In 5th year, students begin the Leaving Cert cycle. At the Leaving Certificate level, the college offers a wide range of courses. Irish as L2, English L1 and Mathematics are compulsory. One language must be taken from French as L2, German as L2 and Latin. Any three optional subjects may be taken from the Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology), the Businesses (Business Studies, Accounting, Economics), the Humanities (History, Geography and Art) and Applied Mathematics.
Extra-curricular activities and sport
Debating
The college has achieved notable success in debating, having been many times winner of the All-Ireland Schools' Debating Competition and other competitions. Pres also won the 2005 St. Aloysius College First Year competition, and came runner-up in both the 2006 and 2008 Cork City Schools Debating Competition (the most important junior debating competition outside Dublin). [1]
Drama
The school has a strong drama tradition; the Cork Film Festival, was founded by a former Pres student. From 1977-2003, the Debating and Drama teacher was the internationally-known writer William Wall. The current drama teacher is actor Kieran Aherne (known for his role in The Wind That Shakes the Barley[4]). The Pres Drama society has become especially well-known since its production of Seán O'Casey's Juno and the Paycock, staged in the school's Dan Donovan Theatre in 2006. This was followed up in 2008 by a production of Brian Friel's Philadelphia Here I Come! and in 2009 by J.M. Synge's Playboy of the Western World, both also directed by Aherne.
Rowing
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Croker_Sculling_Oars.jpg/150px-Croker_Sculling_Oars.jpg)
PBC has had many students who have been members of the various Cork rowing clubs since 1890, some of whom have won Irish Championships with these clubs but never as Pres College Rowing Club. In 1985 Presentation College Rowing Club was registered officially for the first time with the Irish Amateur Rowing Union and began rowing out of Shandon Boat Club on the Marina. The equipment used was bought second-hand from Dungarvan Rowing Club. In its existence to date the club has been a tenant of both Cork Boat Club and Lee Rowing Club and has recently returned to Shandon Boat Club. Since 1985 many improvements have taken place.
The club now owns 3 Eights, 4 Fours, 3 Pairs and 4 Singles along with a full selection of blades, coaching launches and a boat trailer, totalling over £100,000 in value. Transport to regattas is made easy by the purchase of a 15-seater minibus.
With over 50 pupils in regular training in both the gym and on the water, the Rowing Club provides a valuable outlet for students in the College who may not be interested in rugby but who have a sporting interest. Rowing contributes enormously to the sporting ethos and policy of the College. Irish Home International:Paddy Higgins
Rugby
The college sport is Rugby union. The college has won 27 Munster Schools Senior Cups and has produced 22 Irish Rugby Internationals. In 2007, the school won both the Senior Cup and the Junior Cup (the first time they had won both in the same year since 1995, when Ronan O'Gara was the Senior Captain). Four players have played for the Lions - Tom Kiernan (1962 & 1968), Jerry Walsh (1966), Michael Kiernan (1983), and Ronan O'Gara (2001 & 2005).
The school participates in a number of Munster under-age School-Boy competitions: McCarthy Cup (U-14), The Junior Cup (U-15), The Kidney Cup (Junior B), The Bowen Shield (U-16), The Barry Cup (Senior B),and The Senior Cup (U-18). Pres have won every cup at some point and several teams have one every competition.[citation needed]
The school playing fields are located at Dennehy's Cross. There are 4 pitches, one walled and one flood-lit.
Sciences
In 2004, the Pres team won the first Cork Robotics Competition for Schools, which was launched by the Cork Electronics Industry Association (CEIA) at the National Software Centre in Mahon Point.
Other sports
Other sports played at the college include basketball, cricket, GAA, soccer and golf. The school has won the GAA Lord Mayor's Cup five times in the last six years, fielding 19 substitutes in 2006. The school golf team has also won the Cork County Championship consecutively in 2006 and 2007. PBC reached the All-Ireland basketball U-16s cup final for the first time in 2009 and defeated St.Columbs college from Derry to win PBC's first ever All-Ireland under the guidance of former coach of the Irish senior mens basketball team Sean Murphy.
Selected alumni
Business
- Ben Dunne, prominent businessman
- Brian McCarthy, prominent businessman, founder of FEXCO.
Media
- Cathal Coughlan, singer, songwriter and keyboard player in the bands, Fatima Mansions and Microdisney.
- George Hook, television and radio presenter, former coach of the American National Rugby Team.
- Fergal Keane, BBC television journalist/author.
- Sean O'Faolain, author and short story writer.
- David Marcus, novelist and literary editor.
- Cillian Murphy, actor.
Politics
- Daniel Corkery, writer, Professor of English at UCC and Senator.[citation needed]
- Barry Desmond, former Minister for Health and Minister for Social Welfare.
- Fergus Finlay, political adviser, author and journalist.
- Gene Fitzgerald, former Minister for Labour, Minister for the Public Service and Minister for Finance.
- Gerald Goldberg, solicitor and first Jewish Lord Mayor of Cork.
- Michael O'Leary, former Tánaiste and former leader of the Irish Labour Party.
Sport
- John Browne, holder of three All-Ireland Hurling medals (1999, 2004 & 2005)
- Noel Cantwell, former Irish Football Captain, and captain of the 1963 FA Cup winners.
- Tom Kiernan, Irish Rugby Union International and British and Irish Lions team member.
- Declan Kidney, head coach of the Irish national rugby team and former head coach of the Munster rugby team .
- Mick O'Driscoll, current Irish Rugby Union International.
- Ronan O'Gara, current Irish Rugby Union International and British and Irish Lions team member.
- Frankie Sheahan, current Irish Rugby Union International.
- Peter Stringer, current Irish Rugby Union International.
- Alan Bennett, current Brentford FC and Ireland Soccer player
- Michael Kiernan, Irish Rugby Union International and British and Irish Lions team member
- Jerry Walsh, Irish Rugby Union International and British and Irish Lions team member
Other
- Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Archbishop of Westminster (Attended as a wartime evacuee)
The novelist and poet William Wall was a teacher at the school prior to retiring to become a full time author. The Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment Micheál Martin was also a teacher at the school for a time, and his name is still listed on the current staff lists.
References
- ^ a b c d "About". SHARE. Retrieved 2007-12-25.
- ^ Michèle Horgan (2005-01-10). "PBC Cork celebrating 125 years". Newspaper Supplement. The Irish Examiner. p. 6 "Sharing and Caring".
- ^ a b Presentation Brothers College Newsletter, p 7, June 2006
- ^ "Kieran Aherne - Filmography". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
External links