Deputy Principal

Founder’s Day 

Celebrating Founder’s Day is one of the highlights of the year for me as we get to come together as a community and reflect on our founder Blessed Edmund Rice. Fr Geoff Plant in his homily talked about Pope Leo’s first encyclical ‘Magnifica Humanitas’ which talks about AI and ensuring that as technology constantly evolves, we must be mindful of ensuring the human dignity of all. He said to our young men that while trying to ensure the human dignity of every individual may be a big challenge, sitting back and doing nothing is worse. He challenged all of us to start somewhere, however small. He talked about Edmund, how he didn’t change the law, he didn’t fix poverty, however, he did what he could, and he started a school for boys who otherwise would not have had the opportunity to go to school. 

When we celebrate Founder’s Day, we give thanks for Blessed Edmund Rice, we give thanks for the Christian Brothers who have dedicated their lives to ensuring that everyone has access to education. We give thanks for our wonderful and vibrant St Patrick’s College community.  

After mass and lunch, we all took the opportunity to watch the Waterford Mile where young men across all year groups have the opportunity, in a handicapped race, to compete against each other. That was followed by the annual staff verse students football match where Berg House was triumphant over the staff. 

I thank all the students and staff for making it a very special day. 

Adrian Byrne

Deputy Principal