The Loreto Convent Letterkenny class of 1967 hosted their fiftieth reunion on Saturday evening, and enjoyed an evening of reminiscing with former classmates and were given a tour of their old school.

The reunion allowed the attendees to catch up, reminisce, and learn about what their friends have been up to since leaving school.

 

Speaking to Donegal Woman, Kathleen McDaid explains how they organised the reunion; “we realised it had been fifty years and we wanted to celebrate the anniversary. I got in touch with a friend and we got names and a photograph from the Convent and got in touch with everyone.”

Loreto Convent Letterkenny Class of “67 for their 50th Reunion at McGettigans Hotel

Kathleen says it was easy to get in touch with all of her classmates as a few moved to England and there rest are in Ireland. Thankfully they managed to get in touch with all of their old classmates to invite them to the reunion.

Louise Larkin and Kathleen McDaid enjoying the class of 67 reunion

“It was really nice, even just to phone people and talk to them again. It’s a lovely idea and everyone should do it; it was lovely to see how everyone has been getting on and how we’ve all aged.

Kate Quinn, Irene Gallagher, Josephine Peoples and Dorothy Coyle pictured at the Loreto Convent Class of ’67 Reunion

“It was nice to go back, I hadn’t seen some of them in fifty years. It was a wonderful night and everyone enjoyed it.”

Maria Doyle and Celine Maline from class of 1967 at the 50th Reunion

They met at the Convent on Saturday and were taken on a tour of the old and the new parts of the building.

“Nora Friel and Deirdre were very good to us and showed us around. It’s all changed, there are new classrooms and extensions that weren’t there. We had a lot of playing fields and a netball court.”

Catching up with old friends at the Loreto Convent Class of 1967 50th Reunion

Although some of the older parts of the building are closed off, they got to revisit the old dining room and the old hall where they hosted plays during their time at school. They also visited the old graveyard where the nuns were buried.

After touring the school they enjoyed a cup of tea and caught up with old classmates before having a delicious dinner at McGettigan’s Hotel and promised to meet up again before another fifty years passes!

Eileen McDevitt, Winnie Deery, Margaret Alcorn, Joan Kelly and Marie Leonard from class of 1967 catching up at the Loreto Convent 50th Reunion at McGettigans Hotel

Of the 45 students who graduated from Loreto Convent in 1967, 20 attended. Sadly, six of their classmates passed away since leaving school, and a touching tribute was paid to them by framing their photographs to remember them.

Class of 67 from Loreto Convent at their 50th Reunion

Kathleen explained that the brother of one of her late classmates, Eithne McFadden, got in touch and said that the St. Eunan’s class of 1967 were having their own reunion this year, and organised for a bouquet of flowers to be delivered to the ladies at the Convent on Saturday.

“A lovely touch was that the boys who graduated from St. Eunan’s college in the same year sent a beautiful bouquet of flowers that said ‘from the boys at Eunan’s’. It was such a nice touch. Fifty years on they still haven’t forgotten us!”

All photography by Darren Crossan.