Beech Hill Class of '86 reunite after 40 years

There were tears of joy and laughter aplenty when members of Beech Hill College’s Class of 1986 gathered over the October Bank Holiday weekend for a school reunion four decades after they graduated.

For reunion committee chair David Murray, it was a full-circle moment as he now teaches in the very school he once attended as a nervous first-year student in 1981.

More than 100 former classmates of the original 180-strong group travelled from across Ireland and as far afield as America, England, Dubai and Holland to the “phenomenal” event at the Four Seasons Hotel in Monaghan Town.

The class was guided throughout their school years by Year Head Seamus McDermott, who was also there to catch up with many of his former charges.

“People were just so happy. When you looked around the room, nobody was on their phones. There were big bear hugs, proper embraces, laughter and even a few tears. You couldn’t put a value on it,” David enthused.

The reunion was years in the planning as many of the former classmates are now scattered across the globe.

David acknowledged the efforts of fellow committee members: Louise McGhee, Angela Murphy, Virgina Swift, Alison Dickson, Mairead Cadden, Noel Kellet, Noel Murphy, Mickey Corrigan, Nigel Gillanders, Brendan McAviney and Gerry Moen - and others who were roped in along the way!

“We spent years trying to find people, calling to houses, making phone calls and encouraging people to come. Some had health issues, some were nervous about attending, but the feedback from those who came has been unbelievable.”

The weekend began with a reception and meal designed to encourage people to mix and reconnect.

“There was no talk about careers or achievements,” David recalled. “Nobody cared about any of that. Once people started talking, it was all about the school days. It was ‘do you remember this?’ and ‘do you remember that?’ You felt like a teenager again.”

Guests were treated to a special presentation featuring old school photographs and memorabilia from the 1980s, including recreated disciplinary “yellow cards” that generated plenty of laughter.

A display featuring around 700 photographs from the era proved another major attraction and talking point.

David Murray said it was great to wind back the years and unwind at the same time: “Life is so serious now. People are under pressure all the time. For one weekend everybody could forget about that and just enjoy being together again.”

While the weekend was filled with celebration, it was also a poignant occasion.

Thirteen members of the year group have passed away since leaving school, and a memorial Mass held the following day provided an opportunity to remember absent friends.

Special memorial cards and photographs were also prepared in their honour.

“The families were so appreciative. We were sharing stories and memories that some of them had never heard before. It was emotional, but it was a lovely way to remember people,” said David.

The reunion also paid tribute to the late Beech Hill principal Paddy McArdle, whose recent passing was keenly felt by many former students.

For David Murray, one of the most rewarding aspects of the weekend was seeing old friendships rekindled.

“People who hadn’t spoken in years were sitting together laughing like they were back in school. Since then there have already been smaller groups meeting up again. That’s exactly what we hoped would happen.”

Organisers also used the occasion to raise funds for four local cancer and hospice charities supporting families throughout the county: Castleblayney, Carrickmacross and Ballybay Cancer Society’s respectively and Clones Friends of Hospice.

The GoFundMe campaign has already raised thousands of euro.

“We wanted to have a great weekend but also try to raise a few euro for causes that help local families every day,” explained David.

If you didn’t get to attend the reunion or simply want to support these charities, donations remain open until later this month. You can contribute by visiting the reunion’s GoFundMe page ‘Beech Hill Reunion Cancer Fundraiser’. A cheque presentation will follow at a later date.