PROJECT 2006

-as it developed

Back: Ted Fitzgerald, Earl Murtagh-Naughton, Denis Lawton, Donnacha McGrath, Eoin O'Malley, Robert Walsh.  Front: Steven Flynn, William Whyte, Cian Ryan, (Inset) Padraig Lyons)

PREPARATION

Preparations got under way with the 10 students with short meetings during lunch-hour. The nature of preparation was outlined - to ensure that the heart and head will be focussed and logistics of the travel and a different culture.

The 10 students and 4 teachers followed an intensive TEFL course in the school in order to prepare them for their work in improving English conversation skills of the children in Providence. It was a full 20 hour certificate course where each participant, students and teachers had to conduct  two English classes before their peers.

We started our investigation into the life and vision of Edmund Rice - a man who responded in a heroic way to the poverty that he saw about him in Waterford as he conducted his prosperous business there. His life had its share of personal tragedy but he resorted to prayer and reflection in order to cope. The sessions finished with the completion of worksheets.

Looking into the life of Mother Teresa from Albania to Rathfarnham to Calcutta and her progress from teaching in a school for well-to-do girls to devoting herself to the poorest of the poor on the streets; the simplicity of Motherhouse and her plain tomb there and the singleminded dedication of the Missionaries of Charity to their target group - the poor,the suffering and the abandoned.

32-IRELAND-32 was officially launched in the Abbey by Michael Babs Keating, the Tipperary Hurling manager.In wishing the venture every success he spoke of his experiences in India and of the positive contributions the Brothers had made over the years

The Dalesmen, a male voice choir from Derbyshire performed before an appreciative audience in the Ramada Hotel, Ballykisteen as part of their Spring Tour and for the benefit of Abbey India Project. All agreed that it was a most enjoyable and entertaining night. 

Dick Walsh completed 32-IRELAND-32, a complete cycle circuit of all 32 counties and succeeded in exceeding his target of Euro 10,000 for Providence School in Shillong. 

www.32ireland32.blogspot.com

Tipperary Racecourse generously involved the Abbey India Project in their evening meeting. The 5.45 race was the Abbey India Nursery for 2 year olds. Manager, Peter Roe, had kind words for us in his letter of welcome and the centre spread of the Race Card gave an account of the Project complete with pictures. Before the race two of the students were interviewed (over the public address) by David Byrnes. On the evening the attendance were more than generous during the bucket collection.

In Thurles Greyhound Stadium, on a pleasant dry night in a period of rough weather a most enjoyable night was enjoyed by a large attendance of people connected with the Abbey and of local punters and all to raise funds for Abbey India Project. .In addition to the 10 scheduled races on the card there was the Abbey Champion Sprint over 330 metres - an inter-club student race. The whole night was the culmination of 6 months Trojan work by the organising committee.

At 7am, the Abbey group departed for India, travelling via Heathrow and touching down in Calcutta on Fri morning at 5 a.m.

and then

At 6.30 p.m the Abbey group arrived back safely in Tipperary after 3 weeks of deep experiences, experiences that will remain for a long time..

Full Report in the words of the students themselves.