Prominent Limerick school celebrates 180 year milestone with reunion

LAUREL Hill Secondary School FCJ is set to open its doors for what organisers are calling “one big reunion,” marking the school's 180th anniversary.

Teacher Hazel Ní Anragáin commented: “It’s celebrating 180 years of Laurel Hill Secondary School and also the FCJ nuns being in Limerick.”

The special event on March 21 will begin with an open house at the school from 10am to 12pm, inviting past pupils to walk the corridors once more and reconnect with former classmates and teachers.

From there, celebrations will move to the city, with a drinks reception at 1pm in the Limerick Strand Hotel, followed by a three-course meal and an afternoon of entertainment featuring current and past pupils. Tickets for the lunch are priced at €50 and are available through the school’s social media channels.

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Ms Ní Anragáin said momentum has been building since planning began in November and past pupils are travelling from near and far to attend. Among them will be members of the class of 1976, who are marking their own 50-year reunion as part of the wider celebration.

“We're really excited,” said Ms Ní Anragáin. “The class of 1976, a load of them have bought tickets for their fifty-year reunion already.”

At the reunion lunch, current students will take to the stage, performing a selection of songs from Matilda the Musical, alongside choir pieces and instrumental music to welcome guests. Past pupils Eve Stafford and Michelle Grimes will also perform, while a local DJ will provide the soundtrack later in the day.

The anniversary is also a moment to reflect on the school’s long and sometimes surprising history. In delving into the archives ahead of the anniversary, staff uncovered stories both poignant and unexpected — including the tragic deaths of two nuns from food poisoning in 1936, after eating contaminated eggs.

Interviews with former pupils have been recorded, and a collection of photographs and memories will play on a loop on screens in the hotel lounge.

In the weeks leading up to the reunion, every student and staff member has been crafting and painting a ceramic flower as part of a special installation. The flowers will be arranged around a tree on the school grounds.