The Submarine

Leslie von Negenborn

The Submarine VOL 8 NO 1 MARCH 2013

_______________________________________________________________________________________

EDITORIAL

Self-evaluation is a hot word at

the moment. Everyone seems to

be doing it, ourselves, as a

school, included. Supermarkets

have been doing it (why the long

face, as the barman said to the

burger) and bankers, who have

been forced to agree that capping

their bonuses at one year’s pay

might just help them to hold onto

the best people—themselves.

The Library has been

looking at the way it does things

too. And while we know we have

a top quality environment in

terms of space, comfort, light,

warmth and architectural merit—

and the great attraction of

silence—we feel there might be a

slight under-engagement between pupils and the intellectual content of the Library. Librarians tend to

get broody about this, wanting the books they’ve purchased for the Library to be read, and borrowed

and to prove generally useful. But of course pupils—people—don’t operate this way. They look for a

book when they need it, and sometimes they don’t need it at all, or can’t find it, or don’t know it’s

what they want. Still, the librarian is haunted by the idea that good and useful and interesting books

are disappearing into the anonymity of the shelves. He’s also been told by former pupils that they

wished they’d made more use of the Library while they were here, a post facto consolation.

So what exactly do we mean by intellectual engagement? In a nutshell we mean reading, and

in this case reading non-fiction. This is not an ancient mariner-librarian harking back to the days when

books were books and the internet was but a gleam in Tim Berners-Lee’s eye, but a recognition that

pupils—people—anyone—still need to know how to read properly. Some do it excellently already

and many do it without knowing they’re doing it, but the fact is that in university or any form of third

level institution or in the world of work, the internet, or web, or ipod or laptop or whatever you might

want to call it, is a provider of information, not entertainment. In these worlds you need to know how

to read, whether on a screen or on a page, which means knowing how to concentrate for more than a

few seconds at a time on material that is not designed to entertain you but inform you. The blessing is

that information-gathering can soon become a form of entertainment in its own right.

Yet an open institution cannot compel anyone to do anything (except in our case, to keep

silence), and while public libraries sometimes use entertainment to draw patrons in, we already have

our own clowns (relax!—only one or two), and music (coming down from the BSR, sometimes

beautiful) and face painting (not a male skill). So how does a library encourage participation in its

contents, and particularly its non-fiction contents?

Clearly having good content pitched at the right level(s) is a first step. Another is to make

connections, and this has been the main outcome of our self-evaluation (or shelf-evaluation as we

librarians hilariously call it on our night out). Connections between books and pupils can be made by

displaying new books, as we do, when they first come into the Library. A renewed emphasis can be

put on ensuring that pupils can find books when they need them through extended induction and

1

refresher skills, and to ensure that staff can help them if the Librarian is not available. And because

staff are the great proselytisers we’ll be sending them details of books in their subjects that we feel are

worth highlighting and asking them to recommend them to their pupils. We’ll also be doing more on

the direct staff-to-pupil connection—for example, Ms Smith was this term’s ‘recommender-in-chief’

with her excellent selection of books that influenced her which the Library put on display. We’ll also

be encouraging a research ethic in the junior forms by offering Library prizes independent of the

curriculum. And finally we will make connections between fiction and non-fiction. History is a

subject that benefits from this most easily, with plenty of good fiction written about particular periods

that help bring them alive, but Maths too (our thanks to Mr Coldrick) has a surprisingly large fiction

following, as does Science, and most subjects have strong and entertaining biographies of the major

personalities associated with them.

TMcC, Librarian

_________________________________________________________________________________

CONTENTS

Editorial………………………………..…1

Bad Karma, review Alina Stiehler………...3

The Pilgrim’s Progress,

review Dr Bannister……………..4

The Roar, review Kyla Jamieson…………5

Resigned, Iyobasa Bello-Asemota………..5

Art, Self-portrait Sam Clarke……………..5

The Book Thief, review Ali Boyd Crotty....6

IV, Kezia Wright………………………….7

Irish Classrooms and British Empire,

review Mr Brett……….………….8

Art, Rachel Rogers, Andrew Holt……...…9

Street light at night, Sofia McConnell…...10

Dr Sowby’s Maths Quiz…………………11

Dean Tom Salmon at 100,

Dr Bannister…………………….12

New Books in the Library………………13

A Thousand Splendid Suns

review Charlotte Cooper….……14

What’s Reading Me…………………......16

* * *

Welcome to this our first tri-lingual edition

of The Submarine. For those of us

monoglots, or polyglots, but not in

German or Irish, Alina Stiehler and Ally

Boyd Crotty have kindly provided

translations of their reviews.

Thanks also to all our contributors to this

edition. Some of our reviewers and

‘creatives’ are becoming regulars and this

is very much appreciated. Thanks as

always to Mr Girdham for chasing up

material, and particularly to Dr Bannister

who just has to wave his magic wand and

stuff appears, or so it seems. Kezia Wright

also applied a little pressure on The

Submarine’s behalf, with good results. Our

thanks also to the Art Department,

particularly Mr Watts and Ms Cullen, who

provided photos of the wonderful work

that makes this edition so colourful. We

are hoping to produce an Art edition of

The Submarine in the near future.

And last but not least a big thank you to

Ms Emily Bainton in the Warden’s office

who waits patiently for copy from the

flustered editor to appear and then calmly

produces the requested pages in glorious

technicolour.

* * *

2

BAD KARMA BY DAVID SAFIER �� REVIEW – ALINA STIEHLER

David Safier is a German author who writes

novels about situations, which are so great as

they deal with things that could happen in our

everyday life, but are so crazy that they

probably they won't. The topics of his books

are, for example, a woman who meets Jesus

and falls in love with him or a woman who

suddenly finds out that she

is actually Shakespeare.

Although those books

don't seem to be very

educational, they are

great fun to read.

The book I would like to

tell you about, 'Bad

Karma' is the very first

novel he ever wrote and

also the most famous. I

personally found this novel

by grabbing a book randomly

off my mother's bookshelf

and simply started reading it

and I have to say it is one of

the funniest books I've ever

read.

It's about a woman called Kim

Lange who is a TV presenter and very busy at

her work, so busy that she has hardly time for

her family. Because of her constant struggle

to climb to ever higher positions and because

she is not spending enough time with her

family, she makes for herself a lot of bad

karma. The reckoning follows swiftly. On the

very evening when she is awarded the

German Television Prize, she is hit by the

debris of some Russian space-station and

dies. When she is finally in the hereafter she

finds herself in the same world, with the only

difference that she has six legs and a really fat

bump. She is an ant!

But Kim didn't really feel like carrying

crumbs around and watching how her

husband is being comforted by another

woman. So what's to be done about it?! Of

course, she will have to get some better

Karma and climb up the reincarnation ladder!

David Safier ist ein deutscher Autor, der

Romane über Situationen schreibt, die so toll

geschrieben sind dass es wirkt als könnten sie

wirklich in unserem Alltag passieren, was sie

aber sehr wahrscheinlich nicht tun werden. Die

Themen seiner Bücher sind zum Beispiel eine

Frau die Jesus trifft und sich spontan

in ihn verliebt oder eine Frau die

plötzlich herausfindet dass sie

Shakepeare ist.

Das Buch das ich vorstellen

möchte heißt “Mieses Karma”

und ist Safiers erstes und auch

berühnmtetestes Buch. Ich

persöhnlich habe es durch

zufälliges reingreifen ins

Bücherregal meiner Mutter

gefunden und da ich nichts

besseres gefunden habe, habe

ich das realtiv dünne

Taschenbuch gelesen. Auch

wenn die Bücher die David

Safier schriebt nicht

besonders pädagogisch

wertvoll erscheinen, muss

ich zugeben dass “Mieses

Karma” eines der lustigsten und

humorvollsten Bücher ist, dass ich jemals

gelesen habe.

Es geht darum dass die Moderatorin Kim Lange

sehr beschäftigt mit ihrer Arbeit ist und dadurch

kaum Zeit mirt ihrer Familie verbringt. Aber

weil sie so sehrfür ihren Job gekämpft hat und

ihre Familie so vernachlässigt hat, sammelte

sich im Laufe ihres Lebens jede Menge

schlechtes Karma an. Die Rechnung folgt

sofort: An dem Abend an dem sie den

deutschen Fernsehpreis erhält, wird sie von

Trümmern einer russischen Raumstation

erschlagen. Doch statt im Jenseits findet sie sich

in der gleichen Gegend wieder nur mit sechs

Beinen und einem unglaublich dicken Po: sie

war eine Ameise! Doch Kim wollte nicht ihr

kurzes Ameisenleben damit verbringen

Kuchenkrümel durch die Gegend zu schleppen

und ihrem. Mann dabei zuzusehen sich mit

einer neuen Frau zu trösten! Was macht man

da? Na klar, gutes Karma besorgen und die

Reinkarmationsleiter aufsteigen!

3

THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

by John Bunyan (1628-1688)

REVIEW – DR BANNISTER

Last term the Reverend Crossey alluded to The

Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan in one of his

usual challenging and inspiring sermons. The

Pilgrim's Progress is one of my favourite books

from the deeper vaults of English literature, not

just because of the unique beauty of its language

but also because of the comprehensive and

fascinating journey that the author himself

undertakes on his way to salvation at his final

destination - the Celestial City of God.

This groundbreaking literary masterpiece undermines the whole notion of a normative brand

of Christian discipleship or any exclusive path to heaven created by an institutionalised church. The

Pilgrim's Progress is a medieval journey of mystery and morality and a tour de force in the classic

technique of literary allegory. The author uses almost 'Jungian' archetypal characters or situations to

advance his narrative and to explain its meaning.

Although the characters and situations symbolize particular qualities and actions that should

inform the behaviour of any medieval or, perhaps even, any modern-day Christian puritan, I feel that

it is also an unambivalent representation of our human condition as we face a world whose signposts

and boundaries have mostly been removed or demolished.

As a pilgrim, Christian, the main protagonist of the book, is on his own personal journey to

the Celestial City; a journey that will bring about both his own conversion and his eventual death. His

progress towards that ultimate destination is measured by his triumphs over distractions, his perilous

spiritual battles, many temptations to unbelief and at times, a general weariness. Is this not a similar

journey to the one that many young people today take, as they manoeuvre their way towards the

perilous steps of their Leaving Certificate examination... and perhaps beyond?

On his way, Christian meets Mr Worldly Wiseman and a demonic influence called Apollyon,

who, at first, appear to speak authoritatively but then turn out to be nothing more than deluded sirens

attempting to waylay him in "the wilderness of the world". The puritan believer that Bunyan depicts

in the book is given in terms of his relationship to four important realms of medieval society:

selfhood, Scripture, church and the world. Although those realms today may have changed, their

mutated descendants are still significant players in our daily lives: Ego, Morality, Faith and the

mulifaceted forms of our modern-day realities - be they natural or virtual.

The characters that Christian meets on his pilgrimage all relate to very universal and ever-

present companions or experiences in our own lives today. Characters such as Pliant and Obstinate

who make us deviate from any meaningful endeavour and who so often drag us down into "the Slough

of Despond" - which we today might call 'depression'. The Dundrum Shopping Centre with all its

bright shops selling trinkets, clothes and jewellery could possibly be seen as a modern-day reflection

of Bunyan's "Vanity Fair" where all the vanities of the world are for sale and where there is only one

crime - the failure to purchase these items. Both Christian and his companion, Faithful, are arrested

for their failure to purchase. Consequently, Christian is imprisoned and Faithful - burnt to death. In

modern society 'the poor' can often feel isolated by the blandishments of glittering materialism,

becoming prisoners of our contemporary excessive material indulgence. The poor can also find

themselves, perhaps not 'burnt to death' but burnt by debt and slipping relentlessly towards Bunyan's

Doubting Castle - where in its black vaults of 'Despair' we begin to doubt ourselves, our abilities,

even our value as a human being; a dark fearful place where we can so easily become persuaded to

give up on our dreams altogether.

But The Pilgrim's Progress is, above all, a book of Hope and Faith and it is these two very

powerful human attributes that eventually bring Christian safely across the River of Death to the

gates of heaven itself. It is truly an exiting read - a wonderful journey of mystery, intrigue, adventure,

tremendous sorrow and unbelievable joy; a book of deep tribulations but also one with a magnificent

final triumph. It is quite an extraordinary book, well worth reading more than once and it is presently

to be seen at the display window of the College Library.

4

THE ROAR by EMMA CLAYTON

REVIEW – NYLA JAMIESON

“The Roar” is a new take on sci-fi. It is fast moving and a real page-

turner. It is easy to get stuck into and once I started to read it I

simply couldn’t put it down.

About forty years before the start of the story, a mouse

escapes from a laboratory and gives an incurable plague to all the

animals on Earth. As a result all humans are forced behind a wall

which surrounds only a third of the world. This ensures that they

aren’t anywhere near the infected animals. Everything outside the

wall is poisoned…or so they are told.

The main characters are twins Mika and Ellie. The story

starts way into the future when Ellie has been kidnapped and

everyone believes what they have been told, that she is

dead…everyone except Mika. He has some kind of telepathic connection with her. He feels happy

when she feels happy, sometimes smiling for no reason just because Ellie is overjoyed. He even

automatically knows some of what she knows. For example, after being kidnapped Ellie learns how to

fly a Pod-Fighter, a flying vehicle of the future. As soon as Mika sits behind the controls he knows

what to do. Their close connection is still intact, even though they are far apart. Their separation leads

to the discovery that their world, as they know it, is built on lies.

Desperate to find his kidnapped sister, Mika is soon caught up in a sinister game. He soon

finds that this ‘game’ is actually a test, a test to see who to recruit for an army, an army made of

children.

I enjoyed this book as it has a great plot. It is very imaginative and full of suspense. It is

action-packed and any dull bits are few and far between. I liked the fact that the reader is kept

guessing right up to the last few chapters whether the twins would be reunited and what the big secret

was. At some points the plot can be quite hard to follow as the story keeps switching between Mika’s

and Ellie’s stories. Also, two of the main characters’ names sound very alike which caused me some

confusion.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves reading action, filled with suspense and

mystery. Overall I think that “The Roar” is a very enjoyable book and is well worth reading.

______________________________________________________________________________

RESIGNED

by Iyobosa Bello-Asemota

Who am I? Misunderstood

For in your eyes I can do no good

The marionette string, I try to break

But from your disapproval, there is no escape

The reins were pulled in

It chafed my skin

I was forced to rely on strength within

I lashed out in self-defence

Loving you, my only offence

I made mistakes as humans do

But you’d never admit that you did too

So this is me letting go

Just thought it right to let you know

When you need me

To save the day

Realise, you pushed me away.

Sam Clarke – Self-portrait

5.

THE BOOK THIEF BY MARCUS ZUSAK

Recently I read the book

Thief’ by Marcus Zusak. The book is

narrated by Death. On reading the book I

thought that this sounded

strange but it turned out to be

more interesting rather than

strange.

The book is set in Nazi

Germany, a time where

the narrator is extremely

busy. It follows the life

of a girl called Liesel

Meminger who lives

with her foster

parents. During the

war, the family end

up hiding a Jewish

man in their

basement. The

danger of this at

first scares Liesel,

but she becomes close

to Max, the Jewish man, having to

keep their friendship secret to all but her

parents.

Altogether I thought ‘The Book Thief’ was

a very tragic novel and the storyline really

caught my attention. It is quite long so it

took me a while to get through it but this

turned out to be a good thing because I

couldn’t put it down. I would definitely

recommend it to anybody my age or even

older, especially people who like books

written from an unusual perspective.

BY MARCUS ZUSAK � REVIEW - ALI BOYD CROTTY

Recently I read the book ‘The Book

Zusak. The book is

narrated by Death. On reading the book I

thought that this sounded

strange but it turned out to be

more interesting rather than

to Max, the Jewish man, having to

endship secret to all but her

Altogether I thought ‘The Book Thief’ was

a very tragic novel and the storyline really

caught my attention. It is quite long so it

took me a while to get through it but this

turned out to be a good thing because I

ouldn’t put it down. I would definitely

recommend it to anybody my age or even

older, especially people who like books

m an unusual perspective.

Le déanaí léigh mé an leabhar

Thief’ le Marcus Zusak. Is é an bás a insíonn

scéal an leabhair. Nuair a thosaigh mé ag

léamh ar dtús

go raibh sé aisteach go

leor

Nai

nuair a bhíonn an

scealaí an

ar fad

scéal beatha girsí óige

darb ainm Liesel

Meminger a chónaíonn

lena tuismitheoirí

altrama. Titeann sé ar an

teaghlach aire a thabhairt

do Ghiúdach fir ina n

faoina dteach i gcaitheamh an Chogaidh.

Cuireann an chontúirt sin eagla ar Liesel ar

dtús, ach de réir a chéile éiríonn Liesel an

mhór le Max, an Giúdach fir. Faraor, ní féidir

léi an cairdeas seo a nochtadh do dhuine ar

bith eile seachas dá tuismitheoirí féi

Is leabhar measartha mór é agus thug sé

tamall maith fada dom len

réir mar a tharla níorbh olc an rud é sin mar

ní raibh mé ábalta an leabhar a chur síos.

Mholfainn an leabhar seo

chomhaois liomsa nó fiú do léithe

bheadh níos sine ná mé, go háirithe

dhaoine a mbeadh suim acu i leabhair atá

scríofa ar bhealaí neamhghnách

6.

ALI BOYD CROTTY

Le déanaí léigh mé an leabhar ‘The Book

le Marcus Zusak. Is é an bás a insíonn

hair. Nuair a thosaigh mé ag

ar dtús chonacthas dom

go raibh sé aisteach go

leor gurbh é an bás a

bhí ag insint

an scéil ach de

réir mar a

chuaigh mé ar

aghaidh sa

leabhar d’éirigh

sé níos suimiúla

in ionad bheith

aisteach.

Tá an t-úrscéal seo

suite sa Ghearmáin

Naitsíoch, tráth

nuair a bhíonn an

scealaí an-ghnóthach

ar fad. Leanann an

scéal beatha girsí óige

darb ainm Liesel

Meminger a chónaíonn

lena tuismitheoirí

altrama. Titeann sé ar an

teaghlach aire a thabhairt

Ghiúdach fir ina n-íoslach

ina dteach i gcaitheamh an Chogaidh.

Cuireann an chontúirt sin eagla ar Liesel ar

dtús, ach de réir a chéile éiríonn Liesel an-

mhór le Max, an Giúdach fir. Faraor, ní féidir

léi an cairdeas seo a nochtadh do dhuine ar

bith eile seachas dá tuismitheoirí féin.

Is leabhar measartha mór é agus thug sé

lena chríochnú ach de

réir mar a tharla níorbh olc an rud é sin mar

ní raibh mé ábalta an leabhar a chur síos.

an leabhar seo do dhuine ar bith ar

chomhaois liomsa nó fiú do léitheoirí a

bheadh níos sine ná mé, go háirithe do

aoine a mbeadh suim acu i leabhair atá

neamhghnácha.

Group work - Daisy McKeever, Kirsten Higgins,

Michael Kennedy and Freddie de Montfort

IV by KEZIA WRIGHT

The sun was raging in the cloudless sky, with no

breath of wind to atone for its cruel heat. The

field in which the family reclined was burnt, the

grass brown and rough. Summer had devoured its

lush green former-self.

Great blue flies, shiny, loud and bulging hung

about the food, landing their spindly legs on the

honey-cured ham, tasting the moist, pink meat,

they longed for its flesh.

Alongside the sweet, sticky ham lay a bowl of

grey salad, wilted by the sun, drenched in warm

oil. Cream buns topped with melting white

frosting and sweet cherries, now became warped

lumps of shining sugar and a pungent smell

lingered about the egg mayonnaise. Small bugs

found themselves trapped within the glistening

jelly trifle and they squirmed and writhed to free

their putrid bodies.

Around this delightful array of food, there sat a

family, a son and his two parents. They were

grotesque. The man, sprawled across the picnic

rug, breathed heavily and unevenly as sweat

globules dripped from his pink, raw chest. This

man didn't have a hair on his head and his scalp shined as the rancid cream bun did, that was clenched

in his meaty fist.

The mother sat slouched beside her husband, consuming a thick ham sandwich, ketchup oozing from

the sides. Her thin cotton, spotted dress clung to her body in the heat and her face sweltered beneath

her mop of thick, black greasy hair.

The son, busy with his feast, sat contently on the far side of the rug. In one hand he held the

remains of a jelly trifle, in the other a tepid bottle of Coca-Cola. The sun-cream that his mother had

smeared upon his face now dripped into his eyes, stinging them and leaving salty taste of sweat in his

mouth, surrounded with ketchup and meat juice.

I watched them for hours, I watched them. I watched them perspiring, I watched the gleaming

food melt and surrender to the sun and I smelt the odour of sweet, creamy icing, of salty meats and of

rotting eggs.

Yet it was neither the family nor the food that I was interested in. What I wanted was on the

rug. It lay on crumpled, brown waxen paper, and like all other things was softened by the sun. A rich

creamy odour lingered in the clammy afternoon air and it shined with a warm colour under the rays,

like a beacon, untouched by the sweaty hands of the family. I was hungry. I hadn't eaten in days.

I had watched it, now it was time to claim my prize.

I started out, my heart racing, my eyes on this target. I ran faster now, my legs pacing softly

but fast, very fast. The smell was becoming ever stronger, arousing my senses, leaving me longing.

I now ventured onto the picnic rug. I could hear the crunch and squash as the humans

devoured onion crisps and custard tarts, their voices booming as they spoke, revealing the food, half-

churned in their colossal mouths.

I was almost there now, just a few paces away… "AAAAAaaaaaahhhhhhh!, the woman

shrieked, a shrill, piercing yell that resounded in my head, deafening me. She bounced up, her dress

peeling away from her moist skin as she struggled to stand up. She frantically thudded on the ground

causing the earth beneath me to shake and tremble.

The large man stood, eclipsing the sun, and in his fury he desperately tried to fumble a glass

over me. I was nervous, scared, my tail was trapped, oh if only I could just taste it.

Darkness now surrounds me, I look up to see nothing but the foot of the monster.

7.

IRISH CLASSROOMS AND BRITISH

EMPIRE: Imperial contexts in the origins

of modern education

D.Dickson, J. Pyz and C. Shepard editors

REVIEW – MR BRETT

Columbans have many reasons for interest in this volume

in that one of the editors, David Dickson, Associate

Professor of History in TCD, is an alumnus of this College,

while another, Justyna Pyz, is a member of staff. A broad

range of Irish educational providers (from hedge schools to

universities) falls beneath the purview of the eighteen

contributors, but it is Ms Pyz’s article, “St Columba’s

College: an Irish school in the age of empire,” itself a most

valuable addition to Columban self-understanding, to

which readers of The Submarine will inevitably turn. She

has here provided a useful overview of the imperial careers

of Old Columbans and a just estimate of the context out of

which they emerged: “The Irish and British dimensions

were interlinked and were never seen in opposition to each other.” Having carried out a great deal of

original research on past issues of The Columban, Justyna Pyz has interesting aperçus on the rôle of

letters to the editor from such places as Ceylon, Guyana and Burma in creating an allure to draw

pupils to imperial careers. The ultimate contribution of Columban lives to the empire was paid in the

disastrous conflagration which overtook European civilization in 1914. Ms Pyz has enumerated them

thus: “Between 1870 and 1919 a total of 880 pupils entered the College: of these no less than 385

served in the Great War of whom 67 were killed…42 of those who died were young, having only

entered the school between 1900 and 1913. This indeed was to be St Columba’s ‘lost generation’”.

It does not lie within the remit of Ms Pyz’s essay to examine the motivation which led so

many to enlist in the conflict to which the opposing military-industrial complexes had brought

Europe’s distracted peoples. Of course traditional loyalty to the Crown was in itself compelling:

magnam habet vim rei publicae disciplina. But for what did they believe they were fighting? The

Southern Unionist world, battered over the previous forty years by Liberal administrations, was

clearly coming to an end. Even as the century of comparative peace, which that great Irishman,

Castlereagh, in 1815 bequeathed to Europe, had run its course, so the Union settlement which fifteen

years earlier he had implemented for the governance of his homeland was effectively destroyed when

the third reading of the Home Rule Bill passed the Commons on January 16, 1913. It had of course

been long threatened and must have led to self-redefinition in Unionist thought. The words of the

Warden as reported in July 1908 extolling “Union with a mighty Empire, like England’s” seem a

curious diminution of the British dimension, and to offer the Columban but a cold recompense “for

the uncertainty of his setting forth.”

Those who peruse issues of The Columban from those years will find evidence of the

increasing militarization. In July 1901 the editor mused “How it is that so many O.Cs, trained in this

peaceful school…take up the profession of arms it is hard to say.” Little did he know what was to

come! In July 1904 the College was congratulating itself that “boys secured on average one place a

year over the past six/seven at Woolwich” military academy. In April 1903 “there is some talk about

starting a ‘Rifle Corps’ here next term (for non-Cricketers)”: but it was not until July 1908 that The

Columban announced the opening of the Rifle Range. The July 1908 issue also carried the Warden’s

ominous words that it was “well that each boy should prepare himself for what might happen in the

future”. Then in July 1911 we learn that there had been an effort to ascertain the feelings of parents

about the setting up of an OTC (Officer Training Corps): the response was said to be “not so far

encouraging”. Interestingly, despite this, The Columban of April 1912 reports the formation of an

OTC and the foundation of an Armoury as well as lauding the attractions of the Aldershot camp

which Columbans attended. April 1913: “soon it will be the exception not to belong to the Corps;

which is as it should be”. One wonders if a new type of less self-confident Columban found himself

more exposed to this hectoring tone. The April 1907 issue is suggestive of an awareness of a new

8

“type” of boy now that the College could no longer rely for its enrolment on the landed interest: but

that is a subject which needs further investigation. According to The Columban of July 1914 an Army

Class had been established and there had been an increase in numbers. Militarization may have

brought this success but G.K.White opined that the larger numbers in the following years were the

result of parental fears about sending boys into England due to the submarine menace.

Ms Pyz’s essay also provides a masterly summary of Columban history. Only on one point

would I beg to differ: “Sewell was an active member of the Oxford Movement.” Sewell was too much

an Oxford man to be an Oxford Movement man and his highchurchmanship was much more deeply

rooted. As in the parable of the Sower he observed their luxuriant growth: he remained untempted.

What the Oxford Movement brought to Sewell were wealthy backers such as Adare but the alliance

was temporary. Assuming Sewell to be part of the Movement misses the subtlety of that chain of

events which brought the College into existence and created its abiding character. Before coming to

Stackallan, Sewell had signalled his independence from the Movement and given vent to his

abhorrence of Tract 90. When he returned to England to found Radley he had to overcome the

suspicions arising from what S.A. Skinner in his D.N.B. entry calls “his albeit ephemeral association

with Tractarianism.”

As Auden tells us, “The words of a dead man Are modified in the guts of the living.” Sewell

would not have understood the terms “Catholic” and “Protestant” as they are distressingly employed

throughout this volume.

There are many essays here that will repay careful study. I especially enjoyed David

Dickson’s scholarly exposition in “1857 and 1908: two moments in the transformation of Irish

Universities.” Ciaran O’Neill has written revealingly of the education and imperial careers of

Ireland’s Roman Catholic elite. In particular those who sought their education at the great English

Roman Catholic schools have until now been largely ignored by Irish history. Truly our modern

historians are providing us with a more nuanced account of the past than the republican teleology that

was so long dominant.

__________________________________________________________________________________

9.

◄Rachel Rogers

▼Andrew Holt

emptiness that cannot be filled.

Late at night we stand, shining on the street, solid and

Drunkards pass beneath us, shouting and singing. They have found a way to block out the

misery. They stumble, fall and break down, wailing out their sorrows. There’s no hiding from

it: youths on a night out going home, la

Christmas is the only time when we are noticed. No surprise for we are truly beautiful. The

entire street is. Sparkling lights hanging overhead, twisted round us, over shop doors,

everywhere. For a brief month we are loved, admired

forgotten again for one more year.

The rain comes and the people flee. The

street stands empty and we surround it,

equally alone. As the night rolls in the

street is quiet. Tonight will be a calm

Fewer people leaving the restaurants

making a racket, fewer teenagers running

around in skimpy clothes. Even the sorry

drunkards are quiet tonight. We stand

alone.

The sun rises, slowly, and the world comes

to life again. People go to work in business

suits and ties, clippety-cloppety heels,

coffee in hands, bakeries and cafés wake

up, shops open, buskers and beggars start

busking and begging. They have all left

and returned but the street has stayed the

same. The streetlights go out and the street

life goes on.

A STREET LIGHT AT NIGHT

by SOFIA MCCONNELL

Twinkle. All through the night I twinkle and sparkle,

shining down on the cold, wet, grey tarmac. The night is

when I come to life. When we come to life. The

sorrowful streetlights that give light to the dark city’s

night. But we go on, unnoticed. No thanks to us for

lighting your way home.

Alone. We are all alone. During the day we watch,

hidden, as people live their lives, families laughing,

young couples kissing. Buskers singing and street

performers, performing, and yet we play no part in it.

Young girls twirl around us as they laugh and shout. For

a brief moment we feel their happiness and love run

through us, but then they let go, leaving behind a sorry

emptiness that cannot be filled.

Late at night we stand, shining on the street, solid and steady, reliable and always ready.



it: youths on a night out going home, laughing and full of love.



everywhere. For a brief month we are loved, admired, but then the lights go and we are

forgotten again for one more year.

The rain comes and the people flee. The

street stands empty and we surround it,

equally alone. As the night rolls in the

street is quiet. Tonight will be a calm one.

Fewer people leaving the restaurants

making a racket, fewer teenagers running

around in skimpy clothes. Even the sorry

drunkards are quiet tonight. We stand

The sun rises, slowly, and the world comes

to life again. People go to work in business

cloppety heels,

coffee in hands, bakeries and cafés wake

up, shops open, buskers and beggars start

busking and begging. They have all left

returned but the street has stayed the

same. The streetlights go out and the street

10.

Kaila Korschen OC

A STREET LIGHT AT NIGHT

Twinkle. All through the night I twinkle and sparkle,

shining down on the cold, wet, grey tarmac. The night is

come to life. The

sorrowful streetlights that give light to the dark city’s

. No thanks to us for

Alone. We are all alone. During the day we watch,

hidden, as people live their lives, families laughing,

young couples kissing. Buskers singing and street

performers, performing, and yet we play no part in it.

Young girls twirl around us as they laugh and shout. For

a brief moment we feel their happiness and love run

through us, but then they let go, leaving behind a sorry

steady, reliable and always ready.





, but then the lights go and we are

Kaila Korschen OC

DR DAVID SOWBY MATHS QUIZ

____________________

Dr David Sowby has very kindly offered a prize of €25 for the first correct answers to these two puzzles. All answers should be placed in the sealed

box on the Supervisor’s Desk in the Library. The quiz will be open for the first week of next term. Remember to put your name on your answer sheet.

1.The vicar and the curate The vicar and the curate were chatting outside the church. Suddenly, the vicar said to the curate, “That’s interesting. Do you see those three people approaching? The sum of their ages is exactly twice yours and the product of their ages is 2450. Can you tell me how old they all are?” The curate, who was a clever chap, thought for a minute or two and then

said: “You haven’t given me enough information.” “Right,” replied the vicar, “then I’ll give you one more piece of information, and this will be sufficient: I am older than any of them.” “Oh, I see,” said the curate. “In that case their ages are X, Y and Z.” What are the ages of each of the five persons?

2. Black or white?

A manager wished to make an appointment to an important position. He narrowed

the field of candidates to three clever individuals but couldn’t decide which of them to appoint. So he decided to submit them to a test.

He had them all into his office and told them the following: “In my right hand here I have three black discs, and in my left there are three white ones.” He showed them the discs. “I’m going to blindfold all of you, and then I’m going to stick either a black or a white disc on each of your foreheads. When I tell you to, remove your own blindfold, look around; if you see a white disc, put up your hand. The first one to tell me the colour of the disc on his or her own head gets the job.”

He blindfolded them all and stuck a white disc on each of their heads. He hid the black discs in his pocket. On his command they took off the blindfolds, looked around and, of course, each of them put up a hand.

After a short pause one of the candidates said: “I see – I must have a white disc.”

How did the candidate work that out?

11.

DEAN TOM SALMON AT 100

Ms Linda Evans (in pink) and Ms Linda Dunne (in blue) with Dean Tom Salmon

as he celebrates his 100th birthday at Brabazon House, Dublin on 5th February 2013.

One of the most distinguished scholars and teachers of the Church of Ireland, Thomas Noel Desmond

Cornwall Salmon, celebrated his 100th birthday on the 5th of February this year. An incredibly gifted

man who, as a teacher, had the remarkable ability to make what seemed extraordinarily complicated -

plain, simple and clear.

I first, as a student, met the Dean in the early 1970's where he was teaching Hebrew with

Professor Weingreen's greatly celebrated textbook: A Practical Grammar for Classical Hebrew which

would have been an almost impossible undertaking for most ordinary mortals like myself, without the

immaculately hand-written notes which he, the Dean had produced. In later years, I put together a

printed version of these notes but the Dean felt that Professor Weingreen had indicated in comments

earlier to him that he would not have approved of any keys or commentaries to his textbook and so

ultimately, the Dean decided not to publish his very helpful explanatory notes. I do hope, however,

that these valuable manuscripts will be carefully preserved and may, at some later date, be made

accessible to future generations studying Biblical Hebrew.

If there was one word to describe Dean Tom Salmon, it would be 'gentleness'. I have never

met anyone who ever heard the Dean ever becoming angry, losing his temper or being unkind to

others. An incident which occurred in Trinity College exemplifies this gentle caring nature that is so

innate in the man. The Dean stayed late one evening to write up a very long and detailed passage in

Hebrew on the blackboard for an early morning seminar he had the following day. He wrote at the

top of the board in his usual magnificently clear handwriting: please do not remove! However, when

the Dean arrived the following day for his first seminar, he found the cleaning lady in a dreadfully

distraught state as she had not noticed his request not to clean the board until it was too late.

However, the Dean just smiled broadly and placed his hands gently around hers saying in his usual

soft kindly voice words to the effect: "I am the one who is indebted to you, dear lady, for keeping the

room always so clean and tidy for me. Please do not fret! It is of no importance whatsoever." This

incident, I think exemplifies the man we all knew, know and love so dearly.

Dean Salmon taught Ancient Greek and Biblical Hebrew here at St Columba's College during

the eighties and early nineties. He had many keen students, amongst whom were members of staff,

such as: Mr Brett, Miss Maybury, Ms. Elston (then College secretary) and myself. A small number

senior pupils during this time studied Classical Greek guided by his immense scholarship and ever-

patient tutorship; many of these pupils achieved excellent grades in their leaving Certificate.

Today the Dean is being well cared for at Brabazon House Dublin, a spotlessly clean and

well-run Church of Ireland nursing home for the elderly. His niece, Mrs Iris Sherwood (mother of Mr

David Sherwood) cares for him with the same wonderful compassion that the Dean has consistently

shown to others all his life.

Garry Bannister February 15th 2013

12

NEW BOOKS IN THE

LIBRARY

These are some of the books we added

to our shelves this term.

JUNIOR FICTION Cross my Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally

Carter

Crossed by Ally Condie

Duty Calls: Battle of Britain by James

Holland

The Fear by Charlie Higson

One Shot Kill: Henderson’s Boys 6 by

Robert Muchamore

Starclimber by Ken Oppel

SENIOR FICTION The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

The Bat by Jo Nesbo

Beyond the Shadows by Brent Weeks

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

HHhH by Laurent Binet The Lighthouse by Alison Moore

Lost Memory of Skin by Russell Banks

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

Penpal by Dathan Auerbach Post Office by Charles Bukowski

Tell No One by Harlan Coben Traitor (John Shakespeare 4) by Rory

Clements

The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers

NON-FICTION SCIENCE

50 Physics Ideas You Really Need to Know by Joanne Baker

Bad Pharma: how drug companies mislead doctors and harm patients by Ben Goldacre

The Naturalized Animals of Britain and Ireland by Christopher Lever

Treasures of the Natural History Museum by Vicky Paterson

HISTORY Abandoned Mansions of Ireland by Tarquin

Blake The Dark Charisma of Adolf Hitler by

Laurence Rees

Enigma: the battle for the code by Simon

Sebag-Montefiore

Hitler Youth by Michael H. Kater

Irish Country Houses: a chronicle of change

by David Hicks

Iron Curtain: the crushing of Eastern Europe 1944-1956 by Anne Applebaum

Not Me: memoirs of a German childhood by

Joachim Fest

Restless Empire: China and the world since 1750 by Odd Arne Westad

A Train in winter: a story of resistance, friendship and survival in Auschwitz by

Caroline Moorehead

ART

A Grand Design: the Art of the Victoria and Albert Museum by Malcolm Baker and

Brenda Richardson (editors)

Hollywood Costume by Deborah Landis Leonardo and the Last Supper by Ross King

Treasures of the British Museum by

Marjorie Caygill

SPORT

John Daly: my life in and out of the rough by John Daly and Glen Waggoner

An Open Book: my biography by Darren

Clarke and Martin Hardy

The Real McCaw: Richie McCaw, the autobiography by Richie McCaw and Greg

McGee

Seve: the official biography by Seve

Ballesteros and Peter Bush (translator)

Seven Deadly Sins: my pursuit of Lance Armstrong by David Walsh

Unplayable: an inside account of Tiger’s most tumultuous season by Robert Lusetich

__________________________________________________________________________________

DONORS

As always, the Library is extremely grateful to those who have donated books to us. Donated

books give the Library’s resources a greater scope and colour than they might otherwise

have.

Dr G Bannister, Mr J R Brett, Mr R Swift, Mrs M Haslett, Mr P McCarthy, Dr M

Singleton, The Drama Department, The London Tour 2013, Ms Susan Parkes on behalf

of her late brother Wilfred Duncan Parkes (OC), David Neligan (OC). 13.

A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS

by Khaled Hosseini

REVIEW – CHARLOTTE COOPER

‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’, by Khaled Hosseini is set in

Afghanistan from the 1960s to the 2000s. It’s about two women,

Mariam and Laila, who get stuck in a marriage to Rasheed, a

harsh Afghani, and it tells the story of their escape.

In a way it is biographical, because Hosseini is writing

about the mood and general atmosphere of Afghanistan when he

lived there, but it is not about any people in particular that he

knew. The fact that he is from Afghanistan is good though,

because when you are reading the book you can really tell that

he knows what he is talking about and has experience of living

in this culture.

The themes of the book are War, Love, Friendship and

Violence. The book covers everything. But at the same time, as well as the harsh scenes, there are

beautiful scenes in the book too, with phenomenal descriptions. As well as the violence in the private

home of Rasheed, the book describes the violence of the enforcement of the Taliban in vivid and

moving detail.

It is not only a book for leisure reading but also for learning because (and maybe this is just

me) I didn’t know anything about Afghanistan and the Taliban before I read it. After reading it

though, and his first novel, ‘The Kite Runner’, I definitely want to visit Afghanistan one day. He does

not describe Afghanistan as a scary place full of violence, as most Europeans would think, but draws

our attention to the lovely culture and religious views of the people who live there.

In the book he has created the characters very well. Each character is entirely different. Even

Laila’s children are so unique. For example: Laila has blonde hair, but is Afghan. Hosseini planned

the book cleverly, because he starts writing about the two girls' individual lives but then they conjoin

and end up living in the same house, which is a very different approach to most authors. This made

me interested because I was very curious about what was going to happen. Also, he had hidden secrets

in the book which are revealed later on. This is a very clever touch and is deeply interconnected with

the developing plot.

The beginning of the book has an ‘idyllic’ mood as if everything is perfect and nothing could

ever go wrong. This actually makes it very unpredictable because so much can go wrong no matter

how good things seem to be. The middle of the book seems long but it all joins up in the end when the

secrets are revealed, and is anything but slow. In this section, there is a contrast between happiness for

Laila, and sorrow for Mariam, so you are never stuck with one theme. These unresolved tensions

throughout make the book a lot more tolerable in the long sections and entertaining to read. It is not a

book with a happy ending though—it is not a ‘Cinderella story‘. To be honest, my least favourite part

of the book is the end, because it dragged a bit, but it is still good. We are taught about sacrifice and

about having confidence in ourselves and knowing what we are capable of when we are desperate. I

think the moral of the story is that nothing in life is predictable, everything could be perfect in your

life, but do not take it for granted. Or else, you might be in for a few unpleasant surprises. Whatever

happens, it may be best to just wait it out. The book proves both of those points with Laila, though not

so much with Mariam.

I would definitely recommend ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’. It is exciting, moving and

informative as well as having a really clever plot. I normally get bored reading ‘big’ books but this

one was well worth it.

14

WHAT’S READING MEWHAT’S READING MEWHAT’S READING MEWHAT’S READING ME continuedcontinuedcontinuedcontinued

ELIZA WILLISCH - Before I die by Jenny Downham - I enjoyed this

book very much and would recommend it always. It is about a sixteen year

old girl who has cancer and knows that she will die soon. But before she

dies she wants to do everything on her list and live her life until the end.

RACHEL SULLIVAN adds, It was a really good book. It’s about a girl

who finds out she has cancer, and makes a list. I’d say you would like it

ROWLAND FITZGERALD BARRON - The Road by Cormac

McCarthy - A very gripping book, unique writing style. Better than the

film.

RICHARD GAO - War Horse by Michael

Morpurgo - It was very sad and emotional. It

shows the horror of war and the hardships.

HECTOR WRIGHT - Alone on a wide, wide sea by Michael Morpurgo -

It’s a very touching book about a boy who is an orphan and then he goes to

war and has a child and then he dies of a brain tumour.

JAMIE UKAGBA - Beast Quest - I love the book because it has lots of

adventure and action and can be funny sometimes.

SEBASTIAN FITZGIBBON – Cherub: The Recruit by Robert Muchamore - I thought this book

was excellent. It’s about a secret organization who hire kids to be spies because MI5 agents can’t do

things kids can.

FELIX ALYN MORGAN - The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien - This is my favourite book and it has a

lot of imagination and adventure. The hobbit goes on an adventure with twelve

dwarves and a wizard to the Misty Mountains to claim back their gold from a

dragon called Smaug.

ALEXANDER LAWRENCE – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by

J.K. Rowling - I really like the Harry Potter books because they are filled with

imagination and adventure. I haven’t read them till now because I listened to

them as audiobooks. I am really enjoying reading them so far and would

recommend them to anyone interested in fantasy or

adventure.

IVAN MOFFITT - The 100-Year-Old Man who Cimbed out of the Window and Disappeared by

Jonas Jonasson - I thought it was quite weird at first.

But then I started to enjoy it and then I got addicted. It is quite

humorous and also quite violent.

HOPE ZOE OKIKI - Zom-B by Darren Shan - I thought that it would be

very scary but it was quite interesting. But gruesome.

SORCHA MCcOOEY - Born to Run by Michael Morpurgo - I loved this book and think anyone

who likes animals should read it.

15.

WHAT’SWHAT’SWHAT’SWHAT’S READING MEREADING MEREADING MEREADING ME

ELEANOR MOFFITT - The Life of Pi by Yann Martel - It has a very religious

theme at the start which is very tedious but I hope it will improve and develop into

more of a story. Having said that, it has a very different view where the child is

practising four religions. JOSIE POLLOCK says, It’s an amazing book. It’s about

an Indian boy whose father owns a zoo. Then they have to move and go on a ship

with all the animals. The boy, Pi, gets shipwrecked and is left with a tiger on a

small boat.

MARK CRAMPTON - The Help by Kathryn Stockett - I thought it was an

eye-opener of a book. It really displays the harsh segregation in southern USA

with opinions of the black maids themselves. It was very interesting to see Miss

Skeeter, the white lady, help to change things. It was also very

funny and enjoyable to read. KATE BEWLEY agrees – It’s a great book, it’s about

the difference between black and white people. I really liked it and would tell anybody

to read it.

JAE SUNG KIM - Warriors series by Erin Hunter - I thought when I saw the

book that it was a good book because I’d read one of that kind of book before, but

it wasn’t the same. I was right though, it was good. In the first book the cats used

magic and fight like that, but in this book they just fight like real life. I think both

books are good. NEVIN McCONE particularly liked Warriors: Rising Storm –

I thought this book was really interesting. The tension was unreal. I felt like I was

in the book. The author made the world really realistic. It left the end of the book

with a cliff-hanger which made it really good.

TESSA HARLEY - Mockingjay: Hunger Games 3 by Suzanne Collins - It was

good but a bit of a disappointment because the first two books were so amazing.

Still good though, just not as good as I thought it would be. SASHA COLE agrees:

I thought this trilogy was really action-packed, there was always something going

on. I didn’t like the last book as much as the first two. KITTY MORRIS liked

The Hunger Games, the first in the series – I thought it was very interesting and

well-written, she says.

ODRAN LAWLESS-QUINN - Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain -

Great book to read! It’s all about adventure, all through it

Tom and his friends are on adventures. I would recommend

this book to anyone from eight to 100.

DARCY MAULE - L. A. CANDY by Lauren Conrad - It wasn’t good because

the characters were unrealistic and annoying. It’s about two girls who move to

Los Angeles and star on a reality TV show. I randomly picked it up while

bored recently and I never read the back of the book – usually I go for a book

with a little more depth.

PAULA MORA REAL - Doña Inés by Azorín - I read this in

Spanish, it is a classic of Spanish literature. When I chose it I thought it would be

very boring, the ‘typical’ love story of the past. But I started to read it and it

became really interesting.

MARK RUSSELL - The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas

Adams - It was kind of wacky but made me want to keep reading. I really

enjoyed it.

...continued inside back page

Documents

The Submarine