Newsletter 2007

[vc_row equal_height=”yes” type=”vc_default” margin_bottom=”10″ css=”.vc_custom_1490183669310{padding-top: 70px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1509905763975{padding-bottom: 50px !important;}” offset=”vc_col-lg-12 vc_col-md-12″][ultimate_heading main_heading=”Calendar of Dates” alignment=”left” main_heading_style=”font-weight:bold;” main_heading_font_size=”desktop:20px;” main_heading_line_height=”desktop:30px;” main_heading_margin=”margin-bottom:20px;” margin_design_tab_text=””]Sunday 10th June – Perth Races.
Saturday 23rd June – Dinner Dance Fort Augustus.
Sunday 26th August – Golf Strathmore Golf Club.
Saturday 6th October – Annual Dinner & A.G.M. Holiday Inn.[/ultimate_heading][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1509910037909{padding-bottom: 10px !important;}”]

Programme for 2007. ( A full report of last year’s events excluding the dinner appears in the A.G.M. Minutes under the heading Committee Report).

Perth Races Scone Palace Perth.

This very popular day at the races for O.B’s and friends has been arranged for Sunday 10th June. It is once again Gold Cup Day so the quality of races should be first class. We have secured a good deal for the day of Marquee complete with CCTV in case of bad weather, finger buffet lunch, afternoon tea and club badge plus cash bar all this for £56 including vat, an increase of £2 on last year. Please book early to Ralph Giulianotti Tel. 01738 624674.

Dinner Dance Fort Augustus.

This event is organised by those who left school in 1977, but is open to all O.B’s. and will be held on Saturday the 23rd June. Timetable: 12.15pm Raven Group tour of the Highland Club. 2.00pm Cricket Match at Old Cricket Ground. 6.30pm Champagne Reception Caledonian Hotel. 7.30pm Dinner at the Lovat Arms Hotel followed by dance. 12.15am Evening finishes. Book early as maximum numbers are 60. Price for the Dinner Dance is £35 per person paid in advance, cheques made payable to ‘Fort Augustus Dinner Dance’. All payments and enquiries to: Martin Waugh, Bathstore in Inverness, 39-41 Harbour Road, Inverness. IV1 1UA. (email: inverness@bathstore.com). Further details on O.B. website corbie.com.

Golf Outing Strathmore G.C.

On Sunday the 26th August we will once again hold the ‘Abbey Boys Golf Classic’ at the picturesque Strathmore G.C. The first tee is booked for 13.37pm and the price, which includes High Tea is £34, two pounds less than last year. Please book early for this popular event to Ralph 01738 624674.

Annual Dinner and Report

Last year’s O.B. Dinner held at O.B. Maurice Taylor’s renowned Holiday Inn was once more a sell out. In fact the hotel had to reorganise the tables to accommodate the numbers. The excellent meal was enjoyed by all, thanks to Maurice for the wine, Chris Dunn the port and Ralph the Bennies. The guest speaker, Sir Tom Farmer CBE, KCSG, a great philanthropic friend of the Church and a Captain of Industry, gave a witty and amusing speech. It contained many lighthearted incidents of his career and his experiences and drive was an example to us all. The evening ended in the usual way with the well fed and watered O.Bs. getting lost in the mists of time! This years Dinner for Old Boys and partners will be on Saturday 6th October. The venue as usual will be the Holiday Inn, West Nile Street, Glasgow, preceded by the A.G.M. at 7.00. Our speaker will be O.B. Dr. Michael Turnbull who will give us a talk with slides on his new book ‘Rosslyn Chapel Revealed’ this should go down well with the fans of the book and film ‘The Da Vinci Code’. The Dinner will cost £33 a head just £1 more than last year! The accommodation with the usual O.B. discount is Double/Twin £80 Bed & Full Scottish Breakfast, and Single Room £70, reservation number 0141 352 8300. Next door is the Holiday Inn Expressway where it is £60 Bed & Continental Breakfast. Please book early to avoid disappointment to Ralph G. Tel.01738 624674.

News.

O.B. Father Benedict Seed celebrated the 50th Anniversary of his ordination at his church in Brora. He joined the Monastery in 1950 and was ordained in 1956 on the Feast of Christ the King, and remained there till the Monastery closed in 1999. He then became parish priest at Brora which covers the whole of Sutherland. Around 100 people joined him and the Bishop of Aberdeen, the Right Reverend Peter Anthony Moran for mass. They included his brothers all O. Bs. Frank, Robert, Roger, Austin, Paul Anthony, Peter as well as his sister, all went on to a celebratory lunch with the parishioners and O.Bs. Chris Stephenson, Nigel Blackburn and Ralph Giulianotti to the Marine Hotel. Father Benedict who is 73 years young said to the press, ‘We have to hand in our resignation when we are 75, but it is only accepted if we are not fit to work any more. It’s a bad sign if your resignation is accepted – it means you are really senile – and I think I’m all right for a good while yet.’ Ad multos annos.

O.B. Lawyer George F. Campbell has just written a book entitled ‘The First and Lost Iona’ (A Secret History of Fort Augustus.) Author’s Notes: Having quite by chance in quick succession read books on Beauly history, Gaelic place – names and St. Columba. The author noticed that a remark in one explained by another, was the answer to a mystery in the third and, almost before his eyes a door opened to shine a light on an area of Highland History which had been shrouded from view for a thousand years. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, ‘Some area some history.’ The book can be purchased on the corbie.com website for £15.

Births.

Christopher & Tiina Wright a son Oscar Patrick.
Roberto Pagliari a son Benedict.
Mark Giulianotti a son Oscar.
Kit Murray and Helen a daughter Niamh
Ben and Dawn Murray a daughter Hope
Archie and Gillian MacLellan a daughter Pippa
Archie MacFarlane (Spean Bridge) and fiancée Helen a daughter Morgan

Deaths.

Laurance John Baxter Price (1937-1942) August 2005 R.I.P.
John Malone (aged 74) March 2006. R.I.P.
Rino Di Rollo (1940s) 24th May 2006. R.I.P.
John (Jack) Kerr (1944 – 1950) 26th September 2006.R.I.P.
Canon John Rogerson (1937 – 1944) 8th November 2006 R.I.P.
Joeseph William Dunn 22nd January 2007 R.I.P.
Archibald Alexander (Archie) Maclellan aged 82 June 2006 R.I.P.
Alasdair Macdonald Watson D.F.C. V.R.D. Capt. R.N.V.R. aged 87 Mar 07 (Brother of the late Dom Angus Vincent O.S.B.)
Giles Anthony Foster died 17th March 2007 very good friend of Fort Augustus O.B. of Ampleforth and factor of Lovat Estates for 40 years.R.I.P.
Hamish MacDonald, OB and much revered teacher, aged 82 on Wenesday 4th April 2007. R.I.P.
Peter Bayliss (1958-1963) died July 2006 R.I.P.

Masses will be said for the above deceased by our chaplain Fr. Stephen Dunn.
Note: A fitting tribute to Hamish MacDonald will be published in next year’s newsletter.

Obituaries.

Canon John Rand Rogerson attended our prep school St. Andrews Priory in 1932 and then went on to the Abbey School 1937-1941. He was ordained at St. Mary’s Cathedral Edinburgh in 1947 by O.B. and ex Abbot of Fort Augustus, Archbishop Andrew Joseph McDonald of St. Andrews & Edinburgh. His career saw him as P.P. in many Edinburgh Parishes. He was created a canon in 1992, three years before his retirement to the Gillis Centre, Edinburgh, where he was chaplain to the Ursuline nuns until 2005, when he moved into residential care with the Little Sisters of the Poor, at Gilmore Place, Edinburgh. Fr. Alex Davie, a close friend, recalled that Rogerson was a man whom it was easy to like. ‘His greatest dignity was in giving himself to God and people as a priest’. Cardinal Keith O’Brien described Rogerson as ‘ much loved ‘. ‘When I think of Canon John’, he said, ‘I think of just two words – Thank you. I think these were the words most frequently on his lips’. M.T.

Joseph William Dunn born in Glasgow 5th May 1930, Joseph was the eldest of 9 children. He went to the Abbey for his secondary school education. He loved the people, the place and the community so much that on completion of school at the age of 17 he entered the monastery where he spent 5 years testing his vocation to monastic life. Having decided that monastic life wasn’t his vocation, Joe joined Stevenson & Kyles, the company he then spent his working life with to study accountancy at the Institute of Chartered Accountants. He became the senior partner in the mid-sixties until his retirement in 1997 and built up the firm to where it is today. During the early years at Stevenson & Kyles Joseph met Nana his wife to be. They married in 1958 and had a family of 8 children. Joseph’s love for Fort Augustus never waned; some of his best friends in life came from the brothers/men at the Abbey, friendships which continued for 48 years as the accountant for the Abbey community and Old Boys Association. As father of 4 boys who attended the Abbey, Joseph often visited the Abbey both for accountancy purposes and as a loving father. Many of the community made a point of stopping at his house in Glasgow on their travels south to enjoy the finest hospitality. Abbot Holman and Fr. Vincent Pirie Watson were among his closest friends, pictures of both holding place beside his bed in loving memory. For friendship and community, Deo Gratias. Fr. S. D.

Present: Angus Mackinnon, Pat Barron, Gerard Devine, Brian Caulfield, Angus Mackay, Jim Dollan, Fr. Stephen Dunn, Thomas O’Heay, Owen Halloran, Tom Murphy, Colin McAllister, John A.B.Kelly, Vic Macari, Ian McLaughlin, Tony Duncan, Philip Mooney, Lawrence Hogarth, Matt Tyksinski, Gerry Martin, Richard Ryan, Colin Bryce, Andrew Basigara, Hamish MacDonald, Sheena MacDonald, Henry Murphy, Maurice Taylor, James Deery, Shane McKenzie, Billy Sinclair, Jamie Edgar, George Campbell, Alasdair Macdonald, Mike Lynch, Michael Curley, Mark Dunn, Paul Lombardi, Joe Dunn Jnr., George McLeod, Iain Dunn, Paddy Mulligan, Richard Welch, Mike Turnbull, Ralph Giulianotti.

Apologies: Chris Stephenson, Ralph & Mark Giulianotti, Joe Dunn Sen., Ian Daly, James Quinn, John Booth, James Brannigan, Steve Hegedus, Chris Dunn, Mike Drummond.

1. Opening Prayer: Our Chaplain, O.B. Fr. Stephen Dunn opened proceedings with a prayer.
2. Minutes 2005 AGM: They were proposed for adoption as an accurate record by Pat Barron, seconded by Gerard Devine.
3. Matters Arising: Most Raven Group apartments in The Abbey have been sold, according to their publicity. Jim Dollan’s prostate operation was a success (as evidenced by his attendance at this meeting). Sales of ‘Abbey Boys’ are still trickling in: 80 copies are left from 600 printed, profit to date is £2,815. The Chairman on behalf of all gave many thanks to author Mike Turnbull.
4. Website: Mike Drummond who was unable to attend the AGM sent in a report. He intimated that the website was flourishing: The Forum is very active with Old Boys swapping stories and banter. The Photo Gallery is building up nicely and there are some vintage colour shots from the late fifties uploaded recently these were kindly donated by Anna West wife of the late John West. There had been great interest in the new Hydro scheme at Glendoe. George Campbell who was not aware of the nature of the project raised the topic on the Forum. Replies came flooding in, the site comedians suggested it was a haggis trap, one of those new electric ones that are connected to the internet with a broadband connection, or perhaps an emergency generator for the Scottish Parliament whose caretakers are still trying to work out how to get electricity from the flock of sheep in the basement. The Chairman thanked Mike for his time and effort on the site and proposed a sum of £150 towards running costs; this was seconded by Jim Dollan and carried unanimously.
5. Committee Report: Our programmed this year consisted of three events.
(A) The first outing was in June at Perth Races on Gold Cup Day. A party of 21 Old Boys and friends enjoyed lunch, afternoon tea, bar and CCTV in our own private marquee. The weather was fabulous, the quality of racing great, sparkling company and a good day was had by one and all.
(B) The ‘Abbey Boys Golf Classic’ was held in August at Strathmore G.C. The course is now under new management as O.B. Pat Barron has sold out and is pursuing his love of sailing. This well attended outing saw a strong contingent from Ireland, Philip and Mairi Mooney, their two sons and Bishop Tony Farquhar. Mairi Mooney was the first lady to compete in this esteemed competition and also won a prize. I suppose if it is good enough for the R&A to allow women to compete it’s good enough for us! Colin McAllister defended the Scratch Abbey Quaich successfully and Tom Murphy won the F.A. Handicap Cup.
(C) The finale of the year is this evening’s dinner at Maurice Taylor’s renowned Holiday Inn. This will be our tenth O.B. Dinner and the popularity of this event is self evident in fact we had to alter the seating arrangements to round tables to squeeze more people in. Tonight’s guest speaker is Sir Tom Farmer well known Scottish businessman and benefactor to the Church. I am sure our dinner will again be a night to remember with the usual first class meal, great service and jolly good company. Many thanks to Maurice for providing the wine, Chris the port and Ralph the Bennies. 6. Treasurer’s Report: Joe Dunn is unable to attend tonight due to bronchitis, but son Mark is going to step into his shoes. Mark pointed out that after a slight profit the accounts had a healthy balance of £6,925. He was thanked for his presentation, and best wishes were sent to Joe for a speedy recovery.
7. Elections: As proposed by Pat Barron, the officials were voted in enbloc. Honorary President Abbot Alban Boultwood, Treasurer Joe Dunn, Chaplain Fr. Stephen Dunn, Chairman and Committee Ralph Giulianotti, Mike Turnbull, Chris Stephenson, Mike Drummond and Brian Caulfield. The Chairman remarked that we could do with new blood as we cannot go on forever.
8. AOB: After a letter was read from President Alban Boultwood (94 years young), Hamish McDonald was unanimously elected as Deputy Honorary President of the FAOBA.
A letter of thanks from our last year’s dinner speaker His Grace Mario Conti Archbishop of Glasgow was also read out.
Pat Barron reported that Alistair Watson the brother of Fr. Vincent was in Ward Park Nursing Home at Muthil near Crieff.
Ralph Giulianotti reported he had been invited to Fr.Benedict Seed’s Golden Jubilee at Brora in October. A photograph of the ‘Seed Clan’ is printed below.
Fr. Edward Delepine had just celebrated his 70 years of clothing.
Hamish McDonald expressed his disappointment that there was no resident priest at Fort Augustus.
Angus MacKinnon asked if any of the OBs felt like getting together and buying one of the apartments at the Fort on behalf of the Association.
The chairman reported on the deaths of Rino Di Rollo in May and Archie Maclennan in June (who left 12 children and 32 grandchildren) R.I.P.
Date of next AGM Saturday 6th October 2007 preceding O.B.Dinner.

The Seed Clan on occasion of Fr Benedict’s 50th Anniversary.
Sir Tom Farmer dons his OB tie.

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