Once through the doors, and past Mark Tueart selling Stand up Bingo and raffle tickets, and then past the ever-vigilant Bernard Stafford at the SAOBA tie stall, the lucky 150 found their way to the increasingly crowded bar. The free bar was a calculated risk, a gesture of faith in the collective common sense of the old boys, which of course was handsomely rewarded by a most excellent evening. In the Churchillian spirit of 1940, Never were so many rounds offered by so many to so few.

In what seemed like no time we took our places in the main dining hall, with its new and imaginative lighting which seemed to continue the 1940s anti-aircraft theme of the evening. We were professionally served by Francs restaurant, with French Bread and Normandy Butter, with Tomato and Red Pepper Pesto Cream soup, followed by Roast Rib Eye of Beef with a Sherry Vinegar sauce, Parmentier Potatoes, French green Beans and Tomato filled with Creamed Spinach. This was followed by French Strawberry Tart with Movenpick Vanilla Ice Cream, followed by Cheeses, Tea, Coffee and Mints.

And then – we were ready to experience the third Moriarty to speak.

In previous years, Kieran Moriarty (twice) and Frances Edmonds (nee Moriarty) had been our After Dinner Speakers, and this year it was the turn of Brendan, who had lately appeared on BBC TVs "Mastermind". 

His main topic was not the easiest - the life and works of Sir Winston Churchill. Although Brendan did not disclose further details of his performance, one of his brothers in the audience was heard to shout "he didn't even come last!". 

Introduced - of course - by Pete Riley humming the Mastermind theme, Brendan firstly paid tribute to our forward looking and progressive Headmaster Mr Michael Thompson, and looked back at the careers of some previous Headmasters, including Brother Foley, Brother Gleeson and Brother Valerian O’Shea. 

Brendan's topics ranged from the Bro Foley's announcement of the Assassination of John Kennedy at the 1963 School Christmas fair, through his own methods of survival on the rugby pitch (jump smartly aside while shouting "great dummy!"), and basic rules of team selection (...find two psychopathic dwarves with rickets... one to be scrum half , the other to be hooker...). 

Classic quotes - Tony Moriarty on being refused beer by a barman in the West Indies: "Can we see your wine list please?"

Brother Foley (Sex education lesson, 1970) "Sex with French girls will make you blind"

Brother Valeryan O'Shea on finding prefect B Moriarty battling in the corridor with a fifth year : "Give him a kick in the bollocks for me".

And finally, Brother O'Shea on the difficult subject of educational psychology: 

"Psychology? I always find that boys understand psychology much better when they've had a good kick up the arse". 

Here's to the next time!

Mr Des Charleson "Unplugged at St Ambrose Old Boys Dinner".

After the dinner and speeches were over, accompanied by his trusty guitar and a pint glass full of essential tonsil lubricant Des Charleson took the stage to treat us to some entertainment from the land of our fathers (or grandfathers). He quickly overcame some technical glitches with the school PA system by discarding his mike and disconnecting his guitar.

One had the feeling that as an experienced performer in Dublin, Des was in no way overawed by a home crowd at St Ambrose. Not even when heckled by his own brothers!  He not only sang the songs powerfully and without any amplification, but gave us some of the history behind the songs. Firstly introducing us to Ewan MacColl’s "Dirty Old Town" (originally written about Salford) and following up with "Guantanamera", (now frequently heard on the football terraces, but originally about the dancing girls of Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, now the site of the American prison camp), and then "A Pair of Brown Eyes" written by Shane MacGowan of the Pogues, ("Him with no teeth" who Des had met in Dublin). 

He quickly got the crowd on his side with some rousing choruses of these classics. In between Des performed some extremely challenging unaccompanied singing, without the help of guitar or audience. His powerful voice was more than equal to the task and after "Pull away to Australia", he was called back for an encore and left the stage to rousing applause. We hope it won't be the last time!