Check out the Past Pupils Union new website here.

Founded in 1964, the Past Pupils Union is a collection of past students who support the activities of the CBS primary and secondary schools in Midleton through funding, support and recognition.
Some of our main activities include:

• Weekly Bingo
• Providing funding for the Primary and Secondary School
• Hosting the Schools Awards (2018 Photos here)
• Organising past pupil reunion events

Since 1968 the PPU has organised bingo in Midleton, this is our main fundraising activity with funds being used to support the work of Midleton’s CBS schools.

Through bingo we have provided over €800,000 to the CBS Primary and Secondary Schools. This has been given to the schools through:

• Sponsorship of the School sports teams & equipment
• Funding for IT equipment
• Contribution to purchase of the school mini-bus
• Annual 1st Year Trip to Mount Sion - Bus costs
• Protective floor covering for new sports hall
• Books

How to get involved?

Membership of the union is available to all past pupils of either the CBS Secondary or CBS Primary schools. Speak to a member of the Union, Join us on a Monday night at Bingo or Like us on Facebook.

Contact Us

• Email: PPU@MidletonCBS.ie
• Address: Midleton CBS PPU, Midleton CBS Secondary School, Castleredmond, Midleton, Co. Cork.
• Facebook
• Visit our website midletoncbsppu.ie

Officers 2019

President: Mr Michael Hayes

V-President: Mr Pat Hurley

Chairperson: Mr Pat Hurley

V-Chairperson: Mr Rossa Williams

Secretary: Mr Donal Fenton

Treasurer: Mr Andrew Wall

Registrar: Mr Con Walsh

PRO: Mr. Brendan Wall

Past Pupils Union - History

Ever since the Christian Brothers came to Midleton, one hundred and thirty six years ago they have had the backing and affection of a very supportive and generous body of Midletonians. Without their sympathy and support it seems certain that the Christian Brothers would not have remained for very long in Midleton. The 1865 subscription list of people who contributed very generously towards the building of the School and Monastery places those families and individuals at the head of a long and unbroken line of honourable benefactors to the cause of education in Midleton and District. Many of them, of course, were only past pupils of the humble schools which their predecessors had provided in spite of the penal regulations imposed on them. Daniel O'Connell, with their support and with the support of the priests had wrested Catholic Emancipation from the British Government in 1829 and won further concessions in 1831 with the setting up of the National School system.

The desire for Catholic education was fostered by the Catholic Clergy most of whom had been educated in" Catholic Colleges in Europe. These men organised, managed and directed the local schools even in famine times. Canon John Fitzpatrick who had invited the Christian Brothers to Midleton at the request of the people of the parish, and who had subscribed generously towards the schools, was eloquent in his praise of the schools and the brothers at the beginning. He wrote to the Superior General thanking him for the good teachers he had sent to Midleton.

But when he found that paying for the upkeep of the brothers and of the schools took most of the parish funds he became alarmed. He tried to persuade the Brothers to accept the National School system but for conscientious reasons they refused to do so, with the result that relations between him and the Christian Brothers nearly reached breaking point on a number of occasions. It took all the good offices and determination of the lay people to keep the peace and to keep the Christian Brothers in Midleton. During that troubled period the parents and friends of the pupils came to the Brothers' assistance many times in the matter of repairs and the upkeep and development of the schools.

In the nineteenth century when some project needed to be undertaken, a meeting was called, usually by the Parish Priest, and those who were interested assembled and appointed a chairman, secretary and treasurer as leaders of the project. When the intended 'object had been achieved the committee disbanded.

From 1860 onwards the Brothers were allowed to take a holiday by the sea for a month during the summer holidays. Renting accommodation for the month cost about £12. In 1916 they could not afford the expense which had risen to more than £20. When it became known that the Brothers were not getting to the seaside for their holiday the Committee stepped in, raised £20 and insured that they had a complete and restorative rest after their hard year's work. Such were the origins of the committee which later became known as the Past Pupils Union.

In 1964, when Brother Clancy was Superior, a group of Past Pupils decided to form an on-going Past-Pupils Union. The Driving forces behind this committee were Brother Clancy, Paddy O' Shea, Paddy O'Flynn, Con Carey, Martin McSweeney, James Scanlon and John Gilly. Prof. Paddy Coffey UCC was the first President of the new Past Pupils Union; Chairman - Paddy O'Flynn ; Vice-Chairman ­Con Carey: Secretary - Paddy O' Shea; and Treasurer - Martin McSweeney.

In 1968 the committee decided to make Bingo their chief fundraising promotion, which they successfully organised in the old Primary school, in the cinema in the Coolbawn and later in the new Secondary School, for the past thirty five years. The commitment and dedication of the members has been of outstanding help to the School. In Brother Vaughan's term of office as Superior, the new Primary School, the New Secondary School and the renovation of the Monastery, all became possible and the PPU played their part in supporting these projects financially. The steady flow of funds strengthened the case of the school in obtaining grants from the Government.

Apart from expansion of the Schools, the Past Pupils' Union helped to provide every available facility which was needed in the School. They have made an extraordinary contribution to the Christian Brothers and to the School Staff in enabling them to provide top-class education to boys of Midleton and Imokilly.

PPU Officers since 1964