Welcome to a new monthly series that celebrates the remarkable journeys of past students of St Brendan’s College—an institution that humbly began in 1860 as a seminary and has since grown into a cradle of leadership, creativity, and global impact.

Each month , the schools transition year students will spotlight alumni who have carried the school’s values beyond its walls, leading, innovating, and serving in diverse fields locally and around the world.

Name: Dr Gary Stack of The Park Medical Practice, established in 1988.
Occupation: Doctor.
Boarder? Yes
Year of Graduation : 1977
Can you describe a typical day for you?
I would spend most days in my Doctors surgery from about 8:30am until 6:00pm.
What is your earliest memory of St Brendan’s’ College?
My earliest memory of St Brendan’s was my first day of First Year. It also coincided with the opening of the O’Flaherty Building. It was a single -story building and we were the first classes into it. Four first year classes started that year, with about 30 students in each class, so they were four classrooms in the building.

How did the school support you in pursuing your individual interests or academic goals?
There was a big emphasis on extracurricular activities such as football and music. Donal O Sullivan had the choir at the time. I was part of the choir myself and we went on to win the All-Ireland Final one year, as part of the Slogadh competition. The competition was held in Dublin, and it consisted of fifth and sixth year boys. There were also many people involved with Music through Comhaltas. We also had the quiz team, Maurice O Doherty used to be a news reader, and he used to run a school quiz. We made the Munster Final in that year.
How did the school day then differ to the school day we have today?
We used to have a six-day school week that time, and we had two half days both on a Thursday and Saturday. It then changed to a five-day school week in my fifth year. I think this was to cater for the school buses.
The daily routine started with the bell at 7:30am, mass was held at 8:00am. We had breakfast at 8:30am and school started at 9:00am. The school finished at 4:00pm and we had three weekly study sessions from 5:30pm to 9:45pm. Lights were out at 10:30 for the junior school and 11:00 for the Senior School. We practiced choir at lunchtimes or in the evenings.

How would you have described the school population?
The school population consisted of about 200 boarders and 300-day students at the time. The students attending were mostly local students, Ballyhar would probably have been the furthest away , or Barradubh from the other side. Kilcummin from the Northern Side. We would have one or two from Farranfore but that would have been a stretch.

What specific academic programs or teaching methods at the school helped you succeed in your current career or further studies?
Well, I suppose over the years, we were involved in many different things in school, and there were a couple of teachers who I would have had a lot of time for. My biology teacher in particular Pat Moynihan who I would often still meet in town. Tadhg McCurtain. my Maths teachers was also very supportive. I had a particular interest in the science subjects. Tadhg McCuratin used to keep a few of us back for extra sessions. There were seven questions on the paper at the time and you had to complete six. The seventh question wasn’t usually done. He did the extra work with us which resulted in us having a choice the day of the exam. Biology and maths were two of my best subjects as a result.

Can you share an example of how a teacher or staff member made a meaningful impact on your growth?
Fr Roger Kelliher would have made a meaningful impact on us, Fr Roger organised the Legion of Mary groups. it consisted of two groups of fifth year and sixth year. We used to visit the hospitals and the elderly in the Parish. It was a weekly thing which then led to the groups going to Lourdes. The Legion Group grew out of this group. 20 helpers went to Lourdes every year and that went on for a long number of years. There are still students of St Brendan’s College going every year as helpers.

Would you recommend the school to a prospective student ?
I would recommend St Brendan’s College to prospective students. My father went there and I sent my son there. It was the generational appreciation for what it had to offer. It had a good Catholic ethos and was well rounded both academically and socially. My son has since experienced the same ethos.

Was there any school traditions or event that always led to good natured chaos or funny stories you still tell people today?
There probably was but I will have to plead the fifth on that.

What is a moment from your time at school that you still think about regularly , and what made it so special to you?
I would meet classmates quite regularly and we would always have stories to tell. Everybody mixed there. There was a photography class and we used also play squash in the handball alley, every year also had a football league. It was very easy to make friends there, even outside of your school year. Boarding kind of forced you to take up activities and that was the benefit of it. You did it to fill up your spare time.
One of the odd things I remember is that in the first three years that I was there, the senior Sem team won the Munster colleges each year, 1973, 1974 and 1975. It was a three-in-a-row which I don’t think has been done since. The football was strong at that stage.

Would you have kept contact with any of your classmates of the time?
I would have kept in contact with many students from all different years. We also have a WhatsApp group for our own class and for our reunions. The group chat is very active with something happening every week in it. It is combination of both borders and day boys together.
I suppose you meet people in all walks of life who would have went to St Brendan’s, be it in the medical world or otherwise. You always come across someone; there is always an attachment. I certainly enjoyed my time in St Brendan’s, and I wish I could be back there again.

There are some people in Killarney who quietly become part of the fabric of the town.

You may not always notice it day to day, but they’ve been there through generations, through change, through progress. This week on Marie Meets, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with one such lady: Brid O’Callaghan.
In late February back in 1976, Brid walked through the doors of O’Donoghue’s Opticians on Main Street for her very first day of work. She had no way of knowing then that she was beginning a journey that would span five decades.
Fifty years. A lifetime of helping Killarney see clearly.
Brid began as a receptionist under the guidance of well-known businessman Pat O’Donoghue before later becoming an optical assistant. From handwritten records to high-tech systems, she has seen the profession transform before her very eyes.
“When I started, everything was sent by post,” Brid told me. “There wasn’t even a fax machine. I recorded all the customer details by hand on personal data cards.”
No computers. No emails. No instant lab orders. Just careful handwriting, sharp organisation and a very good memory. Today, the practice operates with fully networked computer systems, digital imaging and modern diagnostic equipment, lenses thinner, frames lighter, and technology advancing faster than ever. But through every change in focus, Brid remained the constant.
Originally, customers entered the opticians through the pharmacy. Then in 1990, one third of the pharmacy became a dedicated opticians space, complete with its own entrance leading upstairs.
“And we had a beautiful display window on Main Street,” Brid recalled fondly. “It was fabulous.”
Her colleague Derry O’Keeffe joined in August 1977 and is now approaching 50 years himself. Between them, they have nearly a century of combined service anf you might say they’ve kept a very close eye on the town.
But what truly defines Brid’s story isn’t just longevity; it’s loyalty and the impact she has had on those around her.
“Pat was a fantastic employer,” she said warmly. “Bringing up my children, I never missed a school concert, a doctor’s appointment or a parent-teacher meeting. Pat and his wife Helen are family people. They were so kind to me.”
Pat was known for taking students from all over Ireland for six-month placements. But according to Brid, he didn’t just leave them at the front desk.
“He showed them the ropes. He took a real interest in them. He was always forward-thinking and could see the future of the practice.”
What Brid modestly doesn’t say but I am told by those who know is that she herself has helped nurture and train many of today’s finest optical assistants.
With 50 years of experience behind her, she passed on not just practical knowledge, but a way of working: always patient, always kind, always putting the customer first. She is known for remembering everyone’s name from great-grandparents right down to the youngest child choosing their very first pair of glasses. In a profession built on precision, Brid added heart.
In 2018, the business transitioned to independently run Urban Optics on Scott Street. True to his word, Pat researched the changeover thoroughly to ensure every staff member’s job was protected. He remained until 2019 to guarantee the transition was seamless.
Once again, Brid found herself working with another exceptional team — Adrienne, Aisling, Julia, Caoimhe, Derry, Mehrdad, U.G. and Sheila, a group she speaks about with genuine affection.
“I’ve been abundantly lucky,” she told me. “I couldn’t have asked to be better treated.”
Her remarkable 50 years were celebrated recently at The Lane at The Ross Hotel, where colleagues gathered for a night of great food, laughter and chats that stretched into the small hours.
Director Noleen Loughlin travelled from Kildare to attend. Clodagh McGovern sent her good wishes, while in-house directors Sheila O’Sullivan and U.G. Okafor were there on the night. Most special of all, Pat and Helen O’Donoghue joined the celebration a fitting full-circle moment after half a century.
Brid has particular praise for Sheila.
“She’s on par with Pat as employers go. Nothing is ever a problem. She’s kind, helpful and so approachable.”
Now working two days a week, Brid has no plans to hang up her lenses just yet.
“I’ve loved every one of those 50 years. I loved it from the first day I walked through the doors on Main Street and I’ll stay as long as I can.”
Outside of work, her world revolves around family her daughter Sarah and son-in-law Greg, her son John and Laura, and her two adored grandchildren, Aimee and Sam.
In a world where people change jobs as quickly as they change frames, Brid O’Callaghan is a reminder that dedication, kindness and a clear vision still matter.