There's a song in the air

The earliest Presentation nights, called the Annual Exhibition and Distribution of Prizes, ended with a rousing rendition of 'God Bless Our Pope' or the Latin hymn 'Vivat Pastor Bonus'. Occasionally nostalgia got the better of the nuns and they substituted 'God Save Ireland'.

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In 1912 a song was especially composed and sung 'with glee' at a reunion of the 'old collegians'. It was at this reunion that the Past Pupils' Association was officially launched. The song was written and harmonized by Agnes Botham, a pupil of Miss Wilkinson, R.A.M. Londonn- both had performed frequently at concerts while they were students:

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How glad we are to be once more

Within the old familiar walls;

To meet lov'd teachers and companions, as of yore,

In these scholastic halls.

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1923 inspired a Jubilee Ode, somehwat coyly attributed in the Celebration program to "a Sister of the First Community". It recalls how the sadness of leaving Limerick became the force which enabled the Sistes to teach and train with wondrous art Australia's youngest daughters.

Later Sr Concepta Leonard created the first real school song, treasured for decades to come. It celebrated the diversity of life at PCW: the studies done and victories won, of Maths and French and History too ... play, the sport that comes each day .... building health of mind and body too.  The song was an essential feature of any school event, sung always with enthusiasm, often with emotion running dangerously high.

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Decorum was resinstated in 1987 when the then Director of Music, Mary Jo Kelly, together with her brother Paul and Sr Frances Duyndam, wrote a hymn that reflected the values of the school - multiculturalism, unity, optimism - rather than the day to day activities.

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In 1998 a special song was written by teachers Paul McCarthy, Margaret Wilson and Peter Farrar, to celebrate one hundred and twenty-five years of signing together as members of the PCW community:

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History dictates that we all should learn

From the lessons gone past, so that we can move on.

For we are indebted to all those who came,

Who founded this school so proud of our name.

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Taken from 'The Windsor Times' 1998