Rockwell Remembers Stardust Victim

Rockwell Hotel and Catering School is holding a reunion for past students on Sunday 20th October at the Westport Woods Hotel & Spa.

This year Rockwell has invited members of the Stardust committee as their guests to remember and honour Brian Hobbs, one of the 48 who died in the 1981 Stardust fire. Brian was a past Rockwell student and a very talented young waiter from Dublin with the world at his feet. He was a gold medal winner for Ireland in Wine Waiting and had just returned from Zurich where he had gained valuable experience at the James Joyce Pub before his untimely death.

Antoinette, a Stardust survivor, and Lorraine Keegan, who lost two sisters in the Stardust fire, will represent Brian at the reunion as guests of honour sponsored by Ciaran Kelly, owner of The Landmark Hotel, Carrick-on-Shannon.

Rockwell Hotel School was established in 1958 under the auspices of Bord Failte and was run by Jimmy Kelly in Rockwell, Cashel, Co Tipperary, under the Holy Ghost Order and Fr Denis O’Brien.

Well-known past pupils include TV chef Martin Shanahan, proprietor of Fishy Fishy in Kinsale, Co. Cork; Eugene McSweeney, a well-known industry consultant; Ed Cooney, executive chef at the Merrion Hotel; Steven McNally, former Deputy CEO at the Dalata Hotel Group and former president of the Irish Hotels Federation; Noel Cunningham, media personality; and Paul Carty, former chair of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation. Sean Davoren, head butler at The Savoy Hotel and lately seen on the ITV programme The Savoy, and Michael Lynch, who has worked at Claridge’s since 1978 and was featured in the 2012 BBC series Inside Claridge’s, are also alumni of Rockwell.

Former pupils will be travelling from all over Ireland and further afield for the event - chef Padraig Molloy is even coming in from Antarctica. The evening, which is in aid of a local charity, will commence with Mass at 7pm in the hotel, followed by a drinks reception and a six-course dinner. 

Michael Lennon, manager of the Westport Woods Hotel and also a former president of the Irish Hotels Federation, is a past Rockwell pupil and is hosting this year’s event.