Past Student Passes Out

Coláiste Chríost Rí recent past student Christopher Bonus was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant on the 21st January 2009 from the 84th Cadet Class at Army Training College, the Curragh. He has been stationed to the 3rd Infantry Company, mechanised infantry in the Curragh and, at just 19 years of age, has currently 30 men under his command.

 
Christopher was born in June 1989 to parents, Gerard and Ria from Ballinure Avenue. From the beginning he was always eager to succeed. He attended the Holy Cross National School were he was introduced to sports and showed his independence early by going to the Blackrock GAA club on his own at the age of nine. His squad were undefeated champions in their Under-10 age group.
 
Christopher excelled at primary school and upon leaving was awarded the first Spirit Award in honour of the recently deceased principal, Mr. Michael Murphy. He split his secondary school’s education, going to the Nagle Community College until Junior Certificate, and Coláiste Chríost Rí for Leaving Cert. His reasons for switching were because of what he perceived as more favourable for his ambitions, and in honour of his father who had completed his Leaving Certificate in the same college in 1972. Christopher had shown great determination over his decision to switch schools, a task that was not readily accomplished, but again he proceeded on his own to interviews with both Principals and Guidance Counsellors to negotiate his transfer.  

During late Spring 2007 Christopher applied for a Cadetship in the Defence Forces. Having completed several interviews with Army officers, which included an overnight stay in the Curragh for a medical examination, the 17 year-old had one last hurdle to surmount. He had to pass all subjects in his Leaving Certificate.

During the summer bittersweet news arrived, he had passed all subjects but was Cadet Candidate 35 for a class of 34. Plan B had to be engaged and his CAO offers accepted. This lifted his spirits somewhat.  Then came a phone call, but Christopher was playing a match and could not be contacted.  It was the Curragh with urgent news: “We have a dropout” said the recruiting secretary, “but we need to know immediately if he’ll join us!”

 After a frantic drive by his parents Christopher was located and put on the phone, “Yes I will” he said panting. “Congratulations, you’re in” came the reply. Thus started 15 months of intensive military training for the 84th Cadet Class which now numbered 36 students. The training included precision drills, weapons training, tactics, survival training, amphibious assaults all mixed with the euphoria and despair that builds the character of the future officers.

84th Cadet Class lost three cadets through injury, resignation and lack of standards. On the 21st of January, 84th Cadet Class commissioned 33 new officers; Lieutenant [Lt] or Second Lieutenant [2/Lt] depending on whether they had a Degree or not, Christopher was one of two nationally to have gone directly from school to being a commissioned officer and will wear a second rank pip upon completion of his college degree in Galway which he will undertake after a two year deployment with his unit.