The Hallowian 2020 - Flipbook - Page 25
History of
the Angeli
La Toussaint: Our School Anthem
What is La Toussaint? La Toussaint
means All Saints in French. As a
title, La Toussaint is used for a
Latin intercessory text from the
Prayer of the Church for the feast
at All Saints set to music. All Saints
Day is celebrated on 1 November
and known as All Hallows’ Day,
which our School celebrates as its
name day.
So, it seems fitting that the hymn
La Toussaint was adopted as the
school anthem.
Sister M Claver Mullany, Assistant
to the Reverend Mother during the
years 1892-1895 and 1907-10, was
the central figure in the musical
life of the school. She shared her
love of French literature with
students and perhaps it was she
who introduced the French hymn
to the School (Dieu et Devoir
page 71). It can be found in Sister
Claver’s hymn book which is held
in the School Archives.
“
“
The Sisters of Mercy and
past pupils remember
fondly the singing of the
School Anthem at Mass
and on special occasions.
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The Hallowian | 2019
While the music could be by a
French composer, there is no
research to prove or disprove the
idea. This prayer seems to have
been adopted by the School for
most of the School’s history as its
School Anthem.
The Sisters of Mercy and past pupils
remember fondly the singing of the
School Anthem at Mass and on
special occasions. It is written in
the history of All Hallows’ School,
Dieu et Devoir, that this hymn
was sung by the Sisters of Mercy
at Mass celebrated in the Chapel
in early years. There are many
other references to the singing
of the La Toussaint hymn on All
Saints Day found in the School
Magazines published since 1933.
1939 School Magazine included
the School Jottings diaries refers
to Choir singing La Toussaint and
in 1940 has the boarders leading
the singing after Benediction on
All Hallows’ Day. In the 1950s, the
boarders’ choir and not the Sisters’
choir led the singing at the morning
Mass on 1 November. By 1944 the
students were singing their Angeli
for Peace at the Naval Depot and
1946 the magazine stated Angeli
Archangeli was ushering in another
All Hallows’ Day. So, it was this
around time that the pupils began
referring to their School Song as
Angeli, being the first word of the
hymn. Sister Margaret Quane, a
boarder at All Hallows’ in 1953,
remembers singing the Angeli and
it was referred to as the School
Anthem.
Current teacher and past pupil, Ms
Marion Horan remembers being in
year 8 in 1967 and the Sisters of
Mercy coming to her classroom to
teach this hymn. In these lessons
the hymn was official referred to as
the School song. The 1993 School
Captain, Sarah McGarry, made
a request to the Principal, Sister
Anne O’Farrell, that the Angeli be
sung at all school assemblies. Her
reasons were that by the end of
the year all students and teachers
could own the La Toussaint as their
School Anthem.
La Toussaint over generations has
become the School Anthem. Sung
by students and staff with energy
and school spirit on assemblies and
on special occasions. This hymn
brings wonderful memories to our
past pupils and rich school pride to
our current and future students.