Novum is Latin for “New Thing”, a very fitting title for the annual student produced magazine in Jarlath’s. An amalgamation of the old Jarlath’s magazine “Torch” and St. Patrick’s magazine “The Patrician”, Novum is a continuation of the student fuelled creativity that propelled each of these.
The original Torch was set up in the academic year of 1964-1965 and provided a forum for serious commentary on school life and society at large, the exercise of lyrical skill in both prose and poetry and of course adolescent humour at the playful expense of teachers and fellow students. Written by students across Jarlath’s and edited by Leaving Cert students, it always provided a snapshot of the year in question, chronicling the issues of the day and showing the vibrant personalities of the year in question.
The changeover to the new name of Novum was a relatively smooth one. It was decided during the year that to reflect the new school, a new magazine would have to be formed. Students submitted suggestions for name changes, and then voted on the most popular. Novum was the winner, and joint editors Eoin Lynskey and Paul Greaney set to work. In the end, the new magazine largely followed the format of Torch, with an emphasis on articles and content, with many pages devoted to students’ opinions and feelings on the amalgamation itself. After a long haul by the committee, the magazine turned out as beautiful and strange as ever, with all articles, photos, cartoons and poetry created and formatted by the students themselves.
Novum, just like Torch and The Patrician before it, provides a unique opportunity to students with a keen interest in writing. It provides a forum for them to express themselves outside of the regimented situation of a class room and get published, having a keepsake of their youthful selves speaking as if to their future selves.
