instruments

These are Japanese instruments. From left to right: koto (zither), kokyu (bowed), shamisen (plucked). The large plectrum used to play the shamisen is called the bachi, which is hit against the skin of the instrument, giving the shamisen a very percussive attack.

With those shirt-collars, let's go with a period of 1925-1935.

Other pictures, catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000594345, around 1930.

Rockwell College on the 25" map.

In 1911, the census lists staff as Teacher or Clergyman Professor, it does not state which of them taught Music.

Re Father Egan who commissioned the photo..... Fr Andrew Egan is the only Fr. Egan who fits the bill listed in "IRISH SPIRITANS REMEMBERED" page 126. www.spiritan.ie/oldSite/irish_spiritans_remembered.pdf "Having completed his Theology at the Castle, Blackrock, in 1928, Fr Andy was appointed to Rockwell where, apart from teaching Irish, he was Dean of Discipline. In 1934 he was transferred to Blackrock where with Joseph Corless, then prefect, he initiated the college tradition in the production of Gilbert and Sullivan operas." Interesting to note another photo from Rockwell showing group from opera HMS Pinafore. ?? catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000594771 Suggest taken 1928-34

The Women’s Australian National Service (WANS) was inaugurated in 1940. Training for members of the WANS included air raid drills, first aid, basic military drills, and even shooting, signalling, and mechanics. In the period leading up to the formation of the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS), the WANS demonstrated that women were capable of filling roles traditionally filled by men. Sir Percy Spender, Australia’s Minister for the Army, considered women to be an underutilised resource in Australia’s war effort. Consequently, he approved the formation of the AWAS on 13 August 1941 with the objective of releasing more men into forward areas. Source: www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/awas

And work of high merit has been carried out by women members of AEME. Hundreds of AWAS are in the corps, and they are very proud of their AEME colour patch. Some are University graduates. The Army has to rely on many complicated optical instruments for sighting long range artillery, field artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, and coast artillery. These instruments range from ordinary binoculars to complex construction. In all-optical predictors of most work the AWAS has shown extraordinary skill. The girls have also been especially useful in instrument making, armature winding, and other work requiring delicacy of touch, quickness of movement, and perseverance. Source: The Arguse, 20 Jan 1945 trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/1108145