Phoenix - Term 1 2023

Acknowledgement of Country

The Ignatius Park College Community would like to humbly acknowledge the Wulgurukaba peoples on whose land our College is located, as well as the Bindal peoples on whose land many of us live and travel across daily. We respectfully thank the elders of this traditional land both past and present for guiding us through the journey of time to where we are today. This spiritual and cultural journey is significant in allowing the freedoms our society has today. As a community we reflect on the history of Australia and its First Nations peoples and ask all elders to guide us to a promising and enriching future. As a community we will continue to develop our minds to be respectful and learn from Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders as well as all people who make up this country of Australia.

From the Principal

Dear Alumni,

Welcome to our first edition of “The Phoenix,” for 2023. I particularly welcome our new old boys who are the graduates of 2022. Our Ignatius Park College Vision states: In partnership with families and the wider community, we strive to promote learning that encourages excellence within an inclusive curriculum framework based on Gospel values and inspired by the charism of Edmund Rice.

I would like to congratulate our 2022 graduates who not only authentically lived our Edmund Rice spirit but excelled in their academic studies. Congratulations to 2022 College Dux Harry Gallagher-Smith who achieved an ATAR of 96.30. He has also been accepted to study Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) at JCU. Our College Proxime Accesit Dux is Riley Innes, our 2022 College Captain, who led the cohort and school admirably throughout last year and achieved an ATAR of 95.65. He has been offered a Bachelor of Bio-Medical Science at JCU.

The College had 9 students achieving an ATAR of 90 or more, and 43% achieving an ATAR of 80 and above. In addition, we had seven students completing a Diploma of Business at QCU, the largest of any Townsville school, and over 70 students were awarded VET qualifications and in excess of 30 students from Year 12 gained apprenticeships both school-based and post-school.

Our education at Ignatius Park College is holistic and focuses on being in a relationship with others. This can be lost in highlighting learning achievement in numbers and scores, these results will not define the young men who graduated from Ignatius Park College. I believe our College provides our students with a strong moral compass who leave our campus as good Christians and honest citizens with Catholic values nourished by the Edmund Rice charism and fond friendships with one another and Iggy Park.

Harry Gallagher-Smith our 2022 College Dux at the awards ceremony stated:

Although academics are important, you should make time to enjoy the more social aspect of your years at the Park, as it will help you grow as a person and become far closer to the men around you.

To all the boys that got awards today, well done.  I know you all worked really hard and these awards reflect that. I know that this time after school seems filled with a lot of unknowns, uncertainty and confusion. However, it is also an exciting time, filled with new experiences and opportunities. My advice is to stay positive and stay open-minded. By embracing the uncertainty and the unknown and continuing to work hard like you all did last year, I'm sure you'll make the most of the opportunities that come your way.

This award is not only a recognition of my past achievements but also a motivator for me to continue to strive for excellence in my studies and future endeavours. I will continue to work hard and make the most of the opportunities given to me. I look forward to the future and all the things it holds for me. I am excited to continue my education, pursue new challenges and make a difference in the world.

This year our senior leaders have chosen the 2023 theme “Blue and White: We Unite”. This is about us being - one college with one vision.  Our focus this year is to develop a sense of unity. It is about building a positive feeling of being part of a larger social structure – our College community,  where our students develop a high sense of interdependence, belonging, trust, and selflessness in relation to different groups in our school and a sense of common good that is reflected of the Gospel values.

With Iggy Park our sense of “Brotherhood” is so integral to our College culture and calls us all to be united. It is a culture of accepting all diversity in our school, it is about mateship, comradery, and a sense of belonging, it is to aspire for excellence, which instil strong interpersonal relationships, respect, and community connection which reflect the Touchstones in our everyday encounter. Edmund Rice’s legacy calls us all to oneness. We need to have a united consciousness that goes beyond self and reaches the heart and soul of all members of our College community. It is through this united consciousness we have a sense of oneness, compassion, love, and respect for all human beings – the same virtues demonstrated by Edmund Rice in 1802.Creating a sense of unity means celebrating student diversity, confronting challenging topics, and working together to create a safe, respectful contemporary learning space.

This year a highlight has been the blessing and opening of our new Waterford Place Learning Resource Centre by Bishop Tim Harris at the College. This building is named after the city of Waterford, Ireland where Blessed Edmund Rice first established his schools. This centre is an innovative learning environment. Within the building are flexible learning areas consisting of multiple spaces for many types of individual and group-based teaching and learning practices. These spaces also enhance and enable innovative learning environments through using digital technology, where student-centred learning and collaborative teaching practices are at the core of our educational vision. The displays throughout our centre remind our students of our connection to our First Nation’s story, our rich history and tradition as a College, and our call to be stewards of creation.

Recently I received the following email from a member of the public that I believe instils the Iggy spirit. “Just a quick note to let you know about a young Iggy Park man whom I saw doing an amazing job this morning. At about 7:30am there were two trolleys tipped over in the gutter at the intersection of Ross River Road and Nathan Street that were posing a hazard to turning cars. Whilst the lights were red the young man got off his bike and lifted the trolleys off the road and back onto the footpath out of the way of cars. I gave the young man a thumbs up but wanted to let you know as well. Thanks for the great job you all do in guiding these young men”.

As we enter the Easter season may we reflect on this story and how the resurrection of Christ calls us to be truly brothers to each other and continue to reach out to others.

Prayer - Becoming Brothers

Be sincere in your love and care for each other. Learn to avoid what is wrong and hold strong to everything that is good. Love each other as brothers and honour each other as brothers.

Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. Let your hopes and achievements make you glad. Be patient in times of trouble and never stop praying. Take care of people less fortunate than yourself and genuinely welcome strangers into our community.

Ask God to bless everyone who you encounter. Learn to forgive others and learn to genuinely appreciate others. When others are happy, be happy with them. When others are sad, comfort them. Reach out and offer the hand of friendship to everyone.

Stay humble and don’t feel that you are more clever or stronger than your brothers. Work to earn the respect of others and do your best to live at peace with everyone. As you journey with your Brothers, let them see the extent of your generosity, the authenticity of your kindness, and the depths of your love.

I hope you enjoy our first edition of “The Phoenix” for 2023. Please use this newsletter to share success stories – whether this is our legendary stories from our past of games won or lost on the fields or individual success beyond the gates of Iggy Park, to organise reunions and promote their local business amongst other old boy’s. If you are organising any Old Boys Reunions, please let us know and we can publicise the event. If you have any stories to share or would like to promote your business, please contact Alix Harrington at the College by emailing Alix.Harrington@ipc.qld.edu.au

Live Jesus in our Heart. Forever.

Shaun Clarke | Principal 

Waterford Place Learning Resource Centre

The building of our Learning Resource Centre was the first phase of the College Master Plan which commenced four years ago with a vision to undertake an innovative project to meet the current and future educational needs of the students of Ignatius Park College. This project had three elements: firstly, the demolition of the Brothers House, which was located on this very site with some fifty-two Christian Brothers residing in the Brothers House for over fifty years from 1969 - 2019. The second element was the expansion of our car park, not only increasing our staff car parks, including a disability and visitors car park and a safe drop off and pick up areas for our students.

The final element and the highlight of this project was our Waterford Place Learning Resource Centre. Our Learning Resource Centre is named after the city of Waterford, Ireland, as it was in this place over 200 years ago that Blessed Edmund Rice responded to the call to develop the first Christian Brothers school. Schools that provided the young men of Waterford a life-changing, liberating and hope-filled education relevant for their time in history. In Denis McLaughlin’s book “The Price of Freedom: Edmund Rice Educational Leader”, he stated: It was the sight of poor boys along the quays of Waterford which inspired Edmund Rice to commence his system of education. This was a Ricean education that was reflected in his original schools in Waterford, both in New Street and Mt. Sion. An education that was radical for its time in developing the whole child, ensuring his schools were a place of respect, education for liberation and a place where students feel safe. It is these virtues that we wanted to emulate in this new Learning Resource Centre.

Waterford Place, through its innovative and inclusive design, invites us as an educational community to respond, like Edmund Rice, to a new call-in education. This call meets the diverse learning needs of our young men within a contemporary context. Promoting through its design an education that is hope-filled and liberates the hearts, minds, and souls of our young people to meet the challenges of the world in which they live. A world characterised by globalisation, rapid technological advancement, and significant environmental and humanitarian challenges.

Waterford Place, through its design and displays, grounds our young men’s educational journey in the story of our First Nations People, our rich history and tradition, while all the time calling them in their role as stewards of creation and leaders of tomorrow. Our Learning Resource Centre, through its design, is a learning experience.

The development of this learning resource centre was the collaboration of many people who had the dream and vision not to construct another conventional library but an innovative, contemporary and dynamic space that allows both teachers and students to thrive in an all-inclusive environment, which empowers individuals to flourish in a supportive space.

The College would like to thank both EREA and our Advisory Council, who supported this project from its inception, and the voice of our design students, who developed concept plans in the early stages to ensure that it would be communal in its design with a café, an outside deck and a large fish tank.  Thank you to Dillon Architects and Carol Dowd, our Project Manager, who all took our dream of a modern learning centre and made it a reality.

Our Waterford Place Learning Resource Centre wouldn’t be standing today without W&F Constructions, Josh, Steven and most importantly, Trent, our onsite Supervisor, who all ensured the centre was constructed on time and within budget.  The multiple subcontractors with whom we had to create a space filled with modern technology, creative furnishing, lush landscaping and Aboriginal heritage. Thank you: NQ AV, BFX Furniture, Norther Land Design and Robbie Paul Designs.

 It is the hope that Waterford Place Learning Resource Centre extends to all those who enter, through its cultural and environmental sensitivity, digital technology and innovative learning spaces, to engage in inquiry, to seek new meaning and understanding, to be solutions driven and hope-filled for the world in which we live.

For all our students who use this wonderful facility, it is the vision, like Blessed Edmund Rice, that the learning journey is enlightened by faith, animated by love, justice and peace and leading to a sense of expansive hope for creation and humanity. 

 Waterford Place Learning Resource Centre Ignatius Park College was established in 2023.

Grand Opening

Old Boys Success: Rowing | Reilly Williams

Reilly is currently studying at the University of Queensland (resident at St Leo's College) and rowing for the University of Queensland Boat Club (UQBC).

Reilly recently rowed for UQBC at the 2023 Australian Rowing Championships in Perth, competing in 4 events and winning "Gold" in all 4 events.

He is now the current Australian Champion in,

• U21 lightweight men's single scull
• U23 lightweight men's double scull (Composite crew) 
• Open lightweight men's quadruple scull (Composite crew)
• Open lightweight men's eight (Composite crew) winning the "Bucks Trophy".

He was also selected in the 2023 Queensland State Team in the "Open lightweight men's four squads" (a mean feat for a 19yo) but did not get selected
in the final four to row for the "Penrith Cup" at the Australian Rowing Championships. But proudly supported his Queensland teammates on the day.

Co-Curricular

COMBINED SCHOOLS' MUSICAL 2023

He’s a quirky 1976 gangster movie spoof, substituting machine guns that fire gobs of whipped cream instead of bullets.

Strap yourselves in for the musical of the century as we turn the Townsville Civic Theatre into the back alleys of New York City and Chicago.

In partnership with St Patrick's College Townsville and St Margaret Mary's College, Ignatius Park College presents the 2022 Combined Schools’ Musical.

BUGSY MALONE

1 JUNE – 3 JUNE 2023

Townsville Civic Theatre

Vale

The College passes its deepest condolences to the family and friends of the following Old Boys and any other member of our College who has passed away. 

Meryvn Smith 

It’s with a heavy heart we share the news that our beloved father, husband and grandfather has passed away at the age of 83. Dad dedicated his life to his family, teaching and the arts.

Mervyn Smith touched many lives in Townsville. During his 43-year career working for the Christian Brothers, he mostly taught maths and history at Ignatius Park College - Dad was a Deputy Principal there from 1981 to 2004.

Dad was also known widely for directing or performing in scores of theatre and music performances. He participated in the Choral Society and volunteered with a host of organisations over the years including the Historic Houses Trust, the Bishop of Townsville Archive, Friends of Dance North, Townsville Juvenile Eisteddfod, Australian Festival of Chamber Music, and the Performing Arts History Society of Townsville (PAHST) museum at Jezzene Barracks.

Some would not know that Dad danced ballroom with Mum and was astonishing at jive dancing. He played in the Townsville Brass Band with his father and at one time, Dad played the saxophone and clarinet in a band to save extra money for the honeymoon.

In retirement he thoroughly enjoyed three grandchildren, prolific reading, crime drama, and playing cards at the bridge club with some of the best friends anyone could wish for.

At home, my two sisters and I will be forever grateful for how he shaped our lives - not only through all he said and did, his dynamic energy, big personality, and intelligence, but for the very deepest love, support, and encouragement he consistently and generously gave us all. Our memories of Dad are rich – they will continue to bring us joy, along with our lifelong interest in the performing arts.

We hope you will all understand that Dad wanted a small, private Catholic funeral service, so as not to overwhelm Mum.

Finally, we send heartfelt thanks to all the incredible health professionals who cared for Dad over the years, particularly in the final weeks and months when his CMML/ Leukemia took hold.

Farewell Dad.

Your death leaves a heartache no one can heal, but your love leaves a memory no one can steal.

Mrs Kathleen Maud Allan 

Sometimes delivering a eulogy can be a difficult task but today I am absolutely honoured to speak on behalf of the Allan family. My definition of honour is to regard with great respect and esteem and it is a privilege to speak about a woman who has had such an impact on my teaching career and has made such a significant contribution to the positive culture of one of QLD’s great schools.

Kathleen Maud Marsh was born in Brisbane on the 21 November 1938. Kath’s family would say that, in hindsight, it would seem Kath’s life was almost divided into two, with the first half being tough and challenging; the second half much more rewarding. She enjoyed the second half of her life without the stresses and complications of the first half.

Kath had a difficult start to life, with her mother passing away during childbirth. She lived with her father for a short time before being adopted by her aunt and uncle Fred and Mona. This was a blessing and changed Kath’s life for the better. Fred was a schoolteacher which led to Kath spending much of her childhood in Charters Towers, attending Richmond Hill Primary School. Kath maintained regular contact with her school friends her entire life. Kath went on to attend Teacher’s College in Brisbane, where she met and married her husband, Ernie Allan.

Her family quickly grew with the birth of Michelle, Ted, Patrick and Kerry. Life wasn’t easy, money was scarce, but Kath focussed on caring for her children. One activity fondly remembered was taking her young children on the train to the city. This trip was an adventure, with Kath and the young family dressing up for the occasion. It involved a walk across a rather precarious bridge over the Brisbane River as there were no train tracks across the river at that time.

In 1967 the family moved to Townsville due to Ernie’s job with the Department of Supply. Here Kath would begin to use her teaching qualifications, teaching primary classes at St Margaret Mary’s College for many years before moving to Marian Catholic School. She loved caring for the younger children, her beautiful nature fostering their inquisitive minds. Indeed, I think half of Townsville were taught by the lovely Ms Allan in grade four!

In the early 80’s there was great sadness with the loss of her husband, soon followed by the tragic death of her son Patrick. Kath carried herself with great dignity through this period, showing great resilience and strength of character.

During the 80’s Kath became friends with an English lady, Anne Lumley, who on her retirement moved to Paluma. This resulted in Kath spending most weekends travelling to Paluma and back, dangerously at night sometimes, and on one occasion ended up over the edge. The police said six inches further she would have been gone. She enjoyed the peace and tranquillity of Paluma, bringing a lot of happiness during this otherwise sad time. An escape enabling her to recharge.In the late 90’s Kath moved into a granny flat at the back of Shelley and Colin’s house where she stayed for 20 years before moving into Ozcare Villa Vincent.

Volunteering in the uniform shop at Ignatius Park College began another chapter. In 1999 Kath saw the need for the Toast Room, a place for the young men to eat in the morning before lessons began. This was a positive experience for Kath and all those involved and started a chapter of some of Ignatius Park College’s finest history.  Some of the young men who frequented the Toast Room went on to play NRL football, developing Kath’s love for the North Queensland Cowboys and I know that, amongst others, Michael Morgan, Kyle Feldt and Ant Mitchell were particularly fond of and grateful to Kath for what she did for them during their time at the College. Ant Mitchell has sent this message and asked us to read it today. *

May we honour the life and legacy of a remarkable woman, who devoted her life to helping young men thrive in their educational pursuits.

It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to such a strong maternal figure and beloved friend, but we take comfort in knowing that her impact will live on through the countless lives she has touched.

Throughout her time as an educator and volunteer, Mrs Allan had an unrivalled gift for reaching young men, particularly those who were struggling. She believed that every young man, regardless of their background or challenges, had the potential to succeed and thrive, and she devoted countless hours to supporting, mentoring and loving us. With a correction or two when needed, we show thanks to her tireless dedication, countless young men have gone on to achieve great things, knowing that they had the love, guidance, and unwavering support of someone who believed in them.As we mourn our loss, we also celebrate the incredible life and legacy of Mrs Allan.

While she may no longer be with us, her spirit of kindness, compassion, and dedication to the wellbeing of all Park Boys will continue to inspire us all. Rest in peace, Mrs Allan, and know that you will be dearly missed, but never forgotten.

Anthony Mitchell

Iggy Old Boy 2006

Kath’s involvement with firstly the uniform shop and then the toast-room closely mirrored what Edmund Rice did in 1802 when he opened his first school for the poor catholic boys of Waterford in Ireland, building a bakery and tailor shop to give these boys a better chance of succeeding in life. Kath Allan would go on to become one of Edmund Rice’s greatest servants and I know for certain there is a huge number of Iggy Park old boys who did succeed in life because of Kath’s presence in their lives.  During her time at the uniform shop and the toast room Kath became close friends with Kay O’Connor. The family would like to thank Kay for visiting Kath almost daily since becoming unwell in January this year, providing jelly, lemonade and lemonade popsicles. This provided great comfort to Kath and is very much appreciated.

Kath spent her final years at Ozcare Villa Vincent, making many friends with the residents and staff.  The family would like to thank all those who visited especially during these last few months, and also a past student of hers, Emma, who as a carer at the Villa had a special place in her heart.

Kath didn’t just show compassion to strangers, she was a loving and devoted mother, grandmother and friend, leaving three children, seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren.  Kath will be sadly missed by many. Her strength and love of life lives on in all of us.

So why has Kath Allan had such an impact on my life and the lives of so many? She lived the notion the true power, respect and authority always comes from relationships formed and not from positions held. St Francis de Sales once said “Nothing is so strong as gentleness and nothing so gentle a real strength” and this is how a nice old lady has joined the likes of Paddy Carew, Ben Bonomini and John Alloway as one of the legends of Iggy Park. Indeed, Kath showed everyone that a woman can significantly influence the behaviour and outcomes in a large, all boys school. I used to call Kath the College matriarch, and such is her legacy, I think she will remain the College matriarch forever! She would often send me a message upstairs, via a boy to “tell him he should get out of his office more and spend more time buttering some toast and talking to these boys”. Mrs Allan was always right, and I bet there are no old boys here today with their collars turned up! I am going to use a naughty word here. Another one of Kath’s great strengths was here “dick-head” radar. She had an uncanny knack to recognise the teachers who truly cared for the boys and the pretenders.

So how do we honour such a source of inspiration to everyone who new her? Yes, we can live a life of love, service and commitment to all walks of life but today we can make her smile from her stool in heaven by singing her favourite Iggy Park hymn. Kath would often tear up at our final liturgy for the Yr. 12 boys here at the College when the hymn “you raise me up” was played because she was so proud of the fine young men they had become. She would often tell me that it was her favourite part of the year so please join me in singing her favourite Iggy Park hymn to thank her for raising so many of us, me included, to become more than we can be. I invite all the old boys ofv the College and the current students to stand and lead us in singing this great song. Let’s all sing to make Ms Allan proud!

Michael Conn

Old Boys Advertising