A Spirit of its own

Sister Gabrielle Kelly, first Principal of Aquinas Girls’ School 1967 - 1972

One of the many images I carry with me always,

is of eighty four open faced eleven year olds, clad in motley garments, on the morning of the official opening of the College in the second week of February 1967. They, and those who were to join them and follow them in subsequent years were the heart of the Aquinas project; they were its meaning and its purpose.

Fellow foundation staff members Sister Mel FDNSC, Mrs Anna Cocks and Sister Veronica RSJ, shared with me the joys and tears of that first year, as we began the task of shaping a new school community, with a curriculum, an organisation, a spirit of its own. A surprising question often asked of us in that year (and later ones) was, 'How can three (and later four) different Orders, each with its own tradition, work harmoniously together in this school?'. The question never made sense to any of us. To Sister Mel and Mrs Cocks who continued throughout all the first six years at Aquinas, and to those other staff members and assisting parents, I owe what was for me, for all its times of real difficulty, a rare and enriching experience of collaboration.

But what sagas we had! In the early years, there was the ever present clay dust in summer and the mud in winter, the buildings constantly under construction, and never quite keeping up with additional enrolments. There were the very early days when to venture into the 'playground' at lunchtime was to risk injury from a frisbee in full flight, when shade and shelter from the sun and rain were practically nonexistent (except for the classroom), when geography lessons on alluvial fans and floodplains could be illustrated by a quick trip outside to the unimproved landscape. There was the day when uniforms were worn for the first time, when we purchased the very first library books - and so many more 'first times'.

Perhaps the dominant memory which remains with me from those early years at Aquinas is that of the quality of community which characterised the venture. It was all there potentially before we ever started - the existing parish groups of families with their priests - men and women of all faith and courage. In particular, there is the memory of Father O'Driscoll whose vision and support were constant and effective. However it was commitment to the project and basic trust in one another - families, priests, students, staff throughout all the risks and difficulties, which gave rise to a vital, new community which was itself Aquinas College. It would be quite inaccurate to give the impression that an ideal situation existed then. Far from it, as all who were there know. But I believe that all who were there in those early days would also agree that the community we experienced together in the task was special - a gift arising from the 'privileged' conditions of foundation years.

Extract from Interview with Sister Gabrielle Kelly March 1982

“The most important kind of success associated with Aquinas came to my attention accidently, and while I am pleased it happened here, we do not claim the credit. A student declared that she had learnt through her personal experience from being at the College, that happiness is found in making others happy. That, surely, is the basic lesson in any human and Christian life.”

Br. Len Francis Headmaster 1961-1967

Br. K. K. O’Donoghue Headmaster 1968-1973

Br. J O’Halloran Headmaster 1974-1976

Mr. John Mahon Principal 1975-1988 Sr. Gabrielle Kelly Girls’ School Principal 1967-1972

Sr. Mel Fouhy Girls’ School Principal 1973-1974

Br. J. Ahern Headmaster 1977-1978

Mr. Anthony O’Byrne Principal 1989-2013