Valedictory Address Speech Night
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hen reflecting on our years at Trinity, it seems like only yesterday that we walked through the gates in the Centenary fence as timid Year 4s or 8s. As the class of 2006 ends another of life’s chapters we end with many fond memories. Memories forged and embodied in each and every one of us through close ties and unforgettable friendships. Our time at Trinity has been filled with many great highs and some lows. It is a common myth that the lows are bad in life, but without them we would never move on, for success comes with learning from our failures. Some people say that if you look at a work of art you will always see something of the artist. Others can recognise composers by listening to music. Though what we have created may not be as tangible as a painting or a piece of music, the class of 2006 leaves a legacy that is part of them. When we began high school, the first thing we were taught in SOSE was that a model is simply a representation. A representation of something more complex in real life. Upon reflection on this, I realised that this phrase, although seemingly too simple, really does hold truth. School is much like a model of the real world, minus the bills to pay. It is in school that we are first exposed to rules and limits within a community outside our own homes. It is in school that we expand on our gifts and talents and use them for the betterment of a community. What makes Trinity so special is that we have a sense of belonging here, not only to the school but also to something much bigger in life. A sense of belonging that students from other schools can only dream about. As custodians of the Trinity tradition we are charged with upholding its values and reputation. We are called to follow the footsteps of Jesus, to be men for others and to be unafraid in the face of adversity. It is the Trinity spirit that grows in us all as students, Old Boys, teachers and parents that sees this legacy live on. A legacy that has been passed on from year to year not only since the beginning of the Christian Brothers College in 1894 but also since the time of Edmund Rice. Edmund provided an opportunity for underprivileged boys to receive not only a textbook education but also even more importantly an opportunity to improve their lives by developing character and maintaining the Catholic heritage of Ireland. His vision for a life education full of diversity is the same vision Trinity aspires to. Through our many pursuits of higher and higher standards in the four pillars of the College, it is evident that we are being educated for much more than a set of exams. We are being developed into men of character, virtue and goodwill.
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This year we have seen a tremendous amount of the TC spirit in action: with a close second in the
Desmond Yeo Head Prefect
swimming Inters and in the Head of the River, our fourth consecutive Alcock Cup, hat tricks in the Alcock Shield athletics and the Zenith Award for the most outstanding school in the Catholic Schools Performing Arts Festival. A driving force for this success is the TC spirit embodied in us all. A part of this spirit is to get out there and give it a go. This year we saw record numbers in many activities including the Catholic Schools Performing Arts Festival, which had over 400 entries and over 200 boys participating. The athletics team also had record numbers and was the envy of other schools. While these victories will never be forgotten, my most profound memories lie in the times when there were no medallions to be seen. It is only during these times that a person’s true character is really tested. No matter if we won or lost, Trinity students have always had an innate sense of pride in their conduct on and off the field. Another reason for our successes at Trinity is how the school spirit embodies all the facets of the College together. Much like the Eiffel Tower with its four pillars that eventually come together some 300 metres in the air. Although this may appear to be an odd parallel, it works. Faith, academia, music and sports are all linked. At Trinity we do not sacrifice one facet so that another can do well. Instead we strive to achieve well in all, bringing them together. Did you know that in every year Trinity has won the athletics, we have also won the Zenith award for music – not only in the past three years but also during the 1990s? It just goes to show that the TC spirit so common to us all is a major contributor to success in life.
