, motto_translation = Fight the Good Fight , city = Shorncliffe, Brisbane , state = Queensland , country = Australia , coordinates = , type = Independent primary and secondary

day A day is the time period of a full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours, 1440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds. In everyday life, the word "day" often refers to a solar day, which is the length between two so ...

school , denomination = Congregation of Christian Brothers , religion = Catholicism , trust =

Edmund Rice Education Australia Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA) is the organisation established by the Congregation of Christian Brothers in Australia to own, govern, manage and conduct education ministries in the Catholic tradition and in the charism of Blessed Edmund I ...

, established = , principal = Chris Mayes , years = 5– 12 , colours = Green and gold , affiliation =

Associated Independent Colleges The Associated Independent Colleges, or AIC, is a group of independent secondary schools in south-east Queensland, Australia. With the exception of St Peters Lutheran College, AIC schools are all-boys schools (St Peter's secondary girls compete i ...

, picture = , picture_caption = , campus =

Suburban A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...

, enrolment = 1,400 , url = St Patrick's College is an independent Catholic primary and secondary day school for boys, located on the waterfront in Shorncliffe, north of Brisbane, in Queensland,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. Established by the Congregation of Christian Brothers in 1952, the college currently enrols approximately 1,400 students across eight grades (Years 5 to 12).

History

1800s

In 1862,

John McConnel John McConnel (3 October 1806 – 27 January 1899) was pastoralist and politician in Queensland, Australia. He was a Member of the Queensland Legislative Council. Pastoralist On 1 January 1851 McConnell joined in partnership with his brother ...

, a pastoralist and member of the Queensland Legislative Council, began construction on a house for his family on Park Parade. McConnel commissioned

Benjamin Backhouse Benjamin Backhouse (182929 July 1904) was an architect and politician in Australia. He was a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council. Early life Benjamin Backhouse was born in England in 1829. He was a Bachelor of Arts and was educa ...

, another politician at the time, and his architectural firm to design the property; a single-story timber house facing the waterfront. By 1864, construction was complete. A number of other properties under McConnel's name during the 1870s were built, including the Seaview Hotel built on Kate Street (now Pier Avenue) and Holland House, a boarding home. In 1879, Moses Ward, a land speculator and chairman of the Redcliffe and Sandgate Steam Ferry Company, purchased the property. Ward sold the property the following year to David Brown of the firm Thomas Brown and Sons located in inner-city Brisbane. The property was named “Morven” after Brown's homeland in Scotland and is still known by that name today. In 1886, architect

F.D.G. Stanley Francis Drummond Greville Stanley (1839—1897) was an architect in Queensland, Australia. He was the Queensland Colonial Architect. Many of his designs are now heritage-listed buildings. Early life Stanley was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 1 ...

renovated the property to a Georgian, two-story mansion and in 1891, further work was performed by the architectural firm

Oakden, Addison and Kemp Oakden, Addison and Kemp was an Australian architectural firm in Melbourne, Victoria. While it was short lived, existing from only 1887 to 1892, they designed a number of outstanding projects, and all three members designed many more notable proje ...

. Due to the waterfront views the building provides and its lavish upgrade, Morven became a popular residence for Brisbane's wealthy, including the likes of Queensland Governor

Henry Wylie Norman Field Marshal Sir Henry Wylie Norman, (2 December 1826 – 26 October 1904) was a senior Indian Army officer and colonial administrator. He served in the Second Anglo-Sikh War, the campaign against the Kohat Pass Afridis, the suppression of the ...

1900s

In 1910, Edward Goddard Blume purchased Morven and in the following years it was run as a guesthouse by Blume's sister-in-law and her daughters. In 1943, Blume passed away and the property became derelict. Morven was commonly referred to as a 'haunted house' by locals and was in complete disuse until 1947 where the evangelical Christian movement known for their beach missions,

Children's Special Service Mission Children's Special Service Mission was the original name, from 1867, of the organisation now called Scripture Union. Begun by Thomas 'Pious' Hughes and Josiah Spiers in Islington, London, this evangelical Christian movement was less formal than the ...

, made use of the run-down property. In 1951, the dilapidated Morven building was purchased by the parish priest of Sandgate, Father Patrick O’Rourke, in order to build a Catholic boys' school due to overcrowding at Sacred Heart, a local convent school. St Patrick’s College commenced on 29 January 1952 with Brother Coffey as the principal and 172 enrolled students. On 22 October 1988, Tony Fitzgerald, an old boy of SPC, talked at a speech night at the school in his first public outing since his appointment as chair of the Fitzgerald Inquiry. The speech focused on the youth and their role in the challenges the inquiry brought to light, saying "the solutions to the problems with which my inquiry is concerned lie with us collectively, with our attitudes and behaviour as a community". More facilities were built over the decades to accommodate the growing student body, including a tuckshop in 1958, a swimming pool in 1972, and a middle school building for Years 5-6 in 1977 (called the Morrissey Building). In 1992, the school's main sporting fields were built on top of an old rubbish dump on Curlew Street in Sandgate, becoming known as Curlew Park.

2000s

Heritage listing of Morven

In 2004, the Christian Brother's stopped residing in the college after 52 years of living within Morven. It was declared a local heritage place that same year due to its historical and social significance. The building now contains offices for teachers and the administration office.

2010 stabbing of school student

On 15 February 2010, twelve-year-old Elliot Fletcher was stabbed in the school's bathroom by a thirteen-year-old classmate before dying shortly upon arrival at hospital. Media reports claimed the alleged offender was a victim of bullying at the school who stabbed Elliot using a knife intended to "scare" his tormentors. After fleeing the school grounds, the attacker was found with minor wounds and taken to hospital by police; he was charged with murder the same day. A Facebook memorial page was created following the tragedy, seeing hundreds of people paying tribute to Elliot. After a number of graphic images were put up in an effort to vandalise the tribute page, Queensland Police launched an investigation and, in the following months, the man responsible for the defacement was charged with child exploitation offenses. Elliot's funeral was attended by thousands of mourners, including hundreds of fellow students who formed a guard of honour around the hearse to pay tribute.

Sport

St Patrick's College is one of eight member schools of the

(AIC) and participates in that association's sporting competitions for high school students and junior school students. The college has had success in AIC, winning four aggregate cross country championships (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014), two First XI cricket premierships (2018, 2020) and two First XI football premierships (2013, 2015).

AIC premierships

St Patrick's College has won the following AIC premierships. * Australian Football - 2020 * Basketball - 2015 * Chess - 2020 * Cricket (2) - 2018, 2020 * Cross Country (4) - 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 * Golf - 2014 * Rugby Union - 2018 * Rugby League - 2021 * Soccer (2) - 2013, 2015 * Tennis - 2006 * Volleyball - 2015

Culture

St Patrick's College offers a number of cultural programs, including: * Instrumental and Vocal Music - there are over 20 school ensembles ranging from percussion to jazz performing at the school and other events such as the QCMF. * Chess * Debating * Theatresports * Art Club * Film Crew (and Junior Film Crew) * School Musical * Senior Drama Production * Tech Crew * Dance Crew The college stages biannual senior and junior musicals with another Catholic secondary school, St John Fisher College and in collaboration with local community theatre compan
Brisbane Junior Theatre
The most recent senior school musicals were Popstars (2015), High School Musical (2017), Grease (2019), and The Addams Family (2021). The next production with St John Fisher College in 2023 is Shrek The Musical. The college also staged an original senior drama production based on the local legend of "The Ghost of Morven" in celebration of their 70th anniversary. The students of the college also organise a yearly "Showcase" event where each house competes in a battle of stage performance.

House system

There are nine houses at St Patrick's College: * Coffey (blue) - named after Brother Coffey, the first principal of the college from 1952 to 1957 * Kennedy (purple) - named after John J. Kennedy, principal of the college from 1995 to 1999 * Mooney (green) - named after Brother Mooney, principal of the college from 1966 to 1971 * O'Rourke (yellow) - named after Father Patrick O'Rourke, the school's founder * Quane (red) - named after Brother Quane, principal of the college from 1964 to 1965 * Rice (orange) - named after

Edmund Ignatius Rice Edmund Ignatius Rice ( ga, Éamonn Iognáid Rís; 1 June 1762 – 29 August 1844) was a Catholic missionary and educationalist. He was the founder of two religious institutes of religious brothers: the Congregation of Christian Brothers and t ...

, the catholic missionary who founded the Congregation of Christian Brothers * Ryan (white) - named after Brother Ryan, principal of the college from 1972 to 1977 * Treacy (teal) - named after Brother

Patrick Ambrose Treacy Patrick Ambrose Treacy CFC (31 August 1834 – 2 October 1912) was a Roman Catholic educationist who established the first permanent Christian Brothers community in Australia in 1868. Early life Treacy was born on 31 August 1834 in Thurl ...

, a prominent Christian Brother in the congregation * Xavier (maroon) - named after St Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Roman Catholic missions

Notable alumni

Alumni of St Patrick’s College are called Old Boys and can join the St Patrick’s Old Boys' Association (SPCOBA). Some notable Old Boys are: * Jayson Bukuya – former rugby league footballer; represented the Cronulla Sharks, the New Zealand Warriors, and Fiji's national team * Joseph Champness – footballer for the

New Zealand national team New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

and professional rapper JOWIC *

Michael Crocker Michael "Croc" Crocker (born 21 June 1980) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin A State of Origin competition is a typ ...

– former Australian rugby league footballer; represented Queensland and the Australian Kangaroos *

Lolo Fakaosilea Lolo Fakaosilea (born 10 June 1995) is an Australian rugby union player. He currently plays as a flanker for Kintetsu Liners in the Top Challenge League in Japan. Family and early life Lolo Fakaosilea was born in Auckland, New Zealand but move ...

– rugby union footballer for the Kintetsu Liners * Justice Tony Fitzgerald – former Australian judge; chaired Queensland's anti-corruption inquiry in the late 1980s Fitzgerald Inquiry and several other inquiries *

Drew Mitchell Drew Alan Mitchell (born 26 March 1984) is a former Australian rugby union professional player. He played on the wing or as fullback. Up to the 2006 season he played for the Queensland Reds. He played for the Western Force for the 2007–09 Sup ...

– former Australian rugby union footballer; represented the Queensland Reds, the Waratahs, and Australia's national team * Jesse Mogg – Australian rugby union footballer for the

ACT Brumbies The ACT Brumbies (known from 2005–2022 as simply the Brumbies) is an Australian professional rugby union team based in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT), The team competes in Super Rugby and named for the brumby, feral horses whi ...

Dylan Napa Dylan Napa (born 13 November 1992) is a Cook Islands international rugby league footballer who last played as a for the Catalans Dragons in the Super League. Napa has previously played for the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs and the Sydney Roos ...

– rugby league footballer for the Catalans Dragons * Jeral Skelton – Australian rugby league footballer for the

Canterbury Bulldogs The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the NRL Telstra Premiership, as well as competitions facilita ...

* Ryan Smith – Australian rugby union footballer for the Queensland Reds *

Cheynee Stiller Cheynee Stiller (born 3 May 1986) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League. Stiller was recruited through the 2005 rookie draft and was elevated to the Lions senio ...

– former Australian rules footballer; represented the Brisbane Lions *

Corey Wagner Corey Wagner (born 23 March 1997) is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for Fremantle, having previously played for North Melbourne and Melbourne in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is the younger brother of former Mel ...

– Australian rules footballer * Josh Wagner – former Australian rules footballer * Adam White – Australian volleyball player; represented Australia's national team and competed in the

2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

* Brendan Whitecross – former Australian rules footballer; represented the Hawthorn Hawks * Matthew Lydement – Australian weightlifter; competed in the

2020 Summer Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the ...

* Brendan Creevey – former Australian cricketer; represented Queensland *

Bryan Roe Bryan Roe (born 20 August 1969) is an Australian priest and former professional tennis player. Roe, a left-handed Queenslander who played a serve and volley game, was an Australian Open junior doubles runner-up in 1987, partnering Shane Barr. ...

– Australian priest and former professional tennis player

References

External links

St. Patrick's College websitePrivate Schools Guide
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Patrick's College, Shorncliffe Congregation of Christian Brothers secondary schools in Australia Educational institutions established in 1952 Boys' schools in Queensland Catholic secondary schools in Brisbane Congregation of Christian Brothers primary schools in Australia 1952 establishments in Australia