College showcase of talent and history

A SHOWCASE performance by the talented current and former students of St Mary’s highlighted the college’s 160th annual gala dinner on the weekend.

The dinner also saw details released for the first time regarding a major new building project and also the naming of Claire Griffin as the 2023 recipient of the prestigious Mercy Medallion for 2023.

Claire has established herself as a leading dancer since leaving the college in 2015 and is currently touring with the cast of the hit musical Hamilton in New Zealand.

The first ever winner of the Mercy Medallion, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, sent her apologies via a video message and promised to be at the college for their Long Lunch in October.

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A packed auditorium contributed to making the night an outstanding success for a growing college which has been part of Ipswich since 1863.

LEFT: Some of the many former students of St Mary’s College who came back for a reunion on Saturday night. — Some of the many former students of St Mary’s College who came back for a reunion on Saturday night.

Sister Patricia Blundell who is writing a book on St Marys with former teacher of 27 years, Dale Upton.

Looking over the old uniform display were Anne Mulkerin, Karen Sotiriadis and Bernadine Skippington.

Alan and Faye Brims first met in 1952 as students at St Mary’s. They showed current principal Paula Goodwin the class photo to prove it. They have been married for 56 years.