Nudgee Stories

Story Added : October 2007

Nudgee: Rugby/Music/French - A Jigsaw that fits together

By Ian Drynan (1957-60)

In September/October 2007 I spent four weeks in the South of France, based near the delightful Mediaeval town of Uzes, not far from Avignon (of Bridge fame!). Naturally, having Nudgee blood in my veins, the visit was timed to coincide with La Coupe du Monde 2007 (Rugby World Cup) and, along with family and friends, I attended four matches: Australia v Fiji in Montpellier; Australia v Canada in Bordeaux; and two Quarter-finals in Marseille, namely Australia v England and South Africa v Fiji (this was the best game of all).

Apart from suffering the indignity of watching the abysmal display by the Wallabies (even with Nudgee content) against England, I came home once again buoyed by the uplifting good-naturedness that exists between Rugby supporters from different nationalities, plus the ongoing confirmation - not new to me by any means - that the power of music possesses to encourage such goodwill.

You may ask “How does this tie in with Nudgee?” Well…………quite a number of years ago during my four years as a boarder from the bush (1957 to 1960), I was fortunate that the early part of this period coincided with the presence of Brother H.F. Gygar. “Ticker”, as he was nicknamed, was probably not the greatest French teacher ever to grace a classroom, but he possessed a wonderful musical talent which was somewhat wasted on the majority of those who took Sub-Junior French! I had always been musically inclined in my pre-Nudgee primary school days and when he initiated the formation of a choir I was pleased to join his “Selected Voices”. He converted a group of untrained teenage boys into a choir that turned heads on Speech Nights and I also recall that we were invited to sing on special occasions at other schools – Stuartholme comes to mind and we were only too pleased to perform there!

“Ticker’s” French students may not have all been conscientious, but I can vouch for the fact that I put more effort into French than I did with most of my other subjects. I felt an affinity with him through music which carried over into the classroom. On a number of visits that I have made to France over the years – including this recent World Cup - the basic language skills that I acquired at Nudgee have stood me in good stead. I am not fluent by any means but I can usually satisfy the local French inhabitants that I at least have some knowledge of their beloved language! They respond positively to such flattery!

Unfortunately, Bro. Gygar was transferred elsewhere before I completed school, but he left an indelible mark which is one of my fondest memories of life at Nudgee. In hindsight I feel that the arts were somewhat neglected during my time at the College and unfortunately the “Selected Voices” disintegrated after Bro. Gygar’s departure. Sport reigned supreme and I loved it then as I do now. My wife calls me a sports fanatic, but I tell her that she has never met a real one! I cannot underestimate for a moment the positive influence sport has had on my life including the experience of captaining the Nudgee 1st Eleven and playing in the premiership winning 2nd Fifteen in 1960. I didn’t make the 1st Fifteen but was severely bitten by the “Rugby Bug” which has remained in my bloodstream ever since I left the College.

…………..but back to France and the link between rugby and music! Music has a unique way of breaking down cultural barriers. Following my Nudgee experiences of Bro. Gygar’s “Selected Voices” and also playing the piano in the old music rooms next to the quadrangle, I have been involved throughout my life in playing and singing traditional music of various countries as a spare-time activity. I learnt a few additional instruments including a small button accordion which has seen the inside of many licensed establishments and has been heard at numerous Folk Festivals in Australia and overseas. I recently took it to France and enjoyed a number of wonderful music and singing sessions, particularly in Marseille following the Quarter-final matches. The sight and sound of a group of people from half a dozen different countries arm in arm and raising the roof to such songs as “Cockles and Mussels”, “Alouette”, “Dirty Old Town”, “There’ll Always be an England” and “Waltzing Matilda” is a tribute to the good vibes that Rugby can generate.

To be an Aussie, outside an Irish Pub in France, playing “La Marseillaise” with a chorus of Frenchmen, “Nkosi Sikelel” and “Sarie Marais” with a bunch of South Africans, “Bread of Heaven” with a crowd of Welsh supporters - some dressed as Fijians following Fiji’s defeat of Wales - and Fiji’s National Anthem (which I learnt off the Internet), was an experience that I will never forget and could almost certainly not happen with any other sport. It is so sad that many soccer supporters cannot appreciate such camaraderie and that police are often required to keep the warring factions apart. I saw not a sign of violence or aggravation anywhere surrounding the Rugby. Vive La Coupe du Monde!

Thank you NUDGEE for encouraging in me a love of RUGBY / MUSIC / FRENCH!!