Letters to the Editor

June 2008

Previous Letters to the Editor Archive

Jim Mc Master (1959-64 - Grade 5 to Junior) calling…

Hi there! After being alerted to your interesting website by another former Nudgee Old Boy - my cousin Malcolm Whiteford who is a trots trainer in Victoria and doing pretty well. We keep in regular touch.

My younger brother, Danny, attended Nudgee from Grade 2 to Junior (1961-69) and has kept in touch with several of his former classmates. About the only former classmate I see on a fairly regular basis is David Davoren. I've run into several others over the years, but, sadly haven't kept in touch. I attended a class reunion in 1991 at the College, but, since then, I've been a bit slack in attending any others.

I've recently moved to a new address on the Gold Coast after the break-up of my 2nd marriage. Must be something to do with my work as a professional performer(singer/guitarist). Never enough time for the important things at home.

My father, Wallaby Bob McMaster, passed away on August 1st, 2003, and I spend a lot of my spare time looking after his widow, Dawn, who still lives on the family property in Mudgeeraba on the Gold Coast. She is 86, but, as tough as they come.

I live at Unit 60/14 Bourton Road, Merrimac Qld 4226, and my phone number is 55 592 821 or 0438 687656  and I would love to hear from any of my former classmates.
All the very best.  -.

Amanda Webb wrote the following email early in 2008…

 I write in the hope that you will be able to assist me.  My Grandfather, Frederick Andrew Taylor born 1899 and his brother Enoch Taylor attended Nudgee College back in the early 1900's. 
 
We will be enrolling our son, Zachary, this month for boarding in Year 7, 2009 and I am very keen to source any information that you may have regarding his great-grandfather's attendance at Nudgee.  Unfortunately, my mother does not have any information as to the exact date or age that Frederick and Enoch were when they attended Nudgee College.  I do know for sure that he is buried at Nudgee Cemetery.  He lived in the area until his passing.
 
I have two step-brothers John and David McEvoy who attended Nudgee in the mid 1950's.  I have their dates of enrolment.  My partner also is a past student.  As you can see, Zachary has quite a bit of family history linked to Nudgee, hence, I am keen to ascertain dates and information where possible to complete the missing part of the puzzle.
 
I would appreciate any assistance that you can provide and look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Ed Note.
If any old boys can provide any information concerning Amanda’s enquiry I would appreciate hearing from them.

Krystyna Walters wrote the following letter of thanks to the NCOBA following the blessing at the Memorial Mass in December 2007,  of the plaque in her husband’s memory…

On behalf of my family and myself, I would like to thank all concerned for the moving ceremony on the 1st of December 2007 to honour the memory of my husband, John (Jack) Walters.

My sincere thanks to Nudgee College Principal, Mr Daryl Hanly for his warm support and to Mr Lawrie Cusack for helping to realize my dream. We are very proud and I am sure John would be as well. To all John's friends from the Nudgee College Old Boys Association, a big thank you.

Rev Dom Carrigan CSSR, Chaplain, University of Newcastle, Callaghan. NSW 2308  sent this response to a letter to the Editor in Signum Fidei No. 64 Supplement 3

The letter which was from Neville Raffin stated ‘A tennis  friend  has asked me the whereabouts of John Sturgeon who was of our vintage’. Dom Carrigan has provided the answer to this question, together with additional information regarding old boys of that era in this email.

Fr John Sturgeon CSSR is a Redemptorist priest who was ordained in Ballarat, Victoria.  I think this was in 1963. He now lives at the Redemptorist Community,  PO Box 370, 24 Garden Street, Kogarah, NSW 2217. His contact is Ph (02) 9553 3777   Fax (02) 9553 3759

John was about 9 years ahead of me. I am also a Redemptorist priest and a Nudgee Old Boy from 1956 Nudgee Junior - 1961 Nudgee. He was a noted sportsman/athlete in his younger days. I believe he was a classmate of one of my older brothers, David Carrigan, (1950-54) and Pat Thurbon (1950-54) among others. He is now a chaplain at the Calvary Hospital, Kogarah, and lives right alongside Jubilee Oval, Kogarah - one of the home grounds of the St George-Illawarra Rugby League team.

I contacted him to ask if he minded me giving his details to NCOBA and Signum Fidei. He did not mind. You might like to pass this information to Neville Raffin.

Kind regards

Ed Note:
I have done this, but so many other old boys also sought similar information following the publication of Neville’s letter that I felt it was worth printing Dom’s information in this, our first publication for 2008. Dom makes reference to one of his older brothers, David with whom I was at Nudgee from 1949-52, as was another of his older brothers Cedric who died in 1969. Many old boys particularly from the Class of ’52 have asked about Cedric and the Carrigan family generally, hence my inclusion of this information in response to Dom’s letter.

Ron Ure, from the Class of ’63 wrote submitting the following story relating his contact with Br McKennariey and the influence this contact had on him

BROTHER. BEDE McKENNARIEY

One morning recently I arose and went down stairs to open my e-mails. I was greeted with an invitation to my 45th  class reunion. While no one over a certain age likes to be reminded of significant dates, I started to think, having reached this age what influences have shaped my life?

My first thought was of my parents and my wife. Both taught me the importance of family, friendship, loyalty, achievement, faith and the joy of success of helping others. They taught me not by words but by example with each exhibiting their own particular strengths.

Without hesitation my second thought went to Bro. Bede McKennariey, teacher, rugby coach. sports master, dormitory master and mentor. From the time of my arrival as a wide-eyed 14 year old boarder until the time I left four years later, he delivered wisdom and guidance. At no time did he raise his voice or his hand and he was known affectionately to all as "Herbie".

With his teaching I learnt the importance of effort and work and the resultant enjoyment of achievement. He converted confusion into clarity and information into knowledge. However I must admit I did not apply this knowledge until I left school.

He was unsurpassed as a rugby coach, maintaining that, although being a math's master, rugby was 40% fitness, 40% skill and the other 75% was in the mind.

One day while playing in a team coached by Br. McKennariey I was playing quite well, but just before half time I was on the receiving end of a particularly heavy tackle that severely cramped my style. He quietly pulled me aside at half time and said that all I had done in the first half meant nothing - it was what I did in the second. half that would count. We went on to win.

Twenty-five years later the famous rugby league coach Jack Gibson said he looked for the reaction from the player whose cubby house fell down during the game. As it is with sport, it is with life. He taught me how to win with dignity and celebrate the success but also how to handle a loss, the importance of team work to always play fairly but to fight against injustice. I was left with a love of the game and how it is played that still exists today. I learnt that winning is not everything but that the desire to win is.

Besides all his outstanding qualities as a teacher and a coach, Br McKennariey was first and foremost a religious man. He showed by example his faith and beliefs. He believed in the power of prayer in times of trouble but also in times of thankfulness. He always had a word for the youngest, smallest, shyest new boy through to the captain of the 1st  XV.

It can be said that he lived in the light of his founder, Edmund Rice. I can now say that I. have  been fortunate to have known him. He helped me to somehow understand the meaning of this life we live.

I cherish my years at Nudgee and sent my son there. I hope that he found an influence as strong as Br McKennariey’s was and that he left with more than an academic record. Hopefully it is like the lyrics from that popular Eagles song ‘Hotel California’, “You can check out, but you can never leave.”