Honouring St Patrick’s Day and our Irish heritage

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Posted on March 24, 2025 in General

On Monday 17 March, St Mary’s College came alive with the spirit of St Patrick’s Day as students, dressed in their finest green attire, leapt like leprechauns into a lunchtime filled with fun activities celebrating our Irish heritage.

On the College Green, students enjoyed lively music, tried their hand at old-fashioned games, joined in traditional Irish dancing and savoured delicious loaded potatoes from Murphy’s Café. Face painting added a delightful touch of Irish charm, and crochet shamrock keyrings and bookmarks made by students and staff were available for a gold coin donation. Our students dug deep to raise close to $180, with all proceeds going to Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion.

This year’s St Patrick’s Day celebrations are particularly special as our College commemorates the 250th anniversary of the foundation of the Presentation Sisters. Founded in Cork, Ireland in 1775 by Nano Nagle and three other women, the order has spread worldwide, focusing on education and aiding the poor.

As a proud Presentation community, St Mary’s College honours the rich history and traditions of our Irish descendants. We give thanks for their immense contributions to their missions to spread the Good News. We are deeply grateful to our Presentation Sisters, who, since 1868, have shaped and united us and continue to do so to this day. We especially give thanks to their founder, Venerable Nano Nagle.

Nano Nagle was a tireless advocate for the voiceless, a beacon of hope for the hopeless, a champion of human rights, a social reformer, an education pioneer and a radiant light in a world often overshadowed by darkness.

We have a number of events planned for our College as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Presentation Sisters in 2025. These events will offer meaningful opportunities to reflect on our journey and celebrate with those who have contributed to our success over the past 157 years. Inspired by the rich history we carry, we look forward to honouring our past and embracing our future together.

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St Mary's College is located on the traditional lands of the muwinina people of the South East Nation. We acknowledge and deeply respect the palawa people, the Tasmanian Aboriginal Community, and all Elders past and present. We are committed to learning alongside our students and community in this place, nipaluna, and support the continued sharing of knowledge and culture.