Several hundred former students and staff converged on St Mary’s College to join in the college’s 90th birthday celebrations on Saturday 19th September.

Every decade from the 1940’s to the present day was represented as old friends met up, in some cases, for the first time in forty years.

Current college staff were on hand to conduct guided tours of the campus; a vast array of memorabilia had been assembled with some very rare items on show for the first time in years.

The centrepiece of the day was Mass celebrated by eight Marist priests led by Fr Martin McAnaney. Fr Martin and Brother Bruno Chanel had travelled from Paris to be at the celebrations and were joined by Kevin Jennings from the MEA in Dublin.

Former Principals Mike Finley and Kevin McMahon were also present.

However the day was by no means over as many of the guests stayed on to enjoy a three course dinner and musical entertainment provided by former students Nick Gunn and Jamie Turner.

When the lights were finally switched off, we could say that it had been an extremely successful and enjoyable day.

Please take a look at our photographs from the day in our Flipbook here...

 

For those unable to attend there is an opportunity to purchase a Souvenir Booklet –

“St Mary’s College – Our 90th Year” at a cost of £5. 
More details are available from Sue Cash on 01254 580464 or by e-mail s.cash@stmarysblackburn.ac.uk

 

Finally the evening saw the re-launch of the Marist Foundation – a fund which supports students in need. The raffle raised nearly £300 which went into the fund. Over the years students have been helped in a large number of ways in extra curricular activities ranging from Duke of Edinburgh expeditions; to visiting Cern with the Physics department or taking part in the Thorpe Cup in Dublin.

You can contribute to this very worthwhile fund by making a bank transfer in favour of: St Mary’s College. Please contact our Finance Department for further details on 01254 580464.

Or by cheque payable to St Mary’s College at Shear Brow, Blackburn, Lancs BB1 8DX. 
Please use the reference Marist. 

We will send an annual report to all contributors to indicate how the fund has been used.