Marist College Ashgrove

Marist College Ashgrove is an all male Secondary College in the upper-middle suburb of Ashgrove, north of Brisbane, Australia. The school caters for boys grades 5-12 and is run by a French order The Marist Brothers. Some of the many spacious buildings scattered around the generously sized campus. Others include the Marcellin Champagnat Gymnasium and the Brother Alexis Science Labs and the Carrick Wing and the Draney Theatre and the Mark Farrely Resource Centre. The college is situated amongst the hinterland of Ashgrove the suburb, placed on very wealthy grounds; it started off from just one building known as the Tower which is a gracious, elegant and heritage listed building, it holds much of the Ashgrove tradition as that is the building the marist brothers built in 1938. There is a flourishing creek (enogerra creek) that runs past the school separating the main campus from the Des Connor Park, affectionatley known to locals as simply "the Flats".

Marist has a very proud sporting background, The main football oval (used for Rugby Union) is named after a very loyal teacher, Mr. Mcmahon and the grandstand; which can seat around 2000 wild Marist supporters is named after the legend John Eales who is a well known old boy. Fittingly Jack Eales; John's father and also a past teacher at the college has had the number one soccer oval named after him as he was insturmental in starting soccer at the school. Other sports in which the College compets in include Volleyball, Basketball, Cricket, Aussie Rules, Tennis, Hockey,, Water Polo, Athletics, Swimming and Cross Country. Marist are part of the Associated Independent Colleges(AIC) sports competition and regularly win premierships and aggeragate awards.

In 2005 Ashgrove completed a feat that has never been achieved before in the AIC, by winning all 9 aggregate sheilds; dominating over colleges like Iona and St. Laurence's (Ashgrove's traditional rivals). Marist Ashgrove has the best school spirit seen in any school the enthusiasm and pride with which things are done takes achievement to the very top level. The college's sporting mascot is the mighty bumblebee which is shown in sporting uniforms with the blue and gold stripes that Marist is well known for. The captain of marist in 2006 is Patrick Saunders and the Headmaster is Br. Neville, they lead a school of around 1500 boys - with 300 made up from the primary school. Within the high school there are 8 houses these are Ephrem, Ridley, Foley, Gilroy, Slattery, Ignatius, Rush and Harold. Marist is one of the strongest acedmical schools in all of Australia going by O.P results, every year plenty students from the school getting a 1 or below 5. The school is involved in many cutural events and activities, not just sport. Ashgrove is good at things like Debating, Chess, Music (last year the marist barber shop-quartet won the state title) and also helping out the outside communities with organizations like Amnesty International and St Vincent De Paul both active at the school. Marist is well known amongst brisbane girl schools for its major Disco dances, hosted in the Gymnasium, commonly known as Gym Dances, they are very popular with the year 10, 11 and 12 students.

Around the upper class ashgrove area marist is also known for its massive fundraiser - the Walkathon, which involves every single student marching about 15km around the suburb; although it is a very arduous task for the boys it is agreat way for the school to gain profits which go towards things which improve the quality of the college, last year's efforts went towards the $12 million performing and visual arts complex. Marist college is so well iked by the students that many often come back to teach another generation of Marist gentlemen; one particular teacher attended the school in 1948 ( only eight years after it first opened) and is currently teaching in room 101, his rugby union photo still hanging on the walls of the trophy room. On campus there is a brother's village where about 20 Marist Brothers permanently reside. All of this combines at school to really create a wonderful atmosphere where boys can grow into young men at the same time as learning for the future and making friends for a lifetime. The words of one student truly sum up the way boys feel about their time at Marist Brothers College Ashgrove-"I have been here since grade 5 and since then I have had some fantastic teachers, made friends who are great and loved every minute of it; being at Marist has made me the person I am today"-Alex. Everyday young men are living out the college motto Viriliter Age ; Act Courageously

Notable Alumni

• Ray Meagher (Actor)