Marist College Kogarah

• Name — Marist College Kogarah • Motto — Finis Coronat Opus • Motto Translation — “The End Crowns The Work” • Type — Independent single sex secondary day school • Gender — Boys (Co-Ed; 1984-1993) • Denomination — Roman Catholicism • Religious Affiliation — Marist Brothers • Affiliations — Association of Marist Schools of Australia • Oversight — Archdiocese of Sydney • Educational Authority — New South Wales Department of Education • Principal — David Forrester • Location — Bexley, St George region, Sydney, New South Wales • Country — Australia • Enrolment — c. 1,200 • Enrolment As Of — 2007 • Grades Label — Years • Grades — 7–12 • Staff — 96+ • Athletics — Metropolitan Catholic Colleges Sports Association • Colours — Blue, red and white #FFFFFF • Website — https: mckogarah.syd.catholic.edu.au/ • Former Name — Marist Brothers Kogarah

Marist College Kogarah was established in 1908 as the Kogarah Boys' School, a primary school for boys. The Marist Brothers agreed to establish the school after requests by John O'Driscoll, parish priest of the new parish of Kogarah. During 1908 a hundred pupils were enrolled, it then being the only Catholic boys school in New South Wales south west of Newtown. As demand for secondary education grew in the region, junior secondary classes were added to the school in the late 1920s. By 1938, it was a full secondary school, presenting pupils for the Leaving Certificate. By the 1940s, it was the largest Catholic school in Australia. In the 1960s, the school became part of the new Archdiocesan system of schools and this had important consequences for Kogarah. Parish schools were preferred for primary education and so in 1982 primary classes ended at Marist Brothers Kogarah. From 1984, senior girls were enrolled in Years 11 and 12. This was, however, short-lived, due to the establishment of Bethany College in 1993.

The present school house system has been operating since 2000. As each new student begins at the school, he is allocated to a house and its colour. The school has four houses that have been named after people that have made a lasting impact on the school. Students are involved in House Competitions which include Sporting, Cultural and Academic events. The four houses are: • Cooper: Named after Alfred Cooper, a benefactor of the school. • Gonzaga: Named after the first principal of the school, Brother Gonzaga Brown. • Gilroy: Named after Cardinal Gilroy of Sydney, who was enrolled in the school on the first day of lessons in 1909. • Lindwall: Named after Ray Lindwall, a first-grade St George rugby league footballer and cricketer who represented for Australia at Test level.

The following individuals have served as principal of Marist College Kogarah: • Ordinal — Principal — Term start — Term end — Time in office — Notes • Br. Gonzaga Brown — 1909 — 1914 — years • Br. Athanaius Raess — 1915 — 1918 — years • Br. Ildephonsus Bassett — 1919 — 1921 — years • Br. Hubert Prowse — 1922 — 1927 — years • Br. Stanislaus Dillon — 1928 — 1933 — years • Br. Cyrill Ryan — 1934 — 1934 — years • Br. Aidan O'Keefe — 1935 — 1937 — years • Br. Ethelred Ferguson — 1938 — 1940 — years • Br. Placidus Redden — 1941 — 1945 — years • Br. Maurus Bartlett — 1946 — 1951 — years • Br. Othmar Weldon — 1952 — 1954 — years • Br. Michael Naughtin — 1955 — 1956 — years • Br. Laurence McKeon — 1957 — 1962 — years • Br. Frederick McMahon — 1963 — 1968 — years • Br. Baptist Gillogly — 1969 — 1974 — years • Br. Osmund — 1974 — 1975 — years • Br. Geoffrey Joy — 1976 — 1976 — years • Br. Christopher Wade — 1977 — 1980 — years • Br. John O'Brien — 1981 — 1986 — years • Br. Patrick Foley — 1987 — 1992 — years • Peter McNamara — 1992 — 1996 — years • Brian Roberts — 1996 — 2000 — years • Patrick O'Connor — 2001 — 2007 — years • Damian Millar — 2007 — 2008 — years • John Riordan — 2009 — 2020 — years • Simon Ghantous — 2021 — 2024 — years • David Forrester — 2025

• Glyn Davis – vice-chancellor of the University of Melbourne

• Cardinal Sir Norman Thomas Gilroy – first Australian cardinal; Australian of the Year 1971 • Bishop Edward Kelly – former bishop of Toowoomba • Monsignor John Slowey – director of the Sydney Catholic Education Office; co-founder of the Australian Catholic University

• Warren Fahey – Australian folklorist, founder of Folkways Music and Larrikin Records, former deputy managing director of Festival Mushroom Group • John Hargreaves – actor; only actor to receive the Byron Kennedy Award • Chris Holland – former 2007 college co-vice captain, member of Australian band Operator Please • Paul Mac (Paul McDermott) – DJ and musician • Paul Merciadez – member of Justice Dance Crew who won Australia's Got Talent in 2010 • Geoff Plummer (1954–2006) – founding member and original drummer for 50s revival band Ol' 55 • Dom Turner – blues guitarist and founder of The Backsliders

• John Ajaka – politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Council • Kevin Greene – former politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly • Chris Minns – 47th premier of New South Wales and Leader of Labor Party in NSW • Graham Richardson – former Senator for New South Wales and cabinet minister

• Paul Alamoti – current rugby league footballer for the Penrith Panthers • Peter Armstrong – rugby league footballer; St. George Dragons hooker (1957–1964) • Jim Bailey – athlete; Olympian (Melbourne 1956) • Michael Beattie – former rugby league footballer for the St. George Dragons; captain • George Carstairs – rugby league footballer for the St. George Dragons (1921–1929) and Australian representative (1921–1922) • Matt Dufty – current rugby league footballer for Warrington Wolves • Frank Farrell – former rugby league footballer who played for Newtown Jets, NSW and Australia • Keith Galloway – rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers and the Cronulla Sharks, played for Australia • Michael Korkidas – former rugby league footballer for the Sydney Roosters in the NRL, and various clubs in the Super League • Ray Lindwall – cricket player; considered one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time • Daryl Millard – former rugby league footballer for the St. George Illawarra Dragons and Canterbury Bulldogs • George Ndaira – former rugby league footballer for the Newcastle Knights, St. George Illawarra Dragons and South Sydney Rabbitohs • Kerry O'Keeffe – Australian cricketer and commentator • Josh Reynolds – former rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers (formerly Canterbury Bulldogs) • Warren Saunders – former NSW and St George cricket captain • Jason Stevens – former rugby league footballer for the Cronulla Sharks, Australian Kangaroos and NSW Blues • Robert Stone – former rugby league footballer for the St. George Dragons and NSW Blues • Robert Windle – Olympic gold medallist in the 1500 m freestyle (Tokyo 1964) – swimming