HISTORIC TROPHY
Michael Halley, secretary and president of Kyneton Marist Brothers Old Boys provided interesting notes and pictures of an historic cup found at Sunbury tip. Michael writes as follows:
Names inscribed on original cup:
- 1959: Brian Halloran
- 1960: Maurice Kelly
- 1960: Tom O’Dea
- 1961: Gerry Danaher
- 1962: John Keating
- 1963: Tony Leahy
- 1964: Denis O’Connor
- 1964: L.Buckey
- 196?: M Turner
The Marist Brothers commenced teaching at Kyneton on July 26, 1926. Among the inaugural students were two 12-year-old boys, Edwards David Harris and John Denis Driscoll, who were later to become Marist Brothers.
Two later pupils also joined the order. Chosen religious names were Kenneth, Benedict, Brendan and Abel. All but Brother Kenneth took a turn teaching at Kyneton.
Over the years, many sporting events were held between the Kyneton boys and teams from Assumption Kilmore and other Brother schools. Although outnumbered for enrolments, Kyneton often came home with a trophy.
It was the tradition at Kyneton to have four teams compete during in-house sports days, and they were given colour names, but in 1960 the teams bore the name of one of the past pupil Brothers. In the war years, they were named to acknowledge the services.
The Kyneton Old Boys held their 78th annual reunion on Australia Day 2025. Tom O’Dea brought along the Brother Benedict Memorial Cup awarded for Conduct, Study or Sport. It has been engraved with the names of nine boys, awarded from 1959 to 1964. Brother Benedict was Kyran Coman, a native of Pastoria, and taught at Kyneton in 1952 and 53.
The origin of the cup and the criteria for the awarding has been lost, along with most records of the Kyneton School. It seems that individuals were given a personal issue, with a keeper at the school. Tom was the 1962 recipient, but the trophy was not his. It is possibly the keeper’s! It was found at the Sunbury Tip by someone who knew Tom and handed it over.
All are significant names of the Kyneton, Woodend and Lancefield region.
***
HAPPY TIMES
Samantha is a happy young lady. Her dad attended ACK in the early nineties and starred in the First XVIII and XI. A country girl from the Riverina she loves her occasional visits to Kilmore which reminds her of her fathers love of his schooldays. Sam is studying law at uni in Sydney and her boyfriend plays cricket for Manly. She is a keen sports girl, pretty handy at netball and cricket. She loves cricket and AFL and is a Swans “tragic”. Her favourite cricketer is aussie legend Steve Smith. Love of family and friends is paramount, and her values are the timeless ones that underpinned aussie life for generations past. Sam has no time for the woke brigade and feels it is very damaging to our way of life. Truly a young person who is a genuine patriot, Sam included this verse in a recent letter.
Today the sun was shining
But the autumn chill was there, and leaves of red and golden, were falling through the air.
The church’s door was open,
The people prayed inside,
They raised their voices tunefully, Lord with me abide.
And outside in the churchyard, round the cross beneath the trees, two dozen bright red poppies, all nod gently in the breeze.
And for two minutes standing, we will remember them,
God bless the countless millions, did they give their lives in vain?
***
VARIA
Nick Schrama, brother of Bill, passed away very recently after a serious health setback. He worked in maintenance at Assumption for a time in the 1980’s and played football for Kilmore F.C. A keen Essendon fan he came from Geelong often to join his brother and family members at Bombers games.
***
Paul Holmes, a popular ACK student in the mid seventies has just lost a decade and a half health battle. A very good 1st XVIII player, he was farewelled by 700 people, including a good number of college students of his time at a catholic service in Melbourne.
***
Lew Nagle called by recently now a highly regarded principal at Sacred Heart College, Yarrawonga, Lew taught and coached at ACK for a number of years in the nineties and early 2000’s. Lew’s time at ACK will be well remembered by students of his time.
***
Jessica Rea, youngest of Kilmore’s Paul and Maureen Rea, was married recently in Brisbane where she now works. Jessica her sisters Katie and Jacqui along with brother Matthew, made fine contributions to the life and times of Assumption.
***
The Afghanistan cricket team humbled England and performed well at the recent champions trophy in Pakistan. An emerging cricket nation, it is improving at a rapid rate. Its players are proud, tough competitors. They have to overcome many obstacles imposed by their quite evil regime, the Taliban. The girls of Afghanistan are also keen to play cricket but are forbidden by the rulers who don’t allow females to attend secondary schools or universities. It is a medieval regime-hard to believe in modern times.
