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  • Formation and community engagement
29 Sep 2025

​​St Finbarr's School, Ashgrove students blow out their school's 100th birthday candels! ©Brisbane Catholic Education, St Finbarr's School, Ashgrove (2025).

The Sisters of Charity would have never imagined that the modest Ashgrove Parish Church, where they first began teaching on 1 June 1925, would grow to become a cornerstone of the Ashgrove community.  

This year, St Finbarr’s School, Ashgrove, is celebrating a century of educating thousands of young minds in the vision of living and learning in ‘Faith and Love.’  

St Finbarr’s School Principal Catherine Connors said from opening with just 28 students in 1925, to 189 students today, the school has come a long way in 100 years.   

“In 2024, we saw a 188 per cent increase in Prep enrolments and a 27 per cent increase in enrolments across the whole school,” she said.   

“The surge in enrolments reflects the trust families have placed in our school community for generations.  

“In recent years, we have also seen the expansion of our school facilities, including two new Prep classrooms added in 2024 to meet growing community demand.  

“It’s incredibly rewarding to see the Sisters of Charity’s legacy continue to grow, even a century after they first opened St Finbarr’s School doors.”  

Hear from St Finbarr’s School alumni 

Former student and now St Finbarr’s School teacher Megan Huber said she has many fond memories attending the school in the 1990s.   

“As a student, I always looked forward to being chosen to ring the school bell at the beginning and end of the day,” she said.  

“I still have one of my best friends from my time at St Finbarr’s School.  

“We met in Year 1, and now I am the Godmother of her children.  

“It shows the power of this community and making those lifelong connections.”  

Looking ahead  

Catherine said the school had spent its 100th year honouring the past, celebrating the present, and dreaming boldly for the future.  

“Seeing our past students return to our Centenary Mass (Friday 19 September) and share how much they loved our school means so much to our school community,” she said.  

“In July, we also marked our centenary alongside Mt St Michael’s College, Ashgrove, a fellow institution founded by the Sisters of Charity, with whom we share a rich and enduring heritage.  

“As we look to the future, I feel excitement for what lies ahead.  

“As a school community, we remain committed to nurturing students as they lead in ‘Faith and Love,’ just as the Sisters of Charity envisioned a century ago.”  

For more information about St Finbarr’s School, Ashgrove, or to enrol, click here.