From the Archives 

Mr Anthony Kelly

The Great Fire of 1994

It was about 3am in the morning when the landline rang and as I awoke and strolled down the hallway, thinking who could be possibly be calling me at this hour. I answered and it was Betty Sawyer (who lived at the back entrance of the College) informing me that someone had set a 44-gallon garbage bin on fire and could I come and put it out. I said I would and thought I might as well call the fire department as they could come over and help put it out and maybe even help find who lit it.

I jumped in the old Dodge and flew up the street and hit the top of Erskine Street to see in the distance flames 100 plus foot high flames leaping into the night air from the College. I was shocked. Arriving about the same time as the fire department, we attempted to put it out.

After what seemed like a lifetime, I thought I better phone Sister Mary Talty (the Principal) and tried several time to contact the Convent, but I had no luck.

So back into the Dodge and a quick drive across town, I rang the doorbell, but again didn’t have much luck, so I climbed through a window and made my way up to Sisters room. This was just about as scary as the fire as I had never been in such a situation like this before. With a loud, confident voice, I called out and  woke up several Nuns. After explaining what had happened and then with Sister in tow, back to the college we went.

So what was the wash up? We got a new building and luckily we retained the front of the building. Who lit it? Well several theories abounded, but no one was ever charged.

A night I will never forget.

Happy Christmas break all and hope you have enjoyed stories and memories from the archives.

Yours, Mr Kelly