Old Ignatians' Union

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Old Ignatians' Union

This Alumni Group is for past students of St.Ignatius' College, Riverview in Sydney, Australia. Members can connect with eachother in various ways.

The Old Ignatians’ Union was officially established in 1897 with the aim of sustainaing and strengthening the connection Old Boys have with each other, and with Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview. There are Old Ignatians' Sports Clubs. Class and Country Reunions and the OIU Annual Dinner provide Old Boys with an opportunity to re-connect with lost classmates, continue long-lasting friendships, and

make new ones. There are also opportunities for members to forge business connections and establish mentoring partnerships. There are many ways for Old Boys to connect with the College, and it is hoped that this site will extend and enrich such connections. We welcome your participation, and thank you for your involvement in our association. For more information about any of the above activities please contact us.

25/05/2026

What a day. The 2026 OIU LIVE & Unscripted Long Lunch delivered everything we hoped for and more.

Great conversations. Plenty of laughs. Old friendships reunited. New connections formed. A room filled with Old Ignatians, partners, families, friends and supporters proving once again what makes this community so special.

A special highlight was seeing so many women join us and help shape the atmosphere of the day. This event is for everyone, and we can’t wait to welcome even more people into the room next year.

Huge thanks to our incredible speakers:
🎤 Ben Fordham (OR94)
🎤 Ben Dobbin (OR94)
🎤 Vince Sorrenti

And a special moment seeing generations of Riverview represented, from Dr Harding Burns (OR42) through to Jed Driscoll (OR2025) and Henry Burton (OR2025).

Thank you to our sponsors and supporters who helped bring the event to life:

Harris Farm
Merivale
BWS
Hoyts
Health & Fitness Studio
Australian Beef & Lamb Company

Special thanks also to Ben English from The Daily Telegraph, Kevin Nassif from Holdmark Property Group, Wayne Bennett from the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Paul Signorelli and the Doltone House team, Encore AV, Sam Rigney (OR2017) and Centre House Media, and Maddie Warden and Dan Bullock from Halfway Down.

To our incredible supporting team: Cath Moore, Heather Mitchell, Christine Zimbulis, Janelle Handley, Lisa Hooper, John Russell (OR94), Julian Timmins (OR94), Brian Shanahan (OR87), David McKay (OR89) and his army of raffle ticket sellers, plus the many volunteers working behind the scenes. We simply couldn’t do it without you.

And finally, thank you to everyone who came along.

Spread the word. Tell your classmates. Bring your mates. Bring your partner. Book a table.

Because next year… we’re going even bigger.

22/05/2026

Our biggest annual lunch to date! Thank you to all who played a part in making today’s OIU Live & Unscripted Long Lunch possible. It was an incredible day for the community and was absolutely full of laughs!

We’ll post more about the event and the people who played a part in bringing it together throughout the next week, but for now, here’s a few highlights!

21/05/2026

LAST CHANCE TO GET YOUR RAFFLE TICKETS. WINNER ANNOUNCED TOMORROQ.

The $5,000 Ultimate Lifestyle & Luxury Raffle is now LIVE!

Enjoy the best of food, dining, entertainment and wellness with five $1,000 vouchers to spend at Harris Farm Markets, Merivale Restaurants, Hoyts Cinemas, Health + Fitness Studio Cammeray and BWS.

Tickets: $20 each | 3 for $50 | 10 for $100

The raffle will be drawn at The LIVE and Unscripted Long Lunch on Friday, 22nd May 2026. Winner will be contacted after the event.

Funds raised will support the Riverview College Bursary Program.

Link in bio.

11/05/2026

A message from our president, Brian Shanahan (OR87).

Brian began his education at St Peter & Paul’s Primary School in Garran, Canberra, before attending St Edmund’s College Canberra for his final primary years. In 1982, he commenced at St Ignatius’ College Riverview as a boarder, graduating in 1987.

Following school, Brian completed a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Canberra and joined KPMG in Sydney in 1991. After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, he transferred to KPMG London before moving into investment banking. Between 1996 and 2004, he worked across London, Cape Town and Sydney.

In 2005, Brian joined eBay Australia as its CFO, and in 2008 was appointed MD of Gumtree International, part of the eBay Classifieds Group. In 2011, he co-founded Temple & Webster, serving as its founding CEO. The business listed on the ASX in 2015 and has since grown to become one of Australia’s leading online homewares and furniture retailers.

In 2016, Brian stepped away from Temple & Webster to focus on his most important start-up - his family, co-founded with his wife Jacqui. He continues to support the growth of his three children (as the 2IC and Head of Logistics & HR), while also providing occasional advisory and consulting support to fast-growing start-ups.

To the chagrin of his Sydney friends, Brian remains a passionate Canberra Raiders and ACT Brumbies supporter, despite having lived in Sydney for over 25 years.

Brian joined the OIU Committee in 2021 and has played an active role in the ongoing modernising of its digital presence and strengthening alumni engagement. His contributions include leading the 2024 Old Ignatians survey to better understand member interests, serving as OIU Secretary in 2025, and as OIU President for 2026 and 2027.

If you want to volunteer and be involved with any of the OIU initiatives, reach out here: https://oiu.org.au/

06/05/2026

Have you heard of the OIU Career Mentoring Program?

"The importance of having a good mentor cannot be overstated" is a statement that leaders of all persuasions will make when asked one of the keys to their success. In a similar manner, the assertion "In learning, you will teach, and in teaching, you will learn" is often reflected on by someone who has had the opportunity to provide some insight or guidance to another person.

On occasions finding a mentor or gaining an additional perspective regarding an issue requires reaching outside an existing network. The OIU Career Mentoring Program creates that opportunity and brings together younger Old Ignatians with experienced alumni to foster meaningful connections, share insights, and inspire career advancement.

The program uses the MentorCloud platform by matching attributes and interests of the mentors and mentees who register to use the platform.

The first step for both mentors and mentees is to email [email protected] with a brief bio and areas of interest (mentees) or expertise (mentors) and they will then be given access to the platform and use its features which allows mentees to contact potential mentors.

"So many fail by not getting started" – give it a go.

30/04/2026

Following on from our recent OIU Men’s Mental Health series event with Dylan Roos, a reminder that our next Men’s Mental Health Walk will be on Friday, 29th May at 6:30am.

We will meet at The Grumpy Baker, 85 Bay Rd, Waverton for a 45 min walk around Balls Head Reserve.

These are simple, informal catchups for a walk, a chat, and checking in with a few mates.

Our planned walk this Friday 1st May at the corner of Evelyn Street and Greenwich Road, Greenwich, has been cancelled due to the late notice.

28/04/2026

This isn’t your typical OIU lunch.

On Friday 22 May, we’re hosting the inaugural LIVE & Unscripted Long Lunch — and this one’s built a little differently.

With Ben Fordham as MC, joined by Vince Sorrenti and Ben Dobbin, expect a conversation that goes anywhere… and probably everywhere.

But the real focus? The room.

This isn’t a sit-down-and-listen type of lunch. It’s about reconnecting, meeting new people, and spending proper time with mates, old and new.

We’ve kept tickets accessible given the current climate, and there’ll be plenty happening on the day — including raffle prizes like your weight in meat and a $5,000 Luxury & Lifestyle Package.

Round up your table. Bring your partner. Bring your crew. Everyone’s welcome. This is shaping up to be our biggest lunch ever!

All funds raised will support the Riverview College Bursary Program.

For bookings or questions, contact Christine Zimbulis on 9882 8595 or 0414 224489.

Get your tickets here: https://events.humanitix.com/2026-oiu-annual-lunch

$5000 Luxury and Lifestyle Raffle Tickets: https://app.galabid.com/oldignatiansunion/items/ecaf1f9b-0d53-43a9-b65d-85f7a42ce999?backPath=%2Foldignatiansunion%2Fitems&from=ecaf1f9b-0d53-43a9-b65d-85f7a42ce999

Win your weight in meat: https://app.galabid.com/oldignatiansunion/items/b07b576e-6503-41c7-897e-fdc8f045c882

20/04/2026

A message from Sam Shepherd (OR91) ahead of the OIU Men’s Mental Health Series event this Thursday April 23!

We’re looking forward to this event, featuring a Q&A with Dylan Roos, alongside insights from Sam Shepherd (OR91), Head of the OIU Mental Health Committee.

This session will explore the challenges facing young men today, why motivation alone isn’t enough, and the role guidance, accountability, and strong male role models play in shaping resilient, self-led individuals.

For those raising or mentoring teenage boys, this is a conversation worth being part of. But more broadly, it’s for anyone who understands the importance of early support and its long-term impact on mental health outcomes.

At its core, the message is simple: if we can better support young men early, we can change the trajectory.

Join us for an honest discussion, a few drinks, and the chance to catch up with some good people.

RSVP via the link here. Its FREE! See you Thursday.

https://events.humanitix.com/oiu-mental-health-speaker-series-with-dylan-roos

10/04/2026

Pope Leo XIV has named Bishop Daniel Meagher (OR79) as the Bishop of the Diocese of Rockhampton.

Bishop Meagher will succeed Bishop Michael McCarthy, 75, who has led the diocese for the past 12 years.

Bishop Meagher said the call from the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Charles Balvo, came on his day off, just as he was finishing doing some gardening at his mother's house.

"I went to my phone and noticed the Nuncio had called," Bishop Meagher said.

"He wanted a FaceTime call. I was in my t-shirt and shorts, but I thought: 'Oh, well, I'll ring you back nonetheless.' He asked me on the spot, and I accepted on the spot. I think that's part of the commitment of a priest. We accept when we're asked to do what we're capable of doing."

The move to Rockhampton will be a big change for Bishop Meagher, who admitted he had once passed through the diocese on his way further north, but never visited.

In his 30 years of priestly life, Bishop Meagher ministered in the Sydney parishes of Mount Pritchard, Mosman, Gymea, Hoxton Park, Carnes Hill, North Leichhardt, Penshurst-Peakhurst, Strathfield and Five Dock. He was Administrator of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Broken Hill from 2012-2014 and was rector of the Seminary of the Good Shepherd from 2015-2020 before being appointed as auxiliary bishop of Sydney by Pope Francis in 2021.

After more than a decade out of parish ministry, serving as rector and auxiliary bishop, Bishop Meagher said that he was looking forward to the challenge of being a parish priest again, "only not really a parish, but a diocese."

He is also keenly aware of the responsibility he will have to care for the priests in his diocese.

Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP said that, while Bishop Meagher's appointment was a great gift to the people of Rockhampton, he would be sorely missed by the priests and faithful of the Archdiocese of Sydney, and especially by the archbishop himself.

"Bishop Danny has been such a wonderful collaborator with me, and I will miss him greatly," Archbishop Fisher said.

Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB welcomed the appointment.

"On behalf of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, I warmly congratulate Bishop Meagher on his appointment as Bishop of Rockhampton," Archbishop Costelloe said. "His wide-ranging experience in pastoral leadership, theological formation and service to the Church will be a great blessing to the people of Central Queensland."

Bishop McCarthy said he was delighted that Bishop Meagher would be installed as Bishop of the Diocese of Rockhampton.

"I know Bishop Danny to be a man of faith and a man of integrity who has the pastoral and administrative skills to lead the people of the Diocese and our Catholic Ministries into a hope-filled and exciting future," he said.

Bishop Meagher will be installed at St Joseph's Cathedral, Rockhampton, at 10.30am on May 28.

Source: Catholic Weekly.

02/04/2026

Wishing everybody in the OIU community a safe and happy Easter long weekend! 💙

Address

Lane Cove, NSW

Telephone

+61298828222

Website

http://www.oiu.org.au/

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