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What a wonderful evening celebrating the people and stories that make the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ÊÓƵ’s College community so special!

Around 150 members of our community gathered at the OCA Pavilion on Saturday, 22 August for our 2026 Celebration Dinner, as we proudly inducted four remarkable Old Boys as College Legends:

• The Most Reverend Archbishop Shane Mackinlay (SPC 1977-82)
• Brigadier Eamon Lenaghan (SPC 1985-90)
• The late Flight Lieutenant Paul Pardoel (SPC 1982-87)
• The late The Honourable John Sheehan (SPC 1925-32)

From leadership and service to courage, sacrifice and an enduring commitment to community, each has left an extraordinary legacy.

School Advisory Council chair Mr Peter Wilson, who was also the emcee for the evening, said the dinner was a perfect opportunity “to come together as a school community, to give thanks for what we have here and what we love at our College and to celebrate all the good things at SPC”.

In welcoming guests, College Principal Mr Steven O’Connor described the Celebration Dinner as an “extraordinary” night in many ways.

“It’s where we are really blessed with a wonderful community, a community that does, in so many ways, live our and articulate the features that we regularly present to our boys around our pillars of Faith, Tradition, Excellence and Joy,” he said.

“Tonight is also, in my mind, an opportunity for us to pause, to reflect, and to give thanks. It’s a chance to celebrate a remarkable story that has unfolded over more than 130 years, and to acknowledge the people whose faith, courage, vision, and commitment have shaped ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ÊÓƵ’s College into the extraordinary community, we know it is today.”

Old Collegians Association president Dr Charles Flynn said the inductees excelled in many areas including leadership, camaraderie, support, excellence, resilience, Christian faith, education, respect, discipline and success.

Dr Flynn paid special tribute and raised a toast to the inductees’ families, especially the women; the mothers, sisters and wives, who have supported the inductees on their individual paths to success.

The late The Honourable John Sheehan (SPC 1925-32)

The late The Honorourable John Sheehan (SPC 1925-32) was posthumously inducted as a College Legend, with his life defined by service, leadership and faith. As a student at St Pat’s, he developed the skills that would shape his future as an outstanding educator, public speaker and community leader.

After serving with the Australian Imperial Force in the Second World War, John dedicated himself to education, becoming Principal of Ballarat High School. His commitment to public service extended into politics, where he served as the Labor Member for Ballarat in the Victorian Parliament from 1952 to 1955.

He also gave generously to organisations including Legacy, disability services and the ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ÊÓƵ’s College Old Collegians Association. A man of deep Catholic faith and unwavering integrity, John Sheehan devoted his life to improving others’ lives. When he died in 1984, Ballarat recognised his extraordinary contribution with a State Funeral.

During his interview with John’s son Mark, Old Collegian and former Victorian Premier Steve Bracks AC (SPC 1968-71) said he was proud to launch Mark’s book about his father, entitled Once Upon a Time in Ballarat: A Life of John James (JJ) Sheehan, two years ago.

Mr Bracks said he remembered his “father heading off to the Old Colonists Club in Lydiard St on Friday nights after work to catch up with JJ Sheehan for a beer and a debate”.

Adding his own memories to the conversation, Mark said his father described loving his time at SPC and being taught by exceptional teachers, and continuing to be blessed with support from the green, white and blue throughout his life.

“When he finally went down to Melbourne to university, there was a St Pat’s boy who worked at the State Library, and he told me all the books I’d need for assignments, I’d go down and say to Pat ‘can you get me this and this’ and Pat was ‘I’ve got it for you John, don’t worry”, so it was a great starting point for him,” said Mark.

Mark (SPC 1969-75, PY1977), and his brother Damien (SPC 1976-81), both Old Collegians of the College, accepted their father’s College Legend award and pin, on behalf of the Sheehan family, with daughters Elizabeth and Cate also in attendance as well as extended family.

Paul Pardoel (SPC 1982-87) 

The induction of the late Flight Leiutenant Paul Pardoel (SPC 1982-87) was particularly poignant with dinner guests standing in solemn silence while a video playing of the Last Post for Paul at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra following his death was replayed.

Paul’s induction as a College Legend was also awarded posthumously, in recognition of his distinguished service, courage, and sacrifice.

Excelling during his time at SPC, Paul joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1988 and graduated from the Australian Defence Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science.

He went on to serve as a navigator on C-130 Hercules aircraft, earning a reputation as an outstanding airman, instructor, and leader.

In 2002, seeking a new challenge, he transferred to the Royal Air Force and served on operational deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. On 30 January 2005, while serving in Iraq, Paul’s Hercules aircraft was struck by enemy fire and crashed north of Baghdad. He and all those on board lost their lives. He was just 35 years old.

Remembered as a devoted husband to Kellie, a loving father to Jackson, Jordan, and India, and a respected officer who served with courage and distinction, Paul embodied the values of service, leadership, and sacrifice.

Kellie proudly accepted the award on behalf of her family, with daughters Jordan and India in the crowd along with Paul’s extended family and former classmates.

OCA committee member and longtime Ballarat Legacy member Allan McKinnon interviewed Kellie, who said her late husband was a very humble man.

“All the accolades, that wasn’t Paul, he was focused on the task ahead and being a professional,” Kellie said.

Brigadier Eamon Lenaghan AM (SPC 1982-87)

The College also honoured Brigadier Eamon Lenaghan AM (SPC 1982-87) as a College Legend, in recognition of a lifetime of service and leadership.

It came as no surprise that after a SPC education where he fully immersed himself in the cadets program, that the early sense of purpose led to a remarkable career in the Australian Army.

Over more than three decades, Eamon has served with distinction as an infantry officer and senior leader, including operational deployments to Bosnia Herzegovina, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

His leadership has ranged from commanding soldiers in the field to shaping Defence capability and contributing to national work supporting veterans. He has only recently returned from a two-year deployment from the Golan Heights, between Israel and Syria, as Deputy Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, the first Australian to hold this significant role.

Eamon was also recognised as a Member (AM) in the Military Division of the Order of Australia and awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross in 2025.

Interviewed by Ballarat Ranger Military Museum manager Neil Leckie, Eamon told the crowd, and in front of extended family and friends, that his SPC education had given him “a lifetime love of learning”.

“One of the great privileges of my service is that the Army keeps sending me back to school… and of my 36 years of service, about six of those have been in some form of learning institution, whether that be an undergrad degree, or a Masters degree or a MBA, and that continual investment and opportunity to continue to learn and develop and grow as a person, it doesn’t finish when you leave school, it’s just the start of the road and I’ve been very lucky to have a career which has enabled me to go and have some of those opportunities,” he said.

Archbishop Shane Mackinlay (SPC 1977-82)

Archbishop Shane Mackinlay (SPC 1977-82) was inducted as the fourth College Legend of the night, in front of his proud parents, close friends and parishioners and former classmates.

Archbishop Shane’s induction exemplified academic excellence, leadership and service throughout a remarkable life of faith.

A student at the College from 1977 to 1982, he was Dux in his final year. After studying Physics at Monash University and Theology at Catholic Theological College, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Ballarat in 1991.

A respected scholar, educator and Church leader, he served as Bishop of Sandhurst from 2019 before being appointed Archbishop of Brisbane in 2025.

In June 2026, Pope Leo XIV appointed him Archbishop of Brisbane, one of the most significant leadership positions in the Australian Catholic Church.

He subsequently received the pallium at St Peter’s Basilica.

Through his outstanding leadership, deep faith and commitment to serving others, Archbishop Shane has brought great distinction to his College, the Church and the wider community.

Interviewed by close friend and member of the College’s School Advisory Council, Mr Peter Flynn, Archbishop Shane recounted that he was able to experience SPC as a day student, a “bus boy” and a boarder (when his parents ironically moved to Brisbane for a year).

“I experienced a whole richness of the life of the College and it was probably one the most challenging years I’ve ever spent that year,” Archbishop Shane said.

“I was towards the youngest in my year group and that was a year where I really needed to develop a whole lot of resources … learning to develop social skills, independence and the ability to relate was an enormous growing up experience for me and put me in really good stead. It was enormously significant and a prelude to a really fulfilling and involved Year 12 where I was involved in a whole lot more things than I had been previously and I found that a very satisfying and enjoyable experience that set me up to move onto a range of other things since then.”

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate their achievements, share in the stories and help make it such a memorable night. Four remarkable lives. One proud St Pat’s community.