On 19th June 2015 is the 125th year of the annual Presents v Past pupils of St Josephs College Dumfries football game.
This game started in 1890 and in 1894 James McMenemy presented the College with a magnificent silver football trophy standing 2 and a half feet in height. The first game to be inscribed on the cup was for 1895 but the records show that the game began in 1890. At the time of its presentation it was described as ” elegant” and exhibiting “high artistic finish, much admired by connoisseurs”. This make it one of the oldest contested cups in World Football.
The College was founded by the Marist Brothers. The Marist Brothers of the Schools, or Little Brothers of Mary had been founded in La Valla, in Central France, by Father Marcellin Joseph Benedict in 1817, out of a deep and abiding concern for the destruction wrought on the spiritual life of the people by the effects of the French Revolution. The College accepted its first pupils on 5 January 1875.
The Brothers bought the recently vacated Dumfries Infirmary which had been opened in 1778, as the first ‘real’ hospital in Dumfries, and had been home to the first surgical operation carried out under anaesthesia in Britian, on 19th December 1846 but had been closed down in 1873 when a new hospital was opened across the road. The building had been purchased by Mr Hugh Murphy, tanner and wool merchant for £1610. There was no mention made of the Brothers role in the sale nor of its intended use but the die was cast.
The school has a couple of notable footballing connections. Firstly, Athletic Club Bilbao of Spain. Two former pupils – Jose Maria Barquin and Enrique Goiri – are among the thirty three founding members being listed on the Football Clubs Board of Directors as the Treasure/Accountant and Secretary respectively.
Secondly Celtic FC. The College has historic links to Celtic. The founder of Celtic Brother Walfrid is buried in the College cemetery within the College grounds. The 1921 game see’s former Celtic player and also Rangers player Dr William Kivlichan Captaining the Pasts and a young Robert Kelly Captaining the Presents who was the son of one of the original Celtic players and would go on to become a future Chairman of the Club. Dr John Fitzsimmons had Captained the Past Pupils in 1945 and was the Celtic Team doctor for many years.
Other notable former pupils are Sir Frank Williams the former Formula One boss and Alan McNish the formula One racing driver.
The Past pupils for this years game have travelled from all over Scotland with one coming from The University of Chattanooga in Tennessee. I also believe that one of the Present pupils was on Liverpool FC books.
