Each student at Star of the Sea College is a member of one of four Houses: Ave (yellow), Fay (green), Nagle (blue) or Stella (red). Inter-house competitions are held annually across athletics, swimming and diving, drama and debating, as well as a House Music Festival. These events foster a strong sense of identity with each student’s House.
The crest for Ave – featuring a series of hands clasped in a continuous circle of friendship and unity – combines the two elements of the original name of the House. The hands symbolise the warm and inclusive nature of the school to all members of its community, while the rose represents the original Marian Rose. Throughout the ages, Mary has taken on very different guises – one of these was the five-petalled rose, which was a symbol of her inner beauty and fragility. A small star in the centre of the crest ties together all the elements of welcome, Mary and Star of the Sea College.
Fay’s crest incorporates a Celtic cross with a layering of shamrocks and a star. The traditional Irish symbol of the Celtic cross signifies our historic links to Ireland through Nano Nagle, founder of the Presentation Order of Nuns, and Mother Paul Fay, co-founder of the College. The shamrocks represent the close links that continue to be fostered with Ireland and our Catholic heritage. The small star that adorns the top of the cross ties our Irish history with the present and the name of our school.
Nagle’s crest combines the symbols of a lantern and a book. The lantern has come to represent the determination and endeavour demonstrated by Nano Nagle, founder of the Presentation Order of Nuns, as she educated the poor in the darkest corners of her city. Her lantern became a symbol of light and hope. The open pages of the book signify a willingness to learn and be open to education. The book is lit by a lantern and shows an openness to the ‘light’ of knowledge and wisdom. A small star adorns the spine of the book to link with the present and the name of our school.
The crest for Stella combines the symbols of a star – in the form of a starfish – and the sea. The original name was ‘Stella Maris’, which is Latin for Star of the Sea, and Our Lady, Star of the Sea is one of the many titles given to Mary – representing the strength, guidance and sanctuary the Mother of Christ provides to all Christians. The sea in the crest represents the ebb and flow of life. Star of the Sea was an obvious name for our founders to choose as the College was established by the Presentation Sisters and is situated so close to the bay.
Daughters of past students are generally allocated to the same House as their mother, if known. Siblings are also placed in the same House unless otherwise requested.
