Ever since it was established in its present form in 1256, the Augustinian Order throughout the world has always viewed involvement in education as an important part of its apostolate.
In a sense they were being true to their mentor St. Augustine, a man who always viewed learning and education as central to the Christian ministry.
Ever since the 1790’s various attempts have been made by the Augustinians to establish colleges in New Ross but due to adverse political and economic circumstances their efforts met with a limited degree of success until 1890 when Good Counsel College was established.
From 1890 until 1980 the old Good Counsel College stood in the heart of New Ross. It was a small boarding school which catered for students from all parts of Ireland. With the educational revolution in the 1960’s the scene changed dramatically.
Student numbers increased greatly, the great majority of them being local day-students. A greatly expanded curriculum placed increasing demands on the existing facilities.
Accordingly a new college was constructed just outside of town and opened its doors as the new “Counsel” in 1984.
Since then the college has grown further with the addition of a technology block, ‘Villanova’, a new classroom block, ‘Cascia’ and a large sports hall with gymnasium named after the past rector of the college, Fr. John Cosgrave, O.S.A.. More recently 4 floodlit astro turf pitches have been added.
Catering today for over 750 boys, Good Counsel College continues to provide an education in the Augustinian tradition of, ‘In omnibus Caritas’ - ‘In all things love’.
“Woman! above all women glorified,
Our tainted nature's solitary boast”.
With those words the poet William Wordsworth salutes the Blessed Virgin Mary; if there’s a lovelier tribute to her in English poetry, I haven’t found it. The Augustinians, as educationists, named this College for Mary “Our Mother of Good Counsel”; if there’s a more appropriate Marian name for a secondary school, it escapes me too. The Scripture source for the title, “Mother of Good Counsel” is found in the words of the Prophet Isaiah foretelling the birth of Jesus Christ:
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.
And he will be called Wonder Counsellor,
Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace [Isaiah 9: 2, 6].
In the fifth century a church was dedicated to God in honour of “Saint Mary of Good Counsel” in Genazzano, a small town about fifty kilometres south east of Rome, in Italy. The origin of devotion to Mary as the Mother of Good Counsel is lost in antiquity. The naming of a church in honour of Mary with that title shows that the Church approved the devotion. In the year 1356 the Augustinian Friars were given charge of that church in Genazzano. A century later a picture of the Blessed Mother and Child was discovered on a wall of the church while it was being renovated and enlarged.
A local tradition claims the picture was miraculously transported from Scutari, (present day Shkrodër) in Albania, and settled on the unfinished walls on the 25th of April 1457. Contemporary documents confirm that the picture came to light on that day, but the manner of its appearance is not documented. The picture is a fresco. The popular excitement caused by the discovery of such a beautiful picture of the Madonna and Child can easily be imagined.
In time the picture took its name from the church and became know as the Mother of Good Counsel. A great devotion to Mary developed there, causing the church at Genazzano to become a place of pilgrimage. You will find copies of the picture in Augustinian churches throughout the world. The feast of the Mother of Good Counsel is celebrated on 26 April.