Our Lady and St. Patrick's College, Knock
Encyclopedia
Our Lady and Saint Patrick's College is a Roman Catholic
diocesan grammar school
in Knock, Belfast, Northern Ireland
.
and St MacNissi’s College, Garron Tower
By the previous April, the need for a new boys' grammar school catering for the North Down and East Belfast area had become urgent. There was no provision for Catholic grammar education east of the Lagan and it was clear, given the trends of the time, that there would be no capacity in the existing two Belfast grammar schools for boys (St. Malachy's and St. Mary's, Christian Brothers) for the September 1967 intake. Three priests from St. Malachy's - Head of English, Fr Joseph Conway, with Fr John O'Sullivan and Fr Albert McNally were appointed by Bishop William Philbin
to found the new diocesan college.
The site for the new school was Providence Farm at Cherryvalley
. The property had been in the hands of the Diocese of Down and Connor since the middle of the 19th century and some of the older residents of the area could remember Sisters of Mercy
visiting the site in pony and trap for provisions for the pupils.
The College motto, chosen by Bishop William Philbin
, was In omnibus gratias agite (I Thess, 5:18)
Permanent buildings were planned from 1970 and were completed by 1979, by which time the enrollment had stabilised at about 500 pupils. Throughout this period almost all the pupils were bussed into school in the morning and home again straight after class in the afternoon depriving them of almost all extra-curricular activity. Through an agreement with Translink
the school has had late buses running on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for after school extra curricular activities since the early 1980s.
The internationally acclaimed poet Medbh McGuckian
taught at the College for many years before leaving education to concentrate fulltime on her writing. Teaching alongside her in the English department was the BBC
Radio Ulster broadcaster Seamus McKee.
, County Down
. This new foundation became known as Our Lady and St. Patrick's College, Knock with an enrollment of almost one thousand pupils, and the motto Gratias Agamus (Let Us Give Thanks).
Fr. Joseph Conway remained as President of the amalgamated school until 1987 when he was succeeded by Fr. Patrick McKenna, parish priest of Dundrum
Co. Down. In 1999 Mr. John Allen took over as principal of the school, who was the first lay person appointed to this position in the college's history. Allen was replaced in the 2008/09 academic year by Mr. Dermot G Mullan who had formerly been a teacher at the college and, having been principal at St. Patrick's of Downpatrick, returned to the college as principal.
Grainne Gunn (now Moss) - On 3 August 1987, Grainne became the first Irish woman to swim across the English channel. (Left 1988)
Paul Buckle - BBC broadcaster, formerly at Cool FM. (Left 1986)
Suzanne Lavery - television producer. (Left 1990)
Michael Kane - Video Games Artist most notably on Grand Theft Auto IV. (Left 1990)
Mark Woods - BBC and Talksport broadcaster and journalist. (Left 1990)
As of March 2008, the College was in the spotlight when one of its Year 14 pupils, Niamh Perry
competed in the BBC1 competition I'd Do Anything
, reaching the quarter final.
The new building has now been completed, and March 2011 will see the transfer of all teaching to the new facility. The new building has been built in the current position of the all weather pitch, dining hall, tennis courts and part of the sports hall. Due to the hilly nature of the campus this required significant excavation and levelling. In the position of the grass bank a new driveway system has been built to allow buses to pick up and set down. The Kingsway Gardens and Gilnahirk Road entrances will remain in similar use with one allowing cars and another buses, respectively. The current grass pitch will remain with a new all weather pitch built where the old science block, administration building and upper half of the main classroom block are now. New tennis courts will be built adjacent to the current grass pitch on redundant land. Staff car parking will be built in the current position of the grass bank extending to the front of the new building and terminating with a sizeable area in the position of the current technology block.
During construction part of Tullycarnet Park (currently unused) was used to facilitate building equipment and materials so as to cause as little disruption to school activities as possible. Design proposals and timelines facilitated the original idea of using the main buildings now for teaching whilst the new building was being constructed. The new building will be much more environmentally friendly than the previous, using design techniques to manipulate the sun for heating and ventilation as well as rainwater being recycled. Sensors will monitor the quality and temperature of the air to control cooling, heating and recycling. There will also be light sensors to adjust electrical lighting depending on how much sunlight is entering the room.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
diocesan grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
in Knock, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Foundation
The school opened on Monday, 4 September 1967 on a 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) site at Gortgrib in the Cherryvalley area of east Belfast with Fr. Joseph Conway as President. A sister college of St. Malachy's CollegeSt. Malachy's College
St. Malachy's College is the oldest Roman Catholic grammar school in the province of Ulster, and one of the oldest in Ireland.The college was founded in 1833 by Bishop William Crolly, about 50 years after the repeal of the penal laws, which had outlawed, among other things, the celebration of the...
and St MacNissi’s College, Garron Tower
Garron Tower
IMPORTANT: This page concerns a school which no longer exists, for the current school operating in its campus, see St Killian's CollegeSt MacNissi's College, now St Killian's College was a grammar school located to the north of Larne, which was once Northern Ireland's busiest port...
By the previous April, the need for a new boys' grammar school catering for the North Down and East Belfast area had become urgent. There was no provision for Catholic grammar education east of the Lagan and it was clear, given the trends of the time, that there would be no capacity in the existing two Belfast grammar schools for boys (St. Malachy's and St. Mary's, Christian Brothers) for the September 1967 intake. Three priests from St. Malachy's - Head of English, Fr Joseph Conway, with Fr John O'Sullivan and Fr Albert McNally were appointed by Bishop William Philbin
William Philbin
The Most Reverend William J. Philbin D.D. was an Irish Roman Catholic Prelate. From 1962 until his retirement, he held the title Lord Bishop of Down and Connor.-Career:...
to found the new diocesan college.
The site for the new school was Providence Farm at Cherryvalley
Cherryvalley
Cherryvalley is an electoral ward of Belfast City Council, Northern Ireland.Along with neighbouring Stormont and Malone in south Belfast, Cherryvalley is considered one of Northern Ireland's most affluent and exclusive residential areas with average house prices reaching £2-3m...
. The property had been in the hands of the Diocese of Down and Connor since the middle of the 19th century and some of the older residents of the area could remember Sisters of Mercy
Sisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
visiting the site in pony and trap for provisions for the pupils.
The College motto, chosen by Bishop William Philbin
William Philbin
The Most Reverend William J. Philbin D.D. was an Irish Roman Catholic Prelate. From 1962 until his retirement, he held the title Lord Bishop of Down and Connor.-Career:...
, was In omnibus gratias agite (I Thess, 5:18)
College and the Troubles
The College had originally been planned for an enrolment of over 800 pupils. In the event the civil disturbances of the early 1970s had a profound effect on the development of the college. The Catholic population of the intake area was subjected to intimidation and serious movement of population resulted. Very many families of the students left the areas, especially in east Belfast, and the college buildings were themselves subjected to frequent sectarian attacks.Permanent buildings were planned from 1970 and were completed by 1979, by which time the enrollment had stabilised at about 500 pupils. Throughout this period almost all the pupils were bussed into school in the morning and home again straight after class in the afternoon depriving them of almost all extra-curricular activity. Through an agreement with Translink
Translink (Northern Ireland)
Translink is the brand name of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company , a public corporation in Northern Ireland which provides the public transport in the region. NI Railways, Ulsterbus and Metro are all part of Translink....
the school has had late buses running on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for after school extra curricular activities since the early 1980s.
Former staff
Bishop Donal McKeown was on the College staff from 1978-1983 along with several other priests of the Diocese of Down and ConnorThe internationally acclaimed poet Medbh McGuckian
Medbh McGuckian
Medbh McGuckian is a poet from Northern Ireland.-Biography:She was born the third of six children as Maeve McCaughan to Hugh and Margaret McCaughan in North Belfast. Her father was a school headmaster and her mother an influential art and music enthusiast...
taught at the College for many years before leaving education to concentrate fulltime on her writing. Teaching alongside her in the English department was the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Radio Ulster broadcaster Seamus McKee.
Amalgamation
In 1984 the College Trustees, chaired by Bishop Cahal Daly proposed that from September 1985 the College should become co-educational and remain on the Knock site through amalgamation with the Sacred Heart of Mary Grammar School in HolywoodHolywood
Holywood is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the shore of Belfast Lough, between Belfast and Bangor. Holywood Exchange and Belfast City Airport are nearby. The town hosts an annual jazz and blues festival.-Name:...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
. This new foundation became known as Our Lady and St. Patrick's College, Knock with an enrollment of almost one thousand pupils, and the motto Gratias Agamus (Let Us Give Thanks).
Fr. Joseph Conway remained as President of the amalgamated school until 1987 when he was succeeded by Fr. Patrick McKenna, parish priest of Dundrum
Dundrum
Dundrum is the name of several places:in Ireland:*Dundrum, Dublin, a suburb of Dublin city.**Dundrum Town Centre, a shopping centre*Dundrum, County Tipperary** the Dundrum meteorite of 1865, which fell in Munster, Ireland...
Co. Down. In 1999 Mr. John Allen took over as principal of the school, who was the first lay person appointed to this position in the college's history. Allen was replaced in the 2008/09 academic year by Mr. Dermot G Mullan who had formerly been a teacher at the college and, having been principal at St. Patrick's of Downpatrick, returned to the college as principal.
Notable former pupils
Davy Sims, broadcaster and writer, former BBC head of New Media and radio producer. (Left 1973)Grainne Gunn (now Moss) - On 3 August 1987, Grainne became the first Irish woman to swim across the English channel. (Left 1988)
Paul Buckle - BBC broadcaster, formerly at Cool FM. (Left 1986)
Suzanne Lavery - television producer. (Left 1990)
Michael Kane - Video Games Artist most notably on Grand Theft Auto IV. (Left 1990)
Mark Woods - BBC and Talksport broadcaster and journalist. (Left 1990)
As of March 2008, the College was in the spotlight when one of its Year 14 pupils, Niamh Perry
Niamh Perry
Niamh Perry is an Irish singer and actress who competed as one of the finalists in the BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything in 2008 and is currently portraying Fleck in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Love Never Dies.-Background:Born in Bangor, County Down, Perry attended Our...
competed in the BBC1 competition I'd Do Anything
I'd Do Anything
I'd Do Anything may refer to:*I'd Do Anything *"I'd Do Anything" *"I'd Do Anything" *"I'd Do Anything" , from the musical Oliver!*I'd Do Anything , reality show on ESPN...
, reaching the quarter final.
New building
Final designs and location of the new building have been agreed upon. The school had to install a large amount of mobile classrooms during its lifetime to accommodate the increase in pupils. The original building was designed for approximately 800 pupils but with an average enrollment of 1250 from the late 90s onwards it was clearly over stretched. There were approximately 30 mobile classrooms in the form of 15 double room mobiles.The new building has now been completed, and March 2011 will see the transfer of all teaching to the new facility. The new building has been built in the current position of the all weather pitch, dining hall, tennis courts and part of the sports hall. Due to the hilly nature of the campus this required significant excavation and levelling. In the position of the grass bank a new driveway system has been built to allow buses to pick up and set down. The Kingsway Gardens and Gilnahirk Road entrances will remain in similar use with one allowing cars and another buses, respectively. The current grass pitch will remain with a new all weather pitch built where the old science block, administration building and upper half of the main classroom block are now. New tennis courts will be built adjacent to the current grass pitch on redundant land. Staff car parking will be built in the current position of the grass bank extending to the front of the new building and terminating with a sizeable area in the position of the current technology block.
During construction part of Tullycarnet Park (currently unused) was used to facilitate building equipment and materials so as to cause as little disruption to school activities as possible. Design proposals and timelines facilitated the original idea of using the main buildings now for teaching whilst the new building was being constructed. The new building will be much more environmentally friendly than the previous, using design techniques to manipulate the sun for heating and ventilation as well as rainwater being recycled. Sensors will monitor the quality and temperature of the air to control cooling, heating and recycling. There will also be light sensors to adjust electrical lighting depending on how much sunlight is entering the room.