St. Patrick's Grammar School, Downpatrick
Encyclopedia
St. Patrick's Grammar School is located in Downpatrick
, County Down
, Northern Ireland
. It is a grammar school
owned by the De La Salle Brothers
. It has an enrollment of around 725 student
s, with girls admitted at sixth form level. Pupils come from all over the East Down area. Working to support the ideals of this Lasallian School is a staff of 75 lay teachers. Recently, the school has been awarded the Investor In People award, and has been named a specialist school in humanities by the Department of Education.
and hurling
teams.
. There is also a Lenten appeal which is normally for a specific project in India
and other Third World
countries.
The school is involved in many local, county, and national leagues in sports such as football
, gaelic football
, hurling
and athletics
.
(Saul was a house, however it has been abolished in the junior school as a form class. Saul is now used as a class for Creative & Expressive studies in the junior school, and as the GCSE Performing Arts class in the Senior School.)
Downpatrick
Downpatrick is a medium-sized town about 33 km south of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is the county town of Down with a rich history and strong connection to Saint Patrick. It had a population of 10,316 at the 2001 Census...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, 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...
. It is a 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...
owned by the De La Salle Brothers
Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools
The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools is a Roman Catholic religious teaching congregation, founded in France by Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle and now based in Rome...
. It has an enrollment of around 725 student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
s, with girls admitted at sixth form level. Pupils come from all over the East Down area. Working to support the ideals of this Lasallian School is a staff of 75 lay teachers. Recently, the school has been awarded the Investor In People award, and has been named a specialist school in humanities by the Department of Education.
History
St Patrick's Grammar School was founded in 1934 and moved to its present site in 1937. Recently, the school celebrated its 75th anniversary. A new building is due to be completed in the coming years to replace the old building. The new school campus will contain many new features, including playing fields for the school's gaelic footballGaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
and hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
teams.
School and community
The school, and its students, are closely involved in the local community with events such as the Advent Appeal, where both students and staff raise money and collect Christmas hampers for the local charity, St. Vincent de PaulSociety of Saint Vincent de Paul
The St Vincent de Paul Society is an international Roman Catholic voluntary organization dedicated to tackling poverty and disadvantage by providing direct practical assistance to anyone in need. Active in England & Wales since 1844, today it continues to address social and material need in all...
. There is also a Lenten appeal which is normally for a specific project in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and other Third World
Third World
The term Third World arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either capitalism and NATO , or communism and the Soviet Union...
countries.
The school is involved in many local, county, and national leagues in sports such as football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
, hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
and athletics
Athletics (track and field)
Athletics is an exclusive collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and race walking...
.
School Houses
Upon entry to the school, students are placed in one of four houses. These are:- Down (D)
- Killard(K)
- Lecale(L)
- Quoile(Q)
(Saul was a house, however it has been abolished in the junior school as a form class. Saul is now used as a class for Creative & Expressive studies in the junior school, and as the GCSE Performing Arts class in the Senior School.)
New School Building
After years of planning, the construction of the new school building commenced in the summer of 2009. The school is being consturcted on the "junior" playing fields, which can be seen on he Downpatrick skyline. Once completed, the previous school building will be demolished and the site converted into playing fields. The new school campus opened in April 2011.Notable former pupils and staff
- Patrick KieltyPatrick KieltyPatrick Kielty is an Irish comedian and television personality from Dundrum, Northern Ireland.-Background:He was affected by The Troubles in Northern Ireland. On 25 January 1988 his father, businessman Jack Kielty, was shot dead by the Ulster Defence Association /"Ulster Freedom Fighters" , a...
, comedian - Maurice HayesMaurice HayesMaurice Hayes is an Irish politician and was an independent member of the 21st and 22nd Seanads, nominated as a senator by the Taoiseach.-Life:Maurice Hayes was born in County Down in Northern Ireland....
,the former Northern Ireland OmbudsmanNorthern Ireland OmbudsmanThe Northern Ireland Ombudsman combines two official offices, the Assembly Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints....
, Chairman of the Ireland Funds and Taoiseach-appointed Senator in Seanad ÉireannSeanad ÉireannSeanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
, He served as town clerk of Downpatrick in the 1960s and was awarded European Person of the Year 2003 - Eddie McGradyEddie McGradyEdward Kevin McGrady, known as Eddie McGrady is an Irish nationalist politician and a former member of the British Parliament.One of eleven children, McGrady was educated at St...
, MP and MLA - RigsyRigsyRigsy , real name David O'Reilly, is an award-winning presenter from Newcastle, Northern Ireland, currently living in East Belfast. He is a graduate of Queens University, Belfast....
, (real name David O'Reilly), TV/radio broadcaster with the BBC and DJ. - Gerry Kelly (broadcaster)Gerry Kelly (broadcaster)Gerry Kelly is a broadcaster from Northern Ireland. He is best known for his presenting career at UTV.-Broadcasting career:...
TV and radio broadcaster