St. Malachy's College
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St. Malachy's College is the oldest Catholic grammar school in Ulster, and one of the oldest in Ireland.
It 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 Catholic Mass, and the provision for the education of the Catholics of Ireland. Located on the former site of Vicinage Park, just north of Belfast city centre, St. Malachy's is one of the leading Catholic schools in Northern Ireland.
St. Joseph's Seminary, the seminary for the Diocese of Down and Connor (see [1]), is situated on the same campus.
St. Malachy's remains a boys' school, providing education for approximately 1,200 students aged 11-18. The catchment area of the College is wide, as it is the only Catholic grammar school in north Belfast: students come from not only local areas such as Ardoyne and New Lodge, but also suburban and rural towns in County Antrim (e.g. Glengormley and Randalstown).
The College today boasts impressive records in both GCSE and A-level examinations, and has had many recent sporting successes, especially in athletics and basketball. The College is also noted for a having a strong music department and has recently become the the only specialist school of music in Northern Ireland.
The College also continues to encourage the study of elements of the Classics, particularly Latin, Classical Civilisation and Ancient History.
The current Chairman of the Board of Governors for the College is The Most Reverend Patrick Walsh D.D., Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Down and Connor. Dr. Walsh is also a former President of the College (1970-83).
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[edit] Past pupils
Notable past pupils include:
- the revolutionary and first Speaker of Dáil Éireann, Professor Eoin MacNeill;
- executed Easter Rising leader John MacBride;
- the Fianna Fáil politician, Sean MacEntee;
- the nineteenth century Lord Chief Justice of England, Sir Charles Russell, Baron Russell of Killowen;
- leading barristers: Michael Lavery, QC, SC; Philip Magee, SC; The Honourable Mr. Justice Sir James (Seamus) Treacy QC SC; His Honour Judge Kevin Finnegan QC; His Honour Judge Desmond Marrinan - Recorder of Londonderry;
- the former head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, Sir Gerry Loughran;
- most of the bishops of Down and Connor since the mid-nineteenth century, as well as Cardinals Conway and Daly;
- novelists Bernard MacLaverty, Michael MacLaverty,Brian Moore and Robert McLiam Wilson;
- former Celtic F.C. and current Aston Villa F.C. soccer manager Martin O'Neill;
- TV presenter Eamonn Holmes;
- actor Ciarán Hinds;
- journalists Denis Murray, Bill Neely, Seamus McKee and Henry McDonald;
- Tim McGarry (comedian and member of the Hole in the Wall Gang);
- leading members of the SDLP such as Alban Maginness (BL, MLA), First nationalist Lord Mayor of Belfast; Tim Attwood and Alex Attwood (MLA)
- leading member of Sinn Féin and first republican Lord Mayor of Belfast, Alex Maskey;
- former Alliance leaders Séan Neeson and Sir Oliver Napier and former deputy leader, Seamus Close;
- Stephen Morrow (formerly of Arsenal F.C.).
- Michael Ingham (footballer) the current Hereford United goalkeeper.
- Laurence McKeown former PIRA member who went on Hunger Strike in 1981
[edit] Recent events
- The under-16 basketball team have been crowned double All-Ireland Champions, and the under-19 team are All-Ireland League Champions. The College under-17 basketball team participated in a World Schools competition in April 2007.
- The cross-country athletics team took gold at the All-Ireland Schools' Championships.
- The College choir and orchestra visited Washington D.C. in April 2007.
- Mr. Frank Dick OBE, renowned sports coach and motivational speaker gave staff a presentation which lasted two hours in October 2007.
- Trevor Ringland, (former Irish rugby winger), joined with sporting pupils, past present and from neighbouring schools, to launch the £3.7 million ‘Sharing Education Programme’ which aims to bring Specialist Schools in full contact with their local communities in November 2007.
- The College celebrated it's 175th Anniversary in April 2008 with a concert at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. It also gathered the students and staff together in the College "Quad" area for a special photo which has not been taken in over 50 years for the college.
[edit] Current members of staff
- Principal: Dr John Morrin B.Ed., M.Sc., Ph.D. The first principal and non-clerical head of St Malachy's College, all previous heads of the school having held the title President and been ordained Catholic priests. The last President of the school was Donal McKeown, now auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor.
- Vice Principal: James McDonnell B.Sc., Dip. Ed., M.Ed., D.A.S.E., P.Q.H.(NI); Patricia McGuckian M.A.,B.Ed, A.C.E.
- Rector: The Very Rev. Michael Spence B.Sc., S.T.L., P.G.C.E.
[edit] Former Presidents
- Very Reverend Canon Walter Larkin (retired in 1970)
- Very Reverend Canon Patrick Walsh, 1970-1983 (Bishop Emeritus of Down and Connor)
- Very Reverend Canon Noel Conway, 1983-1995
- Very Reverend Donal McKeown, 1995-2001 (current Auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor)
[edit] Board of Governors
Trustee Representatives:
Most Reverend Dr Patrick Walsh (Chairman)
Rt Reverend Monsignor C McCaughan V.G. P.P. (Vice Chairman)
Very Reverend D Whyte P.P. V.F.
Mr C Jenkins O.B.E
Sir G Loughran
Mrs S Grant
Nominated by the Department of Education
Mr S Brady
Mr J Reid
Elected Parent Governor
Mr F MacElhatton
Elected Teacher Governor
Mr P McCrory
Secretary
Dr J Morrin
[edit] Location and campus
St. Malachy's College is located in the Water Works electoral ward of north Belfast, between two main roads (the A6 Antrim Road and the A52 Crumlin Road), close to where they meet at Carlisle Circus.
The grounds of the College are accessed primarily from a tree-lined avenue on the Antrim Road, which leads to the front quadrangle. The frontmost building, which comprises 3 sides of the quadrangle and faces westward, is the oldest part of the College and dates to its earliest days in the 1830s. 'A' and 'B' blocks, housing the History, Classics and Drama departments, as well as administrative offices, the Library and the Chapel, take up much of these 3 sides; the remaining rooms consist of priests' apartments, abandoned dormitories and the Upper Study Hall. The more modern St. Joseph's seminary building completes the fourth side of the quadrangle. The College canteen and Music block are also accessed through the front quadrangle.
The concreted back quadrangle, bounded by the College Hall (westward), the gymnasium (northward) and the old building (southward and eastward), has in recent years been enhanced by several flower beds. The Mater Infirmorum hospital, and a small shrine to the Virgin Mary, both overlook the back quadrangle. The College Hall is the focal point of dramatic productions within the College, as well as assemblies and examinations. In recent years, the College's music department has eschewed the College Hall for its annual concerts, in favour of the more acoustically advantaged Ulster Hall in Bedford Street.
Behind the College Hall is 'D' block, completed in the 1960s, and the adjoining 'E' block, completed in the 1970s. Both consist largely of standard classrooms, with the exception of Physics laboratories on the top floor of 'D' block and Biology laboratories on the top floor of 'E' block. Since the 1980s, the second floor of 'E' block has also become home to the Computing department. The school's Lecture Theatre is on the ground floor of 'E' block.
'C' block, located to the north of 'E' block, was opened in the 1990s and replaced a row of temporary classrooms. It now houses the Chemistry, Art and Technology departments.
At the rear of the College grounds is the Sports Hall, the centrepiece of which is a basketball court, renovated in recent years with a with a multi-purpose hardwood floor. A synthetic pitch, laid in 2006, is adjacent to the Sports Hall. For security reasons, the pitch is surrounded by high walls on three sides, separating the College grounds from the neighbouring Crumlin Road prison (now derelict) and the closing Girdwood British Army barracks on Cliftonpark Avenue.
The acclaimed novel Ripley Bogle by Robert McLiam Wilson gives a different view of the college, under the pseudonym of "Saint Malcolm's":
"Saint Malcolm's College for the Education of Catholic Boys was situated at the foot of the Crumlin Road. That is to say, in the pleasant region of Carlisle Circus, forming a lunatic no-man's land with the rabid Catholic ghetto of the New Lodge on one hand and the equally rabid Protestant ghetto of the Crumlin road on the other. On one side of the school there was the controversial Mater Convent, a hive of rebellious and disaffected nunhood, on another was the Crumlin Jail itself, a prison so incompetent that escaping prisoners would hire coaches to cater for their vast numbers. Behind the school was an army barracks, a rifle range and an army helicopter landing pad."
