Head is appointed for merger school

Head is appointed for merger school

23 August 2023

A PRINCIPAL designate has been appointed to the new Catholic secondary school which is to open in Downpatrick next year.

Dr Fionnuala Moore has been chosen to lead Lecale Trinity Grammar School.

The 1,600-pupil voluntary grammar school, which is being brought about through the merger of the town’s three existing Catholic secondary schools — St Patrick’s Grammar, De La Salle High and St Mary’s High — is due to open in September 2024.

It is proposed the new intake will be based on a system of 30 per cent academic selection with the rest based on a non-selective route.

Dr Moore is currently the principal of St Patrick's High School in Keady and a former vice-principal of St Ronan’s College in Lurgan.  

Mrs Carmel McCartan, chairperson of the Interim Board of Governors of Lecale Trinity, welcomed her appointment.

She said: “Dr Moore's excellent experience, skills and personal qualities empower her to work collaboratively with students, staff, parents, governors and the wider community to create an inclusive centre of excellence for all the young people in the local area.   

“On behalf of the Interim Board of Governors, I wish Fionnuala fulfilment, success and happiness in her new leadership role.  We look forward to working with her next year in a spirit of mutual support and collaboration.

Dr Moore has over 30 years’ experience in post-primary education as a mathematics teacher, head of department, vice-principal and principal.

She has been principal of St Patrick’s, Keady,a successful, all-ability, co-educational school, for the past five years.

Previously, she was vice-principal of St Paul’s Junior High School in Lurgan for 12 years until it was amalgamated with two other schools and became St Ronan’s College. 

Dr Moore was vice-principal of St Ronan’s for three years and was also acting principal for four months. The school is now one of the largest all-ability, grammar schools in Northern Ireland.

Dr Moore said she was “committed to the pursuit of excellence through the promotion of high quality learning and teaching in an inclusive climate, where learning is relevant and enjoyable”.

She also stressed that it will be her “privilege to lead Lecale Trinity Grammar School as principal and to work in partnership with pupils, parents, staff and the wider community to ensure that every young person achieves their full potential and holistic development in a school with a strong, child-centred, Catholic value system”.