Red High moves into state-of-art school

Red High moves into state-of-art school

21 March 2012 - by Joanne Fleming

FIRST opening its doors with just 43 pupils, its forefathers could hardly have imagined the £16m state-of-the art building which would become St. Patrick’s Grammar School.

Seventy-eight years since the opening of its first modest base on Irish Street, almost 700 students now have a new Downpatrick home fit for generations to come.

On Friday the new building at its Saul Street base was officially opened with a Dedication Mass followed by the unveiling of a plaque by the Auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor, the Most Reverend Anthony Farquhar, Reverend Brother Francis Manning, De La Salle Provincial, and Owen O’Connor, chairman of the Board of Governors.

And in attendance for a tour around the new facilities were past pupils, parents, school governors and local politicians including Margaret Ritchie MP and Catriona Ruane MLA.

The new building includes sports facilities most professional clubs would envy, including a modern gym, two indoor sports halls and a floodlit outdoor pitch, as well as a dedicated music suite. All is contained within a modern airy building, with touches from the past — such as the inclusion of stained glass windows imported from other De La Salle buildings.

Two years of construction work by O’Hare and McGovern builders and architect Peter Niblock at Samuel Stevenson & Sons architects had a minimal impact, however, on life at the adjacent old school building — now demolished and replaced by playing fields.

Addressing pupils and visitors to the school on Friday, principal Sean Sloan said the new facilities marked a new chapter in the continuing life of St. Patrick’s, and one that would be enjoyed by the whole community.

“They are a new beginning for the children we serve,” he said. “They enhance our power to deliver changes in their lives, to develop self-confidence and to follow their distinguished predecessors in making a valued difference to the society in which they will lead and live. Our duty is to harness the power in these buildings, to be worthy of them and to use these facilities as best we can to support the children at this unique school.

“As we celebrate this new chapter in our history, we thank all those of you who have contributed in so many ways to this dream becoming a reality. The governors and previous principals without whose tenacity in approaching the Department of Education, this school would never have been built.

“When I taught here some 25 years ago the main topic of conversation then was ‘ when will we get the new building?’. I pay a special tribute to Dermot Mullan who brought his expertise.... to seek a successful way to get the new school underway, and he was very much involved in the initial planning.”

Speaking afterwards, Mr. Mullan, former principal, said he was delighted to be at the official opening and remarked on the quality of the new build.

“It has been a long time coming,” he said. “The community deserves it and I wish them every success. Those stained glass windows just on their own are impressive and are from other De La Salle premises.

“And of course there are those good views from every direction.”

Bishop Farquhar also addressed those present on the school’s namesake, Saint Patrick, and his particular strength and courage.

“One of the great marks of St. Patrick’s writings is humility and in particular his humility in the estimation of his own education,” he said. “He was aware, perhaps exaggeratedly so, of his limitations in his scholarship and learning, but it is clear that he saw himself as what, in more modern educational language, would be described as a late developer. But he showed his power to influence others and to inspire them in things of God.

“He ministered in difficult times and in difficult circumstances when people were indifferent, apathetic or even hostile to the things of God.

“May I today say to all of you, but especially to the young people present, if ever you are going to abandon faith, prayer and the things of God, I appeal to you to have the honesty to admit that it is because the demands of God are too

difficult, not because they are too easy and weak. I would suggest too that this is very close to the real thinking and vision of St. Patrick.”