Belfast Royal Academy

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Belfast Royal Academy
"B.R.A"
Motto per vias sapientiae
Established 1785
Type Independent
Headmaster Mr. William S. F. Young, M.A.
Founder Rev. Dr James Crombie D.D.
Students 1600 (approx.)
Location Cliftonville Road,

BT14 6JL
Belfast, Northern Ireland

Colours Maroon and Royal Blue
Yearbook "The Owl"
Website School Website

Belfast Royal Academy is the oldest school in the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland[citation needed]. It is a co-educational, non-denominational independent school situated in north Belfast. The Academy is one of eight Northern Irish schools whose Headmaster is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC). There are currently approximately 1600 pupils at the school.

Contents

[edit] History

The Academy was founded in 1785 by Rev. Dr. James Crombie. Originally situated near St. Anne's Cathedral in what is now Academy Street, it moved to its current location on the Cliftonville Road in 1880. For more than a century the school was named Belfast Academy. On 27 November 1887, Queen Victoria granted permission for the school to style itself "Belfast Royal Academy", and its name was officially changed in January 1888[citation needed].

[edit] The School Crest

The School Crest comprises the rose, the thistle and the shamrock, along with the Royal Arms, the Arms of the City of Belfast and those of the Province of Ulster. The three significant dates mark the foundation of the school in 1785, the transfer to the present site in 1880 and the approval by Queen Victoria of the designation Belfast Royal Academy in 1888.

[edit] Preparatory Department

The school's preparatory department, Ben Madigan Preparatory School, is located on the Antrim Road in the shadow of Cave Hill. Originally opened in 1829, it moved to its current site in 1965. A pre-prep was opened in 1998.

[edit] The House System

When a pupil enters the Academy they are placed into one of the houses: Shaw, Currie, Pottinger or Cairns, all named after distinguised past pupils: James Johnston Shaw, Donald Currie, Henry Pottinger, Hugh Cairns, 1st Earl Cairns. Each house has its own colour and pupils wear house ties.

[edit] The Honours System

As a pupil progresses through the Academy they can earn honours through hard work in sport and/or in the arts. There are minor honours (which allows a pupil to wear a minor honours tie, which has blue owls on it) and major honours. If a pupil gains major honours in sports they are entitled to wear a maroon blazer with a gold school badge on it and a tie that has yellow owls on it. Pupils who receive a major honours in the arts, such as music or drama, are entitled to wear a blue blazer with a gold school badge.

[edit] Notable alumni/ae

[edit] References

  • Belfast Royal Academy: The First Century 1785-1885, by A. T. Q. Stewart
  • Belfast Royal Academy: The Second Century 1885-1985, by Edward McCamley
  • Belfast Royal Academy: 1785-1935, by Hugh Shearman

[edit] External links