Sullivan Upper School
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| Address | Belfast Road Holywood BT18 9EP |
| Phone | (028) 9042 8780 (+44 28) from abroad |
| Fax | (028) 9042 7644 |
| Headteacher | John Stevenson |
| School type | Voluntary Grammar |
| School Board | SEELB - South Eastern Education and Library Board |
| Location | Holywood, Northern Ireland, UK |
| Enrollment | 1,100 students |
| School colour(s) | Black and green |
| Motto | Lamh Foisdineach An Uachtar |
Sullivan Upper School is a mixed non-denominational voluntary English-medium grammar school in Holywood, Northern Ireland and currently has approximately 1,100 pupils. The school motto, which is printed on all the school blazers, is Lamh Foisdineach An Uachtar, which is Irish for "with the gentle hand foremost". Although Sullivan is a non-denominational school, it is the only Grammar School in Northern Ireland to have an Irish motto.
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[edit] History
Sullivan Lower School (equivalent to a primary school in modern terminology) was founded in 1862 by Dr. Robert Sullivan. After Sullivan's death in 1868, part of his estate was used to establish the upper school. Originally the two schools were based in Holywood's High Street, but the lower school no longer exists and the upper school has moved to a site on the edge of the town. The original building is now occupied by the town's public library.
[edit] Costello reforms
The school is opposed to the government's plans for the reform of education based on the Costello Report. These reforms will remove academic selection in Northern Ireland, which some observers think will effectively destroy the country's grammar schools. In opinion polls over 60 percent of parents in Northern Ireland are opposed to the changes.
A letter recently went out to Pupils in every year, directly from the headmaster, Mr Stevenson, raising the issue that the ethos and academic achievement of Sullivan would be changed irreparably by the post primary selection changes.
[edit] Sports
[edit] Rugby
The school has a strong rugby tradition, producing players such as David Erskine, a former senior Ireland international, as well as Darren Cave and Michael Ferguson, who have represented Ireland at School and Under 21 levels. Their current team hope to build on these past players skills and create a team that can't be broken. Mr Rodgers is head of phyical education and also the 1st XV coach. Sullivan have also employed Willie Anderson, the former Ireland player and assistant coach of Scotland Rugby Team.
[edit] Hockey
Sullivan have a strong record in hockey, producing Irish Senior International players such as Mark Raphael, as well as many Ulster and Ireland schoolboy representatives. In 2006 they reached the Burney Cup Final - losing 4-2.
[edit] Golf
Sullivan have a strong golf team often doing well in various competitions.
[edit] The school song
(first verse only)
- Lift up your voices Sullivan Upper
- Each one rejoices in Sullivan's name
- He who has striven, he who was learned
- Has generously given, sing his fame.
This song was written by former deputy headmaster Charlie Grime and is sung to the tune of "Morning Has Broken".
[edit] The house system
The school is divided into 4 houses: Praegar (Red), Grant (Green), McAlister (Blue) and Speers (Yellow). Two of the houses - Grant and Speers were named after Ex-Headmasters of the school, whereas Praegar was named after the sculptress Rosemund Praegar and her brother Robert. McAlister was named after the Rev. McAlister who sat on the Committee of Sullivan Schools in the 1800s - when the school was founded. The school's Preparatory Deptartment, however, only contains three of the four houses - Grant house, which was established in the 1980s, only exists in the main body of the school.
Regular inter-house competitions are held to cultivate house pride - including the House Music Competition and Sports Day.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Garth Ennis - comics writer
- Rory McIlroy - Golfer
- David Erskine - rugby player
- Dan Gordon - Actor, most notably in sitcom Give My Head Peace
- Maurice Jay - DJ, composer, actor and broadcaster
- George Lowden - Guitar maker
- Mark McClelland - Former bass player with pop group Snow Patrol
- John McCrea - comics artist
- Dermot Murnaghan - BBC Newsreader
- Mark Simpson - BBC North of England reporter.
- Peter Wilson, stage name Duke Special - musician
[edit] The 1994 attack
On 17 June 1994, Garnet Bell, a former pupil, entered the School Hall during an A Level exam carrying an improvised flame thrower, containing petrol and paraffin. Bell discharged the device, burning six pupils, three of them seriously. He was subsequently found guilty of three cases of attempted murder and three of grievous bodily harm, receiving six life sentences.
During his defence Bell claimed he was under the influence of temazepam at the time of the attack, and bore a grudge against the school for not providing him with adequate career advice. He was also convicted of the arson of his brother's house whom he unsuccessfully intended to kill.
Bell died whilst serving his sentence in prison.
