| Rathmore Grammar School, Belfast
Scoil an Rátha Mhóir, Béal Feirste |
|
|---|---|
|
Ut Vitam Habeant (That they may have life)
|
|
| Location | |
| Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland |
|
| Information | |
| Type | Voluntary Grammar |
| Principal | Mrs Hamilton |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 |
| Website | rathmoregrammarschool.org |
Rathmore Grammar School, normally referred to simply as "Rathmore", is a Catholic grammar school in Finaghy, Belfast, Northern Ireland. The current principal is Thérese Hamilton who succeeded Sr. Ursula Canavan as principal at the beginning of academic year 2009/10.
Rathmore is situated in Kingsway, Finaghy, Belfast, behind the St. Anne's "campus", consisting of St. Anne's Primary School, Parish Church, and Parish Centre. It is hidden from view from the nearby Upper Lisburn Road.
Rathmore Grammar School is paired with the Nicolaus-Cusanus-Gymnasium in Bonn.
Contents |
Rathmore began as a stately home, built by Belfast businessman Victor Coates for his family, but the house was passed to the local Bishop who in turn sold it to the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary. The RSHM used the house as a convent, where they began a school for girls. Sometime later, a major development project surrounded the convent with school buildings.
More recently, a new school building was designed by a past pupil of the school. The new building was completed in time for the school year beginning September 2005. This project included the restoration of the convent, which now houses History, Politics and Religious Education.
With the new building, a new C2k computer network was installed, along with interactive whiteboards in every classroom. Each member of staff and pupil has their own user account account with email, and can access their personal files and email from home, via the C2KNI.net website. It is a Promethean Centre of Excellence, one of two in Belfast.
Rathmore has a rich history in choking in Semi Finals of various Gaelic games competitions, but did manage to win the All-Ireland senior C/ All Ireland Special Needs title in 2006/7. Within Ulster, Rathmore has bottled it in numerous McLarnon Cup Semi Finals in Gaelic football and in the Casement Cup in hurling which they somehow won in 2008. In 2010 Rathmore 4th years won the hilariously named Leopold Cup in hurling, defeating Belfast neighbors St. Malachy's in the final [1]
In October 2006, past pupil Maeve Kilpatrick won the UK multimedia presentation category of the DYP 2006 competition, with her Microsoft PowerPoint presentation about her art campaign in the school the previous year. The presentation incorporated pictures, music and dialogue which she performed herself. Maeve and Mrs Keag, the art teacher who oversaw the entry, went to Brussels in November 2006 as part of their prize.
Rathmore has also had significant success in the Sentinus Engineering Education Scheme working with local company Phoenix Natural Gas and run by Physics teacher Mr Kieran Doherty. In 2005, the team composed of Caron Malone, Daniel Evans and Barbara Fleming swept the Seagate young innovators competition winning, most notably, the Intel award of excellence and going on to win a trip to the United States to represent Ireland in the next stage of the competition - Intel ISEF. They also had success in 2006, winning the Young engineers for Britain competition for 17-19 year olds.
From September 2007, Rathmore closed its Amnesty International branch. In April 2007, Amnesty International changed its stance on abortion from one which was neutral to one supporting access to abortion in cases of rape and incest, and when the life or the health of the mother might be threatened. Amnesty claim that they "do not promote abortion as a universal right" but "support the decriminalisation of abortion". The principal of the School, Sister Ursula Canavan, acknowledged and appreciates the great work that Amnesty does but feared that continuing to support Amnesty conflicts with the school's Catholic ethos. "I could not continue as a school promoting life and, at the same time, encourage the pupils to be involved in Amnesty." The school's motto states "I have come so that they may have life, and have it to the fullest". The former head girl, Orla Murray, and head boy, Patrick Gallagher, gave interviews to both radio and newspaper showing support for their principal while expressing their own views on the situation.
It was revealed in March 2009 that Sister Ursula Canavan would step down from her post. She was succeeded by vice-principal Mrs. Hamilton who assumed her role as principal of Rathmore in August 2009. Sister Ursula Canavan was the last of the nuns from the Sacred Heart of Mary to have been principal of the school.
In April 2010, the school debating team (Conor Heaney and Davin Clarke) won the Northern Ireland Schools Debating Championship, defeating the team from the Royal Belfast Academical Institution in the final at Stormont. It was the first time a team from the school had reached the final of the prestigious competition. They spoke in Opposition to the motion 'This House Would Welcome Being Part of a European Federal State'.
Dr. Ciaran 'Kiwi' Connolly, Senior Accountancy lecturer Queens University Belfast. http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/QueensUniversityManagementSchool/Research/ResearchClusters/GovernancePerformanceMeasurementandAccountinginNot-for-profit-Organisations/Members/ConnollyCiaran