Former Pupils Association magazine QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1 - February 2017

1617- 2017 A View the Foyle Commanding A portrait of Foyle College by Sean McMahon

A definitive history of 400 years of Foyle College and its antecedent schools. Fully illustrated throughout, tracing girls’ and boys’ education throughout the centuries. Sections include School Buildings, Headmasters, Changing Curriculum, The War Years, Sport, Music and Drama and Alumni.

£25.00 Available from school offices

A must have for all former pupils, staff and friends of the school. Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

Table of Contents

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02 Editorial Note 03 Contact Addresses 04 Board of Governors 2016 05 Teaching Staff 2016 06 Support Staff 2016 07 Prize-giving Speeches 2016 10 Head Girl’s Speech 11 Head Boy’s Speech 12 Guest of Honour’s Speech 16 Update on the New School 17 Leavers’ Destinations 2016 18 Graduations 2016 21 Reports of the Year’s Events 1. Chairperson’s Report 2. Treasurer’s Report 3. FCFPA Officers 2016-17 4. Vice Presidents’ Profiles 5. Dates for Your Diary & Forthcoming Events 6. Social Functions and Gatherings 2016 45 Notices (births/marriages) Notes and News 46 Obituaries 55 Bereavement Notices 58 Past Presidents FCOBA 59 Past Presidents LHSOGA 59 Joint Presidents FCFPA 61 Your Contributions - Significant Anniversaries for the school. William Lynn - History of the Old Girls Association and chain. Kanchu McAllister  - History of the Old Boys Association and chain. William Lynn.  - Robert H Rockwell (1885-1973). Tom Noonan  - Article on Smahon  - Brothers in Arms. Jim Heasley

74 From The Archive - Notes and News  - Foyle College 1617-2017. R Montgomery, S McMahon,W Lynn  - Gleanings from the High School Archive. Ken Gamble

81 Standing Order Mandate For those who wish to have a hard copy of the magazine.

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Editorial Note

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Welcome to the 2016 edition of the quatercentenary. Details for booking these with the school’s present choirs, bands and Former Pupils’ Magazine. and the reunion dinner on Friday orchestras. A spectacular finale will involve 28 April are contained in these pages and all the artists performing together in what As you can see from the cover and new on the school’s website – www.foylenet.org. should be a memorable occasion. Tickets A4 format, this is the first of two special uk will go on sale on the last week in February and may be obtained from the school offices quatercentenary editions. This volume will The Headmaster’s report, the Head Boy’s or by telephoning 71269321. cover events during 2016 and the plans and Head Girl’s speeches on prize night give to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the details of the school’s progress in academic The move to the new school site has suffered founding of the school whilst Volume 2, achievement, sport, drama and a wide some delays and instead of completion which will be issued in February 2018, spectrum of other events throughout the past in early autumn, is now scheduled for will look back on a memorable year of year. Several long-serving members of staff December 2017. Plans for the move and the celebration and the transfer of the school have retired. Kenny Given finally managed official opening are on hold but are eagerly from its present two sites to its single site to escape when someone was found to fill anticipated by all. Those of you who drive in the Waterside. This edition will include his shoes in the Chemistry department. past the site will be impressed by its scale an update on the progress towards the Elizabeth Steele retired after many years and rapid progress. The school’s archivists completion of the new school buildings and of service to the English department and are delighted that a substantial area has the planned events to mark Foyle 400. assisting with music, especially at the school been set aside beneath the main classroom Once again the association was served concerts. Caroline Lynch joined her as she block to display and store securely its ever- by two sets of joint presidents and Ann retired as a valued member of the Modern increasing contents. They are looking Watson and Denis Connolly represented Languages department. We wish them all a forward to welcoming former pupils and it at several functions. The events attended long and well-deserved retirement. other visitors to the new facility in 2018. A spectacular top-floor venue, surrounded on prior to Christmas 2015 were reported upon Two important events will begin this year three sides by glass and with views across the in the previous edition but there were three of celebration and will take place in March. city, the River Foyle and County Donegal, main functions in the spring of 2016 which The first is a service of thanksgiving in St has been set aside as a Former Pupils area they attended - the spring luncheon in the Columb’s Cathedral on Friday 3 March at for meetings and social functions. It will Everglades Hotel, the luncheon 7.30 pm. We hope to have a large attendance double up as a board room and has access to in Malone Golf Club and the Award of of staff, governors, parents and friends of the outdoor balconies on all sides. Colours at the end of the Easter term in school so please be seated before 7.15 pm Duncreggan. All of these events are covered when academic and other processions will Once again I am most grateful to my by articles and illustrated in this edition. commence. The sermon will be delivered editorial team. My thanks go to Mildred The year of office for Ann and Denis came by Lord Eames, former Archbishop of Deans for compiling the various sections to a close at the AGM in Duncreggan House Armagh and Primate of All Ireland. He and contributions, and leaving it all in an in early May when the chains of office were was Bishop of and Raphoe and chair advanced state of readiness for the printer. I transferred to Yvonne Smyth and David of governors from 1979-80. He delivered am indebted also to Sean McMahon for his Turner. Their first and main function was the the sermon when the school celebrated its meticulous proofreading. 375th anniversary, also held in the cathedral annual dinner held in the City Hotel at the Finally my thanks are due to all our which has such close ties with the school. end of September, a report for which follows advertisers, without whose support the The Honourable the Irish Society and the later. There will be a change of format and magazine could not be produced. Many of Merchant Taylors’ Company representatives venue for these events this year. The spring you will be reading this online but if you will join local dignitaries and clergy from luncheons normally held separately will wish to join those who have hard copies the four main Christian denominations for combine at the new Bishop Gate Hotel as mailed to them please complete and return the service. a single celebratory luncheon on Saturday 1 to the Bursar, the standing order mandate at April. Many of you will remember this venue The second event in March will be a the end of this edition. as the former Northern Counties Club. celebration of the school’s musical talent, I hope that you enjoy keeping abreast of The annual dinner will move from its usual past and present, at a concert in the school news and progress, and maintaining venue at the City Hotel to the grandeur of Guildhall at 7.30 pm on Thursday 16th. For contact with other former pupils. the Guildhall on Friday 22 September. We this concert almost thirty of the school’s very hope that you will support both of these best former musicians will return to perform William M Lynn events and make a real celebration of the as soloists or with ensembles, and will join Editor

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Useful Contact Addresses

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Foyle College Duncreggan Road Londonderry BT48 0AW Tel: (028) 71269321

Junior School Springtown Londonderry BT48 0LX Tel. (028) 71361526

School Website: www.foylenet.org.uk

You can also contact us and submit news and information to:

Mrs Mildred Deans 18 Altrest Road Cullion Londonderry BT47 2SJ Tel: (028)71841454 [email protected]

For submitting contact information: [email protected]

Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/foylecollegefpa

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Board of Governors 2016-17

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Governor’s Name Electing Body

Mr R Young The Honourable The Irish Society

Mrs K Jackson, Mrs D Leeson, Mr P Howie Parents’ Representatives

Mrs S Guthrie, Mrs S McLaughlin, Mr T Nutt Staff Representatives

Mr W M Lynn, Mr C Jeffrey, Former Pupils’ Representatives Mrs I McNally, Mrs J McClintock

Rev Dr R Craig Presbytery of Derry and Strabane Representative

Rev M R K Ferry Diocesan Representative

Professor D Heenan University of Ulster Representative

Mr B Dougherty, Mrs D Fleming, Department of Education Representatives Mrs J Young, Mrs S O’Kane, Mr R McCullough, Mr R McCaughey, Ms L Quigley, Mrs J Stewart, Mr J Templeton

Mr G Killeen, Dr R Manning, Foundation Nominated Representatives Mrs C Gilliland, Mr I McCarter

Mr P W J Allen Principal

Mr N Stewart Clerk to Governors

Governors tenable 2013 - 17

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Teaching Staff 2016-17

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Headmaster Mr P W J Allen Home Economics Mrs F Feeney (Head of Department) Miss N C Doyle Vice Principal Mr P G Gault Mr G S Mercer ICT Mrs S McLaughlin (Head of Department) Miss E Kivlehan Art & Design Mr K F Ward (Head of Department) Mrs K R McShane Mrs C J Kane Mr A J Manning Mrs M M Leonard Biology Mrs I A Hannaway (Head of Department) Mrs L J Hand (Head of Junior Science) Mathematics Mr T S Nutt (Head of Department) Mr P T Farmer Mr G S Mercer Mrs B B McGowan Business Studies Mrs H Eakin (Head of Department) Mrs B A Gillen Mrs B B McGowan Mrs C R Lynn Mrs L E Buchanan Careers Mr P T Farmer (Head of Department) Mr R A Brown Mrs H Eakin Miss N S Sloane Music Mrs B O’Somachain (Head of Dept) Miss E R Barr Chemistry Mrs J Millen (Head of Department) Mr C P McKinney Modern Languages Ms L D McAuley (Head of French) Mrs H Kane-Craig (Head of Spanish) Design & Technology Mr A C Moorcroft (Head of Department) Mrs J L Campbell Mr A J Manning Mr G R Young Mrs K R McShane Miss L S Pollock

English Mrs A B Mercer (Head of Department) Physics Mrs S M O’Connell (Head of Dept) Mr P G Gault Mr D B Phillips Mr D R Keown Miss L M Carlin Mrs K O Knox Mr B J Duffy Physical Education Mr D A Barnett (Head of Department) Ms K Eakin Geography Mrs S J E Guthrie (Head of Department) Mrs C M Moore Ms K Eakin Mr A J Ferguson Mrs C M Foster Mrs L Wylie Mr D T Gallagher Miss R L McSparron Mrs L Wylie Religious Studies Mrs J M Allen (Head of Department) Geology Miss N S Sloane (Head of Department) Mrs S Moore

History Mrs M Dougherty (Head of Department) SENCo Mrs B B McGowan Mr C Duffy Mr B Quigley Visiting: Miss A A Barr

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Support Staff 2016-17

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School Bursar Mr Neil Stewart BSc Principal’s PA Mrs Jennifer Galbraith Senior Finance Officer Mrs Wendy Nutt Senior Clerical Officer Mrs Joanne Cole Senior Clerical Officer / Exams Officer Mrs Judith Gallagher Clerical Officer Mrs Lisa McGeady

Sixth Form Study Supervisor Mr Kieran Quigg Junior School Study Supervisor Mrs Mairead Thompson Classroom Assistants Mrs Paula Feathers Mrs Kaylee Doherty Mrs Pauline McCandless Mrs Ciara McShane Ms Danielle Rankin Ms Jade Leitch Mrs Ruth Wilson Mr Paul Coyle Mrs Angelo Callaghan Mrs Ciara Murphy Mrs Catherine Ward-Gallagher Network Manager / IT Technicians Mr Sean Hamilton Mrs Joanne Woods (Science) Mrs Catherine Hume (Biology) Mrs Marcella Mullan (Home Economics) Mr Mark Smith (Design & Technology)

Estates Manager Mr Clive Austin Premises Officer / Reprographics Mr Graeme Balmer Grounds Mr Noel Cole

Duncreggan Canteen Springtown Canteen Mrs April Burton Head Cook Mrs Vivienne Hockley Head Cook Mrs Linda Murray Assistant Cook Mrs Joanne Doherty Assistant Cook Mrs Velma Bratton Mrs Marion Ferguson Mrs Sandra Coyle Mrs Ann Wilson Ms Brigid McCallion Mrs Mary Duddy Mr Janusz Geslak Mr Stephen Powell Mrs Cathy Page Mrs Hazel Wright Mrs Donna Smith

Duncreggan Cleaners Springtown Cleaners Mrs Hazel Wright Supervisor Mrs Patricia McColgan Mr Graham McNulty Mrs Donna Smith Mr John Ferguson Mrs Velma Bratton Mrs Marion Ferguson Mrs Ann Wilson Mr Janusz Geslak Mr Richard Nesbitt

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PRIZE-GIVING 2016

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HEADMASTER’S SPEECH achievements of our current crop of pupils. of last year. Our top performing pupil was At GCSE the pass rate across all subjects Cormac Ruiz-Byrne who achieved 3 A*s and Mr Chairman, Governors, honoured guests, was 93% with 35% of grades achieved an A. These grades were in addition to the ladies and gentlemen and, most importantly, being A* or A. Overall 83% of pupils A* in Spanish which Cormac achieved in pupils past and present, achieved seven or more GCSEs at Grades Year 12. Cormac is taking a year out before A*-C including Maths and English. Of planning to matriculate at Kings’ College, It is my pleasure to welcome so many of particular note is the performance of Lauren London to study Law. Amy Caldwell, David you here this evening to join with us for Devenney who achieved nine A* grades in Jackson, Jordan Finlay, Lydia Cullen, Roise our annual Prize Distribution celebrating full course subjects and a further two A*s McSorley, James Neilly, Adriana Chiquito, another successful year at Foyle College. in short course ICT and RE making her Jane Fulton, Aaron McFarland, Robert I would like to join with the Chairman in our top performing pupil this year. Also Smyth, Eve Stanley, Amy Young, Andrew finally being able to welcome Dr Padraig worthy of individual mention are Rishika Austin, Harry Chambers and Kathy Crown Moore as our Guest of Honour. Padraig Gidwani, Rithvik Gidwani, Elizabeth all deserve individual mentions having left Foyle College having achieved 8A*s and Hume, Erika McClelland, Matthew Austin, achieved at least 3 A Grades. Whilst I am 4As in his GCSEs including a first place in Hannah Hunter, Ruth Doherty, Rebecca extremely proud of the achievements of in Information Systems. At Douglas, Casey Reid, Laura Hegarty, Ciaran all these pupils I was particularly pleased A-Level Padraig achieved 3 A grades (in the Kenton, Abbie Smith, Shannon Hay, Oisin for Robert Smyth who has won a place at days before A*s) and was once again placed O’Connell and Ellen Barr who each achieved St Catherine’s College, Oxford, to read first in Northern Ireland in Computer at least eight grades A* or A. Neither must Chemistry and Andrew Austin who despite Science. Apparently the Maths department we overlook the 56 Year 11 pupils who sat missing almost three months of the school at the time were more than a little miffed their GCSE Maths in one year achieving year playing for Ireland U19 in the World when he chose not to take Further Maths 100% A*- B. Cup still managed to achieve three top in his final year as they were confident that grades allowing him to go to Nottingham to would also have resulted in an A grade. It’s For Year 13 the pass rate was 96% across read Aerospace Engineering. hardly surprising that in his UCAS reference all subjects with 62% of students currently my predecessor, Mr Magill, described him as holding at least three A-C grades, putting I always like to make the point that the ‘the outstanding student in his year group’. them in a strong position for university recognition of those that I have named this However, like all those who get the most applications and a successful conclusion evening is not intended to diminish the out of their time at Foyle College, Padraig to their school career. Daisy Hannaway, individual achievements of any of those who wasn’t content merely with academic success Catherine Leeson, Matthew Magee, are here this evening or, indeed, of any pupil choosing to achieve his Gold Duke of Susanne Marshall, Adam McCarter, Caolan of the school. Foyle College is about fostering Edinburgh’s Award and to throw himself McDermott and Mark Robinson have opportunities for young learners to excel on into the NISTRO Engineering Scheme and all achieved four A grades whilst Abigail a personal level and that is what each of our the Proshare Portfolio Challenge during his Baird, Jonathan Brady, Sophie Doherty, leavers has done in their own way. Others, Sixth Form with one eye on his long term Esther Hume, Adam McElhinney, Shannon whom I won’t name, should know that I goal of studying Economics. When Mr Brown, Emily Keown and Conal Fisher have am equally proud of their achievements at Magill asked Padraig what he intended to do all achieved at least three A grades. all levels because I am aware of the struggles with his degree he replied ‘Become Governor that many have faced up to, and overcome, in As always it is wonderful to see so many of the Bank of England’ and Mr Magill notes their personal lives over recent years. What of those who have just completed Year 14 in his file that he wasn’t sure whether he is important to me is not necessarily the joining us this evening. It is an indication of was joking or not – perhaps Mark Carney arbitrary three A*-C percentage so beloved their connection with the school and with still needs to keep a watchful eye over his by politicians and the media, rather it is the their peers, that so many have chosen to shoulder! Outside school Padraig pursued a number of young people whom we managed be here this evening and I am delighted to range of interests including sailing, kayaking to help access their preferred choice of welcome them for what really is their final and riding to hounds with the Route Hunt. university course; of 99 applicants to UCAS Foyle College event. This year’s cohort has Padraig you’re very welcome this evening and last year 88 were successful in gaining such a achieved an A-Level pass rate of 99% with a we look forward to hearing your memories place and I think that is a testament to the current figure of 82% of pupils achieving 3 of your time at Foyle. hard work of the young people and of their or more A*-C grades. This will see the school teachers. The vast majority of our pupils will So having reflected on what our guest of maintaining its position above the Northern have seized the opportunities that the school honour achieved during his time at Foyle Ireland average for grammar schools and has afforded them and, hopefully, they leave let’s take a few minutes to reflect on the hopefully improving on our top 30 position 7 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

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1617 1630 1705 1750 1680 1790 us as enriched and enhanced contributors to to engineering in the real world, Young Ireland U19s in the World Cup society. I wish them the best of luck as they Enterprise returned to work, this time, with in Bangladesh while the Year 14 historians begin the next phase of their lives and hope Year 9 and Mr Keown and Miss Barr began enjoyed a three-day trip to allowing that they will keep in touch and let us know to feel the pressure as rehearsals continued them to put many of the events that they how they are getting on in the future. for Hairspray. In November Kyle Magee from were studying in Irish history into context. Year 10 was NI Badminton’s Champion of Year 8 pupil Neason Rowe competed in the The aim of our school is to help pupils Champions for the second successive year, Ulster Cross Country Championships and to grow academically, athletically and we held a very successful and thoroughly the Top of the Bench team came fifth in artistically both as individuals and within enjoyable STEM evening for parents, their Chemistry based competition. Adam teams. I believe that I have shown already and pupils in both schools donated 160 McElhinney and Sophie Doherty travelled this evening that Foyle College can, and shoeboxes of gifts for the annual Christmas to Stormont on International Peace Day as does, compete with the very best in terms Appeal. Year 12 Hospitality students visited Youth Ambassadors and Year 12 students of the academic excellence that our pupils the Flying Clipper restaurant at the NWRC, had three days of work experience.; however, are able to attain but I also believe that what Rachel Newhouse and Lara Dingley became the highlight of the month had to be the happens outside the classroom is equally, if Points of Light Ambassadors as a result of PTFA’s Ready Steady Cook Vs Can’t Cook not more, important in terms of the overall the volunteer work that they undertake and Won’t Cook where a number of intrepid development of each individual pupil. As the Bar Mock Trial team were in action staff were somehow persuaded to pair up always for this occasion we have asked our at the High Court in Belfast while the with pupils to prepare a dish in 15 minutes Head Boy and Head Girl to report to you on Combined Cadet Force were on parade at from an unseen bag of ingredients. The a range of school activities but before we hear the Cenotaph in London on Remembrance beginning of March saw 59 intrepid Year from them I’d like to take you on a whistle- Sunday. The highlight of December, 9s and six fearless teachers departing for stop tour of the school year just to illustrate and for many the highlight of the whole Les Menuires in France for a week’s skiing the variety of opportunities that are available school year, was the school’s production whilst the Chamber Choir, accompanied by to members of our school community. of Hairspray. The production involved 58 Mrs O’Somachain and Mr Kerrigan, made September began with Year 8 pupils pupils from both schools on stage, 20 pupils their way to the Liverpool Philharmonic participating in the Young Enterprise in constructing and decorating the set and Hall to perform Puccini’s Mesa di Gloria programme Your School Your Business as stage management, 8 pupils in the band and with musicians and singers gathered from part of their induction process whilst also 10 pupils working on costumes and makeup. our fellow Merchant Taylors’ schools. This beginning to develop the skills needed In addition, 14 teaching staff and all of the proved rather a stressful couple of weeks to succeed in ‘Big’ school. The second members of the admin and caretaking staff for the Music Department as the following cohort of staff, made up mostly of Heads of were involved in bringing to fruition what week was our Annual Spring Concert Department, began their training in the use proved to be a truly memorable three-night which, as always, involved the participation of iPads to enhance learning and teaching run to capacity audiences. Whilst all that of over a quarter of the school population. in their classrooms. Pupils in the Junior was going on the GCSE PE students went Fortunately for Mrs O’Somachain, Easter School had an opportunity to learn new ICT to Gortatole Outdoor Centre to complete last year was particular early and we broke skills modelling the Guildhall in the Belfast training and a practical assessment in up on the 16th for a much needed and Telegraph’s Minecraft competition whilst orienteering and to round out the Christmas pleasantly lengthy Easter break. auditions took place, and rehearsals began, term everyone enjoyed donning their best Returning in April the attention began to for the school production of Hairspray. We Christmas jumpers raising £700 for ITV’s focus on exam preparation but there were had pupils engaged in public speaking, Duke Text Santa appeal. still plenty of other events for pupils to of Edinburgh Award expeditions, enjoying January saw the 1st XV progressing through enjoy as well. Year 10 visited the Somme History field work in Inishowen and singing the Schools Cup reaching the last 16, the Centre to put their World War I studies with Bronagh Gallagher to raise funds for cross-country runners were competing at into context while the U14 hockey players the Foyle Hospice. October began with the the District Championships and the senior went on tour all the way to Belfast. We European Day of Languages, promoting choir had a workshop and auditions with held a session for Year 12 pupils and their to pupils the importance of studying the Ulster Youth Choir resulting in nine parents to help them deal with the stresses of a language. Business Studies students pupils being offered places in the training GCSEs and throughout April Year 10 pupils visited Seagate, Year 10 pupils enjoyed all choir and Blake Grey being offered a place were undertaking their Bronze Duke of things mathematical at the NWRC during in the full choir. February found Andrew Edinburgh’s Award expeditions. May really Maths Week. Engineering pupils visited Austin playing as already mentioned, for was all about exams with the Year 12, 13 Terex Corporation to gain an insight in 8 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

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1830 1850 1910 1950 1840 1900 1915 1962 and 14 pupils departing on study leave and touched on. We believe that Foyle stands for school year and has been replaced by Miss the Junior exams being held in Springtown Fostering Opportunities for Young Learners Rachel McSparron. Also joining the staff but the beginning of June saw pupils have to Excel and I hope that I have successfully we have Miss Louise Pollock in Modern the opportunity to enjoy the last few weeks demonstrated the breadth and variety of Languages, Mr Ryan Brown in Maths and of the year with field trips to Ness Woods, opportunities that are afforded our pupils if Mr Conor McKinney in Chemistry, and we and the city’s walls on the Siege they choose to take them up. This breadth welcome them to our school community. Trail. We welcomed our incoming Year 8 and variety relies on a single common factor pupils to the first stage of their induction, – the members of staff who are prepared to This time last year work was just getting held Sports Day and Junior Prize Giving, a give so generously of their time and expertise underway at our new school site, located sponsored walk to our new school site, Duke before school, at lunchtime, after school, at on the Road. Now I’m not quite of Edinburgh expeditions for Year 11 and the weekends and in some cases during their sure why I made that obvious statement at CCF departed for their annual camp. Year holidays to support and develop the pupils the end of the last sentence since our new 11 also had the opportunity to participate of Foyle. school is visible from all over the city and has been hard to miss as it has risen on the in Learn to Earn with Young Enterprise Once again this year we have been forced to skyline across the river. It is a pleasing bonus and all Key Stage 3 pupils enjoyed a trip to make reductions in staffing due to the cuts in that the Foyle College tradition highlighted the cinema on the last day of the year. Most real terms of 7% in school budgets imposed by the title of the school’s official history people think that schools close down during by the former Minister of Education, Mr A View the Foyle Commanding will continue July and August but this is not the case. John O’Dowd. If I may take a moment to after our relocation. In recent weeks In July a group of our Year 13 pupils had comment; the education system in Northern the opportunity to attend the Cambridge Ireland is approaching a crisis point as schools the Senior Management Team, Heads of University summer school, accompanied are asked to do more and more academically Department and Year Heads have all had by Mrs Eakin, Sophie Doherty from Year and pastorally with fewer and fewer the opportunity to visit the site to begin to 13 was selected to travel to the United resources. It is past time that the Education get a feel for our new premises and all have Nations in New York to address a Young Authority started to deliver the cost savings come away excited by the opportunities Leaders Conference whilst in August groups that were promised with the rationalisation that it will present to us all. The contract undertook their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s of the five Education and Library Boards completion date is the 30 October next Award expeditions by canoe on Lower into a single Authority. It’s also past time year and we then hope to receive the keys Lough Erne and Kirstie Strouts-McCallion that the Department of Education and the from the developer before Christmas. 2017 captained the NI Judo Squad to their first stopped taking more also marks a significant anniversary for the gold medal in the annual schools’ games than 40% of the education budget for pet school – its 400th birthday - so once we whilst also winning an individual silver. projects that don’t improve outcomes for relocate we will be the oldest school in the I will now invite our Head Boy and Head pupils and which add to teacher workload. city in the newest premises. To mark our Girl to report to you on some of the key Finances must reach where they are most quatercentenary we are organising a series of areas of school life and especially those in needed; the classrooms that we already have commemorative events which will begin in which they have direct involvement. These in order to deliver a curriculum and form of March with a service of Thanksgiving in St two young people embody all that is best assessment that meets the needs of pupils, Columb’s Cathedral and later in the month in education as they have teachers and employers. the Spring Concert will combine the talents seized the opportunities presented to them Leaving the staff at the end of August were of pupils, both past and present, in a musical throughout their time at Foyle College Mrs Caroline Lynch, Mrs Liz Steele, Mr spectacular to be held in the Guildhall. I and I would encourage pupils of all ages to Kenny Given, Mrs Siobhan Bollard, Mrs would encourage everyone who has an follow their example. I will now hand you Kathryn Jauzion and Mrs Carol Johnston. I association with the school to keep an eye on over to our Head Girl, Esther Hume, who would like to take this opportunity to thank the school’s website and social media feeds will be followed by the Head Boy, Adam all of these teachers for their contributions, for further details of the events and to come McElhinney. both inside and outside the classroom, for along to help us celebrate this significant the interest that they have taken in the milestone. Note: At this point Esther and Adam development of the pupils of Foyle College Thank you for your kind attention this presented their reports – see over. and to wish them all the very best for the evening and I hope that you’ll agree with me This has just been a gallop through the 2015- future whether that be in retirement or that Foyle does indeed continue to stand for 16 school year and there are many people, teaching in another school. Ms Kerry Eakin Fostering Opportunities for Young Learners events and achievements that I haven’t has taken a career break for the current to Excel. 9 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

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Talented Year 11 pupil, Grace Hand, and The rain and cold weather did not dampen Year 10 pupil, Alex Dougherty, trained with the spirits of our Junior and Senior jazz the Ulster Hockey Development Team and bands as they performed in the Guildhall along side Beth O’Neil, played on the U15 Square as part of the City Jazz Festival. Western Squad. Hannah Lawther, Rebekah With Robert Goodman’s hard work and Ferry and Amy Kilgore were all chosen to dedication, members from Foyle also took play on the U17 Western team. On behalf of part in the 2nd line jazz parade. all the teams I’d like to thank all the coaches who have passed on their knowledge, and The senior SU continued to meet on our loyal supporters. Monday lunch times and was led by the hard working committee made up of senior Girls this year saw only one team pupils. With the help of guest speakers they entered in the Ulster Branch Competition explored the theme that ‘God is Greater.’ and unfortunately we lost out on a place in They also held several events including a the plate final to Glenlola Collegiate. worship night in Starbuck’s. The junior SU said a sad farewell to Mrs Lynch and Mrs Another sport played by the girls of Foyle Steele who loyally led it for years. College is cricket and Alana Dalzell was selected for the Ireland U15 squad that This year also saw five Year 13s participate in Not only does Foyle College foster toured Malvern in Worcestershire. an engineering programme run by opportunities for young learners to excel in where they obtained their Gold Crest terms of academic subjects, focusing on your The annual spring concert is a highlight Award. It involved a six-month research life’s endeavours through the numerous for many, displaying the extensive and development where they worked alongside activities that pupils participate in is also impressive array of musicians and singers in industries to deliver innovative and creative encouraged. Adam and I hope to provide our school. After many weeks of rehearsals, solutions to current problems. a brief insight into the extra curricular 240 pupils directed by Mrs O’Somachain activities undertaken within the past year. and Mr Kerrigan produced a memorable Another popular activity in both junior and night. The finale ‘Ain’t no mountain high senior school is the Duke of Edinburgh The 1st XI hockey team under the captaincy enough’ almost lifted the roof. award scheme. Having recently completed of Roise McSorley had one of the more my gold canoeing expedition I can tell successful seasons in recent years. Despite you that it is not for the faint hearted. being a young squad due to the departure Even though it was difficult the feeling of of many key players, we performed well as “...Foyle College accomplishment when we finished made a team and an impressive run of wins in foster opportunities putting the effort in worthwhile. Through our league earned us a play-off match for it I have learnt many invaluable skills and the West of Ulster Cup. Unfortunately we for young learners would like to thank Mrs Buchanan, Mrs lost narrowly to Omagh Academy 2-1 but Feeney and Mr and Mrs Hannaway for their second place was still a great achievement. to excel in terms of supervision and perseverance. academic subjects, The 2nd XI also had a very successful I would like to thank all the teaching staff campaign reaching the plate final. However focusing on your life’s for giving up their time as without all those they were met by strong opposition, endeavours through I have mentioned and more, none of this Banbridge, and lost 1-0 in a highly would be possible. They inspire us both competitive match. the numerous academically and personally but in the words of John C Maxwell, ‘Dreams don’t With many players showing potential, the activities that pupils work unless you do.’ 3rd XI had an enjoyable season playing Esther Hume matches against Ballymena, participate in is also Grammar and Dalriada. encouraged.”

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Head Boy’s Speech

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Grammar, before narrowly being beaten by Dalriada. They then progressed to the Schools Cup Shield Quarter Final where “...Foyle is not they were unfortunately knocked out by Coleraine. Nevertheless, to finish the confined to season a selection of the team participated in the Sevens Competition at Campbell academic results College where they were undefeated in their but rather extends group stages, beating Wellington in the final and winning the trophy overall. beyond the In cricket Foyle enjoyed a very successful classroom to the season as both the U14 and U15 teams won the Ulster Cup. Kyle Magee was selected diverse range of for the U15 Ireland team and Andrew Austin, an extremely talented batsman, extra-curricular also represented Ireland in the U19s where activities” he had the wonderful opportunity to tour Malaysia and Bangladesh while competing The Dalai Lama teaches that ‘when at international level. educating the minds of our youth we must Over the past year Sophie Doherty and myself have been involved in the Amazing not forget to educate their hearts’. From cricket to the courtroom, the Bar the Space Peace Project which will take Mock team competed at the regional trials place on 21 September involving over Tonight we celebrate the achievements of in the Royal Courts of Justice, Belfast, 400 schools from across the province. In our prize-winners. However, success at winning our prosecution case against overall preparation for this event we campaigned Foyle is not confined to academic results but winners, Dalriada, but narrowly missing out with other post-primary schools in the city rather extends beyond the classroom to the on placing. The Junior Magistrates also put for support from Stormont and further diverse range of extra-curricular activities. up a valiant effort in their regional trials and afield. In August, Sophie had the exciting I would like to thank Mrs Dougherty and opportunity to voice our Peace Pledge at the In December, as the curtain rose on the Mr Quigley for their unflagging energy and United Nations Young Leaders Conference school show, we were welcomed to the dedication towards Bar Mock. Sixties by Tracey and Link played by Gillian in NYC solidifying Foyle’s commitment to a brighter, peaceful future for young people. Dunn and Gregg Parkhill, and the rest of The Public Speaking team had a very the Hairspray cast. The effort put in during successful year, ranking first place in the In reflection of this I would like to close with rehearsals was evident as the cast and crew Dr McCabe Regionals and advancing to be Confucius who reminds us of the power of put on a professional and entertaining show, all-Ireland finalists at the Knights of Saint education; ‘Education breeds confidence, thoroughly enjoyed by all. Readjusting to Columbanus under the guidance of Mr confidence breeds hope and with hope life in Duncreggan was a strange concept Duffy. after the three-night trip to Baltimore. breeds peace’. Adam McElhinney The French Debating team was also in full

On a similar musical note the Chamber voice this year with the tireless support of Choir showcased their sensational choral Angélique and Ms McAuley. Unfortunately talent when they performed at the Merchant they lost out to Thornhill who had the Taylors’ Schools Concert at the impressive advantage of a native speaker. However, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. it was by no means a wasted effort. The experience gained not only increased their In rugby the 1st XV captained by Callum confidence in spoken French, but instilled McDonnell, persevered to the third round in them a drive to succeed in this year’s of the Schools Cup with convincing wins competition. over Belfast High School and Antrim

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Thank you Chairman and thank you Inspiring place inspiration and confidence from this too Headmaster. When I came to Foyle I found lots of when it comes to setting your goals. inspiration. For example, I specifically It was a huge relief when you asked me to Aim high, there is less remember prize-giving night. I remember give this speech. I got a call from my mum competition at the top sitting down there in First Year and thinking to say that the Headmaster had called and The most important thing about setting I want to come back here next year and be a was looking for me, and I had to call him goals is to be brave and aim high. If Roger prize-winner again. I specifically remember back. So I was a bit worried and it was a Bannister didn’t aim to break the 4 minute seeing the Lawrence Sword being awarded great relief when I found out that I hadn’t mile he would never have achieved it. In and thinking that is something I wanted to done anything wrong! And of course, it is a my experience, the more ambitious you receive. And seeing the list of universities great privilege to be the Guest of Honour are the more chance you have of success, and the range of subjects that the Sixth- this evening on one of the most important because when you aim high you find that formers were going off to study, helped days of the school year. It’s a celebration there’s actually less competition, because me to set my sights on applying to the best of all your achievements, your hard work most people aim to be just a little bit better university I could, and being back here and dedication, none of which could be than average. So when I was deciding which tonight I can see that Foyle remains an underestimated. university to go for, Foyle encouraged me ambitious and a successful school. to apply to Cambridge. When I decided to The challenge for me is what can I say on Being surrounded by success is very apply for Economics despite having never an evening like this? Don’t say too much important because knowing that success studied it before or having any experience is probably what most of you are thinking! is achievable is a long way towards actually of the subject, Foyle supported me. Some of Well don’ worry, the Headmaster has me achieving your own success. Take the the teachers suggested that maybe I should under strict instructions! He has told me to example of Roger Bannister. He was the read some Economics books, but that didn’t talk about what I learned at Foyle and how first person to run a mile in under four really work because then I realised I really it influenced me. And I think you said I minutes. Now, prior to his breaking the knew nothing about Economics. In fact, have 90 minutes or so? Okay, so we better record, for hundreds of years, people had I wasn’t even sure if it was Economics or get started! tried to run a mile in under four minutes Economics! But Economics interested me The first thing I learnt at Foyle was always and it had become generally accepted that and I was ambitious, and I thought why answer the question you were asked and it was impossible. Even scientific research not, what’s the worst that can happen? So I’m sure they still tell you that! So I’m going suggested that the human body was simply I went along to the interview and the best to tell you about two important influences not capable of running a four minute mile. thing was that they couldn’t ask me much that Foyle had on me. I’ve got a couple of Then, in 1954, Roger Bannister ran one mile about Economics – because I didn’t know stories, there is some advice and at the end in 3 minutes 59.4 seconds. But breaking much, which was ideal actually. So we talked I’ll make you an offer. this seemingly impossible record is not the about Foyle and other things that I did most interesting part of this story. What’s know something about, and they offered One of my clearest memories of Foyle is of really interesting is that in the 12 months me a place. So pursue what you want, and a very ambitious school – a place where you that followed, over 24 people ran a mile in don’t be held back if it’s never been done were encouraged to set yourself ambitious under four minutes, and in the years that before, or you don’t think you have the goals. Whether it was the grades you wanted followed, hundreds more have run the four right qualifications or aren’t smart enough. at GCSE or A-level, the ex-curricular minute mile. Even today it’s not uncommon Give it a go; there is nothing to be lost and activities you wanted to get involved in, or to find young adults of school age who everything to be gained. what university you wanted to go to or what achieve a similar feat. So almost overnight, career you wanted to pursue – the feeling at Now sometimes we don’t get our goals a four minute mile became possible. And Foyle was that you’ve got to aim high. and we need to change our plans. I’ve the question is why? The answer is because changed my plans many times. Shortly Now, I was actually a natural candidate for Roger Bannister demonstrated that it was after abandoning my US presidential bid, I setting ambitious goals. Before I came to possible, so people changed their minds and decided I wanted to become a vet – it was Foyle, when I was at primary school, my realised it could be done, and they went out the obvious alternative of course! Then I ambition was to be president of the United and did it! That is exactly what Foyle did changed my mind and thought I’d like to States. That must have sounded ridiculous for me. It made me realise that you could do something to do with computers. By at the time. Then again that’s what people achieve your ambitions and your goals the time I was doing my GCSE’s I wanted said when Donald Trump said he wanted to because I could see others who had gone to be an accountant, but by A-level I had be president! before me do exactly that. You should take

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GUEST OF HONOUR’S SPEECH

1830 1850 1910 1950 1840 1900 1915 1962 already switched to considering a career like something the teachers paid me to say. told me something that I think illustrates in engineering, then I fancied becoming a But it’s neither. Knowing that even the the power of hard work, and how it often lawyer, before finally settling on studying most ambitious goal is achievable through supersedes talent. What he told me was that economics with a career in finance in mind. hard work is actually great news. It’s not when he was British No 1, eight of the top Sometimes you don’t get your goals. I didn’t going to be luck, talent or genes that decide British table tennis players all came from the get the Lawrence Sword – but I can tell you your future. It’s going to be you. You are in same street that he lived on. They all lived that if I wasn’t shooting for it then I’m sure control. You decide on whether you achieve on the same street in Reading. And whilst I wouldn’t have got Head Boy or a place at your goals or not. And this is a particularly that sounds like a bizarre coincidence, in Cambridge either. It may be a cliché but it is important message for clever people like fact it’s not. Because there wasn’t much true: you’ve got to shoot for moon, because you, because you might think that being on that street, but there was a community even if you fail you’ll still land in the stars. smart alone will carry you through. The centre, and it had a table tennis table and reality is that the really smart people work every resident on that road had a key that Hard Work really hard. allowed them 24-hour access to the centre, The second thing I learned at Foyle is that so as children they all spent an unusual you can only get what you want through hard Talent is overrated amount of time playing table tennis, and work. You are all very clever and talented, As part of my work I end up going to a lot they became quite good. And then they but talent only goes so far, and it can’t take of dinners and recently I was at a table with started training properly and they became you the whole distance towards achieving Matthew Syed who was an Olympic and more ambitious and from there they became your goals. That requires hard work. Now, British No 1 table tennis player, and he national champions. It wasn’t talent, or that might sound a little boring and even

Foyle College Principal Mr. Patrick Allen and guest of honour, Mr Padraig Moore pictured with Sports Trophy award winners at the College’s annual Prize Distribution in The Guildhall. Seated are, Victoria Colhoun, Girls’ Individual Games Cup, Callum McDonnell and Andrew Austin, Boys’ Individual Games Cup. Standing from left, Roise McSorley, The Sportsmanship Trophy, Rosie McGonagle, W J Magill Cup for and Matthew Orr, The Gransden Trophy. Picture Martin McKeown.

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GUEST OF HONOUR’S SPEECH

1617 1630 1705 1750 1680 1790 genes that made them champions – it was pitches, or up the in the pouring As a Merchant Taylor I can tell you that Foyle playing more than anyone else - working rain or getting sunburnt out at Ness Woods College is very important to the Merchant harder than anyone else. There are probably on the Science trip. I had some genuinely Taylors and I know that for the school, better table tennis players out there, but inspirational teachers at Foyle and I will the Merchant Taylors association is a very they never played as much so their talent always be very grateful for that. You are all valuable relationship. One of the reasons I was never fully realised, or maybe not even very fortunate that they are willing to go was elected to the Livery was to build upon discovered. So don’t be an undiscovered above and beyond the call of duty to help and strengthen this relationship. But this champion by not working hard. Remember, you achieve your goals, and that is some is not a one-man job – so this is the offer: really smart people work really hard. of the most phenomenal help that anyone if any of you current or recently graduated could wish for. students would like to find out more about Teachers the Merchant Taylors and perhaps become Now, many of you will know that I was Merchant Taylors part of the company to help strengthen meant to be here last year. And I’d first The last thing I want to do is say a few words the links with the school then please get in like to thank Mr Menown for stepping in about the Merchant Taylors’ Company touch through the Headmaster and I’d be at such short notice. The reason I couldn’t and I want to make you that offer that I delighted to tell you more. make it last year was because my mother- promised you at the beginning. So who in-law, Valerie, passed away at short notice. are the Merchant Taylors, is probably a Conclusion Valerie was a teacher. She dedicated her good place to start. The Merchant Taylors’ With that, all there remains for me to say life to teaching and in a school that would Company was founded over 600 years is, congratulations once again. It’s a great be considered a lot more challenging than ago, originally a trade association for way to start the new school year celebrating Foyle College. After over 30 years teaching, working tailors to ensure the profession what you are capable of achieving. Now set on 1 September, the day she was officially was properly regulated. Today, whilst yourself new ambitious goals for this year due to retire, she passed away and on the retaining many of the historic traditions and work hard to achieve them. You can day of her funeral, over 700 pupils lined the the Merchant Taylors have very little to do have every confidence that you will achieve road outside her school as the coffin passed. with the tailoring industry and instead it is whatever goals you set yourself. You have It was very moving. That show of respect and effectively a charitable organisation focussed wonderful teachers and parents who will gratitude from the pupils was not surprising on supporting education. And they do help you, so there really are no excuses! when you think of the huge impact teachers this through their schools, including their Thank you and the very best of luck to you have on our lives. Everything I have talked schools at Northwood in London, in all. Good night. about and everything I learned at Foyle Crosby, Wolverhampton, Wallingford, I learnt from the teachers. And it wasn’t Macclesfield and of course the best of them Padraig Moore just in the classroom, it was on the sports all, Foyle College!

Foyle College Guest of Honour Dr. Padraig Foyle College Guest of Honour Dr. Padraig Moore Foyle College Guest of Honour Dr. Padraig Moore Moore and Principal Mr. Patrick Allen pictured and Principal Mr. Patrick Allen pictured presenting and Principal Mr. Patrick Allen pictured with presenting David Jackson with the Lawrence Medal Roise McSorley with the MacKillip Medal at the James Neilly who received the Lawrence Sword for at the College’s annual Prize Distribution in The College’s annual Prize Distribution in The Guildhall. Outstanding Service to the School at the College’s Guildhall. Picture Martin Mckeown. Picture Martin Mckeown. annual Prize Distribution in The Guildhall.

14 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1 Babingtons

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UPDATE ON NEW SCHOOL BUILD

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At the date of the last magazine publication in February 2016 work £ was concentrated on the main classroom block with the foundations Additional Classrooms (7), laboratory, in place and the steelwork erected. Progress on site over the last circulation space and enlarged assembly hall 1,274,741 12 months has been massive. The main teaching classroom block is almost complete with floors laid and windows in place. The Former pupils suite that will double as the Board administration block, practical classrooms, assembly hall and sports Room and also a basement storage area for the archive 469,000 hall are all progressing well, with much of the internal scaffolding now coming down. The music suite has seen the most progress with Additional sports provision including flood lighting, the vinyl flooring and carpets having been laid. kit storage and astroturf tennis courts 190,554

External to the main building works the site has seen a massive Facilities for Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme 113,000 transformation. Construction of the 4 rugby pitches commenced in summer 2016 and was completed in late October with the grass Additional music provision 96,000 being sown. Two cricket squares have been laid between both sets of pitches. The new hockey astro-turf (complete with floodlighting) Provision for a coffee kiosk 60,570 is progressing, with the foundation layers in place ready now for the 2,203,865 playing surface. We are still some way short of this figure and require an additional Ebrington Primary School is due to open in March and the latest £450,000 over the next 12 months to meet this financial timeline from the contractor will see Foyle College re-locate in commitment. To this end and to bridge this funding gap could I ask December 2017. you to contact me at the Senior School (02871 269321) or via email at [email protected] to make a pledge to our Development Additional spend over and above our grant aid from the Department Fund. of Education is in excess of £2m with the detail laid out as follows;

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LEAVERS’ DESTINATIONS 2016

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TERTIARY EDUCATION, Newcastle University The University of Edinburgh COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND THE Chloe Appleby, Beth Babington Lydia Cullen, Dean McCloskey, Craig Reid PROFESSIONS Northumbria University University of Leeds Pupils are proceeding to Degree Courses as Jade Barber, Tom Hegarty, Harry McElwee, Amy Young follows: Adam Windebank University of Leicester Abertay University North West Regional College Nathan Millard Jamie Bankhead Mark Biddle, Alanna Birnie, Natalie Laird, Keeley Lake, Keith McKinley, University of Liverpool Bangor University Anne-Marie Moore, Jamie Craig, Adam Nutt, Eve Stanley Amy Adams Shannon Strouts-McCallion University of Oxford Brunel University London Queen Mary University of London Robert Smyth Emily McMinn Adriana Chiquito University of Portsmouth Cardiff Metropolitan University Queen’s University Belfast Aaron Quigley Jack Kenton Harry Chambers, Victoria Colhoun, Alexander Dougherty, Amy Gardiner, University of Reading City University London Callum Harrison, David Jackson, Heather Allen Courtney Simpson Denver Leckey, Joshua Lyle, Peter Lyons, Cameron McCracken, Callum McDonnell, University of Roehampton Coventry University Hannah McGarrigle, Matthew McKee, Kelsey Hargan Rosie McGonagle Thomas Monaghan, James Neilly, Jason Nolan, Hannah Ruddy University of South Wales Durham University Ethan McClean Aaron McFarland Ravensbourne Louise Adair University of Strathclyde Glasgow Caledonian University Kyle Hamilton, Matthew McClelland Louise Hulleman, Ciaran Hurley Sheffield College Sam Hughes University of Ulster Heriot Watt University Caolan Brolly, Rachael Carey, Lucy Olphert Stranmillis University Kathy Crown, Sophie Curry, Amy Caldwell, Matthew Orr Adam Dickson, Sara Douglas, King’s College London Clare Edwards, Adam Feathers, Sarah Gwynne, Cormac Ruiz-Burne The University of Nottingham Jane Fulton, Alex Gregg, Andrew Austin, Alex McFaul Jency Rajan, Jack Spence, Lancaster Stephen Walker, Calum Watson Jordan Finlay Rory Gilliland, Roise McSorley Wroclaw Medical University (Poland) Liverpool John Moore University Szymon Konopka Charlie Allen, Kathryn Baldrick, University Glasgow Keisha Callaghan, Cody Chambers, Laura Dingley, Blake Gray, Kaelen Kincaid York St John University Kelvin Deery, Jeff Greer, Nicole Quinn Aimee Donnell University of Brighton Loughborough University Sophie Curran Gap Year Stephen Mills Chloe Tinney University of Coventry Manchester Metropolitan Ruth Temple Gordon Miller

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GRADUATIONS 2016

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Queen’s University Belfast George Cole BSc (S) Agricultural Tech Second Class Honours First Division James Dickey BSc (S) Zoology First Class Honours Matthew McClung MEng (UM) Chemical Engineering First Class Honours Ben Magee MEng (UM) Civil Engineering First Class Honours Stephen Donaghey BEng (S) Software Engineer Plac First Class Honours Andrew McFaul MSc (T) Software Development with Distinction Kent King BA (S) History Second Class Honours First Division Kirsty McClelland MB (S) Medicine Pass Laura McFaul MB (S) Medicine Pass Shaun O’Hagan MB (S) Medicine Pass Rebecca Reid MB (S) Medicine Pass Philip Warnock Dip (PD) Business and Management Pass Shanagh Henderson BSc (S) Mathematics Second Class Honours Second Division Rachel McCombe BMus (S) Music Second Class Honours First Division Joanne Campbell MSci (UM) Physics First Class Honours Matthew Nicholl PhD Physics Pass Rebecca O’Reilly MPharm (UM) Pharmacy Second Class Honours First Division Rachel Kane BSW (S) Social Work Second Class Honours First Division Hayley McCrudden BSW (S) Social Work First Class Honours Olivia Moore BA (JS) Theology Second Class Honours Second Division Rebecca Caldwell BSc Business Studies with Opts - First Class Honours and Commendation Jonathan Curry BA History Second Class Honours Lower Division Rachel Gillard BSc Social with Psychology - Second Class Honours Upper Division Jaspreet Haair BA Textile, Design & Fashion - First Class Honours Naomi Hamilton BSc Physiotherapy First Class Honours Lauren Hetherington Int Travel & Tourism - First Class Honours and Commendation Hollie Lynch LLB Law Second Class Honours Upper Division Leigh Maconachie BSc Transportation First Class Honours and Commendation Katherine Magee BA History Second Class Honours Upper Division Ruth McCarter BSc Business Studies with Opts - First Class Honours and Commendation Emma McGinley BSc Biology Second Class Honours Lower Division Georgia Mitchell BSc Biomedical Science First Class Honours Nicholas Morton BMus Music First Class Honours Stuart Nicholl BSc Accounting & Management Finance - Second Class Honours Upper Division Kate Robinson BSc Sociology Second Class Honours Upper Division Mark Watson BSc Biomedical Science DPP (Path) - First Class Honours and Commendation Manchester Metropolitan University Jack Arthur BA Sports Marketing Management - Second Class Honours Lower Division North West Regional College Kris Dunn HNC Electronic and Electrical Engineering

Note: Not all universities furnish us with their lists of graduates. If you wish to have a graduation included, please send us details using one of the contact addresses supplied.

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Introduction

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Introduction

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20 Former Pupils AssociRationeports magazine | QUA TERCENTEN of ARY edition Vol 1 the Year’s Events

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CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT

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Another year has passed in the life of Foyle in Duncreggan and Springtown and the giving members who live in Scotland an College Former Pupils’ Association - a Presentation of Colours in the Senior opportunity to meet up and talk about old calmer year, with many things falling into School. times. place. As always, challenges still exist and the committee continues to make it their The Former Pupils’ Magazine, again under Apart from the Lunch mentioned above, a priority to build a strong and flourishing the watchful eye of William Lynn assisted number of other events are being planned association for all. by Sean McMahon and Mildred Deans, to celebrate the school’s 400th Anniversary was published in 2016 and thanks are due and these dates will be available on the The committee met on five occasions under to them for the hours of time and effort school website shortly. its Chairperson, Cathy Arthur. Ann Watson devoted to its production. As is now the and Denis Connolly took over the reins, or tradition, the magazine is available on the The new school continues to grow on its should I say, the chains from Phenella Black school website but some still prefer a ‘hard site on the Limavady Road. The FCFPA and Lowry Cunningham, becoming the copy’ and some one hundred copies are elected two representatives to sit on the fourth joint-presidents of FCFPA. posted to different parts of the world. (A School Development Fund Committee – Standing Order Mandate is available at the Isabel McNally and Peter McCartney. As The first function of the year was the Annual end of the magazine for those who would we are all too aware, finances and budgets Dinner in the City Hotel in late September like to take up this option). are extremely tight in education and the role and a most wonderful evening was had by all Other events organised throughout the year of this committee is vital if the school is to who were in attendance. Our Guest Speaker were the Spring Lunch in the Everglades start from a strong financial position. The for the night, Anita Robinson, enthralled Hotel and the Belfast Lunch held in committee continues to encourage former the audience with her humorous tales of the Malone Golf Club. Although turnouts were pupils to contribute to the fund which has a ‘High School girls’ and the ‘Foyle boys’ she relatively small – 36 and 24 respectively – target of £2.2 million as its aim. At present passed each morning on her way to school – the lunches proved to be most enjoyable it is well short of this figure. all told from the rather jealous perspective for all who attended. Next years format of a ‘Thornhill girl’. All agreed that Anita will change slightly with one lunch taking Thanks must go to the chairperson, to hit the mark with her witty remarks and place in Bishop Gate Hotel (formerly the the presidents who were so enthusiastic were impressed by her amazing command of Northern Counties Club) on Saturday, throughout the year and to the committee the English language - most enjoyable. 1 April 2017. This will form part of the for all its hard work and endeavour. There school’s 400th Anniversary celebrations are many new and varied challenges The joint presidents continued to and the committee would encourage all ahead but it is an exciting time as we look attend various functions on behalf of members to make a real effort to attend. forward to the 400th Anniversary and the the association. These included lunches completion of the new school. and dinners by invitation from other Sadly, a proposed Scottish Lunch did not associations, the school’s annual prizegiving take place due to lack of interest but it is in the Guildhall, Remembrance Services hoped to try to run this event in November Cathy Arthur

Joint past presidents presenting awards at the Presentation of Colours

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HONORARY TREASURER’S REPORT

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FOYLE COLLEGE FORMER PUPILS ASSOCIATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2016

Foyle College Former Pupils Association Income & Expenditure Account For the Year Ended 31 March 2016

Year Ended 31 March 2016 Year Ended 31 March 2015

Income Magazine Sales 421.00 501.00 Magazine adverts 960.00 1,120.00 Sundry receipts 0.61 Annual Dinner - Note 1 2,267.07 2,597.25 Spring Lunch - Note 1 600.00 760.00 Belfast Lunch - Note 1 675.00 825.00 London Dinner - Note 1 2,730.00 - Reunion Dinners - 2,256.00 Wine & Cheese evening - 105.00 Deposit Interest 33.13 99.14 7,686.20 8,264.00

Expenditure Magazine 1,300.00 1,505.00 Calligraphy 30.00 30.00 Annual Dinner – Note 1 2,080.75 2,681.75 Spring Lunch – Note 1 678.30 756.75 Belfast Lunch – Note 1 580.00 680.00 London Dinner – Note 1 2,731.22 - Reunion Dinners - 2,173.23 Wine & Cheese evening - 82.39 Photography 50.00 - Postage - 404.85 Bank fees 63.43 110.11 Corporation Tax 4.93 20.40 -7,518.63 -8,444.48

Surplus/(Deficit) 167.57 -180.48

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HONORARY TREASURER’S REPORT

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Foyle College Former Pupils Association Balance Sheet As at 31 March 2016

31 March 2016 31 March 2015 Current Assets Ulster Bank Limited 0.00 5,332.92 Ulster Bank Limited 7,303.14 4,995.78 Progressive Building Society – President’s Fund 9,041.84 9,008.71 Sundry debtors 249.99 89.99 Stock 1,241.00 1,296.00 17,835.97 20,723.40

Current Liabilities Cash received in advance 0.00 0.00 -3,055.00 -3,055.00 Net Current Assets 17,835.97 17,668.40

Represented By: Balance b/f 17,668.40 17,848.88 Net movement 167.57 -180.48 17,835.97 17,668.40

Treasurer’s Report I have pleasure in presenting the above Income & Expenditure Account and Balance Sheet for the year ended 31 March 2016. Neil Stewart (Hon Treasurer) Neil W. Stewart

Auditors’ Report We have examined the above accounts as at 31 March 2016, along with the respective receipts, vouchers and bank statements, and hereby certify them to be correct.

Signed: (Hon Auditors)

B Peoples: Brian V. Peoples

R Young: Robin J. B. Young

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HONORARY TREASURER’S REPORT

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Note 1 - Functions Income & Expenditure

Annual Dinner 2015 Income 60 Guests (59 x £35 & 1 x £31.77) 2,096.77 President’s donation to pre-dinner drinks 105.00 Guest contributions to table wine 60.00 Other donations 5.30 2,267.07 Less Expenditure Meals 71 x £24.00 1,704.00 President’s Pre Dinner Drinks & table wine 196.75 Flowers 40.00 Photographer 50.00 Gift for musician 25.00 CityPrint 65.00 -2,080.75 Surplus 186.32

Belfast Lunch 2015 Income 27 @ £25 675.00

Less Expenditure Malone Golf Club 29 @ £20 -580.00 Surplus 95.00

Spring Lunch 2015 Income 30 @ £20 600.00

Less Expenditure Belfray Country Inn -678.30 Deficit -78.30

London Dinner 2015 Income 39 paying guests (39 x £70) 2,730.00

Less expenditure Farmers Club 2,684.22 Gift for speaker 47.00 -2,731.22 Deficit -1.22

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OFFICERS May 2016 – May 2017

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Presidents His Honour Judge David Turner QC and Mrs Yvonne Smyth Vice Presidents Mrs Una Summers, Mr William Lynn Chairperson Mrs Cathy Arthur Vice-Chairperson Mr Paul Curtis Hon Secretary Mr Marshall Kilgore Hon Treasurer Mr Neil Stewart

Members of Executive Committee Mrs Jennifer McClintock Mr Alastair Manning Mrs Isabel McNally Mrs Laura Hegarty Mr William Lynn Mr Colin Jeffrey Mr Peter McCartney Mrs Helen Alexander Ms Nicole Sloane Hon Auditors Mr Robin Young and Mr Brian Peoples

David Turner Joint President Yvonne Smyth Joint President William Lynn Vice President

Ann gives valadictory address Una Summers Vice President

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Introduction

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The outgoing and newly appointed Joint Presidents

Wiliam Lynn, Robert Murtland, Cathy Arthur Denis gives his valadictory address

David delivers his address Yvonne receives Chain of Office David is invested with Ann receives gift from Cathy from Ann Chain of Office by Denis

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Introduction

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Denis recieves gift from William

Ann Watson, Denis Connolly, David Turner Una Summers, Rosaleen Ramsey, Yvonne Smyth

Jennifer McClintock, The Incoming Joint Presidents Ann congratulates Yvonne Laura Hegarty 28 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

Vice-Presidents’ Profiles

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transgression! The beret replaced the inkwell enquiries on a Derry girl at the height of the as my pet hate. When new it resembled a ‘Troubles’. My clearances eventually came plate with a very pronounced edge and through (presumably without any more made me feel like a mushroom, so I wore blots) as my posting was into the Security it as little as possible. As we both got older Department! My new career necessitated however the relationship improved. It lost working with police and military and I also its sharpness, becoming more yielding and had a brief spell on detached duty in the comfortable, and I had come to realise that it British Embassy in Washington. In later had multiple uses, including carrying things years my work became more involved with in if circumstances necessitated. One such the scientific personnel and certain aspects item was a young bat which I found under of their career development. a tree near the hockey field. This resulted in the beret becoming even more shapeless as After retirement we returned to Northern it had to be de-infested on account of what I Ireland and now live near the north coast assume were bat fleas. of County Antrim, just outside Bushmills. We are both involved in community My scholarly progress was reasonably work, including a regeneration project of uncontroversial and with the early Bushmills Village and are members of the misdemeanours behind me, I was eventually Causeway Coast Peace Group as well as a made a prefect and then became House local walking group. We have been travelling Captain of Northlands in my Upper Sixth extensively and last year had the great year. pleasure of visiting St Petersburg, a place we had always wanted to go to but which Una Victoria Summers In 1963 I went to Glasgow to study Speech was on our proscribed list, and of course we (née Connor) Therapy and after qualifying in 1966, spend time back in Berkshire with our two came back to Derry to work in sons Mike and Chris and granddaughter, After leaving the Model Primary School I Hospital and the Special Care Centre on Amelie. entered LHS in 1956. My time in primary the Northland Road for one year. school had been a happy and rewarding 2017 promises to be a very special year experience except for one thing - inkwells! It was during my Upper Sixth year that I met for me with two major anniversaries to We had pens with wooden handles and nibs my future husband, Alan, who was reading celebrate in September. I will have the which had to be dipped into little inkwells Physics at QUB and after graduating enormous privilege of being one of the Joint in the top corners of the desks, and these he came to Glasgow to do a PhD. We Presidents for Foyle’s 400th and Alan and murky little pots often contained not only eventually married in 1967 and I left Derry I will be celebrating our Golden Wedding ink but also a slimy residue with a tendency once more and returned to Glasgow to work Anniversary. to cling to the emerging pen nib. The only for the Education Department until Alan way to dispose of the offending globule was completed his doctorate and was recruited to wipe it with blotting paper and I must - by a former Foyle boy, the late Dr Norman have been particularly inept as my fingers Daly - to the UK Atomic Energy Authority. and work book often bore evidence of We then moved to Berkshire where I went these messy encounters. So it was not only to work for the School Health Service until with the anticipation of learning new and eventually leaving to start a family. interesting subjects but also with the joyful possession of a fountain pen and my very When our two sons were old enough own new and unpolluted bottle of ink that I for me to return to work I decided on a began my secondary education. career change and joined the Civil Service (MOD) at the Atomic Weapons Research In the early years I continued to ‘blot my Establishment at Aldermaston. To work copybook’ in a metaphorical way as I was there I needed to be Positively Vetted and a repeat offender in being spotted outside I learned later that it had been a ticklish school in uniform but minus beret - a grave undertaking to conduct the necessary 29 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

Vice-Presidents’ Profiles

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from Letterkenny and all points between Mr Heney for English. Like Stan Huey, Roy there and the city. We were joined by large Seddon did his best to engage me in sport numbers of factory workers, mostly women, providing a wide spectrum of possibilities, who exited the bus en masse at the Star and none of these much to my taste, but I was Tillie’s shirt factories. We walked from the quite good at throwing things so javelin, railway station in Foyle Street along the shot and discus were sampled during the Strand to Lawrence Hill. There was no short summer term. I very much enjoyed canteen in Foyle at that time so we disgorged the Geographical Society founded by Stan into cafés on the Strand and wandered Huey and we had occasional joint ventures around the then busy quays at lunchtime. and field trips with a similar body set up A meals service was later provided at the by David Lloyd in the Londonderry High Model School and Templemore, so as well School. as being fed we got an abundance of exercise in all weathers. Having achieved reasonable A levels I went to Queen’s University where my main interests In the first three years at Foyle we were were Geography and Geology with elements divided into three forms alphabetically but of Archaeology and Politics. The next four after Junior Certificate we opted for 4L, 4M years at Queen’s passed without any major or 4S ie Literary, Maths or Science. I spent academic challenges but living in Belfast my next four years in the L set which was from 1969 to 1973 was akin to Beirut in its always the smallest. We dabbled in Maths worst times. Buses were cancelled, cinemas and Science up to O level but concentrated and most social outlets closed early and it on Modern Languages, Classics, English, was a frequent occurrence to watch bombs William M Lynn BA, BA History and Geography. The M and S sets exploding downtown from the library tower. were made take a ‘Use of English’ exam in I enjoyed little of that time which polarised I arrived at Foyle College in Lawrence Hill Sixth Form to ensure they had the basics in so many, including the student body, as in September 1962. My primary education literary skills. events such as loomed large had begun at Ballougry Primary School and and cast a shadow over all. having fled the formidable Arthur Burton I I enjoyed my studies in Geography, History, spent the next three years at Christ Church English Literature and French. As a At the end of that four-year stint I graduated Primary School under the even more refuge from the sports field, I studied O with an honours degree and declined the formidable Major Taylor. As the eldest of level Geology in the geography store of offer of a further year for a Dip Ed but five siblings I was first to enter Foyle, but my Stan Huey’s classroom. Sport was never dabbled instead in the catering and hotel father, Morris, had spent a few years there an attraction for me and although Stan industry, principally in County Donegal. and my mother, Helen (Coulter) was a pupil tried (and failed) to make a second row This was a fickle career path at that time of at Londonderry High School. My brothers, of me in rugby, I soon gravitated towards unrest so I accepted a six-month temporary David and Howard, followed me to Foyle cross-country which involved an amble up post covering for the Head of Geography in and my sisters, Doreen and Lorna, attended Sheriff’s Mountain and back. We returned LHS following which a permanent post in LHS. suitably late so that the rugby hoards had Geography came up in Foyle. Armed with vacated the changing room, a dreadful tin a glowing reference from Miss Christie and Foyle at Lawrence Hill made a lasting hut on the lower playing fields with neither following a very informal interview with Mr impression on me. It was male dominated water nor electricity. It wasn’t until my fifth Gillepsie, I was appointed in September with the exception of Mrs Glenn and two year and the move to Springtown that we 1975 and have never really left! secretaries in the office along with Miss had showers and proper changing facilities. Armstrong, later Mrs Wallace (Latin) and This was the last year of Foyle before Mrs Connolly (Science) the only two female There was a strong element of continuity in amalgamation and having worked in both teachers. our teaching and I had the same teachers Foyle and LHS prior to the co-educational for several subjects throughout all seven venture I wondered how two such diverse At that time we travelled on the Lough years – Mr Craig for History, Mr Walker bodies could ever come together. Foyle Swilly bus from our farm at Creevagh for French, Mr Le Clere and latterly Mr and Londonderry College, the name and together with many other pupils travelling Huey for Geography and Mr Helliwell or the institution, did not sit comfortably with 30 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

Vice-Presidents’ Profiles

1830 1850 1910 1950 1840 1900 1915 1962 many in those early years. The pupils took Although I have never played much rugby, activities which I have undertaken through to it all like the proverbial ducks to water but my active involvement in the organisation the years. it was more challenging for the older staff and administration of City of Derry Rugby and much credit must go to Hugh Gillespie Club has led to my holding the posts of When Mathias Springham established the for steering the school through that difficult Honorary Secretary of the club for 15 years, Free School on Derry’s walls in 1617 he can period. Chair for four years and President in 2010- never have imagined the developments that 11. were to follow in the next four centuries Initially, I was engaged to teach Geography allowing the school to flourish and progress to all levels but from my first year I When I joined the staff of Foyle College in to the excellent establishment it is today. introduced Geology at O level. Following 1975 I was quickly co-opted on to the Old The girls schools would develop within the its success, and encouraged by Mr Gillespie, Boys Association – there being a need for later centuries passing through a range of I introduced A level Geology in 1977 and young blood – and I have been a member establishments and combinations on the the numbers grew and flourished until my of that committee, now the Former Pupils way, culminating in the latest amalgamation departure in 2013. It gives me great pleasure Association, ever since. I have edited the of 1976. Despite the changes which have and satisfaction to see the subject continue Former Pupils Magazine since 1990, which taken place over the years, the finest of to flourish under my successor and former is enjoyable and interesting but always a traditions from all these branches have pupil, Nicole Sloane. When I began to challenge to provide items entertaining to combined to contribute to the Foyle we teach Geology there were almost twenty its readers. know today. schools offering O-level and approximately twelve offering A-level in Northern Ireland. I am also pleased to have been involved in The next chapter will herald a new school Today only Foyle and Methodist College creation of the school archive. Our former and a new location but a continuing ethos. offer the subject, a most regrettable trend, headmaster, Jack Magill, was keen that the I can think of no greater honour than to since it offers such a wide field of career school’s extensive collection of information preside as Joint President of the Former opportunities in the modern world. and artefacts relating to its history should Pupils Association over the move to the be held in a suitable place and properly new school and the many events which will As a member of the Careers Department classified. The archive has been allocated celebrate 400 years of education in this city. for almost fifteen years I have derived great a very good space in Dunseverick House satisfaction from steering students to career and under the watchful eye of Dr Robert paths that suited them best. I continue Montgomery, our archivist, the amount of to enjoy following the diverse career paths valuable material accumulated has evolved taken by those students, many of whom still into one of the most extensive archives for keep in touch. a school anywhere on these islands. Its content was remarked upon by the London Beyond the classroom, as a member of the publishers of our history of the school Senior Management Team and later Senior published in 2013. Teacher, I have had a range of involvements in the running of the school – Marketing It was a great pleasure to draw together such and Publicity, Health and Safety and Events a diverse team of people to produce the Management. I have served on the Board first definitive history of the school since of Governors of the school, first as Staff its foundation. The end result was a book Governor from 1988 to 2013 and now to be proud of and credit goes to all who Former Pupils’ Governor and Chair of the contributed. House and Estates Committee. I have had an involvement with Foyle for Beyond school I have become the founder over 50 years and have enjoyed almost all of Chairman of ‘Earth Science Ireland’ a body it. I have made lifelong friends of many of set up to increase awareness of geological my former colleagues and former students. and environmental issues in Ireland and I In 1983 I married Elma (Hall) a former have delivered a series of lectures to various pupil of Londonderry High School. Elma is groups in several parts of the province under a physiotherapist in private practice and she the QUB ‘Lifelong Learning Programme’. has supported me in the various roles and 31 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

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Service of Thanksgiving St Columb’s Cathedral, Friday 3 March, 7.00 for 7.30pm Past & Present Musicians Concert, Guildhall, Thursday 16 March, 7.00 for 7.30pm *Former Pupils Annual Luncheon, Bishop Gate Hotel, Saturday 1 April, 12.30pm London Reunion Dinner Farmers’ Club Whitehall, Friday 28 April, 7.00 for 7.30pm Former Pupils Annual Dinner, Guildhall, Friday 22 September, 7.00 for 7.30pm *This Luncheon replaces the Spring and Belfast Lunches which combine in this special year. Please put these dates in your diary and plan to support these events and join in the celebration of the school’s 400th Anniversary

FORMER PUPILS ASSOCIATION EVENTS 2017 FORMER PUPILS LUNCHEON – SATURDAY 1 APRIL 2017 at 12.30pm Bishop Gate Hotel, Bishop Street, Londonderry Cost: £25 (cheques can be sent to the Treasurer, FCFPA, Foyle College, Duncreggan Road, Londonderry BT48 0AW) All replies to the Secretary, Marshall Kilgore, via email by Monday 20 March 2017 – [email protected] LONDON REUNION DINNER – FRIDAY 28 APRIL 2017 at 7.00pm Farmers Club, Whitehall, London Cost: £80 (cheques can be sent to the Treasurer, FCPA, Foyle College, Duncreggan, Londonderry BT48 0AW) All replies to [email protected] ANNUAL DINNER – FRIDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 2017 at 7.00pm Guildhall, Londonderry Cost: £40 (cheques can be sent to the Treasurer, FCFPA, Foyle College, Duncreggan, Londonderry BT48 0AW) All replies to the Hon Secretary, Marshall Kilgore, 41A Limavady Road, Londonderry BT47 6LP or via email on or before Friday, 15 September 2017 – [email protected] On the Saturday following the dinner, final visits to Duncreggan and Springtown are planned and an opportunity to visit the site of the new school. Spence & Lynn Chartered Physiotherapists

Susan Spence BSc. (Hons) MCSP. HCPC Elma Lynn Grad. DIP. PHYS. MCSP. HCPC

49 Clooney Tce, Waterside, Londonderry, BT47 6AP Telephone: 02871 311 170 Email: [email protected]

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Social Functions 2016

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Former Pupils Spring Lunch - 9 April 2016

A very pleasant lunch was hosted by the association’s joint presidents, Ann Watson and Denis Connolly, on Saturday, 9 April 2016 in the Everglades Hotel. The hotel was a new venue for this event and the room provided a most convivial location with large round tables, beautifully dressed, with central candelabra on each one. Thirty-five former pupils attended and after a short welcome by Ann, Dean Cecil Orr said grace and lunch proceeded.

In her speech proposing the toast to the school, Ann reminisced about her move from Scotland, to her years as a pupil at Londonderry High School and then as a teacher in Foyle and Londonderry College. She then asked the Headmaster, Patrick Allen, to deliver his report. Past Presidents attending the Spring lunch at the Everglades In a departure from the usual format of this build on Limavady Road, photographed at Joint President, Denis Connolly, brought report, Mr Allen entertained the company various stages from the school’s own drone. the event to a close with his own remarks to an illustrated talk entitled A Year in the Guests were greatly interested and felt it and highlighted the flyer which had been Life of Foyle College during which he showed gratifying to see the speed at which building inserted in the menu cards (copy attached), aerial views of the progress of the new school was proceeding. which listed proposed dates for events next year to celebrate the 400th Anniversary of the school’s foundation.

Afterwards there was an opportunity for guests to socialise and take photographs. There was a good turnout of former LHS Past-Presidents, and a photograph of this group, and others, can be seen with this report.

W M Lynn

Presidents with the Head Boy, Headmaster & Head Girl at the Spring lunch

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Belfast Lunch – 23 April 2016 The Headmaster, Patrick Allen, delivered an the programme of events being organised illustrated report on A Year in the Life of Foyle to celebrate the 400th Anniversary of the Hosted by joint presidents, Ann Watson College. This was a most welcome departure school’s foundation which takes place and Denis Connolly, this lunch was held from the usual academic report, and the next year. They drew attention to the on Saturday, 23 April 2016 in Malone Golf aerial views taken by the school’s drone of proposal to combine the Belfast Lunch Club which has become a regular and most the various stages in the construction of the and the Spring Lunch and hold a special welcoming venue. Twenty-five past pupils new school were of particular interest. He celebratory luncheon on 1 April 2017 in attended and enjoyed an excellent meal finished with a recent video showing the the newly refurbished Bishop’s Gate Hotel in a most pleasant setting overlooking the present stage of construction, allowing him in Londonderry, formerly the Northern surrounding golf course. an opportunity to point out the functions of Counties Club, a most suitable venue to various parts of the building. mark this auspicious occasion. It was hoped After a reception in the club’s bar area, that all would make an effort to attend. guests moved into the dining room where Denis then welcomed the Guest Speaker, Denis made a short speech of welcome, John Bryans MD FRCS, a retired Denis concluded by emphasising the point and grace was said by his younger brother, ophthalmic consultant and life-long friend, made by the Headmaster about the dire Stephen, before a hearty lunch was served. and asked him to respond on behalf of the financial state of schools in general and guests. Since retirement, John has devoted voluntary grammars in particular. Annual Denis then called upon his older brother, much of his time to charity work involving cuts in budgets have meant that our John Connolly, to propose The Toast to the cataract operations in India. In his reply, education system is under serious threat and School. This was a most entertaining and he applauded the work done by ‘Second Denis appealed for all to use their influence humorous speech with John regaling the Sight’ the charity with which he opted to to lobby on the school’s behalf regardless assembled company with tales of his time volunteer and which facilitates thousands of whatever branch of the present school at Foyle College under the leadership of his of operations in deprived areas of India, they had come through. His mother was an father as Vice-Principal and later, Principal, all organised on a shoestring, as opposed Old Girl of St Lurach’s, his grandfather an until he left in 1959 for a career in the navy. to other similar charities which spend large Old Boy of the Academical Institution and Acknowledging that he was not always the amounts of their income on administration most of those present had attended either most academic of students, he recounted and advertising. It was a most informative Londonderry High School or Foyle College some of the difficulties experienced in being speech which gave insight into the diverse so all have a common goal in preserving the a headmaster’s son and how this led to close ways different charities operate. grammar system and all that it means to us companionship with a number of fellow for future generations. students, some of them present at the lunch. Proceedings were brought to a close by Ann and Denis who jointly drew attention to W M Lynn

The Connolly brothers John Denis and Stephen at the Belfast lunch Ann Watson with ladies attending the Belfast lunch at Malone Golf Club

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Report of Annual Dinner - City Hotel – 23 September 2016

The Annual Dinner of the Former Pupils Association was held on 23 September 2016 in the City Hotel. Joint Presidents, Yvonne Smyth and David Turner, presided over the company of 80 members and guests including representatives from other grammar schools in the province. Following a drinks reception for guests in the Writers’ Room and a photo call, Presidents and guests processed to the top tables. Yvonne Smyth welcomed all present including several tables of former boarders of Londonderry High School who were present as part of a weekend reunion. She then read the list of members who had passed away since the previous year’s dinner and a minutes silence to remember them Joint Presidents and guests representing other schools was observed. Canon John Merrick then said Grace. After dinner and a short interval Isabel McNally proposed the ‘Toast to the School’. She had organised a boarders’ reunion and much of her speech included reminiscences of her time as one of the last boarders before that department closed. She also noted the significance of next year when the school will celebrate its 400th anniversary and will move to its new site in the Waterside. Peter Gault, Senior Vice Principal, who was representing the Headmaster, replied to the toast. He outlined some of the significant events and excellent examination results for the previous year. Details of these are to be found in the Headmaster’s Speech given at Prize-giving in the Guildhall. Peter updated the company on the progress of the new school building and outlined the necessity of procuring extra funding beyond that contributed by the Department of Joint Presidents and Past Presidents Education to provide a school equipped to continue to deliver the on-going academic A musical interlude followed when former Irwin and a cast of characters in costume, and extra-curricular standards associated pupils, Simon Mowbray (flute) and Louis accompanied by Stan Huey on piano, who with Foyle. He appealed to those who can, Fields (piano) entertained the company with rendered several Percy French numbers. to make contributions to the Development a number of musical items. Then there was Suitably uplifted by the musical Fund to cover these additional facilities. a light-hearted performance by Winston

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1617 1630 1705 1750 1680 1790 entertainment, Joint President, Judge David Turner QC proposed the ‘Toast to our Guests’. He welcomed the Presidents of several other schools with which Foyle has had a long association, the Head Boy and Head Girl and Canon John Merrick who is a former President of Raphoe Royal School, current Chair of Governors there and presently in charge of St Columb’s Cathedral during the vacancy resulting from the promotion of Dean William Morton to Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. David expressed good wishes to Dean Morton and paid a short tribute to the great work he had performed during his 19 years in St Columb’s. He then entertained the company with stories of his experiences during his years in the legal profession and Esther Hume, Isabel McNally, David Turner, Peter Gault, Yvonne Smyth, Adam McElhinney as presiding judge in a number of amusing Canon, John Merrick cases. Having toasted our guests, he called upon Canon Merrick to respond on their behalf. Canon Merrick who is a Dunfanaghy man, graduated from the University of Ulster with a degree in history, and then taught in a number of schools including his alma mater, Raphoe Royal, before being appointed headmaster of Sligo Grammar. He later took holy orders and after a period of responsibilities for church posts in Sligo, he became assistant to Dean Morton in St Columb’s Cathedral in 2004 where he remains and currently has charge. He told of his experiences in education and in the church, much of it humourous. He highlighted the ties between the ‘Royal Schools’ and Foyle, the latter without its ‘Royal’ title. Ann & Ian Watson, Rosie Turner, Alison Kilgore, Annette Stewart, Marshall Kilgore He noted that at one stage a former headmaster of Sligo Grammar, Reverend Percy Robinson, had moved to become headmaster of Foyle College taking with To round off the evening the company, NB. Next year, to mark the 400th him a number of boy boarders from the accompanied by Stan Huey on piano, anniversary, the Annual Dinner will be held in the Guildhall on Friday, 22 September Sligo area. Indeed, somewhere in his joined in the traditional rendition of the 2017. The school has a long association with research of the history of the schools there school song. Rosie Turner, sister of David, had provided and additional verse to the the Guildhall and it will be a most fitting was a mention of a possible union between and impressive venue. We hope there will Raphoe Royal and Foyle, doubtless at a original format which made significant mention of the amalgamation in 1976 and be a good attendance to mark this historic time when numbers attending both were milestone in the schools history. Check the critically low. the imminent move to the Waterside. W M Lynn Foyle website for details.

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Back row Anne Dawson, Cecily Woods, Gillian Lowry, Christine Slade, Gillian Lowry, Christine Slade, Anne Dawson, Charlotte Vij Carole Stringer. Front row Elizabeth Houston, Isabel Mitchell, Sarah Campbell, Gertrude Aiken, Lily Thompson.

Seamus Smyth, Chris Henderson, George McNally Brain Wilson and Eric Beatty

Ken Gamble, Robert Murtland, Scott Buchanan Annette & Neil Stewart

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LHSOGA

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LHSOGA London Diamond Anniversary most enjoyable and successful year ahead – Lunch Party 16 April 2016 as the next joint lady president of the associations. The year 2016 was not only a milestone in the history of LHSOGA London but it was Next year sees the 400th anniversary of also the year of her Majesty’s 90th birthday, Foyle College and hopefully in September the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of 2017, the opening of the new school. London and 100 years since the birth of There promises to be many exciting and the great British novelist Roald Dahl. memorable events to mark this very special occasion. The girls’ school history dates In April 2016 London celebrated its back to Strand House in 1860, making it Diamond Jubilee: 60 years (1956-2016) 157 years old in 2017. of loyal friendship which still remains as strong as ever thanks to the companionship Dr Kanchu McAllister among us and the latest form of instant ‘e’ LHSOGA London Chair communication. The London branch founder Phyllis Jocelyn (née Roulston) was past president in 1967-68. She arranged the first London meeting and afternoon tea in one of the Imperial hotels. They then moved to Lucie Seaward in 2011 the Russell Hotel in Russell Square, the Charing Cross Hotel and finally to the branch single-handed for 20 years. She Holiday Inn, Kensington where we have is the only LHSOGA president to take been since 1994. Phyllis donated the first the honour for two consecutive years, in LHS Head Girl badge to the school in 1979/1980. Unfortunately Lucy was not 1968. The membership grew from nine well enough to join our celebration. ladies in 1956 to over a hundred today. We welcomed the Derry president, Ann There were 48 girls present including four Watson, who was the 4th joint lady- London past-presidents, with one notable president of LHSOGA and FCFPA since exception, Lucie Seaward, who ran our the amalgamation of the associations in 2012. We were also delighted to have our past president, Rosaleen Ramsay, from Coleraine join us. Our Chair, Yvonne Smyth, and her committee organised a most successful Outgoing London Chair and Vice President Yvonne and enjoyable lunch which was marked by Smyth cutting of a birthday cake by past presidents Norah Foss and Helen Hilson who ran the London branch for 10 years after Lucie.

The new committee, Chair, Kanchu McAllister (née Chada), Secretary, Ruth Edwards (née Lelievre) and Treasurer, Carol Parker (née Stringer) thanked the outgoing committee for their hard work over the past three years and wished the Phyllis Jocelyn handing over the first L.H.S London Vice-President, Yvonne Smyth, a Head Girl badge to Headmistress Miss Cowper Norah Foss and New Chair Kanchu McAllister

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LHSOGA

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LHSOGA London Lunch - Saturday 22 April 2017 at 12 noon. Venue: Holiday Inn Crown Plaza, Kensington. Details on FCFPA website. Contact secretary Ruth Edwards: [email protected]

Deirdre Gevers, Carol Parker, Dorothy Spary, Eunice Dolding

Norah Foss & Helen Hilson President Ann Watson & Rosie Turner

London Past Presidents Kanchu McAllister, Norah Foss, Helen Hilson & Judith Gibson, Ruth Edwards, Valerie Madill, Marjorie Yates Molly Sutton

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Coleraine Branch

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Greetings from Coleraine Branch four ladies from the Belfast Branch. We During the year our members attended thank the Belfast ladies for making the functions in Londonderry, Belfast and The Coleraine members were saddened effort to be with us - we do appreciate this. London. It is always good to catch up with to learn of the death of Valerie Carson (14 As always we had a great night of fun with Old Girls and renew friendships. the usual excellent variety of food. We September 1927 - 29 December 2016) who We in Coleraine thank Una Summers for were pleased to have our President, Yvonne died in the Bohill Care Home, Coleraine, agreeing to be our President-Elect – we Smyth, from London with us that evening. where she had resided for the past three are grateful that she has agreed to do this. Yvonne brought greetings from the London years. Valerie had ill-health for a number We look forward to supporting Una in the Branch. of years so was not attending our branch incoming year as she takes on the role of Joint meetings for some time. We do send our On 8 December we had our Annual Get- President of the Former Pupils Association. sympathy to her brother David who lives in Together in the home of Pearlie Taggart. Best Wishes to all Old Girls and Former Yorkshire. Pearlie was the perfect host that evening and Pupils for 2017. we thank her so sincerely for having us. Coleraine members met twice during 2016. Rosaleen Ramsey (née McClements) Another evening of fun, good food and lots On 23 May we had our Annual Buffet Honorary Secretary/Treasurer of conversations mainly around school-days Supper in the home of Rosaleen Ramsey. 76a Charlotte Street, Ballymoney, and events. Twenty-one Old Girls attended including Co. Antrim, BT53 6AZ

Coleraine Group - Londonderry High School Former Pupils

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Belfast Old Girls Branch

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Belfast Old Girls Branch Report

On 18 June 2016 twenty-three old girls attended the Afternoon Tea in the Sun Lounge of the Dunadry Hotel. Amongst them were representatives from London, Londonderry, Coleraine and Belfast. The improved layout of the room and the use of cake stands made for a very pleasant event. Everyone said how much they enjoyed the afternoon.

Twenty-three ladies attended the lunch and AGM which was held on 8th October in the Knockdene Suite in the Stormont Hotel. Our President, Yvonne Smyth, gave a very interesting and polished address. Elma McDevitt, Millicent Welch, Anne Stevenson Kyleen Clark gave us an update about her aunt Mabel Colhoun, a former teacher at the prep. She showed us the book Mabel had written, The Heritage of Inishowen, its archaeology, history and folklore as well as the blue plaque which was awarded to her. Where it will be displayed has yet to be decided.

Joan Milliken

Events in 2017 Afternoon Tea early June Annual Lunch and AGM early October Elisabeth Thompson, Meriel McVeigh, Margaret Giboney

Margaret Wilson, Beth Campbell, Rosemary Maxwell Una Summers,Yvonne Smyth, Joan Milliken

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Reunion for the Boarders

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Report on Reunion for the On the morning of Saturday 24 September awards presented and scholarships won, Boarders and Year 1962-1969 2016 a total of 20 Boarders and 14 Day girls to name just a few. I must also mention arrived in Duncreggan. The day started Graham Balmer who kindly agreed to open When the site of the school was moving to with coffee and scones. The school tours and close the school for us. Interest was so Limavady Road I decided to contact as many were difficult to start as there was so much great that he had difficulty getting everyone High School boarders as possible to see if chatter and catching up to do. Those tours out. any would like to visit their Duncreggan were conducted by four Upper Sixth girls The day finished with an evening meal in home one last time. The data base was set up and what a pleasure they were as guides. the City Hotel. Most of the group travelled and names were soon added. The one thing They bridged the generation gap very easily from within the UK but we were all I did not take into consideration at the time and they were as interested in the history of delighted to greet Christine Strain née Slade was the age of many boarders. Many of the the school in the 50s, 60s and 70s as the who travelled from Brisbane in . girls are now in their 80s and travelling for boarders and day girls were in hearing about some was not possible. It was a factor I had life in school today and also the move to the As the school is not moving to Limavady not pencilled in. I soon realised that apart premises on Limavady Road. Road as early as planned, all LHS former from age, health was another factor, if not pupils should note that the Annual Dinner Lunch was served by the school canteen for the girls, then their partners were due for will be held in the Guildhall on Friday 22 staff and they provided a very enjoyable operations and hospital visits. September is September 2017 and a tour of the school meal as well as creating a friendly jovial also a good month for last minute holidays is being offered again on the Saturday 23 atmosphere in the canteen. After lunch and weddings. I contacted 185 boarders September. in all and I thoroughly enjoyed talking to some tours continued but the highlight was them. They were thrilled to talk of their days visiting the Archive Room. The girls were Stay in touch and hopefully we can all meet at Londonderry High School, Northlands delighted to see the tremendous effort made up again next year. and Greenfield in Strabane. I also contacted by the Archive Committee in presenting my school year 1962-1969. information on Londonderry High School Isabel McNally née Mitchell - school magazines, reports, prize-givings, 1965 -1969

Back row Anne Dawson, Cecily Woods, Gillian Lowry, Christine Slade, Carole Stringer. Front row Elizabeth Houston, Isabel Mitchell, Sarah Campbell, Gertrude Aiken, Lily Thompson CALLING ALL MEMBERS WHO LIVE IN AUSTRALIA Many of our former pupils have emigrated to Australia over the years. Christine Strain née Slade is prepared to organise a get-together for all former pupils of Foyle College and Londonderry High School in Australia. Anyone interested in such an event or who knows of any former pupil living there, is asked to contact Christine as her first task is to build a database. Christine can be contacted by email [email protected].

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Notices

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Notices (Births/Marriages), Notes and News Births To Richard McCarter and Kelly Anne 18 June 2016 – Lynsey Magowan, to Alan To Christopher and Claire Adair a son, Holmes a son, Harry Richard, born 26 July Harvey from Glasgow. The wedding took Micah Christopher, born 1 January 2016, a 2016. place in Ballyarnett Presbyterian Church. sister for Alexandra. To Chris and Judith Marriott née Wilson 8 July 2016 – Steven Norris to Fiona To David and Gillian Homan née Craig a a son, Patrick Michael Knox, born 13 McNeill. The wedding took place in St son, Dylan Matthew, born 26 July 2016, a February 2016. Columb’s Cathedral where Steven and brother for Alex and Ben. To Oliver Daniel and Sara-Jayne Barnes Fiona are choristers. To Penny Coskery and Al Johnston a née McNally a son, Xander Easton, born 24 son, Thomas Patrick, born 13 May 2016, a March 2016. 14 July 2016 – Emma Jayne Thatcher, brother for Harry. daughter of Ken and Margaret, to Lee Marriages Armstrong. The wedding took place in To Jimmy and Emma Larkin née Craig a 29 April 2016 – Andrew Lyttle, son of Christ Church. son, Max, born 30 April 2016 in Sydney, Valerie and Robert, to Jennifer Cusack. Australia. The wedding took place at Beechill Country 16 July 2016 – Graeme Robert Young, House Hotel. To Mark and Jill Laughlin née Haslett a son of Robin and Lynn, to Charlotte daughter, Sophie Emma Patricia, born 3 6 February 2016 – Corinn Lyttle, daughter Ruth Glenn. The wedding took place in January 2017. of Valerie and Robert, to Jamie Crawford. Newtowncunningham Presbyterian Church. The wedding took place in Melbourne, Australia.

14 July 2016 - Emma Jayne Thatcher, daughter of Ken and Margaret, to Lee Armstrong.

16 July 2016 - Graeme Robert Young, son of Robin and Lynn, to Charlotte Ruth Glenn.

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Notes & News

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Richard Brown is a surgeon currently based Louis Fields has been appointed Organ Marshall Kilgore is President of City of in Cheltenham. Richard was the Foot and Scholar of Glasgow University. Under the Derry Rugby Club. Ankle Surgeon for the Rugby World Cup in tutelage of Kevin Bowyer, Louis is in charge 2015. of accompanying chapel services on the Gavin Killeen has been President of world famous Willis organ. Londonderry Chamber of Commerce for Jonathan Burgess was the Producer of the the past year. recent performance of Divided by History, Former members of Foyle CCF, Aaron United by Music in the Millennium Forum Feathers (QUB), Andrew Quinn Dr Ian Mills who is currently training for Theatre. (Birmingham University), Jack Gibson ordination has been awarded the Downes (QUB) and Stuart Fulton (Newcastle Oratory Prize in The Church of Ireland Jonathan Burnside was awarded a Sports University) have received their Gold Duke Theological Institute and Trinity College, Scholarship for Fencing from Ulster of Edinburgh Awards at St James’s Palace in Dublin. University. Jonathan has fenced at the presence of the Duke of Edinburgh. international level for Ireland and Northern Dr Padraig Moore who is an investment Ireland and this year won the President’s George Fleming is the incoming President professional, has been made an Liveryman Plate at the university’s Colours Sports of Londonderry Chamber of Commerce. of the Merchant Taylors’ Company. Awards Ceremony. was awarded the Silver Salver Dr Matthew Nicholl is currently employed Reverend Nigel Cairns has been ordained for outstanding achievement in Hockey at Harvard University in Massachusetts. as Deacon in St Eunan’s Cathedral, Raphoe. at the Ulster University’s Colours Sports Awards Ceremony. Dr Leah Totton has received a top award Gareth Crawford is President of the Carey after her business was recognised as the Best Institute for Global Good in New York City. James Huey whose Walled City Brewery is Cosmetic Practice in London. Leah, who is a popular eatery in , is to a qualified doctor, is the youngest recipient Warren Doherty is a consultant anaesthetist launch the Homebrew Academy in January of this award. She won The Apprentice in in Cheltenham. 2017. The academy will be an intensive one 2013 and has been congratulated on her day boot-camp run by Master Brewer, James. most recent success by her business partner, Lord . Scott Kelso, former President of FCFPA (2008-9) has been awarded the title of Dr Michael Young MBE is a captain in the Emeritus Professor of Computational Royal Navy. Neuroscience at Ulster University.

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Obituaries

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Mary Eleanore Arthur Norman Austin BA Cert Ed he was selected to represent the City and Mary was born on 26 September 1937, Norman Austin was born on 29 December County of Londonderry at the Sixth World one of three siblings whose family home 1929, the elder son of Charles and Elizabeth Scout Jamboree held at Moissan, south-west was in Northland Road. She entered the (née Sayers) who lived at 1 Argyle Street. of Paris. Kindergarten on 8 September 1943. After After attending the Model Primary School When Templemore Secondary Intermediate she left Londonderry High School Mary he entered Foyle on 7 September 1942. In School opened in 1957 Norman was enrolled at Northlands School of Cookery 1946/47 he was a prefect. He played for the appointed Head of the Mathematics where she studied for her Domestic Science 1st XV in 1945-46-47 and also for the 1st XI Department. Then in 1962 he moved to Diploma. Mary then decided she might in 1946/47. Where he really shone was on Limavady where he took up the position like to embark on a business career so she the athletics track where he excelled in the of Vice-Principal of the secondary school registered at Magee College to take a two- 220 yard, 440 yard and 880 yard races. In and four years later he accepted a post in year business studies diploma. It was during September 1947 he proceeded to Stranmillis the County Education Department in this time that Mary developed her strong Training College and Queen’s University Coleraine where he worked with another interest in the sea and she spent many to take the Combined Teacher Training Old Boy, Dr Roy Johnston. Following happy days sailing at Fahan and enjoying all Course from which he graduated in 1952 local government reorganisation in 1972 he the pleasures of sailing and walking around with a BA from QUB. In September that became Vice-Principal of Coleraine Girls’ Lough Swilly. During these years Mary was year he began his teaching career when Secondary School where he stayed until inspired to draw natural scenes and paint in he joined the staff of the Model Primary retirement in 1989. watercolours. School. Norman’s family attended St Augustine’s On completion of her studies at Magee The 1946/47 school rugby team had an Church, Londonderry, where he was Mary felt that she would like to broaden impressive record and was known as ‘Noel baptised and confirmed, and he was a life- her horizons and went to London where Henderson’s Team’. They reached the semi- long member of the Church of Ireland. On she embarked on a secretarial course in final of the Schools’ Cup although restricted his return to the city in 1952 he resumed South Kensington. It did not take Mary to fewer games during the Easter Term when full-time membership of St Augustine’s long to realise that living and working in no games were possible for ten weeks during and in 1956 he was appointed Honorary London was not what she wanted to do for a winter which is remembered as one of the Secretary of the Select Vestry. When he the rest of her working days. She returned most severe in living memory. Norman moved to Coleraine he joined Killowen to Londonderry and joined her father’s continued his rugby career in Belfast where Parish Church where he became an active estate agency in which she was a valuable he played for the successful King’s Scholars and dedicated member. After retirement employee for many years. On her father’s Club and for three successive years was a from full-time employment he carried out a retirement Mary worked for her brother, member of their McCrea cup-winning team. fully documented survey of the graveyard at John, and spent her remaining working When he returned from Belfast he joined Killowen; this effort was later approved and life in the family business, John V Arthur, the City of Derry Club and played there for adopted by the Central Archive department Estate Agents. four years. of the Church of Ireland in Dublin where During her working years in Londonderry The summer term in 1947 was exciting on it is housed for the benefit of future Mary lived with her mother and father and the athletics track when he won the Senior generations. helped to look after them in their final Victor Ludorum. He was coached by the In 1956 he married Jean Long in Garrison years. After their deaths Mary spent the rest experienced PE teacher, Captain McCartney, Parish Church and they had a son, Derek, of her life in the family home in Deanfield. who felt he was capable of reaching the and a daughter, Ann. Jean died in 2006. She passed much of her leisure time visiting Olympic qualifying standard in the 880 yard Norman Austin died on 2 June 2016. His the beaches of Donegal, walking along race. On school sports day, 16 May, that goal funeral service was held the following the shoreline and enjoying the peace and was achieved. However, local circumstances Sunday in Killowen Parish Church and tranquillity. Mary was at her happiest there militated against him and he could not he was buried immediately afterwards in and many of her final years were spent in participate in the 1948 Olympics held in the adjoining graveyard. He is survived by the haven of Donegal. London. He was an enthusiastic member Derek and Ann. His brother, Albert, is a of First Londonderry (St Augustine’s) Boy Mary died on 6 April 2016 and is member of the Foyle College Former Pupils Scout Troop which he joined as a Wolf Cub remembered with love by her brothers, Association. in 1937 and was awarded the King’s Scout John, Michael and the wider family circle. Badge in June 1947. The following month

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Mary Canning née Hunter training, Valerie worked in two schools in director. The Savoy Operas set both him Mary was born on 28 May 1931 the only the Matron’s department - Cabin Hill in and his brother, Edmund, on a career path child of Bobby and Emily Hunter of Belfast and Portora Royal, Enniskillen. strongly rooted in drama and encouraged Ballinacross and was brought up at The She then moved to England and worked at that time by Stuart Connolly. He was Cottage on Milltown Road overlooking the in various public schools including Repton awarded colours for Music and Drama and River Foyle. She entered the Londonderry and Monmouth where she was much loved gained his Senior Certificate in 1954. and revered by the boys in her care. High School kindergarten on 7 September David gained a scholarship to the Guildhall 1937 and progressed to the main school and When her mother suffered a stroke, Valerie School of Music and Drama in London and later to Northlands School of Housewifery. returned to Belfast in 1975 to be near her after completing his studies, spent some She had an interest in catering and after her and took up a post as Matron in Assembly’s time with repertory companies touring training at Northlands she spent a number College (now Union) where she worked throughout Britain and Ireland. He met of years working in England before retuning hard to improve the living conditions for all his future wife, Audrey Parker, and they home. the residents. were married in the early 60s and have three sons, Joseph, Julian and Stephen (Bart). She married William Canning and had Over the last years those who knew her well two sons, Robin and David. Mary had a were sad to observe her slipping into ever With a wife and young family, David moved wide spectrum of interests mostly associated greater fragility and forgetfulness, resulting from the precarious existence of life on the with nature and country life. She enjoyed in her moving, first into Killowen House, stage to an area where he could fully exploit horse riding and regularly attended race and subsequently to Bohill Care Home, his organisational and directorial talents meetings both locally and further afield in Coleraine. – the media. He worked for ITV and the places such as Cheltenham. She was a keen BBC with which he had a long association, Valerie died on 29 December 2016. gardener and the cottage garden around her producing children’s programmes such as Tribute to her life and work was paid by home was widely admired. She had a love Jackanory for many years. of animals and birds, and regularly collected Ruth Patterson at a service in Hazelbank for the RSPCA. Presbyterian Church on 3 January 2017. Outside the media he worked for various Valerie is survived by her brother, David, examining bodies, assessing the practical Mary died on 14 January 2017 after a short and her sister-in-law Maureen, who live in work of students and judging talent in illness. She was predeceased by her husband Ilkley, Yorkshire. performances in many parts of the world. and is survived by her two sons and two In this capacity he travelled widely, visiting grandchildren. Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and David Osmond Coulter the Far East. He was always keen to promote David was born on 19 June 1936, the young talent and the art of performance, Valerie Ethel Hannah Carson youngest of ten siblings, to William and and wrote several books on this topic and Valerie was born on 14 September 1927, Margaret Coulter. He attended Foyle on the art of public speaking. daughter of Rev Dr John H and Ethel College with his twin brother, Edmund, He retired with his wife to Suffolk where they Carson. The family lived in Limavady. She from 1948-54. were close to their eldest son. David died on was a child of the manse and grew up in 12 August 2016 and was buried at Milden, East Belfast where her father was minister of David played an active part in the Gilbert Suffolk, with Audrey who had predeceased Westbourne. There were strong connections and Sullivan operas performed by the him some months earlier. He is survived by with Claremont Presbyterian Church in school in the Guildhall, graduating from his brother, Ernest, sister Margaret, his three Londonderry and with Drumachose and the girls chorus to major roles both male sons and seven grandchildren. Derramore in Limavady. and female, his debut being as Josephine in HMS Pinafore in 1950. He played Ko-Ko Archive records show that Valerie came in The Mikado, the Duke of Plaza-Toro in into Form 3 in Londonderry High School The Gondoliers, Bunthorne in Patience, the on 21 April 1941. It is possible that she Major General in Pirates of Penzance and his was a boarder and she may also have been final performance was in Ruddigore in 1954. there when the school moved to Greenfield On occasion when he reminisced about in Strabane after the bombing of Messines that period he always paid tribute to the Park at Easter 1941. production team, especially Graham Craig, Having left school and after a period of producer, and Michael Franklin, musical

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Kathleen Cuthbert née Ferguson and international prizes. She was a blue northern France on an exchange visit Kathleen was the daughter of the stocking, lodging at Riddle Hall residence for practical experience in the language, improvident gentleman farmer James for female students and studying French meeting the Blaire family who would Milliken Ferguson and his wife Sara (née and German Literature. become lifelong friends. By this time her daughter had been born. Kathleen was Foster). Her childhood was spent with her Following her parents’ divorce her family fortunate to have a loving grandmother, two brothers and two sisters at the family home was now in and it was mother and aunt, and of course husband, home of Ballyvoy, near the village of Doagh, there that she met Norman Cuthbert, a who presumably managed to look after the in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Her teacher and night-class student, who was child in her absence. date of birth was a matter of dispute since by introduced to her by mutual friends. Their custom it was celebrated on 4 October 1920 courtship took place on the windy strand Norman, now awarded MA in Economics, but when her birth certificate was consulted and golf courses of the area. Despite some was appointed junior lecturer in the it had been registered as 5 October. Some family opposition to her marrying a mere Economics Department at Queen’s question arose concerning the sobriety of teacher, they were married on the first day University which was much smaller than her father at the time. She consequently of 1943. today, so friends and acquaintances came celebrated both dates. from wide ranging fields of study. They Kathleen spoke German fluently and on moved into a flat on the nearby Lisburn From the age of five she went to school some her graduation in 1942 she was head-hunted Road, which became a social hub for their distance from home, as did her brothers and to be a translator at Bletchley Park, the top friends and university colleagues and was sisters. She lived in Derry at the home of her secret wartime government department the venue of many memorable parties which maternal grandparents while she attended that broke the allegedly ‘unbreakable’ tended to the riotous and were on occasion Londonderry High School for Girls, German High Command Enigma Code, actually hosted on behalf of others. In his eventually becoming Head Girl. While which is said to have changed the whole retirement speech Norman referred to an she was there she came to know girls who course of WW2, under the direction of the unnamed professor who had to be carried became her best friends for life. brilliant mathematician Alan Turing, who down the steps to his car! Fortunately also helped to develop the code-breaking Kathleen was said to be one of the the child was a very heavy sleeper and the machine Colossus, the forerunner of all outstanding pupils of her generation in neighbours were deaf! This child was once computers. Northern Ireland. In the Easter 1938 School delighted to be woken up by a dog fight Magazine she was named as an editor and is After the war, she and all her colleagues between the incumbent and a visiting dog – recorded as being a prefect and house captain, were told to forget all about Bletchley Park only one person was bitten. Said child was and thus a member of an innovative School and never say anything to anyone. Only very happy with the party arrangements. Council, this being made up entirely of girls now are people admitting that they were at Sandwiches were always set aside for her so to address ‘problems that arise in school Bletchley Park. Kathleen has never spoken that they could be eaten, fried, for breakfast. life, including problems of discipline’. She of it, but she was there, at the start of the Heaven. is also named as a member of the Hockey Computer Age. 2nd XI (goalie, in fact) who appear to have Activities at that time included a short won five out of seven matches in the Derry In the summer of 1945 Kathleen was membership of a beagle hunt, on one and Antrim Schoolgirls League. In later life awarded the degree of Master of Arts at memorable occasion Kathleen, jumping her comment on sports reporting on the TV Queen’s University, Belfast. Her thesis a ditch and grasping an unsatisfactory news was that only winning goals are shown, was on the Maritime Vocabulary in a very fence post fell backwards into the ditch, ‘Why not the saved goals?’ which from her obscure Middle High German poem - and it to the delight of her daughter; sailing on goalie perspective was just as, if not more is highly probable that she wrote some of it Strangford Lough in a lovely little gaff rigged important. during her time at Bletchley Park! Recently yawl called Theresa 2, with several runnings a family member researching Bletchley Park aground, most soggily near the mouth of the Later that year she left school and despite discovered that she had also taken a course lough with slurping through mud to get to the depression and the less than wealthy in Japanese while there, so amongst the Audley’s Castle and succour until the tide circumstances of her family she become hectic and demanding wartime translating rose from friends living nearby; being the an undergraduate at Queen’s University, work Kathleen still found time to study and goddess of the food bowl to a dachshund Belfast, having been awarded two learn new things. (kennel name Electress of Connswater, scholarships of £40 a year for her time at called Sophie, leaving out the ‘of Hanover’) At the end of the war Kathleen, as required university along with several other national who was never allowed to share the bed – by her first degree, went to Bernaville in

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1830 1850 1910 1950 1840 1900 1915 1962 however Sophie was more than once found 1960s and under a male pseudonym she Malta for two years where Norman was tucked into her back when she was having wrote a recipe column and reviewed cookery Professor of Economics at the Royal an afternoon nap. books for the Belfast Telegraph. University of Malta, building up a new department. Once more, she plunged into Family holidays were spent camping in Each year during this period Kathleen the hectic social life of this new place and north Donegal. Her chief memory of these used to entertain the honours students of their time there was very happy. Once many holidays was of sitting in the tent Economics to afternoon tea on a Sunday. more this was a small place and again the after the customary storm, and sewing up They were all so different. In those days range of acquaintance wide and varied. She the rents – yet again. A needle and strong they included a certain number of students delighted in learning the Maltese language orange thread to match the tent were part of from in particular, Nigeria and the then and exploring the islands. Shopping had the camping kit. Malaya. Wives or husbands were invited too always been her delight and she discovered if they existed or were present. There was a all the tiny workshops or factories that made Kathleen read to friends who were blind: to lovely, possibly minor, Princess Zubeida of something rather different. a colleague, Professor Alan Milne, who as a Johor who was married to a (perhaps) Dutch paratrooper had been blinded in the Second business man. Back in Belfast and now the wife of a World War at Arnhem, when she was able professor it was back to the serious social Kathleen has said that she could recognise to read abstruse things on Economics while life. Following Norman’s retirement from the spark of true intelligence in the eyes planning a dinner party in her mind; and Queen’s in 1975 he took up an appointment of these students and from the presence many years later to Joyce Neil, medical at the University of the West Indies, in or lack of it she could predict what grade doctor and poet, (who with her husband Barbados where they lived for a year, finding of degree a student would achieve. She had in the past smuggled contraceptives the opportunity to visit most, if not all, of claimed that she was always right, indicating over the border into Eire) and who had the islands of the West Indies. This was that she followed their career from tea party benefited from audio books but found them followed by a semester in Decorah, Ohio to graduation, at the least. In later years insufficiently demanding, and Joyce and which was instigated by American friends she claimed to see the same the eyes of the Kathleen would have animated discussions from Malta days. As ever, friends were made footballer George Best, encountered at a of the book in question. – for life. Belfast Airport. In due course Kathleen became a tutor in Back in Belfast, the travel continued with One of Norman’s star honours students at the French Department. She was an active visits to the Far East and Australia, Russia, these Sunday teas was George Cassidy, who member of the so called ‘University Wives’ and East Germany, Africa, North and became a family friend, and who officiated Club’ and the Derry High School Old Girls South, and Europe. At the age of 60, she at Norman’s funeral in 1991 and again for and she gave a lot of time to the Citizens took part, as navigator, in the ‘Monte Carlo Kathleen on 18 November 2016. Advice Bureau. Dash’, a women only rally event in which Many of Norman’s ex-students did well in the object was to get there by the shortest She continued to explore more languages. later life. Years later Kathleen and Norman route from their given starting point. With Norman she travelled as widely as visited Cyprus where an ex-student was by possible, and she always took the trouble Kathleen took up painting and prolifically then the Minister of Tourism. Norman was to get at least a smattering of the local recorded many of the sights and events mortified that not only were they upgraded language. In Russia there was a crisis when seen on their travels, producing perhaps to first-class return but that he trailed after Norman’s pills ran out and she managed to 150 delightful pictures - a visual archive of his womenfolk who were carrying massive take a taxi with him to a local hospital for memories. She considered herself to be bunches of flowers and a crate of oranges replacements, dealing with a doctor and a only a ‘primitive’ or perhaps ‘naïve’ painter, was very visibly loaded on to the plane. Russian dictionary. but she had a particular skill in capturing Subsequently, on a visit to Kuala Lumpur the essence of ordinary people in ordinary Her many accomplishments included being Kathleen was enchanted to hear her dear circumstances in a few strokes on her a talented seamstress and she was a byword husband being referred to by a finance canvas, ranging from a wedding in Donegal, for elegance. For each outfit she made there minister in the then government as his race-goers in Malta, a group of school was a matching hat created by the Belfast guru. This man had done much better than children in St Petersburg, to passers-by in milliner, the late John Green, frequently Norman had expected so he was happy to South Africa and fishermen in Barbados. made of specially dyed fine straw or felt. She accept the offer of a private plane for the In 1991 she was widowed. She then became was also an accomplished and adventurous next stage of their journey! an advanced motorist. She learned how to cook who could whip up a meal for 20 in In 1968 Kathleen and Norman went to use a computer with great success, she was half an hour and for some time during the 49 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

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1617 1630 1705 1750 1680 1790 a whiz on the internet and kept in touch Dr David Davin James Gordon Fulton with her many friends worldwide by email, David Davin was born 94 years ago on 29 Gordon was born in 5 April 1949 in Bangor, she learned to draw with a mouse. To the September 1922 in , to Arthur County Down. He attended Bangor last, she watched YouTube videos of her and Ellen Davin. The family moved to Grammar School and was Head Boy in his favourite singers. Hazelbank in 1923. David had one sister, final year. He was one of the first students to Travel continued, and she always wanted to Mary. enrol at the New University of Ulster where he studied English and Philosophy. At one go somewhere new, not being particularly David entered Foyle College on 14 January stage Gordon had planned to become a interested in going back to a place or country 1929. In 1941 he went up to Queen’s Presbyterian minister but after a period of she had already visited. In her time she has University Belfast, to study medicine, voluntary service in Africa he returned to visited over 40 countries in the company of qualifying as a doctor in 1946. His first Northern Ireland and having decided on friends or family. However her true love medical post was in the Lagan Valley teaching he was appointed to teach English was her cottage in Donegal, built by her and Hospital, Lisburn, followed by a spell in the at Foyle College in 1972 where he remained Norman in 1966 with the proceeds of her Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, Exeter. In until 1983. tutoring work at Queen’s and which she 1948, just as the NHS was starting, David visited annually, albeit latterly with pain and took up a summer locum post in General During Gordon’s time on the staff of difficulty. Practice in Gilford, following which he was Foyle he was a key member of the English In 2010 Kathleen decided that she should invited to join the practice. department and he had a particular interest in and enthusiasm for promoting drama move to Bristol in order to be nearer to In June 1951 he married Daphne in at all levels from Junior School plays to her immediate family and since then had Monreagh, near St Johnston, County Senior School musical shows. He was a the pleasure of three great granddaughters Donegal, and they had two sons, Patrick and talented director and along with the Music and a grandson. Although she never got John, born in 1952 and 1956 respectively. department reawakened the Gilbert and over the loss of Norman, she none-the-less David and Daphne built their new home just Sullivan performances which had been carried on and made a new life. Once settled outside Gilford and there they remained, enjoyed by so many during the 1950s. in Bristol she continued to read like fury, and there David continued in practice for Amalgamation in 1976 meant that in this ordering books from the internet and from over 39 years until October 1987, delivering new era, boys no longer played girls parts catalogues. Her wine was delivered by the over 700 babies during this time! Wine Society (to the horror of a carer who in chorus or as leading ladies. Gordon said that supermarkets were just as good – David was a fascinating conversationalist was influential in those earliest operatic and cheaper). She joined the Africa Society and had a vast range of interests on which productions, notably Pirates of Penzance having a peripheral interest in that thanks he could speak with knowledge – theology, and Patience. history, travel, painting, sculpture, antiques, to her two brothers who lived and worked He left Foyle and Londonderry College in stained glass and genealogy. there. She re-joined the Corona Society 1983 to follow a career in acting, studying of which she had been a member when in David died on 27 September 2016, just two at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Malta and Barbados and attended as many days short of his 94th birthday and the esteem Drama in Glasgow. He returned to Ireland meetings as possible. She entertained in which he was held was borne out at the and worked with many major playwrights. friends and family, she lunched with friends memorial service on the following Saturday Over the course of his acting career he and family, and despite her physical pain afternoon when St Paul’s Parish Church in performed with the ’71 Players, Roma and the mental pain of the loss of Norman the village was packed with former patients, Tomelty’s Centre Stage Company and in she carried on. ex-colleagues and friends from all walks of a range of television performances such as Indomitable as ever, just this summer, life who had known and loved him since he Taggart, Game of Thrones, Give my Head ignoring rapidly failing health, she was still moved to Gilford in 1948. Peace and The Secret. Roma Tomelty said Gordon was a consummate actor who could asking when she could next be taken to the He is survived by his sons, John and Patrick, play a huge range of parts from Shakespeare cottage at Rosbeg. On her 96th birthday, daughters-in-law, Grace and Sarah and to Sam Cree. only six weeks ago, she was still able to blow grandchildren, Rory, Emma, Tara, Denise, out the candles on her cake and knock back Patrick and Nathanael. His ashes were Gordon died on 25 September 2016. He a glass of sparkling wine! Extraordinary, scattered near the family’s holiday home is survived by his wife, Ann, their two sons clever, talented and game to the last, she is in Marble Hill, along with those of his wife and a granddaughter. survived by her daughter, her granddaughter Daphne who predeceased him by eight years. and grandson, and four great-grandchildren.

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Stephen Mark Hay 7 June 2016 in Geraldton, Western Australia, Ray had a lot of mountains still to conquer Stephen Mark Hay was born on 27 where his funeral took place. An autopsy and many plans but sadly they were never to September 1964. He entered the newly revealed an undiagnosed heart condition, become a reality. He passed away on 16 July amalgamated Foyle and Londonderry which had probably been masked by his 2016 after a long illness. He is sadly missed College in September 1976, having attended extremely high level of physical fitness. He is by his wife, Patricia, his sons, Richard and Rossdowney Primary School, and was thus survived by his sister Diane and his partner David, his brother, Arnold and his sister, part of the school’s first ever co-educational Tineke (Ernestine) to whom we extend our Averil, as well as his many friends. intake. He was academically gifted, sympathies. especially in mathematics and science subjects, and excelled at A-Level where he Dorothy Joy McCartney (née Kelly) was able to specialise in these areas. He was Raymond James Lee Joy was born on 22 January 1928 the a keen sportsman, playing rugby and cricket Ray was born on 23 February 1951. His daughter of H M Kelly chemist at the throughout his school career and was also father was a building contractor and the Waterside. The family lived in Victoria Park. a member of the Fishing and Canoeing family lived in Garden City. Having She attended Londonderry High School Clubs. attended the Model Primary School he from kindergarten to Senior Certificate After leaving Foyle and Londonderry entered Foyle College in September 1962. (archive records show that she entered in College he took a degree in Electrical and He was a member of the swimming team September 1934 and would have been at the Mechanical Engineering at Edinburgh and competed for his house, Springham. school during the Second World War). She University, followed by a Masters in Petro- His other interests were rugby and cross- then went to Queen’s University, Belfast, Chemical Engineering at Heriot-Watt country running, and he was in the Sailing where she studied languages before entering University. He then joined Shell, working in Club. the teaching profession. Her older sister Doris also attended LHS, went to Queen’s Holland initially, before moving on to work Ray left Foyle in 1971 and proceeded to the and studied medicine. for a variety of companies in the oil and gas University of Ulster to study History. There industry. This work took him to places such he met his future wife, Patricia, and they Married to Tom, they spent a number of as Oman, Australia, Switzerland, and New married in 1974 and had two sons. years in East Africa with their young family Zealand. Later in his career he took short before returning to Northern Ireland. In the three years following, Ray worked term contracts and used the time in between Living in Belfast until the 1970s they then in the Valuation Office in Londonderry, to travel and indulge in his passions for moved to Portadown where Joy played an completing his surveying and valuation windsurfing and cycling. He and his partner active role with the Save The Children qualifications in 1976. Meanwhile, Patricia Tineke returned to Western Australia and Charity and a local Brownie group. travelled to Mexico for the windsurfing taught Biology in Londonderry High season then spent the summer cycling in School. Later Ray secured a position Joy had attended the luncheon of the Belfast the Alps. with the Inland Revenue in Scotland and Old Girls Branch at the Stormont Hotel on then transferred to the Tayside Valuation 3 October 2015, continuing to enjoy life Many of the 1976-1983 cohort met up Office in Perth where he remained until his long friendships from her school days. in May 2015 for a reunion weekend and retirement in 2012. His work enabled him Joy died on 10 May 2016 after a short illness we were glad to see Stephen at all three to travel throughout Scotland which suited and is survived by her two daughters Elaine organised events. He wore his Northlands his love of the outdoors. and Yvonne. school tie to the evening event in the White Horse Hotel, to the amusement of many However, Ray was so much more than his who had not managed to preserve theirs work history, with many and varied interests for such a length of time. It is a cliché to ranging from mountaineering to the playing say that someone has not changed; but it of folk and classical guitar. His curiosity would be true of Stephen, (Haystack to his and love of mountain areas took him to schoolmates, Steve to his later friends) as Nepal for the trek to the Everest Base Camp he remained a droll, witty and forthright and Peru for the Inca Trail. He also climbed person. He had a great ironic sense of many mountains in Donegal and Europe, as humour and an irreverent attitude to many well as completing all of the 282 Munros things. (in Scotland) in 1999. He was President of Perth Mountaineering Club. Stephen died suddenly and unexpectedly on

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Ruth Mornin McClean Ruth retired in 1982 and settled with David Henry McNally MA Ruth was born in Crossroads Presbyterian her sister, Constance, in Stonewold near Harry McNally, eldest son of David Shields Church manse, Bogay, County Donegal, Moffat. When Constance died she moved McNally and Letitia Beacom (née Healy) on 22 March 1928, the youngest of four to live with her sister, Norah, and Addy was born on 30 August 1929. His father siblings born to the Reverend John and Brewster nearby. Her later years were spent was in the regular British army in 1912 and Mrs Agnes McClean. Reverend McClean in Bankfoot House where she was well served with the 5th Queen’s Royal Irish served as minister of Crossroads and cared for and always displayed great courage Lancers (he later transferred to the Machine Newtowncunningham churches for 44 and determination, rarely complaining in Gun Corps) for the full duration of the First years. spite of her progressive disability. She was World War 1914-1918. On being demobbed always serene, always smiling and most he was accepted for training into the Royal Ruth experienced health difficulties all her encouraging, which endeared her to her Irish Constabulary depot in Enniskillen life having been born with a progressive pupils, carers and family. where he met his future wife, who was a illness – spastic paraplegia. In spite of her secretary/typist on the staff of the Impartial disability she led a happy, active and fulfilled Ruth died on 7 March 2016 and her Reporter. With the partition of Ireland in life until in later years she was confined ashes were interred in the family grave at 1922 he transferred to the Royal Ulster to a care home equipped to deal with her Crossroads on 23 March, just one day after Constabulary. disability. her 88th birthday. Truly a life well lived. She was predeceased by her brother, Maurice Harry McNally entered Foyle College in Ruth’s early education began in Crossroads and sisters, Constance and Norah, both September 1942 after winning a scarce National School where after partition it was former pupils of Londonderry High School. scholarship awarded by Londonderry a requirement to learn basic Irish language. Information provided by Dr John Corporation. He excelled at school and She progressed to Londonderry High Brewster, nephew. was elected prefect and Captain of the First School in 1941 and in the true spirit of a XV. He was a talented cricketer and senior daughter of the manse she concealed a loaf winner of the Victor Ludorum in athletics. of Brewster’s bread under her school tunic He always believed that Foyle was denied a – Brewster’s being much tastier bread than place in the Final of the Ulster Schools’ Cup that in Donegal. by poor refereeing in a mighty clash with After leaving Londonderry High School Methodist College Belfast at Springtown. in 1945 Ruth continued her education in Harry went up to Queen’s University, Alexandra College, Dublin, where she read Belfast, in 1948 and read mathematics, being for a diploma in teaching which followed awarded an MA. At Queen’s he hooked for the Froebel system, concentrating on the 1st XV and played in one of the best progressive, child-centred education. She rugby teams in Ireland with outstanding took up her first teaching post at a boys players like Jack Kyle, Noel Henderson, independent preparatory school in Bude, Ernest Strathdee and Fuzzy Anderson. On Cornwall, where she had responsibility for leaving university he got his first Ulster cap boarders. In the long holidays she joined playing for Malone. her brother and sister in their home in De Harry’s first years of work were as an Burgh Terrace and later in Caw Park. She aerodynamist with Short Bros, Belfast but moved school three times during her career, with the downturn in aircraft manufacture first to Crawforton in Moniaive, then to he moved quickly into the Civil Service Malvern near Worcester, which she didn’t for job security. At 61 he retired as Under really like, and lastly to Hurst Grange Boys Secretary, Department of Health. For the preparatory school in Stirling in 1964 which next 9 years he was the administrator of amalgamated with Beacon Girls School a General Practice on the Lisburn Road, in 1976 and moved to Bridge of Allan. Belfast. She preferred teaching boys as she always thought that girls tended to huff and hold Harry had met his wife to be, Audrey Bell, grudges. on her first day at Queen’s and fell in love with her but she kept him on the “Primrose path of dalliance tread” until 1965 when

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they got married. Audrey became as Assistant Librarian at Queen’s University, Belfast. They had 60 years of delightful companionship together raising their three children. Neil is a consultant civil engineer resident in Sydney, Australia. Lynn had a successful banking career in Northern Ireland and Mark’s professional life was as an IT consultant to a hospital group in England before returning to County Down to renovate old properties. Harry had 7 siblings – Maureen (deceased), Joan, Letty (deceased), Jim, George, Ivan and Beth. Five had red hair and the McNally family always believed that they were of Celtic origin until a researcher at Ulster University proved from George’s DNA that they were pure, unsullied Vikings. In a working life of 45 years, Harry had never missed a day through illness but he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2011 and entered Ringdufferin Care Home, County Down, in August 2016. He died there on 3 January 2017. There is an old Hebrew saying “Grieve not that Harry is no more. But live in thankfulness that he was.”

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Gregory Clarke Preece prolific blogger. The many tributes from at Ballyowen Cemetery following a family Gregory Clarke Preece (Greg) was born on family, friends and fellow students testify to funeral service at his home. He is survived by the 16 June 1953 to Ernest and Iona Preece. her popularity and love for life. his wife, Ann, sons Christopher and Ryan, daughter-in-law, Rachel and grandchildren, He was the eldest of four siblings and the In September 2015 Leona was diagnosed Anna-Jane, Kate and Chrissie. family lived in Caw Park, Londonderry. with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. She bore Greg entered Foyle College in 1964. He her illness bravely and with dignity but sadly played for the First XV Rugby team as well she passed away on 22 April 2016. Her as the cricket teams and was also a member funeral took place to Roselawn Crematorium Betty Turner née Hall of the Army Cadet Force. following a service at Ebrington Presbyterian Betty was born in Rockfield, Burt, County Greg always had a great love of English Church. Leona is survived by her mum and Donegal, on 2 August 1918, the eldest of and this interest was stimulated by his dad, and her brother, Craig, also a pupil of four siblings to John and Mary Ann Hall. headmaster, Mr Connolly, as well as his Foyle College. (Craig completed his A levels She attended the Model Primary School teachers, Mr Heaney and Mr Helliwell. This in June and has gone to study at Edinburgh and then entered Londonderry High School led to Greg’s lifelong love of poetry which University.) in September 1932 where she remained culminated in his retirement years, in his Note: Our sincere sympathies for the loss until June 1934. attendance at lunch time poetry readings of such a young life go to Leona’s mum, Betty went to London to train with the and history lectures. dad and brother, Craig. Voluntary Aid Detachment in 1944 and On leaving Foyle College in 1971, Greg went served in Persia (now Iran) until 1950 with to Manchester University and graduated Queen Alexandra’s Royal Nursing Corps. with a 2:1 degree in Management Sciences Wilson Sherrard In Persia she met her future husband, Lynn in 1974. He joined Binder Hamlyn, Wilson was born on 6 January 1956 the son Turner, who was stationed there with the Chartered Accountants in Manchester and of William and Beryl Sherrard. The family New Zealand navy. In 1953 Betty travelled qualified as a Chartered Accountant in lived at 3 Glenbank Road and Wilson to New Zealand where she was married to 1977. He subsequently returned to Northern attended Christ Church Primary School and Lynn and they settled in Gisbourne, North Ireland in 1979 and worked with the T B Great James Street Presbyterian Church. Island, where she remained for much of her F Thompson group of companies before He entered Foyle College in September life. They had two sons, John and David, joining Component Distributors in Belfast 1967 and was there for four years. who both eventually settled in Australia. Betty, who was predeceased by her husband, where he became Financial Director. Greg Wilson worked in Welch Margetson’s Shirt decided to move to Australia also and retired from this position in June 2014. Factory from the age of sixteen and it was she settled with John and his family in there that he met his future wife, Ann. They Greg died on 12 August 2016 after a short Melbourne. illness bravely fought. He is survived by his were married in First Derry Presbyterian wife Jill, son Jamie and daughter Hannah. Church on 15 March 1975 and had two Betty remained active until her final years. sons, Christopher and Ryan. She died on 2 February 2016 at the age of 98 and is survived by her sons and seven Having been made redundant, Wilson set grandchildren. Leona Elizabeth Reid up and developed a profitable business Leona was born in Scotland on 24 February making collarettes and regalia for the loyal 1994 to Stephen and Janice Reid. Her orders, not only in Londonderry but across brother, Craig, was born 4 years later and the province and in Scotland, England and the family came to live in Drumahoe at the the Republic of Ireland. During the UK turn of the millennium. City of Culture year he played an integral part in promoting Orange culture and the Leona entered Foyle and Londonderry historic heritage of the city, and the many College in September 2005 and progressed tributes from brethren and friends testify to through the school completing her A levels the high esteem in which he was held. in 2012 after which she proceeded to Dundee University to study Law with Spanish, with Wilson was tragically killed on 2 August a view to becoming a journalist. She was 2016 in a car accident which took place Fashion Editor and Deputy Editor of the on the Road on the outskirts of university’s Magdalen Magazine and a the city close to . He was buried

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Canon Robert Edgar Turner high church parish in Belfast where he was Bereavement Notices Edgar Turner was born in Londonderry much loved. It was fitting that his Requiem on 12 March 1920. The family lived in at St George’s on 7 April was conducted Beechwood Avenue and Edgar entered by the clergy from St John’s assisted by Victor Gilbert Benjamin Griffin It was with regret that we learned of the death Foyle in 1932. Having completed his early the present Rector of St George’s, in the on 11 January 2017 of The Very Reverend education there he proceeded to Magee presence of many friends, bishops, clergy Victor Griffin, former Dean of St Patrick’s College and Trinity College, Dublin. In and laity. Cathedral, Dublin. Many publications have 1944 he went to Lincoln Theological College carried obituaries extolling his achievements where he prepared for ordination under throughout his public and private life, and the guidance of Eric Abbott. Edgar was Michael Hampton Wynne BDS his outstanding contribution as a Church of ordained deacon in Birmingham Cathedral Michael was born on 1 January 1944 - a Ireland clergyman is well documented. in 1945 and in 1951 he was appointed the son of the manse – his father was Reverend first full-time Church of Ireland chaplain G F A Wynne, Minister of Great James We here, remember him particularly as at Queen’s University, Belfast. He made a Street Presbyterian Church, and the family Rector of Christ Church from 1957. His two significant contribution in this role creating lived in The Manse, 78 Northland Avenue, sons, Timothy and Kevin, attended Foyle many changes and introducing various Londonderry. College. To this day, the school retains its facilities and activities which continue to links with and affection for Christ Church, Michael entered Foyle College on 17 April this day. holding many performances and prize- 1956. In 1962 he proceeded to Queen’s givings in that beautiful building. In 1958 the Bishop appointed him Rector of University Belfast on a County Scholarship St George’s, Belfast, an inner-city parish with to study dentistry, qualifying in 1967. In October 1957 Reverend Griffin joined a long-established High Church tradition. the Board of Governors of Foyle College, Michael died on 13 November 2016. He Edgar was unwilling to leave Queen’s but serving as a governor until his election as is survived by his wife, Diane, daughters, under threat of the removal of his licence Dean of St Patrick’s in 1968. From February Michele and Claire, and son Peter. A and a public declaration by the Bishop 1965 until October 1968 he also served on thanksgiving service was held on 17 that he was to close down St George’s, the Board of Governors of Londonderry November 2016 in Groomsport Presbyterian he oversaw the repair of the building and High School. Church. created many innovations which ensured Dean Griffin was predeceased by his wife, that St George’s Church continues to this Daphne, and son, Timothy, but is survived day as a centre of Catholic in by his son, Kevin. the Church of Ireland. Edgar retired from this post in 1990, after 32 years. In 1962 he had married Dr Joan Hewson whom he had met when she was a medical student at Lucie Seaward Queens’ and they had a son, Justin, and a It was with great sadness that we learned daughter, Kate. of the death of Lucie Seaward. Lucie died peacefully at St Mary’s Court, Bocking, on 4 The other great passion in his life was February 2017, aged 97. Her loss will be felt football. He was a lifelong supporter of most keenly by her daughter, Linda, and the Derry City Football team and of Northern London Old Girls and we send condolences Ireland and travelled far and wide to see the to them. Arrangements for her funeral are latter play. He was in the Faroe Islands, aged currently being made as we go to press. A 95, for a crucial qualifying match, and was full obituary will appear in the next edition present in Windsor Park in October when of the magazine. Northern Ireland beat Greece 3-1 to secure their place in the European Championships. Edgar died on 2 April 2016 following a short illness. He had been predeceased by Joan in 2012 and is survived by his daughter, Kate and son, Justin. In retirement, Edgar worshipped at St John’s, Malone, another

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Introduction

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Past Presidents

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Past Presidents of Foyle College 1967 - 68 The Very Rev Austin A Fulton MA PhD DD Old Boys Association 1968 - 69 Senator John C Drennan CBE HML JP 1969 - 70 The Very Rev Samuel James Park MA DD 1928 - 29 The Right Hon Sir John Ross Bart 1970 - 71 Armour Hamilton Matthews LDS RCS 1929 - 30 Alfred Moore Munn BA 1971 - 72 Colonel Oswald W Gilmour MA MAI CEng FICE 1930 - 31 His Honour Judge John Fitzpatrick Cooke KC DL 1972 - 73 The Right Hon Sir Robert Porter QC MP 1931 - 32 Sir Samuel Thompson Irwin CBE BA MB MCh 1973 - 74 The Very Rev William Alexander Albert Park MA FRCS DLMP DD 1932 - 33 Major James Sproule Myles MC TD 1974 - 75 David Alan Eccles Roberts MA 1933 - 34 Professor Charles Gibson Lowry MD FRCS 1975 - 76 John Alexander Crockett FRCOG 1976 - 77 James Stewart Connolly MA LLB 1934 - 35 John Gallagher Michaels 1977 - 78 Professor Emeritus ACP Campbell MB ChB FRC 1935 - 36 The Very Rev James Gilbert Paton MC MA DD Path FRCPE 1936 - 37 Sir James McElmunn Wilton MC 1978 - 79 Professor J C Goligher MB ChM FRCSE FRCS 1937 - 38 Thomas Carnwath DSO BA MB DSc DPH (Edin) 1938 - 39 Isaac J Trew Colquhoun BA 1979 - 80 J B Mullin BA HDipEd 1939 - 40 The Right Hon Mr Justice William Lowry 1980 - 81 Rev R K Greer MA BD 1940 - 41 John Blakeney Gillies LDS 1981 - 82 R N Crawford CBE BComm Sc FCA FRSA FBIM 1941 - 42 Thomas Taggart LLD 1982 - 83 Real Admiral W J McClune CB MSc MIEE 1942 - 43 His Honour Judge Marcus Dill Begley QC 1983 - 84 J Piggot MB BCh FRCS 1943 - 44 The Very Reverend William Corkey MA DD 1984 - 85 A E Barbour BSc FBCO 1944 - 45 Sir William Athlestane Meredith Good KBE 1985 - 86 J Kincade CBE MA BLitt PhD 1945 - 46 Robert Foster Dill MA 1986 - 87 D C G Craig BA 1946 - 47 Professor Frances James Brown, MS DSc FRCS (Ed) 1987 - 88 S A Hunter BSc C Eng FIEE FRCOG 1988 - 89 H W Young OBE MA 1947 - 48 Sir John Herbert McCutcheon Craig KCVO CB 1989 - 90 J C Lapsley BSc DLC DASE LLD 1990 - 91 T H Armstrong BA DipEd 1948 - 49 Rupert William Jeffares 1991 - 92 R J Magowan BA, DASE MSc 1949 - 50 Samuel Milligan 1992 - 93 Prof S G Carruthers MD FRCPC 1950 - 51 Samuel Russell Foster MC Croix de Guerre MB 1993 - 94 N J Henderson BSc 1951 - 52 John Foster Caldwell CB QC LLM JP 1994 - 95 J H Y Fergusson 1952 - 53 The Very Rev Thomas McCurdy Barker MA DD 1995 - 96 A G Kennedy BA 1953 - 54 The Right Hon Sir David Callender Campbell PC 1996 - 97 Prof R J McClelland MD PhD FRCPSYCH KBE CMG MP 1997 - 98 D R Craig B Arch ARIBA DIP TP MRTPI 1954 - 55 William Cecil Glover MBE 1998 - 99 The Very Rev D C Orr MA 1955 - 56 Henry Cooke Porter Cresswell 1999 - 00 E W Hamilton 1956 - 57 Sir Robert Gransden CBE 2000 - 01 J E Bigger MA DASE 1957 - 58 Charles Wilson BA 2001 - 02 H W Gillespie BA DASE 1958 - 59 Samuel Maxwell Alexander Lowry 2002 - 03 A W Roulston CA 1959 - 60 John Thomas Irwin AMIEE 2003 - 04 J Cowan BA Dip Ed DASE 1960 - 61 William Staveley Ferguson BA 2004 - 05 I M Piggot 1961 - 62 Major James Alexander Glen CBE ERD MA 2005 - 06 J V Arthur BSc (Est Man) FRICS IRRV 1962 - 63 Joseph Boyd Irwin CSI CIE DSO MC BA 2006 - 07 E S Marshall BA FRSA MA LGSM ALCM 1963 - 64 Joseph Charles Eaton DL JP 2007 - 08 R S Tosh BSc BD PhD 1964 - 65 Prof Charles Horner Greer McAfee CBE DSc MB 2008 - 09 J A S Kelso BS MS PhD FRCS 2009 –10 J A C McFarland BSc C Eng FICE FRCIS & FRCOG 2010 -11 J S M Huey BA Dip Ed 1965 - 66 Samuel Douglas Irons 2011 -12 R C Montgomery MB BCh BAO DMH DHMSA 1966 - 67 The Right Hon Sir Herbert McVeigh Lord Justice of Appeal

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Past Presidents

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Londonderry High School 1991 Mrs E Whiteside Old Girls Association 1992 Mrs Lorna Knox 1993 Mrs W Burns

Founded 1935 - Past Presidents 1994 Miss Anne Wilson 1995 Mrs M Phillips 1935-45 Miss M F McIlroy 1996 Miss G Simpson 1946 Mrs H M Williams 1997 Mrs R Ramsey 1947 Mrs Killen MA 1998 Mrs B Hamilton 1948 Mrs E R Gordon 1999 Mrs J Y Coskery 1949 Miss Osborne OBE JP 2000 Mrs Helen Hilson 1950 Mrs H Robinson 2001 Mrs C Corrigan 1951 Mrs Doreen McConnell BA 2002 Mrs J Milliken 1952 Miss M K M Aiken BA BLLB 2003 Mrs Thelma Arthur 1953 Mrs John Watson MBE 2004 Mrs N Foss 1954 Mrs B H Lynn FRCS 2005 Mrs Molly Kennedy 1955 Mrs B Roe MBE 2006 Mrs Elma McDevitt 1956 Dr Elsie Johnston 2007 Mrs Isabel McNally CBE 1957 Mrs S Dowds 2008 Mrs Molly Sutton 1958 Dr Violet Breakey 2009 Mrs Phyllis Logan 1959 Mrs N Young 2010 Mrs Ruth Hamilton 1960 Mrs H J Clarke 2011 Mrs Pamela Jackson 1961 Mrs J C Eaton 2012 Dr Kanchan McAllister (née Chada) 1962 Miss Grace Armstrong 1963 Mrs Jean L’Amie MA 1964 Marie Loullier OBE MA 1965 Mrs Olive McLaughlin BA Foyle College Former Pupils 1966 Mrs R R Hunter Association - Joint Presidents 1967 Mrs G R Joscelyne 1968 Mrs J G Colhoun 2012 – 2013 Dr Kanchan McAllister MB Bch BAO 1969 Miss Alice Rowan R C Montgomery MB BCh BAO DMH DHMSA 1970 Miss E A Park BSc 2013 – 2014 Mrs E F Swinson BDS 1971 Mrs Mary Britton W S F Young MA 1972 Miss M R Colhoun 2014 – 2015 Mrs P A Black BA 1973 Mrs K Gillis W L Cunningham B Agr 1974 Miss A E Stirling MA 2015 – 2016 Miss I A Watson Cert Ed B Ed 1975 Miss M W Cunningham MA J D R Connolly MB BCh FFARCSI 1976 Miss M Anderson 2016 - 2017 Mrs Yvonne M Smyth BA (CNNA) LLM 1977 Mrs E W M Marr David Turner QC LLB AKC 1978 Mrs T R Berry 1979 Mrs M B Seaward 1980 Mrs M B Seaward 1981 Mrs R J Aiken 1982 Mrs J Moore 1983 Mrs J McCandless 1984 Mrs E Clay 1985 Mrs E Finlay 1986 Mrs M Welch 1987 Mrs J W Taggart 1988 Mrs D Stuart 1989 Mrs Gladys Black 1990 Mrs K Stewart

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Introduction

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School Anniversaries

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The years 2016 to 2018 mark a number of Hill where it had existed since 1814, to its new their royal charters from King James I in significant anniversaries in the history of site at Springtown, gifted to the school by the early 1600s, it was left to the London the school. The most significant is the The Honourable The Irish Society, opening Livery Companies to provide education foundation of the Free School by Mathias its doors at Easter of that year. within the city. The defensive walls were Springham in 1617, and 2017 will provide an completed in 1618 but only the previous As a pupil at that time, I was aware of the opportunity for a range of events throughout year, Mathias Springham of the Merchant marked change of surroundings from the the year to mark this occasion. But other Taylors’ Company, acting under his own dark and gloomy corridors and cold, shabby anniversaries also coincide with this period. initiative and at his own expense, founded classrooms with their high ceilings to a new, a free school which began in 1617 at a site 1. The Former Pupils Association bright, well-heated and spacious building. It close to the present St Augustine’s Church. In 2013 Londonderry High School Old was a state-of-the-art 1960s building but as we The earliest pupils would have witnessed the Girls Association and Foyle College Old all know, the 1960s and 1970s produced little completion of the walls and the construction Boys Association amalgamated to form the of architectural merit or practicality and after of St Columb’s Cathedral, completed in Former Pupils Association. just fifty years of flat, leaking roofs, draughty, 1632, and their simple single classroom with Foyle College OBA was founded in 1928, metal-framed windows and expensive under- living space for a schoolmaster. ninety years ago next year. Its first president floor heating, it will doubtless be demolished The school would experience many was The Right Honourable Sir John Ross by the purchaser when the school moves out hardships, financial and physical, during that who was Lord Chief Justice for Ireland, and in later this year. first century of its existence, not least the scars 1938 a fine chain of office was commissioned 4. Amalgamation and Foyle and of the siege of 1688-9. Its significant position and is still in use today. Londonderry College at the highest point of the city along with the Londonderry High School OGA was Londonderry High School and Foyle cathedral, and its use as a barracks and grain founded in 1935, some 83 years ago, and College amalgamated in September 1976, store made it a target for cannon shot and the then headmistress, Miss Mary French forty years ago and became the first co- its near destruction. After the siege, Queen McIlroy, became its president, an office she educational grammar school in the city. The Mary II, fellow sovereign with William III, held for the next ten years. Their chain of unrest in the city from 1969 onwards had granted £1,500 (£187,000 today) for the office was commissioned in 1970 and like led to a dwindling protestant population rebuilding of the school which later became the OBA chain has a pendant displaying the especially on the west bank. Collectively the Diocesan Free School with an additional arms of the school at that time. the two schools could just about muster 600 room added to house the Diocesan Library. pupils in total and financial considerations The school and the library remained at their 2. Londonderry High School at Duncreggan encouraged both boards of governors to site within the walls for the next 150 years The school was founded in 1922 and ninety seek a union. Hugh Gillespie had been until 1814 when the school moved to its new years ago next year it moved to its new appointed headmaster of Foyle in 1973. His site at Lawrence Hill. (In 1833 the dioceses of premises at Duncreggan, the former home of counterpart in Londonderry High School, Derry and Raphoe united and the expanded the Tillie family. Miss Cowper, decided to retire, leaving Miss library eventually moved to the Synod Hall in Londonderry High School was formed by the Christie to continue as Headmistress up to London Street in 1877). amalgamation of three pre-existing schools amalgamation. Mr Gillespie’s account of the The original site of the school in the area – Strand House School (1860) (later called protracted process, the difficulties of securing between St Augustine’s Church and the Victoria High School), Londonderry Ladies the union and the bedding-in of two diverse Memorial Hall served as a market after the Collegiate School (1877) and St Lurach’s systems is well documented in the schools school moved and today it is Society Street (1900). Miss Mary French McIlroy was history, A View the Foyle Commanding, and Car Park. Society Street was originally called appointed headmistress in 1928 (a post she that section can be read in full in the Former School House Lane and it is pleasing that a held until 1962) and with a growing number Pupils page on the schools website. planned refurbishment of the area to take of girls attending the school, it moved to 5. The Foundation of the Free School by place in 2017 will include the provision of a the Tillie house in Duncreggan Road which Mathias Springham green space/urban park to replace the existing remained its home until 1976 when LHS The 400th Anniversary of this event will car park. It is envisaged that there will be amalgamated with Foyle College at which preoccupy the present and past pupils of appropriate signage within this development point the building became the Senior School the school during 2017 as we celebrate in a to commemorate the schools foundation and for Foyle and Londonderry College. number of ways. Although its sister schools the foresight of Mathias Springham. 3. Foyle College at Springtown west of the Bann at Raphoe, Dungannon, In 1967 Foyle College moved from Lawrence Armagh, Cavan and Enniskillen all received W M Lynn 62 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

HISTORY OF THE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION & CHAIN

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LHSOGA was the brainchild of the Edith Hunter (née Porter and past president Mrs Taggart made a gift of the reconstructed LHS headmistress Miss Mary French in 1957-1958) other branches were formed; Chain of Office to the Association at the McIlroy OBE MA who was president of Strabane on 14 October 1955, Belfast on end of her presidential year in 1988. One of the association for the first 10 years of its 17 February 1956, London on 28 March the plaques was donated to Miss Adelaide existence from 1935-1945, and then again in 1956 and finally Coleraine/Portrush on 21 Park who was a teacher, Vice-Principal at 1964 under her married name of Madame April 1961. In the 1946 magazine there is LHS from 1930-1966, President of the M F Loullier. In June 1934, it was decided mention of a meeting in Dublin but this did association in 1970 and Chairperson of by Miss McIlroy and a representative group not survive. More recently Old Girls met the association from 1971-1976 when LHS of Former Pupils to form the Londonderry informally in Edinburgh and Glasgow. and Foyle College were amalgamated to High School Old Girls’ Association. form Foyle and Londonderry College. The The Association eventually had a President remaining three donated plaques were and an official Chain of Office which was for Pearlie Taggart, Jean McCandless and circulated in turn amongst the branches at Marion Berry (née Kincaid and President the Londonderry Annual General Meeting. from 1978-1979). There was no symbol of this high office It would seem, from the presidents’ until Mrs Rosie Gordon BA (née Kyle - photograph gallery in the senior school past president in 1948 and chairperson Assembly Hall, that Miss Mabel Colhoun of Londonderry from 1954-1971), sought was the first president to wear the original permission from the committee to gift a pendant in 1972. Mabel was a nursery pendant which would hang on a royal blue teacher, preparatory school teacher, local ribbon and would be worn by the president historian and archeologist, cyclist, swimmer of the association. A sub-committee and hockey player. She wrote many books, was appointed to oversee the design and among which was a sketch of the life of Miss silverwork to be carried out. Mrs Jean McIlroy, the headmistress she most admired McCandless (née Caldwell and past and also one on the history of Duncreggan president from 1983-84) who earlier had House. been appointed Art teacher in LHS by Miss Margaret McKillip, became chairperson of MISS MABEL COLHOUN IN 1972 this sub-committee. The silverwork was Each president also bore the cost of providing entrusted to a Mr Toogood from Belfast. her own photograph wearing the chain. By 1988 the original royal blue ribbon This was framed by the school and hung in had become rather shabby and no longer the Duncreggan Assembly Hall gallery that Miss Mary French McIlroy enhanced the pendant so Mrs Pearlie Taggart was first created by Mrs Elizabeth Whiteside (née Wilson and past president from 1987- (née Ward and president in 1991-92). 88) suggested that small silver plaques on A meeting was held in Duncreggan House, which presidents’ names could be engraved There was an incident when the presidential when a President and Vice-President were could replace part of the blue ribbon and pendant was deemed to be lost around 1984 elected and a committee formed. Miss would once again greatly enhance the and caused great stress and anxiety amongst McIlroy was Chairperson from 1945-1954. A pendant. Mrs Taggart approached the the Old Girls. Mrs McCandless was asked constitution was set up and the subscription committee and sought permission to carry to produce a replica pendant but thankfully was fixed at 2s 6d annually or 3 guineas for out these changes. The Headmaster of the original one was found before this a Life-Membership. The constitution stated Foyle College, Mr Hugh Gillespie, was was put into action. For a while, after this that the association would consist of former conveniently an excellent silversmith and he incident, the pendant was not allowed pupils of LHS and the foundation schools, made the first four silver name plaques. to leave the school premises because of St Lurach’s and Victoria High School. insurance issues. Following this, the cost of The first General Meeting was held in the insuring the chain became the responsibility Northern Counties Hotel on Saturday 12 of the president as it travelled from branch January 1935 and the first edition of our to branch. magazine was published at Easter 1935. With inspiration and encouragement from The pendant is a replica of the LHS school the Londonderry branch secretary Mrs A silver name plaque 63 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

HISTORY OF THE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION & CHAIN

1617 1630 1705 1750 1680 1790 badge that Miss M F MclIroy commissioned The motto on the pendant is engraved in the The present chain case was donated to in 1956. This badge was designed by H original Greek letters and directly translates LHSOGA by the Eaton family in the year Ellis Tomlinson of Poulton-le-Fylde from as ‘As always under the eye of the Lord’ 2000 in memory of Mrs Edith Eaton MBE Lancashire. (Gospel of St Luke 5 & 25)- or known to the (née Thompson and past president from girls ‘As in God’s sight’; this replaced the 1960-1961). Her husband Mr J C Eaton previous motto from John Milton’s Sonnet joined the Board of Governors of LHS in VII –‘As Ever in My Great Taskmaster’s Eye’ 1941 and promoted the academic education in 1956. of girls in the city for twenty-eight years. He was Chairman of the Board of Governors The pendant is attached to the silver chain from 1958-1968. Their daughter Mrs by two silver triangular plates, one with the Helen Hilson (née Eaton) was the London letters LHS and the other OGA. president from 2000-2001. It is remarkable The majority of presidents provided that both mother and daughter were their own plaque and each president was presidents of the Association, forty years responsible for engraving her own name on apart. the plaque. A few made on-going repairs to the chain at their own expense. Mrs Norah The LHSOGA chain has represented girls Foss (née Kelly and president in 2004-2005) of all former schools; St Lurachs, Victoria had the ribbon shortened and the silver High School, Londonderry High School, links strengthened. Mrs Isabel McNally CBE Foyle and Londonderry College through (née Mitchell and president in 2007-2008) to the present day and has been worn with shortened the ribbon by doubling it in half pride by all the lady presidents past and and paid for the names to be rearranged present. in chronological order. As time passed the chain became too long and heavy to be worn Miss Margaret McKillip MA (Headmistress comfortably around the neck so Mrs Ruth of Ladies Collegiate College and Victoria Miss Mabel Colhoun Hamilton (née Edmiston and past president High School): ‘I and my sisters have always from 2010-2011) had the ribbon removed, cherished warmest thoughts of our old Argent on a cross, an embattled triple thus shortening the chain and also had a girls and have taken pride in their various tower symbolising the walls of the city, the small ‘neck’ chain attached so the weight achievements.’ owl of Athene signifying wisdom, and two of the chain was borne more comfortably books representing learning and a reminder on the shoulders. In 2012 Dr Kanchan As quoted by Miss M F McIlroy OBE MA that LHS came from the amalgamation of McAllister (née Chada and the first joint in 1952 (Headmistress of LHS from 1930- Victoria High School and St Lurachs. The lady president of the LHSOGA and FCFPA) 1962): “Independence in education is livery colours were blue, black and white/ added a silver plaque in honour of Miss M costly, it is to our Old Girls’ Association, silver with a Red Cross taken from the City F McIlroy, the founder of LHSOGA. The our closest friend and ally, that we naturally arms, thus indicating the location of the original ribbon and two silver attachment look for help, nothing matters more than school. bars are kept separately in the chain case. education.”

LHS School Badge 1922 LHS School Badge 1957 LHSOGA Pendant with Motto in Greek LHS and OGA Silver Lettering ‘AS EVER IN GOD’S OWN SIGHT’ 64 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

HISTORY OF THE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION & CHAIN

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“Loyalty and affection are not created by physical environment, but by standards set and the traditions acquired over the years.”

“In the pleasure of meeting one another again we shall find new ways of furthering the greatness of the school.”

“Long may the Association and the magazine continue to Flourish.”

INFORMATION WAS GATHERED FROM PAST PRESIDENTS, PAST OLD GIRLS’ MAGAZINES AND ‘THE FOYLE’BOOK. PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE CHAIN TAKEN BY KANCHU McALLISTER IN 2008 AND 2012.

Dr Kanchu McAllister (née Chada). First joint LHSOGA & FCFPA President 2012

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Presidential chain with blue ribbon in 2008 The LHSOGA Chain Case

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65 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

Old Boys’ Association President’s Chain of Office

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The Old Boys’ Association was founded each was used to continue the record until housed became increasingly age worn and in 1928 but a fine chain of office was all had been used. It was first worn by the in 2000 the then president, Emil Hamilton, not commissioned until 1939, when past 1939 President, Isaac J T Colquhoun at the commissioned a new box to mark his year in president John G Michaels (President 1934 annual dinner in the City Hotel. office and to celebrate the new millennium. -35) had the chain designed and made by Over the years, the pendant has suffered the London jewellers, Toye and Company. In 1994 the then Headmaster, Hugh wear from friction with the extension chain. This company holds a royal warrant and Gillespie, a silver smith of some considerable In 2015 President Denis Connolly agreed still makes all the honours medals presented talent, was commissioned to create an to fund the repair of the pendant. It was by the Queen each year. The chain would extension chain with a further sixteen returned to its original jewellers, Toye and be worn on all official and social occasions shields. The medallion which is fixed to the Company in London and recently returned during the term of office of each president. chain of shields bears an enamelled crest of in mint condition. We are indebted to It consisted of a single row of twenty eight Foyle College surrounded by silver lettering Denis for his kind contribution towards the silver shields on which the names of each on blue enamel bearing the words “Foyle restoration and it will be on display at all the president would be engraved with the year College Old Boys’ Association” and above events in 2017 when we celebrate the 400th of his office. The first shield records that this in brown enamel the title “President.” anniversary of the school’s foundation. John Ross was president in 1928-29. He was A further two shields were added in 2015. William Lynn Lord Chief Justice of Ireland. When the N.B. Illustrations of both chains can be viewed twenty eight shields were filled the back of The original box in which the chain was in this edition.

The restored Old Boys Chain of Office

Detail of the restored re enameled pendent

66 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

Robert H. Rockwell (1885-1973)

1830 1850 1910 1950 1840 1900 1915 1962

The following is a working draft of a After five years in Manhattan, Rockwell collect oceanic birds and animals. Sailing Wikipedia submission: (aged 21) moved upstate to Rochester, NY, from New London, Connecticut, on the Robert H. Rockwell, one of the leading where he learned taxidermy in a more three-masted schooner Blossom (wind being twentieth-century animal artists, evolved scientific setting. Ward’s Natural Science its only form of propulsion), he and the crew into sculpture by way of taxidermy. Studying Establishment, the world famous supplier spent a year and a half sailing the Atlantic, animals in the wild and in captivity, of mounted animals to museums and visiting all the islands of the Cape Verde learning their anatomy through hunting collectors, furnished practically all the group. Rockwell hunted lions (shooting his and skinning the hides, was the foundation natural history specimens used in scientific first at 300 yards) and antelope in Africa, of his career. institutions in America. After five long stayed a month on South Trinidad Island rigorous years in Rochester, Rockwell felt and visited Rio de Janeiro, before returning Rockwell was born to Hiram W and Mary E he had acquired the knowledge to move to New York. This expedition was featured (Calhoun) Rockwell on 25 October 1885, in further in his chosen career. He learned in the July 1927 National Geographic Laurens, New York. The first seven years of of a taxidermy job in Washington DC Magazine. his life where spent in New York City. At an that would first require taking the civil early age, Rockwell’s father lost his leg in a service examination. Rockwell passed with Finally, he joined the staff of the American workplace accident and thus his livelihood. the highest score, even though he had left Museum of Natural History in New York The family was then forced to split up. Mary school in Ireland many years earlier. He was City, to this day the world’s most pre- Rockwell, the couple’s two daughters and then appointed to the staff of the National eminent institution. Many years earlier Robert moved to Ireland while his father Museum of Washington, better known while at Ward’s in Rochester, it became clear stayed in New York City. Nine years were today as the Smithsonian. It was there that that the individual named Cark Akeley was spent in Ireland while his mother and one Rockwell worked on Theodore Roosevelt’s the taxidermist he most admired. Akeley sister shortly returned to New York. African collection, and met with the former had been at Ward’s a number of years prior, president to explain the work. but his reputation was such that his name As a child, Robert attended school in County and work were often brought to Rockwell’s Donegal and Foyle College, Londonderry. It also was at the National Museum in attention. Getting a job under Akeley was a Living at his great aunt’s sixty-acre farm DC that Rockwell soon learned that his turning point in his career. After showing awakened a keen interest in domestic knowledge on mounting animals was far his skills and imagination, Rockwell was and wild animals. Chores brought young different from the ‘old school’. These asked to be his chief assistant on what was to Rockwell into daily contact with livestock differences, plus his disdain for working in be the last African expedition for Akeley in and hunted game, which he relished. By a highly bureaucratic government agency, 1926. Funded by George Eastman (Kodak) his own admission, going to school was of led him to move to the Brooklyn Institute of and Daniel Pomeroy (New York banker), they little interest, his older sister was the one Arts and Sciences in New York. For 12 years, collected the first six groups of the African always tasked with the job of getting him to he served as the institute’s chief taxidermist. Hall. Akeley, aged 62 died in Africa that the school house door. At Foyle, Rockwell During this period, he collected specimens same year, which left Rockwell, once back was a frequent visitor to the Headmaster’s of animals in Mexico, Alaska, New York in New York, almost continuously to engage office, where he remembers studying two and Newfoundland. He also began to try his in this huge project. Rockwell prepared two- mounted grouse rather more intently than hand at small sculpture. After modelling a thirds of the animals represented in the hall, listening to the stern lectures concerning his horse, he went to the Metropolitan Museum and designed many of the groups. Rockwell school studies. He carried this curiosity with in NYC to study sculpture, especially those also worked on the moose, brown bear and him when he returned to America at age 16 of Gutzon Borglum. At the Brooklyn other animals of the North American and in 1901. Institute, The Horse Tamer by Frederick Indian Halls, having designed and prepared MacMonnies, particularly impressed him. 27 mammal groups in total. No one before Initially, Rockwell held menial work until Rockwell never tried to copy the great or since has produced such an extensive he eventually became an apprentice at a artists but rather to bring his keen sense series of large animal groups, viewed to this taxidermist’s shop in New York City. One of observation and field experience to his day by eager visitors – adult and child alike. of his many jobs was collecting crows to work. More than five million individuals a year be mounted for the Old Crow Whiskey currently visit the American Museum of Company, first shooting and then mounting In 1923, Rockwell, knowing that his future Natural History. the birds. At the time, you could go into was to be elsewhere, resigned from his post many New York saloons and find one of in Brooklyn to join a seagoing expedition Despite his eighth-grade education, Rockwell Rockwell’s crows sitting on the bar. sponsored by the Cleveland Museum, to surpassed the work of his colleagues to 67 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

Robert H. Rockwell (1885-1973)

1617 1630 1705 1750 1680 1790 become one of the few great taxidermists the presidency. It was thought to symbolize Among the small bronzes capturing animal and sculptors of the 20th century. Although the Republicans dragging the dead wood of life through his extensive observations is the never the type of individual to champion the Democrats out of Washington DC. Australian horse Phar Lap, which won first his work, he laboured continuously at In 1942, Rockwell reluctantly took early prize at the 1936 New York City exhibition perfecting his art while not seeking the retirement due to World War II and the - The Horse in Art. Many individuals were limelight. Rockwell felt more comfortable ruthless staff cutbacks. Fortunately he saddened at the tragic death of this great in the studio or out in the field hunting discovered the Eastern Shore of Virginia race horse, rumoured to have been poisoned animals. Even on vacation, a trip to the local and made the move. In the early 1950’s he due to its success at the track, Rockwell no zoo was always part of the itinerary and a and his daughter, Jeanne Noonan Rockwell, less so. A casting from the original mould much sought after pursuit. wrote the book entitled, My Way of was donated by Mr and Mrs Thomas K Becoming a Hunter, published both in the Noonan to Foyle College, Londonderry, Prior to WWII, he went on a collecting United States and Great Britain. More and Northern Ireland, in honour of the school’s expedition with Mr and Mrs Richard K more time was spent sculpting, even though 400th anniversary (2017), and his formative Mellon to the Yukon for Dall sheep and his failing eyesight forced him to give up years in Ireland; Woodland Tragedy, two to the Alexander Archipelago, off the hunting. stags deadlocked in a mortal fight, and a southeastern coast of Alaska, for bears. This solitary moose are at the Natural Museum friendship with Connie and Dick Mellon While on the Eastern Shore, Rockwell of Wild Life Art, Jackson Hole, Wyoming; grew along with their many hunting trips mentored William H Turner in various Brookgreen Gardens, Georgetown, South over the post war years and saw the creation taxidermy practices and was a huge influence Carolina has three of his bronzes: Black of numerous ceramics and bronzes. Notable in Dr Turner becoming a sculptor. Prior African Rhinoceros, African Elephant, and was his depiction of the African elephant to Rockwell’s death in 1975, Dr Turner two fighting North American Moose. carrying a large piece of a tree trunk. This purchased Rockwell’s moulds and casting sculpture was given to General Eisenhower rights, a lifetime of his sculptural works. Article supplied by Tom Noonan. Robert by the Mellons to celebrate his election to H Rockwell was his grandfather.

68 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

Dean Smahon

1830 1850 1910 1950 1840 1900 1915 1962

The following is an article which and I felt as though life wasn’t worth living. appeared in the Londonderry I hope my story will help prevent others Sentinel in September 2016 and suffering the way I have.” as Dean Smahon attended Foyle In 2015, lawyers secured Mr Smahon an College from 1973 to 1976 we interim payment allowing him to buy better thought that those of you who live prosthetics, an adapted car, rent a bungalow, further afield and would not have purchase home gym equipment and obtain had the opportunity to read it rehabilitation therapy. They are now trying might be interested. to secure an award for damages which will provide him with appropriate prosthetics so he can live as independently as possible Londonderry man reveals sepsis and have suitable accommodation, ordeal to raise awareness rehabilitation and the care he requires for A Londonderry man who lost both legs, the rest of his life. eight fingers and parts of his nose after contracting septicaemia has spoken about Mr Smahon, who represented Northern his ordeal in the hope it might prevent Ireland in javelin as a teenager, married others from suffering. Dean Smahon was 36 year old Kirsty three years ago, using left with a 10% chance of survival after he prosthetics to walk down the aisle. The fell ill in October 2010 and hospital staff couple are expecting their first child in missed opportunities to treat his sepsis February after IVF treatment, something in time. But the 54 year old form Foyle the father-to-be said he never dreamed they College student pulled through and is now would be able to do. looking forward to becoming a father for the first time. Sarah Coles, a medical negligence specialist with law firm Irwin Mitchell, said, ”Not Mr Smahon who was raised in the Abercorn diagnosing Dean’s infection that lead to Road and Limavady Road areas of the city sepsis early enough changed his life forever worked as a police officer in Northern and, although nothing can turn back the Ireland before moving to Leeds, West Yorkshire. He decided to tell his story as clock, the award of damages he will receive part of Sepsis Awareness Month. means he will be able to afford suitable and different prosthetics throughout his life and He became ill six years ago and was rushed to the ongoing rehabilitation he will need as Leeds General Infirmary. He was places in his remaining joints become over-used so he an induced coma after his flu-like symptoms can be as active as possible and help in the bringing up of his new baby.” of pain in his hip, fever and shakes worsened depression as he struggled to adapt. and his body fell into septic shock. Leeds Leeds Teaching Hospitals said the Trust was Teaching Hospitals’ NHS Trust have since Mr Smahon, who had only been in a admitted that staff missed opportunities to implementing an improvement programme relationship with his wife, Kirsty, for seven treat Mr Smahon’s infection and his body for the treatment and care of people with weeks before falling ill, said, “I was active, began shutting down his extremities in sepsis. Suzanne Hinchcliffe, chief nurse a bid to protect his vital organs. He was I liked to keep fit, I had pride in how I and deputy chief executive at the Trust, said, released from hospital three months later looked, I’d met a girl I really liked and all of “We regret that Mr Smahon did not receive but needed 30 operations over two years, a sudden I had to cope with losing my legs, the prompt treatment for his infection that which included amputation to legs, hand, hand and bits of my face. I’d lost my dignity he had the right to expect, and we reiterate fingers, parts of his nose and right ear and and self-worth. Kirsty left her teaching job our sincere apologies and his wife for these a hip replacement. He also suffered from to care for me. It was a very dark period failings”.

69 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

Brothers in Arms Foyle College and 1916

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It has long been the practice for pupils from the Inniskilling Fusiliers at Duncreggan in It was only to be expected that the magazine Foyle College to lay a wreath at the Diamond December 1915 and a defeat at the hands produced in April 1915 would feature War Memorial each Remembrance Sunday of Royal Irish Fusiliers officers at Clonmany much material about the Foyle victory in to mark the sacrifice of those from the city camp two years later were both recorded in the Schools Cup final the previous month, and district in past conflicts but only in the the school magazine, Our School Times. but already in the “School Notes” section it college itself is there a memorial with a full was reported that two of the team, David record of the names of former Foyle pupils This college magazine was produced three and Thomas Creswell, were preparing to who fell in conflict. Of the 72 names listed times a year and is a most useful chronicle leave Foyle to join the Royal Irish Rifles at on the college Great War Memorial only a of the fortunes of those who enlisted. The Newcastle. In the October magazine readers few had served in the navy or the new Flying Editorial, Old Boys News, and School learned that the number of old boys to have Corps and some had enlisted in Canadian Notes allowed readers to keep up to date died in the war had reached double figures and South African contingents but the vast with those who had enlisted but it was the and that almost half of the Schools Cup majority were subalterns in the British army regular inclusion of a “Roll of Honour” team had joined up, five of them obtaining and as such, experienced a short life span. which showed the magnitude of Foyle’s commissions, including the two Creswell contribution to the war effort. It was in brothers and J A Williams, whose brother Like many long-established schools before the magazine produced in June 1915 that Captain Charles Beasley Williams had been the Great War, Foyle College had an Officer the first deaths in action of old boys were killed a month earlier. Training Corps, its drill instructor being a reported and added to the Roll of Honour sergeant from Ebrington barracks and so of over one hundred and twenty known to Besides news about former pupils in it was not surprising that many Foyle boys be serving in the war. Subsequent editions military service and occasional reports from who joined the army on leaving school of the magazine provided information about them as well as the regular college activities, were soon given commissions. The army the old boys some of whom visited the the short lived military conflict in Dublin at connection was also reinforced by the college and others wrote letters. One who Easter 1916 found its way into the magazine. tradition of rugby matches between Foyle wrote about his experiences was Thomas Wilson, then a pupil at Foyle, found himself and the local garrison. Indeed matches were Creswell from Inch who together with his stranded in Dublin as a consequence of held during the war itself. A Foyle victory brother David had played in the successful the fighting and the account of what he over the officers of the 3rd Battalion of Schools Cup Rugby team in 1915. witnessed formed six printed pages in

70 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

Brothers in Arms Foyle College and 1916

1830 1850 1910 1950 1840 1900 1915 1962 the April edition. On Thursday 4 May the large schoolroom at Lawrence Hill, then the audience stood in silence while the 1916 he left Dublin for the North noting the site of Foyle College. In the Autumn of names of all from the college who had died in his journal that he had “seen most of that year, the Tercentenary of the college, were read out. Only recently added to the the damage done during the Sinn Fein the magazine contained a black bordered list, were the names of Lieutenant Victor rebellion. I departed leaving Dublin once page entitled ‘Morts Au Champ d’Honneur’ Wilson, age nineteen, and Captain Ernest more in the hands of the King”. and listed inside it were 51 names, followed Joseph Williams. Both had died within days by eleven pages of four hundred names in of each other and just a few weeks short Although Wilson may not have been aware the college ‘Roll of Honour’. The editorial of the Armistice, Wilson the boy who had of it when writing his journal the conflict for this Tercentenary issue of the magazine witnessed the Easter Rising and Williams in Dublin claimed the life of a former Foyle contained the following comment, an older brother of Alfie and Charles pupil. A photograph of Lieutenant Crocket Beasley, all of whom were sons of James with a reference to his death in Dublin “At a time when the world and Emily Williams from Northland Road, appeared in the same school magazine as is labouring in anguish, Londonderry. Wilson’s account of the Easter events and of course the officer’s name is recorded on celebrations are somewhat In the school magazine of February 1920 the Great War memorial in the college as out of place, but in this at the end of a list of old boys who had well as on the Londonderry City memorial. died in the Great War readers learned of year which marks the the proposal to inscribe the names on a Undoubtedly the major military event of Tercentenary of our War Memorial which would be placed in the summer of 1916 was the opening of the the school-room of Lower Foyle College. battle of the Somme and it was not long foundation, it is fitting Inscribed in bold black lettering these before the magazine printed a letter from names are now to be found on the wooden a Foyle boy who was present. Lieutenant to pause in reverence and memorial in the Assembly hall of the Thomas Cresswell in the November issue Springtown building where the college holds described how his battalion had gone over pay our silent homage to an Act of Remembrance each November. the top with eight hundred men of whom those of our old boys who only three hundred survived. From the It is unlikely that the college authorities will eight new officers who took part only he, have laid down their lives consign the present Great War Memorial his brother David, and two others were to the archive and replace it with one alive. Both brothers fortunately survived the in the Great War. Most war but David, who had scored the winning of them fell in the very with names inscribed in gold as called for try for Foyle in the 1915 Cup Final, had his in 1917. However, there can be no doubt foot amputated. At this time the magazine morning of promise…” that as preparations are made to celebrate revealed that over 300 former pupils were its Quatercentenary and with a move to a listed on the Roll of Honour, 30 having Given the considerable coverage in the new site an appropriate place should be made the supreme sacrifice, 11 of whom magazine of these years to news of the former identified there for present and future had died in the previous six months. No pupils involved in the conflict one might pupils to see the names of those from the doubt the Cresswell brothers would have conclude that there was an unquestioning college who were part of the lost youth of been especially saddened to hear of the support for the war often to the exclusion of 1914-1918 death of their former friend from the Cup other issues, but this was not the case. In the team, Lieutenant J A (Alfie) Williams who vibrant debating society the prosecution of For the creation of this article the was killed, aged eighteen, in September just the war was often an issue and certainly on school magazine collection was of course a year after his brother Captain Charles one occasion, the “Election Night” debate indispensable. It forms part of a much Beasley Williams. of March 1917, the boys advanced the views larger archive currently being preserved by of a War candidate, and a Peace candidate, Dr R Montgomery, Mr S McMahon, Mr It was in 1917, three years into the conflict, as well as the arguments of candidates K Gamble and Mrs M Deans. I am very that a call came from within the college representing the Irish Nationalist Party, appreciative of their diligent custodianship that the names of the fallen from Foyle be Sinn Fein and the Suffragettes. and wish to thank them for access to the recorded in gold on a board in every room in collection. the school and another suggestion was that When it came to the school prize-giving their photographs be displayed on the wall of just over a year later in December 1918 Jim Heasley 71 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

Introduction

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72 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

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73 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

From the Archive

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Visitors to the Archive

Visitors to the Archive in 2016 have included:- Dr Daragh Curran Martin Agnew P Henderson Donald Bigger Professor Eric Beattie Mrs Yvonne Smyth Ken McCormack Party of boarders and 1962-1969 girls during their reunion Open Day in January 2017 The archivists were pleased to provide items of historical interest about the school to the History Department for display on Open Day in January 2017. Yvonne Smyth signing the visitors book in the archive room. Armistice Day at Springtown

Professor Eric Beattie OBE, MBE signing the visitors book in the archive room.

Donald Bigger, Yvonne Smyth and Eric Beattie Laying a wreath at the First World War Memorial.

Forthcoming Exhibition Mabel Remington Colhoun (1905-1992) Mabel had a long association with Londonderry High School Preparatory Department as its principal from 1935 to 1967. She was a well-known local historian and archae- ologist with a number of publications to her credit. A major new exhibition about her life and work will be presented in the Tower Museum in during July 2017. A blue plaque is also to be erected in her memory. Col. Donald Bigger signing the visitors book in the archive room. 74 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

Foyle college 1617-2017

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This year Foyle College celebrates Realising on his visit in 1613 to inspect the In 1707/08 the extension to accommodate the 400th anniversary of its settlement, that there were no plans to build the Diocesan Library was added with a school, Mathias Springham on his own Archbishop King covering the cost (£100) foundation in 1617 and several initiative decided to build the school at his so that the Bishop Hopkins Library events are being organised to own expense. The site chosen was on the now resided in the school. The Master celebrate this significant occasion. west side of the now Grand Parade in front became the Diocesan Librarian receiving The following article traces the of Saint Augustine’s Church. The school £12 annually for this extra duty. In 1702 history of the school over four was built of stone, was 67’ long, 25’ wide and Dr Roger Blackhall had been appointed a storey and a half high. The second storey and he stayed until 1734. In 1706 Derry centuries, a history well catalogued contained the lodging apartments and the had a population of 2848 and there was in the wealth of information held in first consisted of the school room and hall. substantial rebuilding of the school in 1710. the school’s archive. Much research The Master had a salary of 20 marks (a mark Dr Thomas Molyneux, visiting in 1708 has been carried out over the years = two thirds of a pound sterling) and was recorded he saw many new and restored by men such as W S Ferguson, expected to instruct 20 poor students in the buildings. From 1718 Derry began to build Classics. The first Master we are aware of is its reputation as the premier port for trade W A C McConnell and D A E John Wood (1634). and emigration from Ulster in the 18th Roberts, and continues today with century. the archive team led by Dr Robert Montgomery. There can be few institutions, schools, or others, that can trace such a detailed and unbroken history. Foyle remains probably the oldest such institution in this city, pre-dating the city walls and St Columb’s Cathedral. Aged 52 in 1613, Mathias lived to see the Free School in use so that in 1618, Captain The Very Early Years: 1617 Pynnar in his report on the City of Derry Although Sir Cahir O’Doherty was defeated to the Privy Council was able to provide a in 1608, the planters who viewed the good description of the school with its two prospective settlement in Derry were aware small houses in a city comprising 92 houses that considerable hostility persisted in the with 102 families and room for up to 100 surrounding area. Hence the building more houses. With its opening in 1617, the of the fortification began in 1613 and the Free School was built before the City Walls early town later grew within the area to be were completed in 1618, and St Columb’s protected when the walls were built. Early Cathedral was ready in 1633. The Town houses were built off Queen’s Street (later House built in the Diamond opened in Bishop Street) with the erection of a Free 1622. School as a unique and necessary feature of the new settlement. Though not a royal Almost One Century later: 1717 school (under the 1608 Act of James I) this In 1689 the Free School was situated on By the end of Dr Blackhall’s time, 18 boys building preceded by a number of decades the street now known as School House had entered Trinity College Dublin with any royal school in the province. The town Lane. During the siege the boys were sent more than 150 going during the century. was slow to evolve, the undertakers were home and the ground floor of the building Of these eight became fellows and one the reluctant inhabitants and the main purpose became a mill used for grinding corn for Provost. After 1720 a register of the masters of the school was to provide an education the soldiers. It was seriously damaged by and ushers of the school was regularly kept for their sons. enemy fire and needed restoration in 1692 and in 1721 Henry Gonne was appointed for which part of a grant from Queen Mary as Usher. covered the cost.

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Up until Bishop Knox’s appointment as All schools were relatively endowed with Bishop of Derry in 1803 all headmasters scholastic and sporting facilities and had been appointed by the crown until he although they were not yet co-educational, himself acquired the right in his capacity as relationships between them were cordial Bishop of Derry in 1808. At its opening and the FCD swimming pool was shared the new school had 110 pupils including with other schools but at different times. 54 boarders. Reverend James Knox (1794– 1834) was headmaster, Reverend William Alas the comfort of the Edwardian period Phelan second master and there were three would not last, and the start of WWI assistants. soon brought changes which are recorded in the Foyle College magazines. The Almost Two Centuries Later: 1817 In 1814 the population of the city and mightiest cataclysm in history is shaking the Following almost two centuries of work Northwest Liberties was 14,087. Derry had foundations of the civilised world but pupils within the walls, in August 1814 the new experienced many prosperous years in the were exhorted to keep cheerful (October Free School at Lawrence Hill was about decades after 1783. By 1763 there were at 1914). Funds began to be collected for the ready for occupation and it opened on 29 least 40 vessels of 200 to 300 tonnes based relief fund and an Officer Training Corps August 1814. The cost of £14,000 was met in the port with active trade to the West was initiated with plans for a rifle range. by the Corporation of Derry, the County Indies. Trade involved herring and linen, Derry Grand Jury, most of the 12 London and there were active flax and grain markets It was the start of a commitment on the part Companies and Bishop William Knox, with some manufacturing after 1800. In of the former pupils as well as the boys which Bishop of Derry, to whose exertions the 1816 the first steamboat was in use trading would increasingly dominate the life of the success of the undertaking was mainly to Glasgow and Liverpool. By 1816 the school. Our Old Boys were also involved attributable. Almost immediately, one Courthouse was ready and in 1823 the in the Easter Rising and the Somme, and of the pupils, George Fletcher Moore, Town House in the Diamond was rebuilt the first deaths in action were recorded from proposed that the school should now be and became Corporation Hall. June 1915. As the war proceeded these lists known as Foyle College. This was universally of dead and wounded increased until our approved by the boys and adopted although Foyle College Derry would now enter a Roll of Honour of 1920 recorded the names the name, the Derry Diocesan School still period of relative quiescence until 1868, of 72 former pupils who gave their lives. lived on for many years. when with the dissolution of the Church of Ireland, it lost the Diocesan Library and the first layman, Maurice C Hime, was appointed headmaster in 1877.

1917 Following the amalgamation with the Londonderry Academical Institution in 1896, the school entered a peaceful and relatively prosperous period at the end of the Victorian and into the Edwardian era. While the country was at war attempts to maintain some semblance of normality The Londonderry Ladies Collegiate School continued. Lessons were taught, became Victoria High School in 1887 and Intermediate Examinations came and went, twelve years later it joined with the Strand prizes were awarded and those successful House School while continuing to use the proceeded to university. Above all, sporting VHS title. In 1900, St Lurach’s, founded activities were engaged in, the Debating by Miss Jane Kerr opened at the top of Society functioned, the Scouts cultivated a Lawrence Hill and it would join with the fair sized area of land and their example was VHS to form the Londonderry High School taken up in other areas of the grounds by in 1922. Northlands, ‘the Housewifery enterprising masters. The boarding school School’, was set up in 1908 to ‘develop a remained open, the school magazine was side of Domestic Economy’. printed each term and the headmaster, R 76 Former Pupils Association magazine | QUATERCENTENARY edition Vol 1

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F Dill, continued to lead and would do so until 1928.

In 1917 the school entered its fourth century during the Great War in which 400 of its former pupils responded to the call to arms in the defence of freedom. All were volunteers and all were willing to make the supreme sacrifice.

1917 saw the growth, after the Easter Rising, of Sinn Féin now more militant than previously reaching a period of power that would lead to the landslide of the 1918 post The Second World War caused massive war general election which saw the demise upheaval for the schools. Whereas, during of the Irish Parliamentary Party. A branch the Great War, they had functioned with a of Sinn Féin had been founded in the city degree of normality, this was not to be after in August 1917. 1939. Foyle had both of its buildings taken over by the services, the boarders were sent 2017 home and the day boys were confined to a The last century has probably witnessed small part of the Academical Institution. greater challenges in the school’s fortunes Boarders from Londonderry High School than any of the preceding three centuries. Like Foyle, the school retained its large were moved, first to Ashbrook and later The Great War was in its final stages with all preparatory and boarding departments to Greenfield, a large house in Strabane, the brutality, sacrifice and heroism which it which in the years 1890 until 1938 were where they remained for the duration of the brought. The upheaval it caused could be managed by sisters, Miss Jane and Miss war. Thirty-nine former pupils gave their measured in no small detail by the school. Katherine Wright. The early prep school lives during the conflict and their names A war memorial was dedicated in 1923 was located in the Londonderry Academical are recorded on a separate memorial board naming the 72 fallen from its former pupils. Institution, Academy Road, and remained dedicated in 1947. there until the Second World War when it In 1921 the Irish Free State was formed and was forced to close. the city lost much of its Donegal hinterland from where many of its pupils came. In Londonderry High School established its spite of this the flow of pupils from there boarding department or kindergarten, as continued, many of them as boarders. it was known, in 1935 under the guidance of Mabel Colhoun. It was housed in The following year, 1922, saw the the outbuildings of Dunseveric House, amalgamation of Victoria High School and behind Duncreggan. The two preparatory St Lurach’s to form Londonderry High departments amalgamated in 1967 and School. The purchase of Duncreggan House a new building was constructed beside and grounds (former home of William Dunseveric House. It later became the Tillie, founder of the city’s largest shirt Preparatory Department which closed in factory) in 1928 saw the transformation 2003. of girls education complete. The driving force in this was the MacKillip sisters and later, Miss Mary French McIlroy who was headmistress from 1930 to 1962.

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and huge shifts of population. Staff and procured in 2010. It has been renamed pupils found life difficult and all activities Springham Campus and the name, Foyle were affected or disrupted. Sports teams and Londonderry College, adopted by the would not travel to the city and parents were coeducational school, has reverted to the concerned about the journey to school. original Foyle College. The school will take Numbers in both Londonderry High ownership of its new buildings at the end of School and Foyle College declined to under this year and move to the Waterside after its 600 pupils and the Boards of Governors of long history in and around the west bank each school decided that amalgamation to of the city. a single, coeducational school was essential for their survival. This was achieved in In spite of the years of austerity that followed 1976 with the two buildings retained and the war, the schools flourished. Foyle the school operating on a split-site basis, a returned to Lawrence Hill and eventually situation that has remained for 40 years. the building in Academy Road would close in the 1960s. The musical traditions, long associated with Foyle, had a resurgence in the 1950s with the production of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas, organised principally by Michael Franklin, organist of St Columb’s Cathedral. These played to capacity audiences in the Guildhall during The Lawrence Statue of John Lawrence, the years 1949 until 1956. This strong Viceroy of India 1864-69, will make its fourth musical tradition continues today and the Springtown, to which Foyle had moved and hopefully final, journey later this year. amalgamation with the girls school added in 1967, became the Junior School and It was commissioned in London, placed to the scope and quality of the productions. Duncreggan, the Senior School, requiring close to the Mall, but then gifted to the staff to travel between the two. Apart British Residency at Lucknow, India. The from this unsatisfactory physical difficulty, Lawrence family disliked the statue and re- combining the traditions and ethos of the commissioned another which stands in the two diverse schools was a difficult task and original site near the Mall. The statue was much credit must go to Hugh Gillespie, the almost destroyed during the 1947 partition headmaster during that period. The last of India but was eventually retrieved and vestiges of the combination were complete shipped to London for repair. The Old when Londonderry High Old Girls and Boys Association brought it back and had it Foyle College Old Boys amalgamated in erected in 1963 at Lawrence Hill. It moved 2012. with the school to Springtown in 1967 and will move again, later this year, to its new site in front of the school and looking, once again, towards the River Foyle.

However difficult those early years of amalgamation, the school has returned to its former prosperity, with numbers increasing towards 850. After many frustrations and delays, it was with much relief that the After 1969 and two decades of relative decision to build a new school was finally stability in the province, ‘The Troubles’ approved in 2014. A site at the former Robert Mongtomery, would convulse the city with civil disturbance Clooney Base in Limavady Road had been Sean McMahon, William Lynn

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Gleanings from the High School Archive

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School Rules circa 1850 The following item appeared in the magazine Gateway in 1969. (extracted from an English source) No young lady shall become a member of this school who cannot HARVEST HEAT kindle a fire, wash potatoes and repeat the multiplication table. Hushed And lulled No cosmetics, perfumeries or fancy soap will be allowed on the The field lay, under a high sky sun; premises. Pushed Every member of this school shall walk at least a mile every day And pulled unless an earthquake or some other calamity prevent. Come the sound of steel on stone, For, slashing the drowsiness No member of this school is expected to have any male acquaintances The mower was whetting his scythe unless they are retired missionaries or agents of some benevolent And the sycamores heard a sleepless sigh. society. No member of this institution shall tarry before the mirror for more Close hills than three consecutive minutes. Shimmered Liquidly, fascinating the mower. No member of this school shall devote more than one hour each Larks’ trills week to miscellaneous reading. Shakespeare, Sir Walter Scott’s Simmered novels, Robinson Crusoe and immoral works are strictly forbidden. Down the thin burnt air. Lower And deeper and cooler sinks now Dental Survey 1943 The sycamores’ shade, and naked sheaves In a Dental Survey carried out by Dr Armattoe FLS FZS FSA Scot., Are whitening on the empty stubble. a report of which was published in ‘Nature’ of November 27th, 1943, it was revealed that the girls of our school have the best teeth Note: This was the second poem I had published and was written of any schools in the British Isles. The highest record so far has in 1959. It appeared in a small magazine at Queen’s and it was been that of St Peter’s College, Adelaide, South Australia, where signed “Incerties”; I was uncertain whether I might be a poet. I 66% of the pupils have good teeth; the figure for Londonderry High still like it as it’s the first poem that explores childhood memories. School is 64%. We are proud of this and it is an encouragement to Seamus Heaney. care well for teeth.

Visit of members of the Free French Army 1944 FRANCE UNDER THE GERMANS – On April 27th, Lieutenant Michel of the Free French Army spoke to us in excellent English, about life in France under German rule. He talked mainly of the part played by women in the struggle for freedom. Now that so many men have been deported to Germany, there are, in France, more women than men. Thus in the underground movement many women have to do men’s work. Lieutenant Michel told us several stories of the work done by the women in the underground movement. One lady, a history mistress in Lyons, was the leader of a band of guerrilla fighters. Under cover of her books she carried a revolver, and at night, and when she pretended to be ill, she led this band of guerrillas in sabotage work. When her husband was arrested, the history mistress planned and executed a daring plan to rescue him. They have now arrived in England and their daughter, who was born a fortnight after their arrival here, has, as one of her Christian names ‘Mitraillette’ from ‘Mitrailleuse’ – sub-machine-gun.

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And in 1970 the girls were honoured by a visit from Brian Friel This year Gateway was privileged in obtaining an interview with Mr Brian Friel, the well-known Irish playwright, whose works include “Philadelphia Here I Come” and “The Loves of Cass Maguire”, both great successes on the American stage as well as in Ireland.

Deciding that the best place to start was at the beginning we asked Mr Friel about his early life. He described his childhood as being rather regular and normal. He started writing at the age of about twenty about which time he began teaching. This career was continued for ten years in various schools in and around Londonderry before he made writing his full-time occupation

The influence of his early family life is Americans but he explained that “few Irish When asked if he agreed with the statement particularly evident in Mr Friel’s short Americans go to the theatre and audiences that “Belfast is a cultural Sahara”, Mr Friel stories and he believes that “nothing are largely Jewish.” They are experienced said that because of the commercial society important happens to you after you are theatre-goers, unlike the Derry population in Belfast, very few people were concerned seventeen or eighteen when you feel the who rarely go to a theatre and are unsure of with culture. The lack of concern in whole world needs experiencing.” how to respond. Londonderry he found due to the split community. Mr Friel thought Dublin was In “The Loves of Cass Maguire” he involved He also felt that most writers retell their revered as the “Athens of Ireland” but this the audiences by speeches Cass makes lives and try to disguise them: “Every writer was something of a myth because, compared is limited, trying to recast one thing in directly to them. This “dual” dialogue Mr with other capitals of Europe, theatre-going different forms with subtle disguises.” Friel found useful for revealing all aspects of the character. Another variation on this is is minimal. As Mr Friel writes both plays and short used in “Philadelphia Here I Come” where stories, we asked him which he found most the main character is played by one actor At this point, our talk with Mr Friel effective for conveying a particular point. and his conscience by another. nearly over, two very inexperienced and He believes they are both effective – but on apprehensive interviewers decided to different levels. “The theatre is a very vulgar Although Mr Friel has made provision in venture the question, “Are playwrights apt form of art where one puts an idea across to “The Loves of Cass Maguire” for the use of to weigh up everyone they meet and relate maybe a thousand people at once. It has to music to intensify atmosphere, he feels that them to characters in their plays?” be rapid and dramatic and so a point can writing under the influence of music may be only be made very broadly. Few people really embarrassing afterwards because what one Mr Friel confessed he at least had this think about the deeper contents of a play as has written had been very personal. Mr Friel tendency, “like an old housewife storing they watch it. The story on the other hand admits he is suspicious of lyrical writing. is a very private form of communication pieces of string in case they will come in between writer and reader.” He thinks Frank O’Connor’s stories useful some day.” excellent and has great admiration for James Christine Smyth and Margaret Porter U6 We asked Mr Friel if his successes in America Joyce but feels O’Casey’s plays have little were in any way due to the support of Irish meaning for this generation. Article supplied by Ken Gamble

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Magazine Order Form

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FOYLE COLLEGE FORMER PUPILS’ MAGAZINE PRINTED COPY

This magazine is currently available on the school’s website – simply click on the Former Pupils icon on the web page. In the editorial you will note that from this year it will be available principally on line and copies will only be provided and posted to those who return the mandate below. The increasing cost of publishing and postage has made this course of action essential. By filling in and returning the standing order mandate for £5 to be paid annually, a copy will be posted to you in future years and the editors will know how many copies to order from the publishers.

If you want to secure a copy in future, the mandate form below should be returned to (if you have already completed one of these and receive a copy of the magazine there is no need to complete another one. The standing order remains in place until you cancel it):- The Bursar Foyle College Duncreggan Road Londonderry BT48 0AW. ✁ ✁ ✁

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Introduction

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Introduction

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Introduction

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84 Read the intricate history of Foyle College, through life experiences and over 200 images. This book is a unique and treasured record for all connected. £25.00 Available from school offices Editor: Mr William Lynn Assistant Editor: Mrs Mildred Deans Design & Print: iPrint

Junior School Senior School Springtown Duncreggan Road Londonderry Londonderry BT48 0LX BT48 0AW Tel. (028) 71361526 Tel. (028) 71269321

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