| Revision as of 00:33, 5 February 2019 edit2a00:23c4:9691:9300:4084:f53c:c06f:d444 (talk) MistakeTags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit← Previous edit | Latest revision as of 00:19, 11 January 2025 edit undoRandy Kryn (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users287,032 edits →Nobel Prize winners: uppercase per direct link (Nobel Prize) | ||
| (150 intermediate revisions by 80 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| {{More citations needed|date=May 2023}} | |||
| {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}} | ||
| {{Use British English|date=April 2015}} | {{Use British English|date=April 2015}} | ||
| {{Infobox |
{{Infobox school | ||
| | name = St Columb's College | | name = St Columb's College | ||
| | image = St Columb's College logo new.png | | image = St Columb's College logo new.png | ||
| | caption = | | caption = | ||
| | motto = Quaerite Primum Regnum Dei <br> (Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God) | | motto = Quaerite Primum Regnum Dei <br /> (Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God) | ||
| | address = Buncrana Road | | address = Buncrana Road | ||
| | city = ] | | city = ] | ||
| Line 12: | Line 13: | ||
| | coordinates = | | coordinates = | ||
| | established = {{Start date|1879|11|03|df=y}} | | established = {{Start date|1879|11|03|df=y}} | ||
| | type = |
| type = Secondary school | ||
| | religious_affiliation = ] | | religious_affiliation = ] | ||
| | head_label = Principal | | head_label = Principal | ||
| | head = |
| head = Caroline McLaughlin | ||
| | enrolment = |
| enrolment = 1800 | ||
| | lower_age = 11 | | lower_age = 11 | ||
| | upper_age = 18 | | upper_age = 18 | ||
| | colours = |
| colours = {{color box|blue}}{{color box|gold}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Handbook for Parents and Pupils|url=http://www.stcolumbs.com/index.php?option=com_rokdownloads&view=folder&Itemid=66&id=9:info-for-parents|publisher=St. Columb’s College, Derry|page=24|year=2013|quote=The official College playing colours for athletic and sporting activities are: ... (royal blue/gold band and gold collar and cuffs)|access-date=15 May 2014|archive-date=17 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517154645/http://www.stcolumbs.com/index.php?option=com_rokdownloads&view=folder&Itemid=66&id=9:info-for-parents|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
| | website = http://www.stcolumbs.com | | website = http://www.stcolumbs.com | ||
| | footnotes = | | footnotes = | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| '''St Columb's College''' |
'''St Columb's College''' is a ] boys' ] in ], Northern Ireland. Since 2008, it has been a ] in ]. It is named after Saint ], the missionary monk from ] who founded a monastery in the area. The college was originally built to educate young men into the priesthood, but now educates boys in a variety of disciplines. | ||
| St Columb's College was established in 1879 on Bishop Street (now the site of ]), but later moved to Buncrana Road in the suburbs of the city. | St Columb's College was established in 1879 on Bishop Street (now the site of ]), but later moved to Buncrana Road in the suburbs of the city. | ||
| == Early history |
== Early history == | ||
| St Columb's College was preceded by several failed attempts to create such an institution in Derry. Repeated but sporadic efforts were made to maintain a seminary for almost a century; at Clady, near ], in the late eighteenth century, at Ferguson's Lane in Derry in the early nineteenth century and at Pump Street (first reference to St Columb's College as such) in the city from 1841 to 1864. | St Columb's College was preceded by several failed attempts to create such an institution in Derry. Repeated but sporadic efforts were made to maintain a seminary for almost a century; at Clady, near ], in the late eighteenth century, at Ferguson's Lane in Derry in the early nineteenth century and at Pump Street (first reference to St Columb's College as such) in the city from 1841 to 1864. | ||
| St Columb's finally opened its doors on 3 November 1879 with two priest teachers, |
St Columb's finally opened its doors on 3 November 1879 with two priest teachers, Edward O'Brien and John Hassan. The school was considered to be quite large at the time and was expected to accommodate 20–30 boarders. The school quickly gained a reputation for academic achievement. On 18 September 1931 the '']'' listed St Columb's College's academic results. They were as follows: | ||
| Two University Scholarships, | |||
| Three Exhibitions and Prizes, | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| Two Pupil Teacherships, | |||
| Eight regional Committee Scholarships, | |||
| 31 Passed Matriculation, | |||
| ⚫ | 26 |
||
| ⚫ | 52 |
||
| The results were impressive for a young and regional school but they were testimony to the scholarship that was taking place at St Columb's. | |||
| * 2 university scholarships | |||
| ⚫ | == The Education Act |
||
| * 3 exhibitions and prizes | |||
| ⚫ | One of the most notable |
||
| ⚫ | * 6 calls in King's Scholarship exam (calls to teacher training) | ||
| ⚫ | The Education Act |
||
| * 2 pupil teacherships | |||
| ⚫ | In September 1973 St. Columb's College opened a new campus on the Buncrana Road in the city. The new site would cater for the senior years; its initial enrolment was of 900. The new building was designed by Frank Corr of Corr & McCormick and constructed by J Kennedy & Co. The total cost was £762,000.{{Citation needed|reason=It would be helpful if there was a reference to back up this claim|date=December 2013}} This figure does not include the £56,000 spent employing W & J McMonagle Ltd to construct the playing fields. | ||
| * 8 regional committee scholarships | |||
| * 31 passed matriculation | |||
| ⚫ | * 26 passed Senior Leaving Cert. exam | ||
| ⚫ | * 52 passed Junior Leaving Cert. exam | ||
| ⚫ | == The Education Act 1947 and expansion == | ||
| ==Change== | |||
| ⚫ | One of the most notable alumni of St Columb's College, ], noted, "When the history of St. Columb's College in this century is written, it will be clear that one of its major transformations, if not its major transformation, took place as a result of the Eleven Plus examination." | ||
| {{unreferenced section|date=October 2014}} | |||
| In 1997 the school ceased to be a split-site institution and reunited itself on the Buncrana Road after the completion of a new Senior block to the rear of the existing buildings. This two-storey structure would house the facilities for ] instruction. | |||
| The ] 1998 saw a new era of peace for Northern Ireland. The thirty years of violence had concealed the wider change in social attitudes. More and more of the teaching staff at St Columb's were female and fewer were priests. {{citation needed|date=October 2014}} | |||
| ⚫ | The ] provided for free secondary education to all throughout the United Kingdom. Entry to St. Columb's College, a grammar school, would be determined by one's performance in the ] or Transfer Test. The immediate result was an explosion in pupil numbers, a shortfall in teaching staff and greater pressure on existing resources. In 1941 the student body numbered 263. By 1960 the number stood at 770 with a teaching staff of 35. In under twenty years the school's size had tripled. It was now clear that additional facilities would be needed. | ||
| In September 2008, for the first time in St Columb's 129-year history, a lay person became Principal taking over from the Rev ] who had served for eight years as President. The new Principal was Mr Sean McGinty, former Vice President with responsibility for Pastoral matters. Mr McGinty retired in August 2012 and was succeeded by Mr Finbar J Madden. | |||
| In the academic year 2004/05 St Columb's College celebrated its 125th anniversary. To mark the event, a series of lectures were held. Guests included ], ], ], former Irish ], ], then ], ] and Dr Peter Jones. {{Who|date=October 2014}} In addition, a history of St Columb's was commissioned; the book, "Seeking the Kingdom", was edited by Finbar Madden and Thomas Bradley. {{citation needed|date=October 2014}} | |||
| ⚫ | In September 1973 St. Columb's College opened a new campus on the Buncrana Road in the city. The new site would cater for the senior years; its initial enrolment was of 900. The new building was designed by Frank Corr of Corr & McCormick and constructed by J Kennedy & Co. The total cost was £762,000.{{Citation needed|reason=It would be helpful if there was a reference to back up this claim|date=December 2013}} This figure does not include the £56,000 spent employing W & J McMonagle Ltd to construct the playing fields. | ||
| == Sport == | == Sport == | ||
| Line 59: | Line 54: | ||
| ==Nobel Prize winners== | ==Nobel Prize winners== | ||
| The school claims two ] amongst its ]. They are: | The school claims two ] laureates amongst its ]. They are: | ||
| *] – ], 1995 | *] – ], 1995 | ||
| *] – ], 1998 (shared with David Trimble) | *] – ], 1998 (shared with ]) | ||
| ==Notable former pupils== | ==Notable former pupils== | ||
| {{see also|Category:People educated at St Columb's College}} | {{see also|Category:People educated at St Columb's College}} | ||
| The college's former pupils association makes an annual award (the Alumnus Illustrissimus Award) to "a past-pupil who has achieved something of major significance or has made a considerable contribution in his own field". |
The college's former pupils association makes an annual award (the Alumnus Illustrissimus Award) to "a past-pupil who has achieved something of major significance or has made a considerable contribution in his own field". | ||
| Notable winners of the award are as follows: | |||
| {{columns-list|colwidth=30em| | {{columns-list|colwidth=30em| | ||
| *1994 ] | *1994 ] | ||
| *1995 ], former ], ] | *1995 ], former ], ] | ||
| *1996 ], poet | *1996 ], poet | ||
| *1997 ], playwright | *1997 ], playwright | ||
| ⚫ | *1999 ], cleric | ||
| *1998 Professor Sean Mullan, neurosurgeon | |||
| ⚫ | *1999 ], cleric | ||
| *2000 Sir James Doherty | |||
| *2001 Professor Raymond Flannery, physicist | |||
| *2002 ], football player and manager | *2002 ], football player and manager | ||
| *2003 ], composer | *2003 ], composer | ||
| *2004 |
*2004 honouring all alumni (as part of the school's 125th anniversary celebrations) | ||
| *2005 ], diplomat | *2005 ], diplomat | ||
| *2006 |
*2006 ], ] in ] | ||
| *2007 ] (mathematician) |
*2007 ] (mathematician) and ] (mathematician) | ||
| *2008 ], |
*2008 ], director of the Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology (CCRCB) and dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry, ] | ||
| *2009 ], poet, novelist | *2009 ], poet, novelist | ||
| *2010 ], Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland | *2010 ], ] | ||
| *2011 ], singer-songwriter, musician | *2011 ], singer-songwriter, musician | ||
| *2013 ], Gaelic football player | |||
| *2012 Professor Declan McGonagle, academic, curator | |||
| *2015 ], ] and ] | |||
| *2016 ], Sculptor | |||
| *2018 ], former ] and leader of the ] | |||
| ⚫ | *2019 ], ] European Correspondent | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| Other alumni and names associated with St Columb's include: | Other alumni and names associated with St Columb's include: | ||
| {{columns-list|colwidth=30em| | {{columns-list|colwidth=30em|*], Irish YouTuber, actor | ||
| *], Irish Olympic swimmer | *], Irish Olympic swimmer | ||
| *], architect | |||
| *], ] footballer | *], ] footballer | ||
| *], physicist | *], physicist | ||
| *], former vice-chairman of the ] | |||
| ⚫ | *], folk |
||
| *], ] politician | *], ] politician | ||
| *], ], Politician/Cllr/Mayor of ] | *], ] politician | ||
| ⚫ | *], RTÉ European Correspondent | ||
| *], pop musician | *], pop musician | ||
| ⚫ | *], British military historian; RUC reservist; chairman of the Institute of Road Safety Officers 1988-91, 2000-02. | ||
| *] (GAA star), All Ireland winning captain | |||
| *Philip McFadden, Sculptor, Artist, Fellow of PS1 | |||
| ⚫ | *], military historian; RUC reservist; |
||
| *], ]-nominated visual artist | *], ]-nominated visual artist | ||
| *], ] (SDLP) |
*], ] (SDLP) politician | ||
| *], ] (SDLP) |
*], ] (SDLP) politician | ||
| *], Artist | |||
| *], ] (SDLP) Leader/politician/Cllr/Mayor of ]/MLA | |||
| *], Former President of St. Columb's College,and Bishop of Derry | |||
| *], footballer | *], footballer | ||
| *], |
*], nationalist politician | ||
| *], Sculptor | |||
| *], comedic actor, entertainer | |||
| *], |
*], nationalist ] | ||
| *], rugby player | *], rugby player | ||
| *], political activist, author | *], political activist, author | ||
| *], ] politician | |||
| *], musician | *], musician | ||
| *], broadcaster, journalist | *], broadcaster, journalist | ||
| *], author | *], author | ||
| *], Airline Pilot | |||
| *], writer | *], writer | ||
| *], musician/frontman of ] and |
*], musician/frontman of ] and DJ with ]. | ||
| *], actor | *], actor | ||
| ⚫ | *], folk musician | ||
| Eamonn O'Doherty, architect and artist | |||
| *], folk musician | |||
| *], Northern Ireland ] | *], Northern Ireland ] | ||
| *], guitarist with ] and ] | |||
| *], guitarist with ] and ] | |||
| *], actor | *], actor | ||
| *], lawyer, politician and academic |
*], lawyer, politician and academic, ] for ], Minister for Industry and Commerce (1924–32), also founder, ] | ||
| *], |
*], Musician | ||
| *], sculptor | |||
| *], music teacher; RTÉ composer/arranges | |||
| }} | }} | ||
| ==''The Boys of St Columb's''== | ==''The Boys of St Columb's''== | ||
| St Columb's featured in the film ''The Boys of St |
St Columb's featured in the film ''The Boys of St Columb's'' made by ] and Maccana Teoranta for ]. Following the lives of several Irish figures including Nobel laureates ] and ] who all attended the same small school in Derry in the 1950s and have helped transform modern Ireland. ''The Boys of St Columb's'' was released on DVD in early March 2010 by ]. | ||
| == Presidents of St Columb's College == | == Presidents of St Columb's College == | ||
| Line 139: | Line 133: | ||
| ! Notes | ! Notes | ||
| |- | |- | ||
| | Edward O'Brien | | ] | ||
| | 1879–1880 | | 1879–1880 | ||
| | Ordained in 1859 he became the first President of St. Columb's College in 1879. He formerly held the Chair of Rhetoric at ]. ] conferred on him the degree of ] and he was appointed ] of the diocese. | | Ordained in 1859 he became the first President of St. Columb's College in 1879. He formerly held the Chair of Rhetoric at ]. ] conferred on him the degree of ] and he was appointed ] of the diocese. | ||
| Line 147: | Line 141: | ||
| | Ordained in 1879, he took his ] the same year. ] made him a domestic prelate and conferred on him the dignity of monsignor. Vice-rector of the Irish College from 1888 until his death in 1891. | | Ordained in 1879, he took his ] the same year. ] made him a domestic prelate and conferred on him the dignity of monsignor. Vice-rector of the Irish College from 1888 until his death in 1891. | ||
| |- | |- | ||
| | |
|] | ||
| | 1888–1890 | | 1888–1890 | ||
| | Ordained in Rome in 1886 | | Ordained in Rome in 1886 | ||
| |- | |- | ||
| | ] | | ] | ||
| | 1890–1905 | | 1890–1905 | ||
| | Ordained 1881. Bishop of Derry 1907–26. Figured prominently in campaign against conscription. He was one of 18 Catholic and 3 Protestant |
| Ordained 1881. Bishop of Derry 1907–26. Figured prominently in campaign against conscription. He was one of 18 Catholic and 3 Protestant bishops who signed manifesto against Irish partition on 7 May 1917. Led the first Irish national pilgrimage to Lourdes. As bishop he preferred to live in the college, and it was there that he died. | ||
| |- | |- | ||
| | ] | | ] | ||
| | 1905–1919 | | 1905–1919 | ||
| | A graduate of the ] and ordained in 1891. A brilliant scientist, he was a regular contributor to technical journals on astronomy, light and radio waves and modern wireless, working in parallel with and sometimes anticipating the discoveries of ]. He was bishop from |
| A graduate of the ] and ordained in 1891. A brilliant scientist, he was a regular contributor to technical journals on astronomy, light and radio waves and modern wireless, working in parallel with and sometimes anticipating the discoveries of ]. He was bishop from 1926 to 1939. | ||
| |- | |- | ||
| | John McShane | | ] | ||
| | 1919–1927 | | 1919–1927 | ||
| | Ordained 1900. He was |
| Ordained 1900. He was president during the troubles of 1920 when the college was at the centre of a small but deadly civil war. He was opposed to corporal punishment – a man before his time. | ||
| |- | |- | ||
| | ] | | ] | ||
| | 1928–1939 | | 1928–1939 | ||
| | Graduated from ] with first class honours in 1914. He received a ] and a ] from Maynooth in 1916 and 1918, respectively. Awarded the degree of ] for his (later published) thesis ''Domicile and Quasi-Domicile''. He became Ireland's youngest bishop in 1939. During the ] he was appointed "ordinary" of the American forces in Ireland, a kind of bishop away from home, and his services were recognized by the award of the ]. | | Graduated from ] with first class honours in 1914. He received a ] and a ] from Maynooth in 1916 and 1918, respectively. Awarded the degree of ] for his (later published) thesis ''Domicile and Quasi-Domicile''. He became Ireland's youngest bishop in 1939. During the ] he was appointed "ordinary" of the American forces in Ireland, a kind of bishop away from home, and his services were recognized by the award of the ]. | ||
| |- | |- | ||
| | Joseph O'Doherty | | Joseph O'Doherty | ||
| Line 171: | Line 165: | ||
| | Ordained 1919. A talented ventriloquist and ]. | | Ordained 1919. A talented ventriloquist and ]. | ||
| |- | |- | ||
| | ] | | ] | ||
| | 1943–1944 | | 1943–1944 | ||
| | Ordained 1921. He received a ] for his thesis, ''Doctrinal Process and its Laws''. His is the shortest presidency on record as he was appointed Bishop of Dromore within months of his assuming the post. | | Ordained 1921. He received a ] for his thesis, ''Doctrinal Process and its Laws''. His is the shortest presidency on record as he was appointed Bishop of Dromore within months of his assuming the post. | ||
| |- | |- | ||
| | Patrick McDowell | | ] | ||
| | 1944–1950 | | 1944–1950 | ||
| | Ordained 1925. He received a ] for his postgraduate work on ''The Church and Economics'' at Dunboyne House. Appointed a domestic prelate with the rank of monsignor in 1966. | | Ordained 1925. He received a ] for his postgraduate work on ''The Church and Economics'' at Dunboyne House. Appointed a domestic prelate with the rank of monsignor in 1966. | ||
| Line 185: | Line 179: | ||
| | John Farren | | John Farren | ||
| | 1959–1969 | | 1959–1969 | ||
| | Ordained 1941. Appointed immediately after ordination to the |
| Ordained 1941. Appointed immediately after ordination to the college staff he was to serve for almost thirty years, presiding over the purchasing of site, planning, and commencement of building of the new St. Columb's College at Buncrana Road. | ||
| |- | |- | ||
| | James Coulter | | ] | ||
| | 1969–1983 | | 1969–1983 | ||
| | Ordained in 1943. Became official diocesan historian. Noted for his expansion of the curriculum to include German, Spanish, Economics and Accounts and for his careful management of the school through civil strife. He was made a Prelate of Honour but he refused the offer of an ]. | | Ordained in 1943. Became official diocesan historian. Noted for his expansion of the curriculum to include German, Spanish, Economics and Accounts and for his careful management of the school through civil strife. He was made a Prelate of Honour but he refused the offer of an ]. | ||
| |- | |- | ||
| | Ignatius McQuillan | | ] | ||
| | 1983–1990 | | 1983–1990 | ||
| | Studied at St Columb's College, ], and took sabbatical leave in 1983 at the ]. Noted for his successful introduction of the new ] system. He later helped found ]. | | Studied at St Columb's College, ], and took sabbatical leave in 1983 at the ]. Noted for his successful introduction of the new ] system. He later helped found ]. | ||
| |- | |- | ||
| | |
|John R. Walsh | ||
| | 1990–1999 | | 1990–1999 | ||
| | Author of ''A History of the Irish Church (500–700)'', ''Noble Story'' and ''Religion: The Irish Experience'' which is a necessary source book for the new RE syllabus in the ]. Noted for his consolidation of the school on the new Buncrana Road campus. | | Author of ''A History of the Irish Church (500–700)'', ''Noble Story'' and ''Religion: The Irish Experience'' which is a necessary source book for the new RE syllabus in the ]. Noted for his consolidation of the school on the new Buncrana Road campus. | ||
| Line 201: | Line 195: | ||
| | ] | | ] | ||
| | 2000–2008 | | 2000–2008 | ||
| | Studied at St Columb's College, ], ], ] and the Institute of Education in London. Secretary-General of the ] 2008–10. Appointed ] of the ] in 2010. Appointed ] in 2011 and granted dignity of 'Monsignor'. Served as ] following the retirement of ] ] in 2011. Appointed ] of ] in 2013.<ref name=vatbio>{{cite press release | access-date = 17 May 2019 | date = 18 January 2013 | title = Rinunce e nomine, 18.01.2013 | language = it | url = http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2013/01/18/0029/00078.html | publisher = Holy See Press Office | archive-date = 21 June 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190621041941/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2013/01/18/0029/00078.html | url-status = live }}</ref> ] and ] since 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/new-head-of-catholic-church-in-ireland-an-unknown-in-rome-1.1924139|title=New head of Catholic church in Ireland an 'unknown' in Rome|access-date=3 October 2019|archive-date=28 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328220434/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/new-head-of-catholic-church-in-ireland-an-unknown-in-rome-1.1924139|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
| | Studied at St Columb's College, ], ], ] and the Institute of Education in London. | |||
| |- | |- | ||
| | Sean McGinty | | Sean McGinty | ||
| Line 207: | Line 201: | ||
| | First lay principal of St Columb's College. | | First lay principal of St Columb's College. | ||
| |- | |- | ||
| | |
| Finbar Madden | ||
| | 2012–2023 | |||
| | 2012–present | |||
| | Second lay principal of St Columb's College. | |||
| |- | |- | ||
| | Caroline McLaughlin | |||
| | 2024 - | |||
| |} | |} | ||
| Line 217: | Line 214: | ||
| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
| * | * | ||
| {{authority control}} | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Columb's College}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Columb's College}} | ||
| Line 223: | Line 222: | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 00:19, 11 January 2025
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "St Columb's College" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Secondary school in Derry, Northern Ireland
| St Columb's College | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
| Buncrana Road Derry Northern Ireland | |
| Information | |
| Type | Secondary school |
| Motto | Quaerite Primum Regnum Dei (Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 3 November 1879 (1879-11-03) |
| Principal | Caroline McLaughlin |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrolment | 1800 |
| Colour(s) | |
| Website | http://www.stcolumbs.com |
St Columb's College is a Roman Catholic boys' grammar school in Derry, Northern Ireland. Since 2008, it has been a specialist school in mathematics. It is named after Saint Columba, the missionary monk from County Donegal who founded a monastery in the area. The college was originally built to educate young men into the priesthood, but now educates boys in a variety of disciplines.
St Columb's College was established in 1879 on Bishop Street (now the site of Lumen Christi College), but later moved to Buncrana Road in the suburbs of the city.
Early history
St Columb's College was preceded by several failed attempts to create such an institution in Derry. Repeated but sporadic efforts were made to maintain a seminary for almost a century; at Clady, near Strabane, in the late eighteenth century, at Ferguson's Lane in Derry in the early nineteenth century and at Pump Street (first reference to St Columb's College as such) in the city from 1841 to 1864.
St Columb's finally opened its doors on 3 November 1879 with two priest teachers, Edward O'Brien and John Hassan. The school was considered to be quite large at the time and was expected to accommodate 20–30 boarders. The school quickly gained a reputation for academic achievement. On 18 September 1931 the Derry Journal listed St Columb's College's academic results. They were as follows:
- 2 university scholarships
- 3 exhibitions and prizes
- 6 calls in King's Scholarship exam (calls to teacher training)
- 2 pupil teacherships
- 8 regional committee scholarships
- 31 passed matriculation
- 26 passed Senior Leaving Cert. exam
- 52 passed Junior Leaving Cert. exam
The Education Act 1947 and expansion
One of the most notable alumni of St Columb's College, John Hume, noted, "When the history of St. Columb's College in this century is written, it will be clear that one of its major transformations, if not its major transformation, took place as a result of the Eleven Plus examination."
The Education Act 1947 provided for free secondary education to all throughout the United Kingdom. Entry to St. Columb's College, a grammar school, would be determined by one's performance in the 11-plus or Transfer Test. The immediate result was an explosion in pupil numbers, a shortfall in teaching staff and greater pressure on existing resources. In 1941 the student body numbered 263. By 1960 the number stood at 770 with a teaching staff of 35. In under twenty years the school's size had tripled. It was now clear that additional facilities would be needed.
In September 1973 St. Columb's College opened a new campus on the Buncrana Road in the city. The new site would cater for the senior years; its initial enrolment was of 900. The new building was designed by Frank Corr of Corr & McCormick and constructed by J Kennedy & Co. The total cost was £762,000. This figure does not include the £56,000 spent employing W & J McMonagle Ltd to construct the playing fields.
Sport
The school has a long and successful sporting history, with its students competing in many events across the country. It has excelled in soccer, Gaelic football, basketball and has produced many athletes.
Nobel Prize winners
The school claims two Nobel Prize laureates amongst its alumni. They are:
- Seamus Heaney – Nobel Prize in Literature, 1995
- John Hume – Nobel Peace Prize, 1998 (shared with David Trimble)
Notable former pupils
See also: Category:People educated at St Columb's CollegeThe college's former pupils association makes an annual award (the Alumnus Illustrissimus Award) to "a past-pupil who has achieved something of major significance or has made a considerable contribution in his own field". Notable winners of the award are as follows:
- 1994 Edward Daly
- 1995 John Hume, former MP, MEP
- 1996 Seamus Heaney, poet
- 1997 Brian Friel, playwright
- 1999 Brendan Devlin, cleric
- 2002 Martin O'Neill, football player and manager
- 2003 Phil Coulter, composer
- 2004 honouring all alumni (as part of the school's 125th anniversary celebrations)
- 2005 James Sharkey, diplomat
- 2006 Sir Liam McCollum, Lord Justice of Appeal in Northern Ireland
- 2007 Peter McCullagh (mathematician) and John Toland (mathematician)
- 2008 Patrick Johnston, director of the Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology (CCRCB) and dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen's University Belfast
- 2009 Seamus Deane, poet, novelist
- 2010 Sir Declan Morgan, Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland
- 2011 Paul Brady, singer-songwriter, musician
- 2013 Brian Dooher, Gaelic football player
- 2015 Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland
- 2016 Maurice Harron, Sculptor
- 2018 Mark Durkan, former MP and leader of the SDLP
- 2019 Tony Connelly, RTÉ European Correspondent
Other alumni and names associated with St Columb's include:
- Adam B, Irish YouTuber, actor
- Liam Ball, Irish Olympic swimmer
- Liam McCormick, architect
- Éamonn Burns, Gaelic Athletic Association footballer
- Daniel Joseph Bradley, physicist
- Denis Bradley, former vice-chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board
- Francie Brolly, Sinn Féin politician
- Ivor Canavan, Alliance Party of Northern Ireland politician
- Peter Cunnah, pop musician
- Richard Doherty, British military historian; RUC reservist; chairman of the Institute of Road Safety Officers 1988-91, 2000-02.
- Willie Doherty, Turner Prize-nominated visual artist
- Mark H. Durkan, Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) politician
- Colum Eastwood, Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) politician
- Felim Egan, Artist
- Neil Farren, Former President of St. Columb's College,and Bishop of Derry
- Darron Gibson, footballer
- Paddy Gormley, nationalist politician
- Maurice Harron, Sculptor
- George Leeke, nationalist MP
- Seamus Mallon, rugby player
- Eamonn McCann, political activist, author
- Johnny McDaid, musician
- Mark McFadden, broadcaster, journalist
- Brian McGilloway, author
- Seosamh Mac Grianna, writer
- Paul McLoone, musician/frontman of The Undertones and DJ with Today FM.
- Gerard McSorley, actor
- Marcas Ó Murchú, folk musician
- John O'Neill, Northern Ireland football player
- John O'Neill, guitarist with The Undertones and That Petrol Emotion
- Damian O'Neill, guitarist with The Undertones and That Petrol Emotion
- Luke O'Reilly, actor
- Patrick McGilligan, lawyer, politician and academic, TD for NUI, Minister for Industry and Commerce (1924–32), also founder, ESB
- Cathal Breslin, Musician
- Eamonn O'Doherty, sculptor
The Boys of St Columb's
St Columb's featured in the film The Boys of St Columb's made by West Park Pictures and Maccana Teoranta for RTÉ. Following the lives of several Irish figures including Nobel laureates Seamus Heaney and John Hume who all attended the same small school in Derry in the 1950s and have helped transform modern Ireland. The Boys of St Columb's was released on DVD in early March 2010 by Digital Classics DVD.
Presidents of St Columb's College
| Name | Period of Presidency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Edward O'Brien | 1879–1880 | Ordained in 1859 he became the first President of St. Columb's College in 1879. He formerly held the Chair of Rhetoric at St Patrick's College, Maynooth. Pope Leo XIII conferred on him the degree of D.D. and he was appointed Vicar General of the diocese. |
| John Hassan | 1881–1888 | Ordained in 1879, he took his D.D. the same year. Pope Leo XIII made him a domestic prelate and conferred on him the dignity of monsignor. Vice-rector of the Irish College from 1888 until his death in 1891. |
| Thomas McCloskey | 1888–1890 | Ordained in Rome in 1886 |
| Charles MacHugh | 1890–1905 | Ordained 1881. Bishop of Derry 1907–26. Figured prominently in campaign against conscription. He was one of 18 Catholic and 3 Protestant bishops who signed manifesto against Irish partition on 7 May 1917. Led the first Irish national pilgrimage to Lourdes. As bishop he preferred to live in the college, and it was there that he died. |
| Bernard O'Kane | 1905–1919 | A graduate of the Royal University and ordained in 1891. A brilliant scientist, he was a regular contributor to technical journals on astronomy, light and radio waves and modern wireless, working in parallel with and sometimes anticipating the discoveries of Guglielmo Marconi. He was bishop from 1926 to 1939. |
| John McShane | 1919–1927 | Ordained 1900. He was president during the troubles of 1920 when the college was at the centre of a small but deadly civil war. He was opposed to corporal punishment – a man before his time. |
| Neil Farren | 1928–1939 | Graduated from University College Dublin with first class honours in 1914. He received a BCL and a BD from Maynooth in 1916 and 1918, respectively. Awarded the degree of DCL for his (later published) thesis Domicile and Quasi-Domicile. He became Ireland's youngest bishop in 1939. During the Second World War he was appointed "ordinary" of the American forces in Ireland, a kind of bishop away from home, and his services were recognized by the award of the United States Medal of Freedom. |
| Joseph O'Doherty | 1939–1943 | Ordained 1919. A talented ventriloquist and prestidigitator. |
| Eugene O'Doherty | 1943–1944 | Ordained 1921. He received a D.D. for his thesis, Doctrinal Process and its Laws. His is the shortest presidency on record as he was appointed Bishop of Dromore within months of his assuming the post. |
| Patrick McDowell | 1944–1950 | Ordained 1925. He received a D.D. for his postgraduate work on The Church and Economics at Dunboyne House. Appointed a domestic prelate with the rank of monsignor in 1966. |
| Anthony Columba McFeely | 1950–1959 | Ordained in Rome in 1932. Noted for his patronage of the school plays and musicals of the time. Consecrated as Bishop of Raphoe in 1965. |
| John Farren | 1959–1969 | Ordained 1941. Appointed immediately after ordination to the college staff he was to serve for almost thirty years, presiding over the purchasing of site, planning, and commencement of building of the new St. Columb's College at Buncrana Road. |
| James Coulter | 1969–1983 | Ordained in 1943. Became official diocesan historian. Noted for his expansion of the curriculum to include German, Spanish, Economics and Accounts and for his careful management of the school through civil strife. He was made a Prelate of Honour but he refused the offer of an OBE. |
| Ignatius McQuillan | 1983–1990 | Studied at St Columb's College, St Patrick's College, Maynooth, and took sabbatical leave in 1983 at the University of Oxford. Noted for his successful introduction of the new GCSE system. He later helped found Lumen Christi College. |
| John R. Walsh | 1990–1999 | Author of A History of the Irish Church (500–700), Noble Story and Religion: The Irish Experience which is a necessary source book for the new RE syllabus in the Republic of Ireland. Noted for his consolidation of the school on the new Buncrana Road campus. |
| Eamon Martin | 2000–2008 | Studied at St Columb's College, St Patrick's College, Maynooth, Queen's University, Belfast, University of Cambridge and the Institute of Education in London. Secretary-General of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference 2008–10. Appointed Vicar General of the Diocese of Derry in 2010. Appointed Chaplain of His Holiness in 2011 and granted dignity of 'Monsignor'. Served as diocesan administrator following the retirement of Bishop Séamus Hegarty in 2011. Appointed Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh in 2013. Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland since 2014. |
| Sean McGinty | 2008–2012 | First lay principal of St Columb's College. |
| Finbar Madden | 2012–2023 | Second lay principal of St Columb's College. |
| Caroline McLaughlin | 2024 - |
References
- "Handbook for Parents and Pupils". St. Columb’s College, Derry. 2013. p. 24. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
The official College playing colours for athletic and sporting activities are: ... (royal blue/gold band and gold collar and cuffs)
- "Rinunce e nomine, 18.01.2013" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 18 January 2013. Archived from the original on 21 June 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
- "New head of Catholic church in Ireland an 'unknown' in Rome". Archived from the original on 28 March 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2019.