Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock

Foundation

A Catholic diocesan grammar school which opened on Monday, 4 September 1967 on a 20-acre site at Gortgrib in the Cherryvalley area of east Belfast with Fr. Joseph Conway as President. A sister college of St. Malachy's College and St MacNissi’s College, Garron Tower

By the previous April the need for a new boys' grammar school catering for the North Down and East Belfast area had become urgent. There was no provision for Catholic grammar education east of the Lagan and it was clear, given the trends of the time, that there would be no capacity in the existing two Belfast grammar schools for boys (St. Malachy's and St. Mary's, Christian Brothers) for the September 1967 intake. Three priests from St. Malachy's - Frs Joseph Conway, John O'Sullivan and Albert McNally were appointed by Bishop William Philbin to found the new diocesan college.

The site for the new school was Providence Farm at Cherryvalley. The property had been in the hands of the Diocese of Down and Connor since the middle of the 19th century and some of the older residents of the area could remember Sisters of Mercy visiting the site in pony and trap for provisions for the Mater Infirmorum Hospital.

The College motto, chosen by Bishop William Philbin, was In omnibus gratias agite I Thess, 5:18

College and the Troubles

The College had originally been planned for an enrolment of over 800 pupils. In the event the civil disturbances of the early 1970s had a profound effect on the development of the College. The Catholic population of the intake area was subjected to intimidation and serious movement of population resulted. Very many families of the students left the areas, especially in East Belfast, and the College buildings were themselves subjected to frequent sectarian attacks.

Permanent buildings were planned from 1970 and were completed by 1979 by which time the enrolment had stabilised at about 500 pupils. Throughout this period almost all the pupils were bussed into school in the morning and home again straight after class in the afternoon depriving them of almost all extra-curricular activity. The school was unique in that it had no organised sports teams of any description and pupils had no opportunity to develop athletic or sports skills or to benefit from representing their school on any level.

Former Stafff

Bishop Donal McKeown was on the College staff from 1978-1983 along with several other priests of the Diocese of Down and Connor

The internationally-acclaimed poet Medbh McGuckian taught at the College for many years before leaving education to concentrate fulltime on her writing. Teaching alongside her in the English department was the BBC Radio Ulster broadcaster Seamus McKee.

New Year

The pupils in the new year include 83, with tutor Mrs A. Acheson and her class of 24. Emma B, Emma C, Micheal D, David D, Jessica F, Anrai Mc C, Niamh P, Niamh McB, Dara O'N, Niamh W, Rachel McG, Mark McK, Paul McG, Rachel G, Zoe R, Cormac R, Helen McK, Daniel McG, Ryan M, Cliohna McG, Maeve H, Christine McC, Seamus McC and Ciaren H.

Amalgamation

in 1984 the College Trustees, chaired by Bishop Cahal Daly proposed that from from September 1985 the College should become co-educational and remain on the Knock site through amalgamation with the Sacred Heart of Mary Grammar School in Holywood Co. Down. This new foundation became known as Our Lady and St. Patrick's College, Knock with an enrolment of almost one thousand pupils.

Fr. Joseph Conway remained as President of the amalgamated school until 1987 when he was succeeded by Fr. Patrick McKenna, currently (2007) parish priest of Dundrum Co. Down.