St Colman's College, Newry

St Colman's College is a college in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland. Now named in honour of St. Colman, it was founded in 1823 as the Dromore Diocesan Seminary by a Father J.S. Keenan. The College stands on Violet Hill, the same 60 acre (243,000 m²) site it has occupied since 1829, adjacent to the Bishop of Dromore's residence. It is a grammar school and currently has almost 900 students attending. The current principal is Very Reverend Francis Canon Brown Ph.D..

Aims of the college

Every boy carries the Aims of the College, "Bonitas, Disciplina, Scientia", on his blazer pocket badge:

• Bonitas : to encourage moral uprightness and good citizenship; to develop a rounded personality.
• Scientia : to encourage the highest academic achievement of which the individual is capable; to equip each student with a set of attitudes and ideals for the shaping of his life.
• Disciplina : to instill through the operation of the school's discipline, that self-discipline necessary for success both in school and in the world of work.

Activities & Clubs

Extra Curricular Activities

The College has a long and distinguised history in Gaelic football winning the Hogan Cup six times (1967, 1975, 1986, 1988, 1993, 1998) the premier Colleges trophy in Gaelic football. The College has recently followed the example of their great Gaelic football rivals Abbey CBS in including Rugby Union teams into the Curriculum. Including, but not limited to:

• Gaelic football
• Gaelic Handball
• Basketball
• Golf
• Hurling
• Rugby union
• Debating Club

There also is a modern hi-tech fitness suite and a well equipped library available to the students.

Clubs

Including, but not limited to: a Board games club, a Design and technology club, Debating club and a Science club

Orchestra

The school has a fifty-strong orchestra, run by the music teachers and with the help of additional instrumental tutelage from local musicians. The school also has two string quartets, a flute quintet, a brass quintet and a band. St Colmans also won the 2005 Newry Feis Orchestra group Cup.

Trips

The school also regularly engages on trips & excursions. Language students regularly go to the country of which language they are learning, both as part of an educational trip with the school, and as part of student exchange programs - such as the recent exchanges to Spain.

In addition to educationally-orientated trips, there some other general excursions. A prime example of this would be the two ski trips that occur every other year for any student interested in going.

There also are, of course, numerous field trips connecting with the educational course, like the Geography field trips to local areas as part of A-Level courses.

Development

On Monday Januuary 14th 2008 the new fifteen classrooms and multi purpose hall were available for students to benefit from these outstanding facilities. The new bus turning area in front of the college is already in use.. The refurbishment of the existing College building & classrooms is on schedule, with the provision for 21st Century teaching aids (providing additional funding can be secured) such as interactive whiteboards. In addition to this, the grounds are expected to be developed with two tennis courts, a driving range, sixty additional car parking spaces for students and teachers, a hard play area and existing temporary classrooms to be removed from the grounds.

Previous developments

• Late 1950s/Early 1960s: Major extension added to the existing school
• June 7, 1972: A further extension added to the College opened on this day
• June 10, 1994: Two new sciences rooms and a Design & Technology block opened
• 1999: 8 existing science rooms refurbished
• August 2005: Design & Technology suite refurbished
• October 12, 2005: New sports hall officially opened

Alumni

• Frank Aiken (1898-1983),one of the longest-serving members of Dáil Éireann,
• Francis Campbell British Ambassador to the Holy See (Vatican) (2005-present)
• John Lynch (actor) Actor (Cal (film))

External links

• College website