The Owl 2014 by Belfast Royal Academy

The Owl Team 2014

Cover design by Kieran McKenna L6

The Owl 2014

BELFAST ROYAL ACADEMY The Belfast Royal Academy was founded in 1785 and is the oldest school in the city. Originally situated near St Anne’s Cathedral, in what is now Academy Street, it was transferred to the Cliftonville Road in 1880, when the present building was erected. For more than a century the School was named Belfast Academy. In 1888 Queen Victoria granted permission for the School to style itself Belfast Royal Academy. It is a voluntary grammar school and its management is vested in a Board of Governors on which parents and teachers are represented, along with Governors elected by members of the Academy and nominees of the Minister of Education. Any past pupil who attended B.R.A. for at least three years and who is twenty one or over, may, subject to the Governors, become a member of the Academy upon payment of a registration fee of £1. Applications should be made to the Bursar at the School. Past pupils are encouraged to join the Old Boys’ and Old Girls’ Associations. The cost of membership and contact details are as follows:

OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION School Liaison Officer: Catherine Scully Hon. Treasurer: Ms P. Burns, 1 Glebe Gardens, Newtownabbey, BT36 6ED Life Membership........................................................................................................................................£15.00 Life Membership (School Leaver).............................................................................................................£10.00

OLD BOYS’ ASSOCIATION President:

Mr A. Brown

Hon. Secretary: Dr L. Campbell, Belfast Royal Academy, Cliftonville Road, Belfast, BT14 6JL Hon. Treasurer: Mr N. Simon, 210 Belfast Road, Dunadry, Co. Antrim, BT41 2EY Life Membership........................................................................................................................................£20.00 Membership (School Leaver)...............................................................................First year after leaving is free.

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BOARD OF GOVERNORS Mr. S.J.S. Warke, A.C.I.I., Dip P.F.S., T.E.P. (Warden) Mr. D. Walsh, B.Sc., M.B.A., C.Eng., M.I.M.E. (Senior Vice-Warden)

Mr. N. W. Beggs Dr. A.A.W. Bell, B.Sc., B.Agr.Sc., Ph.D. Dr. K.M. Bill, M.B., Ch.B., F.C.A.I., F.R.C.A., F.F.I.C.M. Mrs. K. L. Burns, B.A. Ms. A. Chada, B.A., M.Sc. Mrs. A. Clements, B.A. Mr. R. Connolly, B.Sc. Ms. C. Dillon, B.A. Mr. P. Dorman, B.Th. Dr. J.A. Hill, F.R.Eng., B.Sc., Hon. D.Sc., C.Eng., F.I.C.E., F.I.StructE. Prof. D. S. Jones, B.Sc., (Hons.), B.A. (Hons.), Ph.D., D.Sc., C.Eng., C.Chem., F.P.S.N.I., F.I.M.M.M., F.R.S.S., F.R.S.C., M.I.E.I. Mr. K.A. Knox, M.Sc. (Hon. Treasurer) Mr. J.W. Martin, F.R.I.C.S. Mr P.S. McBride, B.Sc., B.Sc.Psych., C.Phys., M.Inst.P., M.B.Ps.S. Mr. B.W. McCormack, B.Sc. (Econ), F.C.A. Mrs. G. McGaughey, LL.B., Cert in Professional Legal Education. Mr. M.J. Neill, M.Sc. Mr. S.B. Orr, LL.B. Mr. D.E. Porter, M.Sc., C.Eng., M.I.C.E., M.C.I.H.T., M.C.I.W.E.M. Mr. D. Scoffield Q.C., M.A., LL.M. Mrs. H. Siberry-Hay, B.A., M.Sc. Mr. G.R. Simon, F.R.I.C.S. Mrs. J. Weir, B.Sc., C.Math., M.I.M.A. (Hon. Secretary & Junior Vice-Warden) Mr. A. J. Wilkinson, F.C.A. Mr. D. Carroll, B.A., M.Sc., M.R.T.P.I (Co-opted Governor) Mr. J.M.G. Dickson, M.A. (Headmaster - Non-voting member) Miss E. Hull, B.Sc., Dip(Acc), F.C.A. (Bursar - Acts as Clerk to the Board of Governors)

MEMBERS OF STAFF Headmaster

J. M. G. Dickson, M.A.

Deputy Principal

Ms. C. N. Scully, B.Sc., Ph.D., A.L.C.M., P.Q.H. (N.I.)

Vice Principals

G.J.N. Brown, B.A., Ph.D. A. R. Creighton, B.Ed., P.Q.H. (N.I.)

Senior Teachers

T.M.A. Baldwin, B.Sc., C.Biol., M.S.B. Ms. W. E. Graham, B.A., M.A., P.Q.H. (N.I.) M. C. W. Harte, B.A. M. T. Wilson, B.Sc.

Deputy Senior Teacher

J. R. Jamison, B.Sc. M. R. Shields, M.A.

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HEADS OF DEPARTMENT ART BUSINESS STUDIES BIOLOGY CAREERS CHEMISTRY CLASSICS I. C. T. ENGLISH GEOGRAPHY HISTORY MATHEMATICS MODERN LANGUAGES MUSIC P.E. AND GAMES PHYSICS RELIGIOUS STUDIES TECHNOLOGY

Mrs. P. Kerr, B.A., A.T.D., M.Ed. Mrs. G. McQuiston, B.Ed. A. A. W. Bell, B.Sc., B.Agr.Sc., PhD. Ms. J. R. Adams, B.Ed. B. T. McMurray, B.Sc., Ph.D. J. D. L. Reilly, M.B.E., B.A. Mrs. K. L. Stuart, B.Sc. W. J. W. Spence, B.Ed., M.A. C. A. Stewart, B.Sc. J. Carolan, M.A. Ms. S. M. McIlhatton, B.Eng. P. C. Porter, B.A., B.D. (Comm.) Mrs. C. Prior, B.Mus. W. I. McGonigle, B.Ed. R. Budden, M.Sc. P. Dorman, B.Th. K. Lunn, B.Ed.

SENIOR SUBJECT TEACHERS DRAMA AND THEATRE EDUCATION ECONOMICS GERMAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS HOME ECONOMICS PHYSICAL EDUCATION SOCIOLOGY SPANISH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Miss S. Tinman, B.A. J. M. Patterson, B.Sc.(Econ.), M.S.Sc., D.C.G. Miss R. McCay, M.A. Miss K. S. Barnett, M.A. Mrs. R. Morrison, B.A. Mrs. N. S. Nicholl, B.A. Mrs. J. Robb, B.Sc. Mrs. S. S. Rea-Wickens, B.A. Ms. D. Keenan, M.Sc.

HEADS OF SCHOOL JUNIOR MIDDLE SENIOR

Ms. S. R. Ardis, B.Sc. T. Hughes, M.Sc. T.M.A. Baldwin, B.Sc., C.Biol., M.S.B.

HEADS OF YEAR FORM I FORM II FORM III FORM IV FORM V

Mrs. L. I. Nicholl, B.Sc. D. D. Morrison, M.Sc. Mrs. G. C. Morris, B.Ed. P. T. Stretton, B.Ed. Mrs. K. McIntyre, B.Sc. J. F. Buchan, B.E.M., M.A. Mrs. C. J. Adair, B.A., Ph.D. M. R. Shields, M.A. Mrs. A. M. Reynolds, B.Sc. S. C. Springer, M.Sci., Ph.D.

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FORM LVI Mrs. J. Robb, B.Sc. M. J. Neill, M.Sc. FORM MVI Mrs. R. Morrison, B.A. C. R. McCarey, B.Sc.

CAREERS ADVISERS

Ms. J. Adams, B.Ed. S. B. Murphy, B.Ed.

A. K. Moles, B.Sc. J. M. Patterson, B.Sc.(Econ.), M.S.Sc., D.C.G.

GRAMMAR SCHOOL 4

Mrs. J. C. Bell, B.Sc. Mrs. K. A. Black, B.A. Mrs. N. B. Black, B.Mus Miss K. E. Brady, B.Sc. Miss B. Brittain, B.Ed. Ms. C. Burns, B.Sc., Ph.D., M.R.S.C. Miss V. Carson, M.A., A.L.C.M. Mrs. J. M. Cleland, B.Sc. M. D. Cole, B.A., M.A. Ms. L. Craig, B.A. D. Creighton, B.Sc. Mrs. P. R. Cummings, M.Sci. Mrs. C. E. Currie, B.A. Miss D. Currie, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. G. J. Forde, B.Mus. Mrs. F. A. Gilmore, B.Sc. Mrs. M. L. Gray, B.A., M.Ed. Mrs. S. Graydon, B.Ed. Mrs. N. Henry, B.Sc. Miss J. Herron, M.A. N. Irwin, B.Ed.

C. P. Little, B.A. P. J. Martin, B.Ed. Ms. T. McBeth, M.A. Mrs. G. McCadden, Dip. A.D., A.T.D. Mrs. S. B. McCoy, B.A. Mrs. J. McGowan, M.A. Miss A. McMillen, M.Sci. Mrs. H. Miller, B.A. O. Mort, B.A., Ph.D. Mrs. D. M. Nicholl, B.A. Mrs. R. L. O’Donnell, B.A., Dip. A.D., A.T.D. Mrs. L. Patterson, B.A. Mrs. J. Shaw, B.Sc. Mrs. M. C. Sheeran, B.A. Mrs. J. Smyth, B.A. Mrs. H. Tate, B.A. Mrs. A. P. Terek, B.Sc. Miss R. C. Wallace, B.A. Miss. S. V. Wightman, B.Sc., M.Phil Mrs. M. N. Wilson, B.A.

Principal Deputy Principal

Mrs. V. M. McCaig, B.Ed. W. T. Wilson, B.Ed., L.T.C.L.

P. J. Ingram, B.Ed., M.Sc. Miss A Johnston, B.Ed Mrs. P. Lennon, B.Ed. S. Patterson, B.Ed.

D. Warwick, B.Th. P.G.C.E. Mrs. E. Wilson, B.Ed. Mrs. R. Wilson, B.A., B.Ed., L.T.C.L.

PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT

GRAMMAR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

Bursar Finance Supervisor Part-time Headmaster’s Secretary/P.A. Part-time Headmaster’s Secretary/P.A.

Miss E. Hull, B.Sc., Dip. (Acc.), F.C.A. Mrs. H. McClean, B.A., F.C.A. Ms. P. McClintock Mrs. J. Sherry

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Bursarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Secretary/P.A. Part-time Office Administrator Part-time Finance Administrator Part-time Librarian Part-time Librarian I.C.T. Manager General Office Supervisor Telephonist / Receptionist General Office Administrator Senior Administrator Part-time Administrator

Miss G. Boyd, B.A. Mrs. J. Boyd Mrs. L. Hogg, B.A. Mrs. T. Corcoran, B.A., PG.Dip. I.M. Miss E. McAtamney, B.A. J. R. Cleland, B.Sc. Ms. P. Ferguson Mrs. A. Foy Mrs. L. Oliver Ms. A. Kerns, B.A. Miss J. Nesbitt, A.C.I.I.

ANCILLARY STAFF Laboratory Assistants Technology & Design Technician Art & Crafts Technician School Matron Study Supervisor Estates Manager Grounds Maintenance Supervisor Swimming Pool Manager/Instructor Maintenance Staff Bus Driver Bus Driver/Assistant Janitor Janitor General Assistants Supervisory Assistant Part-time Cleaner

Mrs. D. Beattie Mrs. J. Carroll Miss A. Caroux F.G.V.N. Balthazar, B.Sc., P.G.C.E. M. McCreight Mrs. L. Atkins Mrs. N. Loughran, R.S.C.N. Mrs. C. Clyde W. Thompson M. A. Gaw, B.Tech. Mrs. E. Alexander, B.A. F. Workman P. McCartney W. Dunn A. Hermon K. Hogg D. McKee A.T.W. Halbert M.J.C. Atkins Mrs. A. Thompson C. Cork

CLASSROOM ASSISTANTS

Mrs. H. Blair Miss E. McAtamney, B.A. D. R. J. Calvert Mrs. A. Rea, B.A., P.G.C.E., B.A. Ms. C. Colwell, B.A., P.G. Dip., P.G.C.E. Mrs. J. Reid Mrs. G. Hanna, B.A., P.G.C.E. Miss S. Stewart Mrs. C. Henderson Mrs. K. Tepe B. Holmes Mrs. D. Townsend Mrs. E. Leinster, B.A., P.G.C.E. Mrs. N. Watson Miss P. Maxwell

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PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT

PRE-PREPARATORY AND DAYCARE ANCILLARY STAFF

Secretary Classroom/After Schools Assistant Classroom Assistant Pre-Preparatory Group Leader Pre-Preparatory Group Assistant After School Leader (temp) After School Assistant General Assistant Building Supervisor Kitchen Supervisor Kitchen Assistant Part-time Nursery Assistant Lunch Supervisor/ PT Nursery Assistant Part-time General Assistant

Mrs. F. Gouk, M.A. Miss H.E. Crossen, B.A. Mrs. E. L. Philpott Mrs. C. Sempey Mrs. L. Kyle Mrs. A. Millar Mrs. L. Todd, B.A. Mrs. I. Campbell R. Crawford Mrs. L. Johnston Mrs. M. McEwan Mrs. S. Hunter Miss S. Davidson Miss H. Bacon

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Contents School Notes ..................................................................................................................................................... 8 Diary of the School Year.................................................................................................................................. 36 Valete ............................................................................................................................................................... 72 Obituaries ........................................................................................................................................................ 74 Literary Contributions ..................................................................................................................................... 75 Distribution of Prizes....................................................................................................................................... 91 School Societies ............................................................................................................................................ 110 Music in School ............................................................................................................................................ 118 Drama in School ........................................................................................................................................... 130 Miscellany ..................................................................................................................................................... 134 School Games ............................................................................................................................................... 176 Ben Madigan Preparatory School ................................................................................................................. 228 Former Pupilsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; News ..................................................................................................................................... 250 Degrees and Diplomas .................................................................................................................................. 267 Births, Marriages and Deaths ........................................................................................................................ 268

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School Notes STAFFING 8

We said farewell to five members of staff at the end of the academic year. Mr Cupples and Mrs McCaughran retired. Mrs Burch left to take up the post of Head of Music at Bloomfield Collegiate. At Ben Madigan, Mrs Sherrard and Mrs Marshall retired, each after 20 years’ service to the school. Mr Graham will spend two years in a school in Boston. Appointments Full-time Permanent Mrs Karen Stuart

ICT

Cover for Maternity Leave Mrs Nicola Black Music Miss Victoria Wightman Biology Full-time Temporary (2 years) Miss Ashley McMillen Mathematics Full-time Temporary (1 year) Mr Matthew Cole History Mrs Paula Cummings Mr Gavin Forde Mathematics Music Part-time Temporary (1 year) Miss Bethan Brittain P.E. Miss Jennifer Herron English/Drama DEPARTMENTS Art & Design Chloe Anderson, Rachael O’Donnell and Juanita O’Kane Form V gained full marks in the CCEA GCSE level examination 2014.

James Carey, Angela Cao and Catherine Nelson Form LVI gained full marks in the CCEA AS level coursework. The following work was requested by CCEA for possible inclusion in the 2014 – 2015 True Colours exhibition. • Catherine Nelson – her Core Portfolio unit based on the theme of ‘Africa’ which has a fashion and jewellery outcome. Also requested is Catherine’s examination unit based on the theme ‘Arrange ‘which has a fashion outcome. Mr Roy Donaldson from Donaldson and Weir Graphics Ltd. presented two Art and Design MVI A2 level pupils with a Student Art Pack Award. • Jenna Todd who has gained a place at Ulster University Belfast to study Art and Design and • Sophie Daniel who gained a place at Liverpool University to study Dentistry. All Art and Design GCSE, AS and A2 level pupils attended the 2014 True Colours exhibition at the Ulster Museum to view the best examples of N. Ireland’s CCEA Art and Design coursework and externally set assignments. They also toured the Ulster Museum exhibitions and collections.

School Notes

Ruairi Brogan and Angela Cao received a CCEA Certificate of Excellence for gaining full marks at GCSE level. Ben O’Donnell received a CCEA Certificate of Excellence for gaining full marks at A2 level. The MVI and LVI Art and Design pupils visited the 2014 Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition and workshop at the Ulster Museum. The Department is used every week for Duke of Edinburgh’s Art and Design projects and CCEA GCSE and A level units of work. A dedicated team of pupils enjoyed constructing, painting and decorating the set for the Senior School Production, ‘Footloose’. Juanita O’Kane Form V was awarded the first Art and Design Major Award in the history of the school. The June 2014 Annual Art Exhibition included an excellent variety of work from all Forms. The Art Exhibition’s coffee morning raised £90 for Save the Children Fund. A further £157 was raised by teaching and non-teaching staff at a break-time preview of the exhibition. The Department continues to develop staff training in the use of ICT by attending courses in Photoshop, Animation and iPad training. The department has

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recently purchased two iPad cradles and tripods to support the teaching and learning with the iPad. The Department continues to provide pupils with an insight into Art and Design career routes. This was supported by guest speakers: • Alice Rooney , former pupil of BRA, gave Form LVI and MVI Art and Design students a talk about Glasgow College of Art and portfolio presentations;

• Francis McCrory, former pupil of BRA (Freelance Painter) gave a talk about his work. He kindly brought along live work for the Form LVI and MVI Art and Design students to view. • Representatives from the Northumbria University gave presentations on Art and Design courses to the GCSE, AS and A2 level Art and Design students. Biology This past year was another packed year of activity in the Biology Department. In December a team of Biologists won the Queen’s University Bioscience Olympiad competing against 17 other schools in Northern Ireland. The team members, Elizabeth Sinclair (Capt.), Christopher Turnbull, Angela Cao, Suraj Tirupati and Mimi Joffroy recorded the highest ever score in the history of the competition. In April, 92 LVI students travelled to Greenmount College (CAFRE) to see first-hand, the strategies now used to encourage biodiversity within agriculture in Northern Ireland. Along with guides from CAFRE and the RSPB, our students took the opportunity to develop their ecological sampling techniques and explore job opportunities within the thriving Agrifood employment sector. In June we opened our doors to over 100 Primary School children as part of the Big Day of Science 2014. Guest speakers to the Senior Science Society visited routinely throughout the year as it continued to challenge and extend our subject beyond the classroom. Sarah McMahon received a Nuffield Bursary for student placements. Business Studies The Department continues to support teaching and learning through active group work projects such as chocolate bar design and launch, developing and promoting ideas for a new phone app and collecting and collating market research information.

School Notes

Civilisation. We are also delighted that Niamh Carroll and Michael Calderwood achieved a grade A* and Aidan Davison, Sophie Rood and Shannon Venus a grade A in GCSE Latin. 31 pupils from Forms I and II, and four members of staff thoroughly enjoyed the four-day Classics trip to Hadrian’s Wall in June.

This year support activities included a business breakfast involving MVI and past pupils networking and sharing success stories, factory visits to Ikea, Dunbia and Tayto and a visiting speaker from Bombardier. The Business trip has been organised to Barcelona and will involve 27 pupils and 3 teachers visiting various businesses throughout the city.

A small and enthusiastic group of pupils from Forms I and Lower VI attended Classical Greek classes once a week at lunchtime with Mrs. McGowan. Drama 11

We had our first cohort through BCS and the results were very pleasing. Well done to Mr Murphy for all his hard work with these pupils. Chemistry The Chemistry Department had a 97% pass rate at GCSE and at A2 level. 26 pupils achieved an A* at GCSE level. Patricia Martin achieved an A* at A2 level. A team of 3 MVI pupils competed in the Northern Ireland Schools’ Analyst Competition, held in Stranmillis College. 48 F4 pupils attended a ‘Chemistry at Work’ Exhibition in the Whitla Hall, Queen’s University, Belfast. 4 pupils competed in the regional heat of the ‘Top of the Bench’ Competition. Classics We are delighted that Rowan Madden and Christopher Irvine, as a result of all their hard work, achieved a grade A in AS-Level Classical

Chris Torbitt, artistic director of Belfast Youth in the Arts, came into school to take a drama and music workshop. Forty eight enthusiastic students from Forms III-MVI engaged in activities to promote not only their acting and singing skills, but also their ability to work together as part of a team. Four students, Amy McCotter (Form IV), Carly McCullough, Chloe Lynas and Ciera McCotter (Form V) went on to star in the company’s production of The Wizard of Oz which ran for five nights in March at Theatre at the Mill. Lisa May, artistic director of Bruiser Theatre Company, came into school to take a physical theatre and Brecht workshop with Sixth Form Drama students. Form III pupils attended a Creative Choices Careers Event at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast. Twenty one enthusiastic students took part in workshops on Sound and Lighting, Costume Design, Stage Management and Front of House. The Drama and Music departments teamed up to produce the Senior Musical Footloose. Performed in November over three consecutive nights to packed out audiences, an enthusiastic cast and crew helped ensure a very successful and enjoyable production.

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Nine Form V and LVI Drama students filmed roles in a short film produced in Belfast, The Immaculate Misconception.

time with the actors, backstage and production crews gaining valuable experience of how a West End show is put together.

In December, Beth MacDougall (MVI) took up a place at the prestigious Villiers Park Educational Trust on a course entitled “Drama and Theatre Studies: Aspects of Performance”.

Junior Drama Club continues to be a very successful and popular extra-curricular activity, attracting thirty pupils on a Tuesday afternoon.

In April, a number of Form V students showcased their practical work. Extracts from Abigail’s Party by Mike Leigh, The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde and Factory Girls by Frank McGuinness were enjoyed by an appreciative audience of friends, family and teachers. 12

In May, AS Drama students showcased their practical work, Olwen Wymark’s Find Me. An audience of friends, family and teachers were moved by the story of Verity Taylor, a young girl with autism in 1970’s Britain. Through physical theatre the girls explored the effect that Verity’s autism and the lack of awareness of the condition had on the Taylor family. GCSE and A-level students went on a variety of theatre visits during the year. Form IV visited the Mac to see Big Telly’s surreal One Sandwich Short of a Genius, while Form V were entertained by Bruiser’s two-man version of Gogol’s political satire The Nose. A-level students saw theatre as diverse as a musical adaptation of Pride and Prejudice; a creative adaptation of Melmoth the Wanderer; a poignant production of Friel’s Philadelphia, Here I Come! and Bruiser’s avant-garde take on Brecht’s Caucasian Chalk Circle. LVI Drama students took their passion for the theatre beyond the classroom by partaking in work experience within the creative arts industries. Molly Martin attended Drama therapy sessions at the Crescent Arts Centre seeing first-hand how Drama can help people with learning and/or physical disabilities. Megan Gordon and Hannah Fullerton attended the prestigious youth drama company Rainbow Factory, teaching classes to young people as well as assisting with administrative duties including booking shows. Hannah also spent time shadowing Bruiser Theatre Company’s artistic director Lisa May during rehearsals for their highly acclaimed production The Nose. Finally, Jenny Coates travelled to the West End to experience the behind the scenes world of the Olivier Award winning show The Book of Mormon. She spent

Economics The A level collaboration with St. Malachy’s College continued this year. Four out of the five pupils who had studied the subject at AS continued to A2 level and there were 6 new pupils at AS level. The outcomes were very good for most of the St. Malachy’s pupils, the majority of whom were motivated to work well outside and inside the classroom. One AS pupil, Ruairí Hurson, participated in the Royal Economic Society Essay Competition and Institute of Economic Affairs Essay competition. While he did not win, his participation contributed greatly to his subject knowledge and to developing his communication and evaluation skills. All A2 pupils participated in a visit to the IKEA store at Holywood, which provided an opportunity to learn about concepts such as “economies of scale” and “environmental sustainability.” The majority of A2 pupils applied to study the subject, or a related area, such as accountancy or finance, at degree level. Several have been offered places on prestigious courses e.g. the Accountancy and Business course offered by the Henley Business School at Reading University in conjunction with PWC and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, Durham University, University of Bath and University College Dublin. At GCSE level we continue to have modest numbers, but the subject’s presence on the curriculum at this level has encouraged more pupils to view it as an A level option. English 100 pupils studied English Literature at GCE ‘A’ Level, while a further 34 opted for GCE ‘A’ Level English Language. 81% of ‘A2’ Literature students obtained A*-C while 82% of ‘A2’ Language students achieved A*-C. 208 pupils studied GCSE English Language. 182 pupils also completed GCSE English Literature.

School Notes

99.5% of Language students obtained A*- C and 99.5% of English Literature students achieved A*- C. Sixth Form Reading Group members took the opportunity to attend the Ulster Hall to hear Jo Baker reading from and talk about her new novel, ‘Longbourn’ – a fresh take on ‘Pride and Prejudice’ which was one of The Guardian’s ‘Best Books for summer 2013.’ In December the Senior pupils also went to the Ulster Hall to take part in a ‘Poetry Picnic’. Cameron McGaughey was one of twelve finalists in ‘The Poetry Games’, a competition which involved over 32,000 entrants from across the UK. The finalists made an online video to accompany their poems on The Poetry Games website. The English Department’s Halloween Short Story Competition received over two hundred entries. BRA pupils once again entered the West Belfast Festival Short Story Competition and we look forward to the results later this term. 26 Academy pupils were published in ‘The Poetry Games – Poems from Northern Ireland’ anthology. 50 pupils also had success in the Halloween tale competition ‘A Twist in the Tale’. In collaboration with the Library, Accelerated Reader operated successfully for Forms I and II pupils. Pupils were awarded Easter eggs and gift cards from Waterstone’s for becoming ‘Millionaires and 100% Club’ winners - those pupils who had read over a million words or achieved 100% in their reading quizzes. National Poetry Day was celebrated in the Library around the theme of Water and a poetry competition was held to coincide with this venture. Having won the poetry competitions, budding poets gave readings of their work on National Poetry Day and winners received book tokens from Scholastic Book Fairs. To celebrate National Poetry Day, a reading was held at lunchtime in the Library where, to a large audience, staff and pupils read their favourite poems on the theme of ‘Water’. The Library, supported by the English Department, celebrated World Book Day by hosting a Book Fair and Short Story competition. Pupils were invited to watch online the ‘Biggest Book Show on Earth’ which included popular children’s authors James Patterson, Robert Muchamore and Lauren St John.

World Book Day book tokens were distributed to all pupils. Further joint events by the Library and English Department were enjoyed by pupils. The Junior Book Club travelled to Bangor Castle Walled Garden to hear a reading by Eoin Colfer, author of the Artemis Fowl series, and also went to meet Colin Bateman at the Aspects of Irish Literature Festival. The year continued with a trip to a book launch and signing event with Darren Shan (author of the popular ‘Zom-B’ series) at Eason’s bookshop in Belfast. In March a number of pupils travelled to Stormont to meet award-winning author, Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman and Irish Laureate na nÓg, Niamh Sharkey. Having attended the launch of the NI Book Award, members of the Book Club were present at the ‘Grand Finale’ of the competition in the Lyric Theatre, where the winner – ‘Russian Roulette’ by Anthony Horowitz – was announced. Several pupils also took part in the Belfast Speech and Drama Festival. Working with members of the BBC’s Journalism team, Academy pupils from a range of year groups sought out news stories, presented the stories using

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media technology and posted the news on the BRA website. Congratulations also go to Tom Spence. His “An App Story” was chosen from over one hundred thousand entries from across the UK to make it into the final of the BBC 500 Words competition. His story was judged by a host of celebrities including Chris Evans, the author Frank Cottrell Boyce, the new Children’s Laureate Malorie Blackman and Top Gear’s Richard Hammond. At the end of May, Tom was invited to a special Radio 2 Breakfast Show and broadcast live from the Hay Festival.

Other Departmental activities during the course of the year included: the Head of English and Literacy Co-ordinator from St. Patrick’s visited school to find out about the Accelerated Reading Programme; a review of iPad use in collaboration with the RE Department; over £3,500 was raised for the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children by Forms I and II pupils during ‘Read-On’ week; support for the Library’s Scholastic Book Fair raised £600 in free books; hosts to visits by French students and Erasmus student Patrick Garmatter from Germany; relationships with Queen’s University, Belfast developed further by hosting PGCE student Rebekah Poole. During the month of September, Niamh McMillen enjoyed a successful work experience. Geography Helen Diamond was placed joint 4th in Northern Ireland at GCSE Geography. Overall the results at GCSE level showed an increase of 5% on last year’s performance. All those in the MVI cohort passed Advanced Level Geography, with 92% attaining grade A* - C. Emily Taggart and Kim Stewart were awarded an A*. MVI geographers had the opportunity in September to study the effects of coastal erosion at Dundrum Bay in Co Down. They also surveyed members of the public in Newcastle on their views of tourism in the local area. This material formed the basis of the module on “Issues in Geography” which enables our students to develop problem-solving skills. Natalie Paul and Sarah Bingham in MVI attended a conference in October titled “Dawn ‘Til Dusk Understanding How Belfast Works”. This was an event hosted by the School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering, Queen’s University, Belfast. The day started at 6.00 a.m. and involved on-site visits to various locations within Belfast with particular focus on planning and sustainability,

renewable energy, planning governance and healthy urban planning. The course was taken by Dr. Geraint Ellis – a Professor in the School. In November three pupils in Form IV (Zuzanna Loboda, Nathan McCarthy, and Kirsty Miller) competed in the Northern Ireland final of the World Wise Quiz at Queen’s University, Belfast. This competition is organised by the Belfast branch of the Geographical Association. In February LVI geographers collected data for their AS examination. This is a study of the micro-climate of Greater Belfast. The data collected is analysed and interpreted as part of the AS examination in June. Each Key Stage had experience of fieldwork outside the classroom. This involved collecting information and producing a finished report. Topics studied as part of fieldwork include a local weather study within the school, coastal defence measures at Holywood, Co Down, a study of the attitudes towards migration in Belfast and examining the urban heat island effect in Belfast. History History continues to be a popular subject at both GCSE and Advanced levels. The sustained success in the public examinations has undoubtedly had much to do with the appeal that it holds for our pupils. At GCSE level, 87% of the 130 pupils entered achieved Grade C or better. No pupil failed to achieve a pass grade. 45 pupils sat the subject at Advanced Level of whom 87% obtained Grades A* - C. Faye Kidd took up an offer from Homerton College, Cambridge to read History, particular credit being due to her teacher, Mrs Tate. Home Economics The GCSE results were very pleasing this year with two A*s, 7 As, 10 Bs , 5 Cs and 1 E. There are 7 pupils proceeding to AS level which is encouraging. The Department was pleased to host the first BRA bake-off final with Jenny Bristow as the guest judge. Once again the facilities were used by the Malawi team to prepare over 800 cupcakes for the AQE mornings. The Spanish and Business Studies departments also used the room to prepare Spanish cuisine and chocolate bars. This year we are working with the Modern Foreign Languages department.

School Notes

Mathematics

54% of Form V achieved an A*/A in AQA GCSE Mathematics. 91% achieved A*-B. 77 students were entered for CCEA Additional Mathematics with 96% achieving A*-C. At AS level 79 pupils were entered for Mathematics with 71% achieving A-B.

ICT 4 LVI pupils, Liam, Gavin Arrell, Andrew Anderson and Kyle McClelland participated in the Sentinus Programme for ICT. Their remit was to develop a web site and apps. for the business world. The team, under the guidance of Miss Charles, did extremely well. Liam Ferris, LVI, and Claire Hughes, MVI, partook in Villiers Park reading ICT. Miss Charles was a very welcome addition to the ICT Department last year and her support was greatly appreciated. She also proved very popular with the pupils.

71 pupils completed A2 Mathematics; the largest cohort on record. 53% (38 pupils) of the MVI cohort achieved an A*/A at A2 level. Nine students (out of 167 in Northern Ireland) studied Further Mathematics achieving 6 A*, 1A and 2B grades. Extensive efforts were made by the Department to prepare 3 pupils for the STEP Examinations for Cambridge entry, 1 pupil for the Mathematics Admissions Test for Oxford and 3 pupils for Oxbridge interviews. This took considerable preparation time and contact time after school. This is the fourth year in a row that preparation for such admissions examinations has taken place. Hundreds of pupils once again took part in the UK Maths Trustâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s individual and team challenges. At Senior level pupils achieved 4 gold, 10 silver and 11 bronze awards. Chris Turnbull and Callum Dalzell went on to compete in further rounds of the British Maths Olympiad. At Intermediate level pupils achieved 5 gold, 14 silver and 19 bronze awards. Megan Carson and Daniel Quigley qualified for the Intermediate Maths Olympiad in which they both received merit certificates for the standard of their work. At Junior level pupils achieved 6 gold, 12 silver and 13 bronze awards. The school representatives continue to dominate team competitions in the province. In team

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competitions, the Senior team came a close second in the annual Queen’s Mathematics competition and also fourth in the NI regional finals of the UKMT Team Challenge. The Junior Team won the NI regional final of the UKMT Junior Challenge for a second year in a row and again went on to represent NI at the national final in London. Modern Foreign Languages

The MFL Department celebrated great achievement this year with all the modern languages taught here achieving top awards and placements with CCEA at GCSE. The Modern Language Department celebrated with the students and their parents at CCEA’s Prize Day ceremony in March in the Stormont Hotel. We congratulate the following pupils: Ruth McConnell achieved 1st place in Northern Ireland (CCEA) in GCSE Spanish. David Speers was joint 1st in German. Rachel Millar was joint 2nd in French. The MFL Department welcomed Dr. Janice Carruthers (QUB) on European Day of Languages to address the Senior pupils at assembly on the merits of studying a language at Advanced and University level. She outlined the wide variety of careers available to MFL graduates. Modern Language students had a wide variety of visitors to the Department last year. We welcomed Lukas Gockel from Universität des Saarlandes in Germany who completed his internship within the Modern Languages Department. He also undertook to help out in the PE and English departments. We also welcomed Dr. Fabio Rota from Italy who spent two weeks in school observing best practice for an Italian Department of Education study of successful educational strategies across a variety of schools Europe. Aurelia Cadet from the University of Toulon in France also spent her internship here

and worked with the French and Spanish MFL students. We also welcomed Kayleigh Williams, recently qualified as a teacher from QUB. She helped out in the Department on a voluntary basis for a few days each week. We hosted Colin Taplin, a PGCE student from QUB who taught French and German during his placement here. The Spanish Department welcomed Oriana Firgau Marcano and Manuel Rodriguez-Rebollo as voluntary assistants. All these student teachers had a very positive experience within the Department and contributed to the life and learning of the pupils with whom they came into contact. This year Le Zone Francophone continued every Thursday. The club offered pupils the chance to speak only in French during lunchtime in order to improve their conversational skills. The club which was facilitated by the French Assistant and Mr Porter and open to Form V and above, had regular attendance from a variety of students from these forms. The German and Spanish assistants also had similar clubs on various days of the week. Many MFL pupils engaged in meaningful conversation while enjoying lunch together. These opportunities gave them great confidence and helped them to improve greatly in the art of conversation on a variety of topics in a variety of languages. Ling Chung, a MVI student of Spanish, went to Managua, Nicaragua to help out in one of the local communities. She assisted children of pre-school age with their studies and taught English and French to youngsters. She also improved on her own language skills in Spanish. During her time there she helped with the construction a new church. This was a character-building experience as Ling embarked on this a great challenge without knowing anyone in the group. Music 86% of Form V achieved an A*-B in CCEA GCSE Music. Luke Auterson achieved full marks in his GCSE music performance recital. 71% of pupils at AS and A2 achieved grades A – C in CCEA Music. Ruari McGowan and Victoria Campbell achieved full marks in their solo recital at AS Level and Daniel McKenna achieved full marks in his performance recital for his A Level examination. Jack Johnston, Ruari McGowan and Owen Donnelly gained a place in the Ulster Youth Jazz Orchestra and Paige Clements and Patrick Donnelly were

School Notes

Politics Politics students enjoyed a successful year, with 100% of students achieving A-B at A Level. At AS Level the subject proved popular with 18 students entered for the examination.

awarded a place in the Ulster Youth Training Choir. Hannah Edgar was also selected to play the violin in the Ulster Youth Orchestra. These pupils performed with these groups at various concerts throughout the summer months. 2013/14 was a very busy year for the Music Department with the pupils performing at the School Musical, Senior Carol Service, Junior Carol Service, Prize Day, Open Nights, School functions, Spring Concert in the Ulster Hall, Summer Serenade, a joint concert in Belfast Royal Academy with Gonzaga College, Dublin and the ABRSM practical exams. After their hugely successful performance at the NEC in Birmingham as part of the Youth Proms 2012, the Senior Traditional Group was invited to take part in the Music for Youth Schools Proms Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in November 2013. They gave an excellent performance on the night and it was very well received. PE The PE Department has continued to develop throughout the 2013/14 year. The PE Department has led the way in developing BTEC level 3 Sport in school. It has 100% Distinction in its first year and 100% A-E at A2 level. GCSE PE was successfully developed this year with 94% A or A*.We had another successful Sports Day in June and a very successful primary Sports Camp in August. There were numerous extra-curricular activities run throughout the year. Sports days were run for primary schools in January and June. There was the introduction of boxercise and handball to the curriculum and a continuing increase in participation levels. The Department has also been working with Senior Management to get finance for floodlighting. Work has been completed on the CCEA ICT project and PE staff have also successfully implemented the use of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;googleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rolls. It is hoped to use google drive for all coursework next year. The PE Department successfully integrated the gap year students into the curriculum.

Middle Sixth students attended a conference run by the Politics Studies Association at Methodist College Belfast in March. With lecturers from English universities providing greater insight into the role of the Constitution of the United States of America and a comparison between Presidential and Prime Ministerial power, this was tremendously beneficial to our students. In November, MP for North Belfast, Nigel Dodds MP, visited both Lower and Middle Sixth students. He discussed the work of an MP and afterwards answered questions from students where the discussion was spirited. Lower Sixth students visited Stormont in March and they met with MLAs from the North Belfast consitutency and party officials from all shades of politics in Northern Ireland. Physics All of the MVI cohort passed Advanced Level Physics with 83% attaining grade A* - C. Patricia Martin was awarded an A*. At GCSE Level 97% of pupils attained A* - C. Religious Studies The Religious Studies Department continues an iPad pilot which will run throughout 2014-2015; leading on from all staff being issued with iPads and Apple TV to offer wireless use of the devices, the Department will be purchasing 30 iPads for use by the pupils in the classroom. MVI travelled to Rome on their annual Church History trip. Form Three had a drugs and alcohol talk from Jackie Burke. Sociology Sociology continues to be a very popular choice at A Level and the Department has continued to develop throughout the 2013-2014 year. Results were very pleasing at Advanced level and there was a 50% increase in the numbers achieving the A*-A grade. All of the MVI cohort passed Advanced Level Sociology.

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Technology The Young Engineers Club for Form I pupils, mentored by LVI Technology pupils, ran fortnightly at lunchtimes. A group of 40 pupils had the opportunity to investigate and manufacture electronics and mechanical projects.

ICT provision has continued to improve as the computer system was updated and the number of iPads and apple TV systems has increased. Activity-based learning has been introduced throughout the school. Mrs Sherrard and Mrs Marshall retired, each after 20 years’ service to Ben Madigan. They will be greatly missed by children, parents and staff.

Form V girls visited Schlumberger for a Gender Diversity Event at Monkstown, allowing them to see at first hand the types of job and possibilities open to women in Engineering. A group of 13 LVI Technology pupils visited Ikea at The Holywood Exchange for a tour and a seminar on Ikea Product Design. A group of six Form III pupils were trained by Sentinus to be mentors for P6 and P7 pupils at Templepatrick Primary School. They participated in the Sentinus STEM Robotics Roadshow, giving them experience of computer programming and virtual problem solving. A group of LVI Technology pupils were involved in Sentinus Insight Into Engineering, where they were paired with a STEM company and gained first-hand experience from industrial engineers which enabled them to make informed decisions about their future careers. Form V girls attended a seminar in Stormont by SEMTA, to discuss the gender balance in STEM and were informed about the career opportunities in this sector. Ben Madigan In September 2013 Ben Madigan underwent an inspection by ETI. The outcome was “Very Good” and the inspectors commented that “the children benefit from the high priority given to the care of the individual child”.

Special Educational Needs The SEN Department continues to grow. Last year we had 13 classroom assistants and 18 pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs. In total we had approximately 100 pupils on the Special Educational Needs Register. Through the support of all staff and inclusion in every aspect of school life, the pupils grew and flourished. Mrs Currie, Mrs Tate and Dr Mort provided strong supporting roles within the Department mentoring and assessing pupils. Moreover, Miss Brady was instrumental in fostering links with Cedar Lodge Special School, and a number of our Senior rugby players showed great commitment in attending regular training and coaching sessions with Cedar Lodge pupils. SPORT Athletics (Girls) District Championships Antrim Forum Tuesday 6th May & Saturday 10th May 2014 22 girls qualified for the Ulster Championships Gold Medals 10 Silver Medals 7 Bronze Medals 8 Minor Overall team position – 9th Maria McDaid 6th Long Jump Hannah Hill 6th Shot Relay 6th Junior Overall team position – 2nd Trinity Geddis 1st 75mH, 2nd Long Jump Qualifies for Ulster’s Katie Ritchie 1st Pole Vault Q Erin Moffett 1st Hammer Q Beth Magill 2nd 100m Q Amie Bradley 2nd 200m Q Ellie Bradley 3rd Javelin Q Aimee Bradley 4th 75mH Charlotte Anderson 4th Long Jump Harriet Dougan 4th Pole Vault

School Notes

Alice Reid 5th Triple Jump Katie McConnaughie 5th Javelin Katy Thompson 6th 800m Relay 2nd Q Intermediate Overall team position – 3rd Victoria Beattie 1st Pole Vault Q Kellie McLean 2nd Pole Vault Q Laura Fleck 3rd 80mH Q Laura Fleck 3rd 300mH Q Rebecca Harbinson 3rd High Jump Q Naomi Martin 4th Discus Natalie Watson 4th 1500m Alex Beattie 5th High Jump Vivienne Walsh 5th 80mH Lucy Stewart 6th Long Jump Rebecca Harbinson 6th Triple Jump Relay 5th Senior Overall team position – 1st Rachel Millar 1st 80mH Q Rachel Millar 1st 400mH Q Melissa Moffett 1st Pole Vault Q Melissa Moffett 1st Hammer Q Mykila Donaldson 1st Shot Q Rachel Andrews 1st Discus Q Robyn Geddis 2nd 200m Q Robyn Geddis 3rd 400m Q Yasmin Anderson 2nd Triple Jump Q Yasmin Anderson 3rd Long Jump Q Anna Hutchinson 3rd Triple Jump Q Holly Reid 3rd 400m Q Relay 2nd Q Ulster Schools’ Athletics Championships, Antrim Forum, Saturday 17th May 2014 9 girls qualified for the Irish Championships Junior Girls – 2nd Overall Katie Ritchie 2nd Pole Vault Qualifies for Irish Erin Moffett 3rd Hammer Q Junior relay 2nd (Amie Bradley, Beth Magill, Alice Reid, Trinity Geddis) Q Trinity Geddis 4th 75mH Beth Magill 8th 100m Amie Bradley 6th 200m Ellie Bradley 7th Javelin Intermediate Girls Victoria Beattie 1st Pole Vault Q Kellie McLean 3rd Pole Vault Q Laura Fleck 7th 80mH

Rebecca Harbinson 8th High Jump Rioghnach Catney 10th 1500m Senior Girls – 5th Overall Melissa Moffett 1st Pole Vault & 1st Hammer Q Rachel Millar 4th 100mH & 4th 400mH Mykila Donaldson 4th Hammer Yasmin Anderson 6th Long Jump & 8th Triple Jump Rachel Andrews 6th Discus Form II Athletics Competition, Boys’ Model, 22nd May U14 District Final The Form II girls competed against Methody, Friends’, Victoria, Hunterhouse and Girls’ Model Overall team place – 4th Amie Bradley 1st 100m Harriet Dougan 3rd 800m Naomi McGuckin 5th Long Jump Bethany Paull 3rd High Jump Chloe Joyce 3rd Shot Ellie Bradley 7th Javelin Amie Bradley, Harriet Dougan, Aimee Lyttle, Naomi McGuckin – Relay 4th Irish Schools’ Championships Tullamore Saturday 31st May Junior Relay Team (Amie Bradley, Beth Magill, Alice Reid and Trinity Geddis) - 4th Melissa Moffett - 3rd pole vault 2.35m and 7th in hammer Katie Ritchie - 5th pole vault 2.20m Erin Moffett - 5th hammer 35.84m Vicky Beattie - 6th pole vault 2.35m Kellie McLean - 8th pole vault 2.10m Form II Inter-District Competition Antrim Forum Thursday 12th June Congratulations to Amie Bradley and Harriet Dougan Form II, who were selected to represent District B in the U14 Inter District Athletics Final on Thursday 12th June at Antrim Forum. Amie was 1st in the 100m and Harriet 1st in the 75mH. Schools’ Inter-Provincial Morton Stadium, Santry, Dublin Saturday 21st June Well done to Katie Ritchie Form III and Victoria Beattie Form V who were selected to represent Ulster in the Schools’ Inter-Provincial in Santry. Katie Ritchie 5th pole vault 2.55m Victoria Beattie 7th pole vault 2.20m

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Athletics (Boys) District Championships Antrim Forum Tuesday 6th and Saturday 10th May There were many fine performances. Athletes who finished in the top 3 in their event have qualified to compete at the Ulster Championships at the Antrim Forum on Saturday 17th May. Senior Boys – 2nd Team Competition 73 points

Ruairi Brogan- 1st 400m Hurdles 64.10 secs and 2nd 110m Hurdles 19.3 secs David McCullough -3rd 400m 57.3 secs David O’Donnell-Anderson- 1st High Jump 1.66m and 4th Javelin 37.57 m James Carey- 2nd Long Jump 5.73m and 2nd Triple Jump 11.97m Stewart Martin- 1st Discus 34.69m and 2nd Shot 9.89m David Campbell- 3rd Shot 9.42m and 3rd Discus 27.16m Ben Cave- 2nd Javelin 41.50m Scott McMurtry- 2nd Hammer 42.25 and 4th 400m 63.0 Intermediate Boys - 1st Team Competition 93 points Roy Chia- 1st 100m 11.8 secs Tim Robinson- 1st 200m 25.2 secs and 4th 100m 12.2 secs Jonathan Dickson- 3rd 200m 25.6 secs Ryan Davison- 3rd 800m 2.15.7 secs Daniel Davison- 4th 1500m 4.52.5 Callum Dalzell- 2nd 1500m Steeple Chase 5.35.2 Chris McLauglin- 3rd High Jump 1.60m Jay McCrum- 1st Triple Jump 11.95m Thomas Carey- 2nd Triple Jump 11.89M and 4th Long Jump 5.51m Matthew Dalton- 1st Shot 13.52m and 2nd Discus 41.40m Rakeem Marica- 3rd Shot 10.24m and 4th Hammer 30.24m Gareth McAdams- 1st Javelin 36.42m and 4th Discus 33.92m Stephen McCorry- 1st Hammer 51.36m and 5th Javelin 28.67m Junior Boys - 3rd Team Competition 48 points Shane Martin- 1st triple Jump 10.89m and 1st Pole Vault 3.00m

Jack Agnew- 1st T54 100m 22.5 secs and 1st T54 200m 33.7secs Conor Foster- 2nd Pole Vault 2.40m 4 x100m Relay team- 3rd 50.3 secs Tom McAlister- 2nd Long Jump 4.82m Jack Macneill- 2nd Javelin 28.02m Jason Poots- 2nd Discus 27.94m and 3rd Hammer 27.09m James Lavery- 4th Shot 9.55m and 4th Hammer 22.1m Brandon Hassan- 6th Triple Jump 9.81m and 6th Long Jump 4.67m Ulster Schools’ Athletics Championships, Antrim Forum, Friday 16th and Saturday 17th May There were many outstanding performances with many athletes recording personal bests. Special congratulations to those athletes who became Ulster Champions: Jack Agnew in the T54 100m and 200m, Shane Martin in the Junior Pole Vault, Stephen McCorry in the Intermediate Hammer, Matthew Dalton in the Intermediate Shot Putt, Ruairi Brogan in the senior 400m Hurdles and Stewart Martin in the senior Discus. The Academy teams at Junior, Intermediate and Senior levels finished second in the overall points competition, which resulted in the school finishing second overall. Junior- 2nd overall in the team competition Jack Agnew - 1st T54 100m 18.96secs and 1st T54 200m 33.74 secs Aaron Campbell, Shane Martin, Josh Hegarty and Jack Plackett 3rd 4 x 100m relay 48.70 secs Shane Martin- 1st Pole Vault 2.45m and 3rd Triple Jump 10.76m Conor Foster- 2nd Pole Vault 1.90m Jason Poots- 6th Hammer 23.10m Intermediate- 2nd overall in the team competition Stephen McCorry- 1st Hammer 49.55m Matthew Dalton- 1st Shot 13.50m and 2nd Discus 42.62m Roy Chia- 4th 100m 12.23 secs Callum Dalzell- 5th Steeple chase 5.00.9 Lewis McCoubrey, Tim Robinson, Roy Chia and Jonathan Dickson- 5th 4 x 100m 47.86 secs Jay McCrum- 4th Triple jump 12.25m Thomas Carey- 5th Triple Jump 11.88m Senior- 2nd overall in the team competition Ruairi Brogan- 1st 400m H 62.8secs and 3rd 110 H 17.55 secs

School Notes

Stewart Martin- 1st Discus 37.45m and 4th Shot 10.79m Scott McMurtry- 3rd Hammer 42.66m David O’Donnell-Anderson- 5th High Jump 1.55m James Carey- 3rd Triple Jump 12.14m David Campbell- 6th Shot 8.97m and 5th Discus 26.10m Ben Cave- 4th Javelin 40.45m

Badminton The Badminton Club continued to meet weekly. This year, teams competed in both the Senior Girls’ League and the Senior Girls’ Cup.

Irish Schools’ Championships, Tullamore, Saturday 31st May

Cross Country Running Although numbers were small, enthusiasm was very much to the fore in the Cross Country Club, and there are grounds for thinking that the future of the Club is in good hands. Callum Dalzell’s talents were much in evidence as witnessed in his 9th position in the District Championships and 26th in the Ulsters, both at Intermediate level.

Junior- 3rd in the team competition Shane Martin- 1st Pole Vault 3.10m and 4th Triple Jump 10.69m Conor Foster- 5th Pole Vault 2.45m Intermediate Matthew Dalton 1st Discus 46.34m and 4th Shot Putt 12.89m Stephen McCorry 4th Hammer 45.87 m Senior Scott McMurtry 1st Hammer 47.70m Shane Martin 5th Discus 34.13m James Carey 9th Triple Jump 11.93m Irish Schools’ Interprovincial The Aviva Irish Schools’ Inter-provincial Championship was held in Santry Stadium, Dublin on Saturday 21st June. Seven pupils from Belfast Royal Academy represented the Ulster team: • Stephen McCorry – Hammer (4th) • Matthew Dalton – Discus (3rd) & Shot Putt (3rd) • Shane Martin – Pole Vault (2nd) • Conor Foster – Pole Vault (6th) • Callum Dalzell – Steeple Chase (6th) • Victoria Beattie – Pole Vault (8th) • Katie Ritchie – Pole Vault (5th) Special congratulations to Shane Martin (Form III) who finished 2nd in the Pole Vault and Matthew Dalton (Form IV) who finished 3rd in both the Discus and Shot Putt. UK School Games Congratulations to Matthew Dalton (Shot Putt), Stephen McCorry (Hammer), and Shane Martin (Pole Vault) who have been selected to represent Northern Ireland at the UK School Games in Manchester in September.

Cricket The Junior Colts were narrowly beaten in a ‘bowl out’ in the quarter-final of the Plate Competition.

The younger girls too will hopefully provide the Club with a solid foundation in years to come. At Minor Level, Harriet Dougan (14th in the Districts and 28th in the Ulsters) and Aimee Bradley (8th and 30th) demonstrated considerable promise. Not to be outdone, at Junior Level, Rioghnach Catney, who finished 5th in the District Championships and Ellen Dalzell (8th), went on to compete with credit in the Ulster Championships. Here, Rioghnach crossed the finishing line in 19th place, with Ellen not far behind in 26th. Football The Football XI competed in the Belfast Cup and Northern Ireland Cup. Golf (Girls) Judithe Allen and Amy O’Donnell represented the School at the Ulster Schools’ Championship on a fine but overcast day in March at Portrush Golf Club. The format required teams of 3 to compete with the two best scores counting. Judithe and Amy played as a team of two, impressively coming second in the Ulster Senior Cup. This unfortunately was not enough to see them through to the Irish Schools’ Championship as it was the first placed team that were the only qualifiers. Golf (Boys) Unfortunately this year’s golfing season failed to live up to the success of last year. We had lost 2 players from the Senior team that competed in last year’s Ulster final. However the boys who replaced our leavers were up against more experienced players from other schools.

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In the winter league competition we fared slightly better, losing a quarter-final match on a count-back to St. Killian’s College. On that occasion Stuart McCombe, Conor Magee and Pierce Clements were accompanied by Rhys Goodhall of Form 2 (our youngest ever competitor in a Senior Boys’ competition). The boys again played very well, but came up short against superior opposition on the day. Hockey (Boys) The 1st XI team progressed and developed well throughout the year. Several promising young players from last year’s Colts made a successful step up to the 1st XI squad. The Colts enjoyed a relatively strong campaign in the Taylor Cup competition. The Junior team performed well this season and achieved some very good results against strong opposition. The number of boys taking up hockey continues to increase and so the future looks bright for the sport at the Academy. Judo James Reid (Form V) was honoured as ‘Young Sportsperson of the Year’ at the Belfast Sports Awards 2014 for his achievements in representing Belfast Royal Academy in Judo. He was awarded his trophy at the prestigious awards ceremony at Belfast City Hall in March. Lifesaving Three pupils were selected for the NI Commonwealth Games team and represented NI in Canberra, Australia: Eorann O’Neill, Ruairi Hurson and Lori Turkington. They came home with 5 Bronze medals. Five pupils were selected for the GB Performance Squad. Ruairi Hurson and Eorann O’Neill will be competing in the German Cup in November and Sinead Gourley and Finn Purdy will be competing in Holland in that month in the Bene Cup.

At the British Championships we won 33 medals. At the Ulster Championships we won 8 medals. Netball This year we had nine Senior teams playing competitive games in the Belfast Schools’ Area League. The Minor, Intermediate and Senior teams also played in the Cup. It was a mixed season with the Senior and Intermediate squads meeting strong opposition in the opening rounds of their Cup competition. Netball in school has continued to grow with talented and committed players emerging throughout the Club. Representative Honours U19 Belfast Area Podium Squad – Abbie Brown, Kellie McLean, Emer Gribbon and Lauren McCullough Rugby A young 1st XV worked hard this season and played some great rugby. Captain Stewart Martin was involved with the Ulster U19 squad while David Campbell and Jordan Hylton were both capped by Ulster Schools’ U18 during their interprovincial campaign. Highlights of the season were performances against Regent House and Bangor Grammar as well as winning the Ballyclare High School Sevens tournament. The team also participated in the St. Joseph’s College, Ipswich, National Schools Festival holding their own against some of the top schoolboy sides in the UK. Captained by David Reid, the 2nd XV had a very enjoyable year, if not a most successful one. Losing as many games as they won made it less successful than had been hoped, but some very good and memorable performances saw them convincingly beat a strong Armagh Royal School team, Bangor Grammar and Omagh Academy (in the Cup). Unfortunately, the side was defeated by a very talented RBAI team in the second round of the Cup, which called the end of the season. The 3rd XV enjoyed a remarkable year finishing worthy Semi-Finalists in the Cup Competition. The highlight of the year was a superb away win against CAI in the quarter-finals. The Medallion XV made sterling progress this year. They had a slow start to the season, struggling to defeat teams while having had the lion’s share of both territory and possession. However, their hard work in training was soon rewarded and performances improved immeasurably. They were

School Notes

unfortunate to draw Ballymena away in the Shield, losing 6-3 to a team which went on to contest the final, losing narrowly to RBAI. The U14 A continued to develop and were a very competitive side during the season. The side toured Cambridge, drawing with St Joseph’s College and losing to hosts, the Perse School. The U14 B squad trained hard during the year and had some impressive results. Many boys have the potential to play for the ‘A’ team next year.

progress to the quarter finals of the competition. Well done to all involved. Show Jumping The Open Show Jumping team was in second position at The MEC League and third at the Ulster Schools’ Show Jumping Championships. The novice team finished third in both The MEC League and the Ulster Schools’ Championships.

The U13A had a successful year following a shaky start. The highlight was a win against Catholic University School from Dublin and the trip to the Aviva to watch Brian O’Driscoll’s last home game for Ireland.

Swimming The school team won 121 Ulster Schools medals and 10 Irish Schools medals. We were the most successful grammar school for the 6th year in a row. Conor Ferguson (Form IV) won individual Irish, British and Canadian national medals. He also represented the School and Northern Ireland at the UK School Games.

The U13B team experienced a mostly successful season with notable wins against Wallace High School and Ballymena Academy early in the academic year. Rory Linden and Ben Coleman were awarded Player of the Year and Most improved Player of the Year respectively.

Tennis (Girls) Teams were entered at Junior, Intermediate A & B and Senior level. Senior and Intermediate A’s both qualified from their section with the Juniors finishing runners-up in their section. The Senior team lost narrowly to Victoria College in the semi-final.

Waterpolo The Senior boys finished second In the Canada Trophy and the U19 league. We won both the U16 and U14 leagues. Maeve Gallagher (Form V) was selected for the Irish U15 squad and David Speers was selected for the U17 team. David, Tom Donnelly and Ruairi Hurson were selected for the Ulster Schools U19 team.

In the ‘forwards’ Louis West, Ollie Parkes, Jack Higgins and Aaron Gooderham were particularly powerful and influential; while in the ‘backs’ Callum Davidson, Nikhil Kane, Jack Whittley, Jack Davis and Joel Miller were all very creative and talented during games. Form I Rugby The Form I Rugby team had a very promising debut season. They reached the semi-final of the Plate Competition in the annual Coleraine Tournament. They have huge potential and some exceptionally gifted rugby players. Girls’ Tag Rugby On Tuesday 4th February the girls’ tag rugby team played in the Schools’ Cup qualifying tournament at Wellington College. The girls had some excellent play, beating Mercy College 6-0 and St Rose’s 4-1. Unfortunately they lost to last year’s Schools’ Cup finalists, Grosvenor. They came narrowly behind Grosvenor in their pool and unfortunately couldn’t

OTHER EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Air Training Corps Recruiting in 2013-2014 was not as good as in the previous year and we ended the year with 20 cadets on strength. During the year, cadets did the usual range of activities: flying, gliding, shooting and Wing Sports. Cadets represented the Wing in rugby and soccer. Some also took part in the Wing Annual Parade and the Squadron did the wreath-laying ceremony in school for Remembrance Day. Three cadets attended camp. Two cadets were selected to attend the Royal International Air Tattoo Camp at Fairford. The ATC camp does duties helping to run the Show and they therefore get closer than the general public to the aircraft and their crews. There was the usual full season Target Shooting, both full-bore and small-bore. Peter Gilleece, Jake Magill and Eric Macauley were selected for the Air Training

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Corps small-bore team in the Inter-Service match in the Winter. At the Northern Ireland Cadet Meeting in April, Jake Magill was the Champion Cadet.

Cameron McGaughey (Form V) reached the final of the Poetry Games competition. The competition involved over 32,000 entrants from across the UK.

At Bisley in July, Peter Gilleece and Jake Magill came first and second in the Cadet Hundred, so both fired in the Inter Service Team for the ATC. Peter therefore also won the Lady Gwendolyn Guinness Cup for first place and the Boulter Cup as highest placed ATC cadet. He also came third in the 600 yard Individual. Jake Magill, Peter Gilleece and Eric Macauley stayed on at Bisley for the National Rifle Association Annual Meeting, the ‘Imperial Meeting’. Peter then went on tour in Canada with the UK cadet rifle team in August At the end of August Jake went to Jersey with the GB Cadet Team to fire in their Annual Meeting. Jake was selected to attend the Athelings Pre-Selection Coaching Course at Bisley in September and was successful in getting a place in the 2015 team.

Junior Debating Society This was another very successful year for the Junior Debating Society, with increasing levels of participation. As well as the stalwarts from last year, many Form I and Form III pupils took part in the many lively debates. Once again the debates focused on areas of particular interest to young people, and ranged from the light-hearted to the serious. Several of the more serious debates attracted the largest attendance, which goes to show that our young people are interested in the world around them and are keen to have their say.

Bridge The Bridge Club was particularly proud to have 4 members chosen to represent Northern Ireland in the Under 20 Home Internationals: Melissa Antonio, Pooja Sridhar, Victoria Frame (MVI) and Ryan Lightowler (V). The four then had the opportunity to represent Ireland Under 20’s during the summer holidays at two Youth Championships, one in Germany and one in Greece. The three MVI pupils have now gone to university but the team of four will continue their partnership at Under 20 level by playing and practising on-line Bridge. With the departure of Mr Graham for two years, Dr Lomas and Mr Harte will run the Club which is now held daily at lunchtime in BG4. An after-school club has now started on a Tuesday from 3.20 – 4.30 in BG4 and numbers this year have so far been very healthy with 12 new ‘beginners’ and all the ‘old’ hands back. The Classics Society During the year, the Classics Society met at lunchtime every Thursday in J13. The meetings were attended by a very lively group of First and Second Formers. There, they made Roman glass paintings and also watched the television series ‘The Roman Mysteries’ and ‘The Last Days of Pompeii’. Creative Writing Club 55 Academy pupils were published in the ‘A Twist In The Tale’ Anthology. These short tales highlighted an exciting and eclectic range of interests and skills.

We have some very enthusiastic debaters in the Society whom we look forward to seeing again this year. However, many have moved on to the Senior Debating Society, so there is plenty of room for new speakers to make their mark in the coming year. Senior Debating Society This year proved to be another eventful and enjoyable one for the Senior Debating Society with a good attendance at lunchtime events. Our first lunchtime debate was on the subject: “This House would end school uniform,” with speakers Rachel Blaney and Victoria Noble proposing the motion and Lee Smallwood and Sara Thabeth opposing. This was followed several weeks later by the more weighty motion: “This House believes that the Orange Order should be able to March Where it Pleases.” It is a credit to the young people of the Debating Society that they were able to debate the motion without any of the rancour which exists outside of school. As usual we entered the Northern Ireland Schools Debating Competition. Our team consisted initially of LVI pupils Ruarí Magowan and Victoria Noble and in our first debate we proposed the motion: “This House Believes that Wind Farms do more Harm than Good,” against a team from Enniskillen Collegiate Grammar School. Often the standard of debate can be quite modest in the first round, but this was not the case on this occasion, and we were delighted to win the round. Sara Thabeth agreed to take up a vacant place. In the second round debate we proposed the motion: “This House Believes that Drugs should be Treated as a Medical and not a Criminal Issue” against a team from Abbey

School Notes

Christian Brothers Grammar School in Newry. Once again the standard of the debate was high, but on this occasion victory went to the opposition. Lunchtime debates continued in school following the January examinations with motions ranging from the legalisation of cannabis to the value of social networking. A particular highlight was a debate on the motion, “This House Believes that iPads should not be used in Schools,” which was proposed by Sara Thabeth and Ruarí Magowan. Former member of our Society and passionate iPad advocate, Mr Shields, teamed up with Ruairí Brogan to oppose the motion. Our final debate featured two MVI stalwarts of the Debating Society, Anna McMillan and Ryan Gaffikin. Anna, together with Ruarí Magowan, proposed the motion, “This House Believes that BRA is an Ancient Institution which needs to be Modernised, so there!” against Ryan and Ruairí Brogan. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award The Academy has the largest school-based Award Centre in Northern Ireland, and possibly the United Kingdom, with a membership of 429 pupils from Forms III to MVI. During 2013-2014 35 Bronze Awards, 18 Silver Awards and 9 Gold Awards were gained. The total Awards gained from 1984 to date are Bronze – 1199, Silver – 649 and Gold – 429. In the Expedition section, 245 pupils were involved throughout the year in theory classes, training weekends and practice and qualifying expeditions. Expeditions took place in the Mountains of Mourne, North Antrim Hills, River Bann, Upper and Lower Lough Erne and the Glencoe/Fortwilliam area in Scotland. The 24th Annual Mournes’ Clean-up and Environment Day was held on Saturday, 14th December, 2013. Taking part were 114 pupils, all Duke of Edinburgh’s Award members from Forms III to Middle VI, as well as 37 adult helpers, including former pupils who are Gold Award holders, parents and teachers. In excess of two and a half tonnes of rubbish were collected from twelve different sites in the Mournes’ area. This was very good indeed, bearing in mind the poor weather. The pleasing sum of £2149.50 was donated to our funds. We are especially grateful for the award of a grant from the NGO Challenge Fund (Northern Ireland Environment Agency).

Congratulations to Holly Grant for gaining the Hillwalking Levels 1 and 2 Certificate; also to Keith Laverty who has completed work for the U.K.C.C. / B.C.U. Levels 1 and 2 Paddlesport Coach qualification. Three of our participants, Claire McGowan, Rebecca Burns and Abby Reid, entered and won prizes in the BELB Competition recognising and thanking DofE leaders for their help and encouragement. Gamers Club The Warhammer club has now morphed into the Gamers’ Club attracting an imaginative and energetic group of male and female students. They construct with LEGO, play Fantasy Card Games, use personal game machines and retro PS2 games. We meet throughout Tuesday lunch time in a very positive, creative (if a bit loud) environment. Guitar Club The Guitar club continued to meet during lunchtime every Friday in the Technology Department. It was encouraging to welcome many new members who showcased their talents and collaborated with others to further their guitar skills. Model United Nations The MUN Club had a very successful season, with three delegations (teams) entering the Wesley College Dublin two-day Conference in February. Jessica Dowey (Form V) won highly commended delegate in the Environment committee and Kuda Kunaka (Form V) won Best delegate in Health and Youth. In March six pupils, representing the Arab Republic of Egypt, attended the eighth annual George Watson’s College Conference in Edinburgh. Lucy Kinnear (Form V) and Kuda Kunaka (Form V) both won highly commended delegates within their respective committees. With over 600 pupils attending including delegates from Iran, America and Norway, this was a tremendous achievement. Musical Groups

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Boys’ Choir The Boys’ Choir consisted of almost seventy members (pupils and staff). During the last week of term in December the boys performed at two school assemblies and also at Brookvale House, which served to strengthen links with the local community. The choir was then invited to participate in a special Christmas assembly held in the main playground on the last day of term. Cameron McCartney (Form IV) gave accomplished solo performances throughout the week.

After school meetings were organised for speakers with Margaret Ritchie MP and the BBC’s Noel Thompson visiting. Two of our students attended a recording of the BBC’s Let’s Talk panel discussion programme, making contributions on air. Our biggest event of the year, with over sixty students attending, was a panel debate with visiting speakers about same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland. Chaired by Mark Simpson from the BBC, again our students’ voices made it to the airwaves, this time on BBC Radio Ulster’s Evening Extra.

The boys also sang at the Belfast Royal Academy Spring Concert in the Ulster Hall, where the members of the audience were treated to a medley of rugby anthems (including La Marseillaise in French) and Ho Hey by The Lumineers. Three MVI pupils, Reece Johnston, Mahdi Tavakoli and Chris Turnbull, gave impressive solo performances.

Reading Group The Reading Group (Staff and Sixth Form pupils) met in the Louis Lord Building on Week 2 Tuesday afternoons for lively discussions about the members’ latest reads. This year the group also attended two Literary Lunchtimes at the Ulster Hall.

Senior Traditional Group The Senior Traditional Group had an unforgettable year. They performed at the Music for Youth National Festival in Birmingham in July and were then invited to play in the 2013 Schools Prom in the Royal Albert Hall in November. Under the expert musical leadership of past pupil Niall McIlroy, the group of 14 current pupils and 4 past pupils produced an innovative and stylish performance which was mature and skilful well beyond what might be expected of a school group. At the annual Spring Concert in the Ulster Hall in May, the group performed one of the sets from London, along with a new set which had been composed by Niall.

Rock Challenge On Thursday 20th March, a team of pupils returned once again to the Waterfront Hall to compete in Rock Challenge 2014. This year’s performance was titled ‘Self’ and was about coping with the challenges we face every day and learning to accept yourself as you are. The team put on a fantastic performance and was rewarded with seven Awards of Excellence: Costume; Set Design; Entertainment; Performance Skill; Choreography; Video performance and Community Support.

Junior Traditional Group The Junior Traditional Group was led in 2013-2014 by Niall McIlroy and Mrs Prior and rehearsals took place at lunchtime every Thursday. The group delivered an impressive performance at the school’s annual Spring Concert in the Ulster Hall. They also attended the cross-community ‘Celebration of Irish Culture’ at St. Patrick’s College, Bearnageeha in March and performed at the Open Morning in May. They finished off the year with a very accomplished performance at the Summer Serenade concert at the end of June.

Senior Science Society During the year the Senior Science Society invited guest speakers into School to talk on a broad range of extra- curricular topics. We are very grateful for the support and enthusiasm of our guest speakers and for the tremendous effort they made to engage pupils and stimulate their intellectual curiosity. The talks included: Dr D. Costley (QUB) ‘Antibiotic Resistance’ Dr L. McCoy (Almac) ‘Almac Diagnostics’ Dr R. Sterritt (UUJ) ‘SPAAACE: Self-Properties, Autonomous, Autonomic, Apoptotic Computing Environments’ Mr P. McBride (Thales) ‘What has the LASER ever done for modern warfare?’

The Politics Society Politics Society had a busy but productive year. Lunchtime meetings were led by students on current affairs issues such as the crisis in Ukraine and freedom of speech. In March we welcomed back three alumni running in the local council elections.

Scripture Union (Senior) Senior Scripture Union was held weekly during Friday lunchtime. The themes for the year were “Who Is God?” followed by “Christian Heroes” such as Eric Liddell and Jim Elliot. In addition to Senior pupils leading the weekly sessions, we

School Notes

had a number of guest speakers from a variety of organisations such as Operation Mobilisation, Crown Jesus Ministries and Scripture Union NI. Pupils also attended the two weekends, firstly to Castlewellan Castle and then to Seaview House in Kilkeel, as well as the very popular Pizza Evening.

experiment and by the small number of Form 2 pupils who returned for a second year. Our experiments this year have included: The Jelly Bean Taste Test, Windmill Design, Chemical Cocktails, Hovercrafts and a competition to build the highest free standing tower using paper and a limited amount of tape.

Scripture Union (Junior) Junior Scripture Union was held weekly during Wednesday lunchtime. Throughout the course of the year we studied Joseph, challenges to Christianity and the parables. The pupils also attended the S.U. Christmas Party, Scripture Union Weekend and Pizza Evening.

Young Engineers Club The Young Engineers Club continued to meet at lunch times in the Technology Department. We endeavoured to explore a variety of electronic projects, and were able to purchase educational electronics kits to further our learning experience. We had a large membership this year and were greatly encouraged by the enthusiasm and commitment shown by the junior school pupils. We were once again assisted by an excellent team of LVI technologists.

Speech and Drama In March, pupils from Belfast Royal Academy participated in the Belfast Speech and Drama Festival at the Lyric Theatre. James Moorehead (LVI) was placed 3rd in the Senior Prose Reading Competition, Amber Cole (III) finished just 1 mark off Highly Commended in the Senior Monologue Recital, and Jing-Yi Sun (I) and Mairead Crinion (I) both received Highly Commended awards in the Junior Verse Competition. Jing-Yi also took part in the Junior Prepared Prose Reading competition. She read an extract from ‘Ratburger’ by David Walliams and placed 2nd overall. The pupils were a credit to Belfast Royal Academy and are already looking forward to representing the school in next year’s competitions. Young Einstein Club The Young Einstein Club has enjoyed another good year. We were encouraged by the enthusiastic way in which the Junior Pupils approached each

TRIPS Hadrian’s Wall This proved to be another very enjoyable trip to The Wall, with sixteen pupils from Form I and fifteen pupils from Form II. The accompanying teachers were Mr Baldwin, Mr Jamison, Mrs Thompson and Mrs McGowan. We began our trip at the Roman Army Museum to get an overview of the purpose of the wall and then visited Chester’s Roman Fort on the way to Newcastle. The next morning was spent at Segedunum - a Roman fort at the end of the wall, discovered under the site of the Tyne and Wear Shipyard. Segedunum boasts a fine ‘working’ bath-house (unfortunately never working when we are there for health and safety reasons) and an interactive museum showing life as a Roman Auxiliary in a cavalry barracks. On the third day, we went to Arbeia - the store-house for the wall, as the Romans were only too aware that an army marches on its stomach. We then spent

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the afternoon in a re-enacted mining community – Beamish. Everyone loved travelling on trams and eating boiled sweets. In the evening, we went to the cinema. On our way back on Saturday, we visited two of the most beautiful sites on the Wall – Housesteads and Vindolanda. Once again all the pupils behaved extremely well and were great company. Malawi

much to the enjoyment of the pupils and at least some members of staff, was spent in Disneyland. The pupils acquitted themselves very well indeed and were a great credit to our school. Rome

On the 23rd June, 31 of our LVI pupils, 2 Board members and 6 staff left from the Academy gates as our Malawi 2014 ‘be* the change’ team. This year we had team members taking part in international work placements in Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Biochemistry, Business Studies, Economics, Primary and Secondary Teaching. The team as a whole also committed to a rural development programme in which they distributed much needed clothing and supplies as well as building a new house for an elderly woman named Hilda whose previous house had been washed away in a recent flood. The team was amazing and their willingness to share our culture with our partners in Malawi was unending; they even got to perform for the newly elected Vice President of Malawi. Thank you to the pupils and thank you to the staff for giving of their time and skills: Mr Ken Knox (BOG), Dr Moyna Bill (BOG & team doctor), Miss Fiona Gilmore – team leader, Mrs Rosemary Morrison – team leader & LVI HOY, Mr Stewart Murphy – LVI work experience, Miss Sarah Charles, Miss Judith Spence and Dr Bell (be* the change oversight). Paris In June, 44 Form II pupils, accompanied by 5 members of staff, travelled to Paris. The weather was very kind to us and the trip was deemed by all to have been a great success. Places of interest visited included the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles. The final day,

Senior pupils studying Religious Studies travelled to Rome in October for the annual A-Level Church History trip. Led by Mr Creighton, 20 students enjoyed the opportunity to see their course come to life as they visited attractions such as the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Pantheon. Mr Creighton introduced the bicycle tour of Rome this year, which was met with rave reviews by the pupils. Ski Trip

This year’s school ski trip took place in the picturesque mountains of Nidereau, Austria. Thirty

School Notes

one pupils accompanied by four teachers braved the elements and took to the slopes. A fantastic time was had by all.

• A joint presentation from the Universities of Aberdeen and Stirling advised MVI pupils on how to write a winning personal statement.

Spain Last September, we hosted our 6th Exchange trip to Asturias, Spain. 18 Spanish pupils accompanied by 2 members of staff, Elena and Isabel, spent an enjoyable week in N. Ireland. The pupils stayed with our pupils and enjoyed a range of activities and visits which included a visit to the Titanic museum and the new Causeway Centre. Our return trip to Asturias in October was equally enjoyable and of linguistic and cultural value to all our pupils. Some of our pupils hosted their Exchange partners again during the summer holidays. The Exchange is memorable as friendships are forged and language skills improve. We look forward to our 7th Exchange later this month and to seeing our friends again.

• A number of presentations were given to MVI and LVI pupils from representatives of QUB, UU, Trinity College, LJMU, St. Andrew’s, Leeds and many of the Scottish Universities.

Sweden We had a most successful exchange visit to Sweden in March, 2014. Seven students enjoyed the experience of living with a Swedish family and attending classes in an Upper Secondary School in Uppsala. This was a unique experience, as students gained a personal insight into the Swedish educational system. In glorious weather, students and staff also enjoyed a guided tour of the picturesque town of Uppsala and the nearby city of Stockholm. Genuine friendships were made during the trip and a greater sense of understanding between two cultures achieved. OTHER MATTERS Big Day of Science 122 pupils from three primary schools – Ben Madigan, King’s Park and Seaview – attended the Big Day of Science. They participated in activities in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Careers • MVI pupils received help, advice and guidance with UCAS and CAO applications. • MVI pupils attended many Open Days including QUB, UUJ, UUC, Stranmillis, St Mary’s, Belfast Metropolitan and Northern Regional College. A number of pupils also attended the Methodist College Careers Convention.

• A representative from The University of Oxford spoke to a group of LVI pupils. • Aspiring medical and dentistry students participated in a ‘Multi Mini Interview simulation event’ jointly organised with Dominican College. • Form V pupils attended an introductory session about the role of the Careers Service NI and each pupil was interviewed by the DEL Careers Adviser. • Five Form V girls participated in a ‘Gender Diversity’ event at Schlumberger Engineering Plant in Monkstown. • Suraj Tirupati was selected to participate in the Institute of Directors’ Work Shadowing Programme following an application and interview process. • 196 LVI pupils secured a week of work experience in February. Pupils experienced a range of work opportunities including Engineering, IT, Occupational Therapy, Banking, Medicine, Law, Dentistry, Journalism and Marine Biology. A group of pupils and staff went to Malawi. • Five LVI pupils also took advantage of the Army work experience training at Ballykinler Training Centre and five pupils took part in the PSNI work experience programme • Representatives from Student Finance NI explained the process of university funding to MVI pupils. • A representative from QUB spoke to all Form III pupils about the benefits of going to University and distributed an information booklet called ‘Find Your Future’. • A number of pupils and their parents attended an Engineering Parents Evening and a Humanities Parents’ Evening at QUB.

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• All Form V pupils attended an Eye4Education event called ‘Labour Market Information’. This was an interactive event designed to up-date pupils’ knowledge of the labour market and where jobs will be in the future.

• A ‘Motivation4Education’ presentation was delivered to all Form V pupils.

• Form III pupils attended the NBEP Careers Convention at Ballysillan Leisure Centre.

• A group of MVI pupils attended a Hospitality Careers Day in St. Patrick’s School, Donegall Street. This event was organised by the Horatio Group, one of Belfast’s leading employers in the Food and Drinks Industry. The presentation focused on jobs and opportunities available and highlighted the many reasons why the industry needs to recruit from across the academic sectors, from school leavers to graduates.

• All Form III pupils participated in a STEM carousel organised by Eye4Education. • Some LVI pupils participated in various Work Inspiration Programmes organised by Charter. 30

• Five pupils attended a STEM and Women’s Day event at the Titanic Centre. • All Form III pupils took part in an ‘Introduction to Careers’ workshop. • Northern Regional College held an information session on alternative courses of study. Some Form V and MVI pupils attended. • LVI pupils took part in a four stage Interview Skills programme. Stage 1 was completion of an application form. Stage 2 was undertaking a psychometric test. Stage 3 involved participating in group assessments and Stage 4 was a panel interview. • Dr Laura McMorran, a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and a former pupil of the school, gave a presentation and QA session to the Medicine/Dentistry group. Her talk outlined her career to date, the highs and lows of being a medical professional and challenges currently facing the NHS. She also gave advice and examples on how best to demonstrate good interpersonal skills at interview stage. • Six pupils attended an information session on ‘Speech and Language Therapy’ at Whiteabbey Hospital. • Two pupils attended the QUB School of Dentistry Insight Day. • A number of pupils attended ‘A day in the life of a Physiotherapist and Radiographer’ at the Royal Victoria Hospital. • Ten LVI pupils attended the RCN event on ‘Future of Health in NI’.

• 75 pupils attended the UCAS Higher Education Event at the King’s Hall.

• All Form IV pupils attended an event called ‘Experiences of Work’ organised by Sentinus. This had a STEM focus. • Six of our pupils attended the ‘Step into Careers in Financial and Professional Services’ event at St. Rose’s Dominican College. Pupils were informed of the various pathways for getting into Finance, Accountancy and Financial Services. • Sixth Form pupils attended a presentation by Guy Flouch from Eunicas on the opportunities available to those who wish to study abroad through the medium of English. The students heard about the many courses available – from Medicine to Veterinary Science and Liberal Arts. • Mr Shane Brogan from Volunteer Now spoke to a group of LVI pupils about the Millennium Volunteer Scheme. • Geraldine O’Hare, a Chartered & Registered Forensic Psychologist gave a presentation to 51 Form LVI and MVI pupils about her work. She is currently the Head of Psychology Services & Interventions for a public sector organisation. She explained what forensic psychologists do, their core practice, areas of intervention, the psychological roles performed and the major issues facing forensic psychologists. • Twenty Form V pupils attended an ‘A Level Options STEM Careers Event.’ The event aimed to inspire and encourage prospective A Level students to consider pursuing a STEM career by demonstrating real life examples of how what they are learning in school links into the world of work.

School Notes

• A selection of Form III pupils went to W5 for a GCSE subject choice STEM event. The pupils had the opportunity to attend four lectures from different companies in Northern Ireland, including Liberty IT, Northern Ireland Water, Northern Ireland Statistics & Research Agency and University of Ulster. Each lecture gave a brief description about the company and what GCSEs the pupils should do if they wanted to go into that specific field. • The North Belfast Area Learning Community held a STEM Careers event in Belfast City Hall, with pupils and parents from all educational sectors within the North Belfast area invited to meet with employers who are working in both the local and global labour market. The aim of this event was to inform, educate and excite our young people so that they can make informed decisions about their future. • SEMTA, the sector skills council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies in Northern Ireland invited five of our pupils to a launch event concerning ‘Addressing the Gender Bias in STEM’ in the Long Gallery, Stormont. Semta are committed in their efforts to redress this imbalance, and in doing so were keen to inform female students about career opportunities in these sectors.

opportunity to record a radio interview and read the news. Charity Collection The weekly charity collection raised over £4400. Gap Year Students Andre Halbert and Mitchell Atkins were appointed to the new position of Gap Students for the calendar year 2014. Their job consists of coaching during games in the afternoons and working with local primary schools in the coaching of sport in the mornings. Andre is a former pupil of Wanganui Collegiate, representing the 1st XV rugby and 1st XI cricket. He was Central District Under 17 Cricket Captain. Mitchell is a former pupil of Westlake Boys’ High School. He was Captain of the 1st XI cricket and played for the 1st XV rugby. He was also in the Auckland Under 19 cricket squad.

• A group of LVI pupils attended the BELTECH14 Conference at the Europa Hotel in Belfast. It was a very inspiring event which showcased some of Northern Ireland’s top talent. Industry professionals outlined the type of careers available in the Creative Industries.

Habitat for Humanity N.I. BRA LVI pupils collaborated with boys from De La Salle College to take part once again in the Habitat for Humanity N.I. Schools’ Programme. The project consists of two days of workshops fostering crosscommunity co-operation and examining the global issue of poverty. A further day is spent carrying out volunteer work. This year the pupils were involved in the renovation of Habitat for Humanity’s first Re:build shop in Ireland. Throughout the year pupils also raised £1,250 for the Habitat for Humanity Building Project through personal fund-raising endeavours including selling ice-cream and hosting a quiz at the Academy Club.

• Tom Donnelly, Sean Hickland, Suraj Tirupati and Kyle McClelland took part in an Apprenticestyle competition which was organised by Charles Hurst, in partnership with Business in the Community (BITC). The competition saw teams of students from four schools pitching their worth to Charles Hurst’s Operations Director – and judge – Colin McNab.

International Schools Award Belfast Royal Academy has completed three years of having the International Schools Award status. Over the next term we will be detailing all of the new opportunities the school has created to expand its international focus, in a bid to be reaccredited. New opportunities may arise to investigate online collaboration with International schools.

• Tom Donnelly was selected for a paid summer work placement with Charles Hurst after coming out on top in the competition which tested their entrepreneurial talent, wits and skill.

The Library The past academic year was very busy in the library. Forms I and II pupils were timetabled to attend the Library each week and take part in the Accelerated Reader programme. Many pupils scored 100% in their reading tests and others made it into our Millionaire’s club which recognises pupils who

• 10 Form III pupils attended the BBC Experience event held at the Central Library. Pupils had the

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have read over one million words within the school year. Prizes and an acknowledgement of their achievements were celebrated in school assemblies during each term. Borrowing increased from the previous school year and new resources were bought to enhance and sustain the improvement in reading. Pupils were able to use the library during Lunch and Break to take online quizzes on books they have read. We hope to improve access to ICT to enable pupils to take quizzes more often.

Other subjects across the curriculum visited and used the library. New resources for the BTEC P.E were bought and many pupils used them. Highlights 2013/2014 • Roald Dahl Day was celebrated in September by hosting special quizzes for pupils with chocolate for the winners. • National Poetry Day on the 3rd October was recognised by hosting a poetry competition around the theme of water. Over 70 pupils entered the competition and Jack Green, Form II, won first place with his poem ‘The Drops’ and was awarded a £10 voucher to spend at the book fair. • Scholastic Book Fairs. Two book fairs were organised by the Library, generating over a thousand pounds in new books for the Library. They were well supported and attended by Junior pupils • Displays showing the ‘Water’ poetry competition, Books we Loved, Millionaire Leader board, Malorie Blackman’s visit to Stormont and 100% club were some of the displays along with seasonal book recommendations at Halloween, Christmas and Summer. • A new collection of resources entitled ‘The Life We’re Living’ was produced in the summer term to help pupils who are going through particular events in their life and offer fiction and nonfiction as a means of help/therapy. This idea arose after the librarian attended a course where research on Bibliotherapy was produced. The Library aims to build this collection and link it with the school Well-being committee, Special Needs and the School nurse. • World Book Day was celebrated in March with a Book Fair and the distribution of book tokens to every pupil in school. The online streaming of famous authors reading aloud took place on screen in the library.

• Junior Book Club met every Thursday lunchtime. Members shadowed the NI Book Award and attended various events in the Lyric Theatre, RBAI and Stormont. Pupils had the great privilege of meeting Malorie Blackman, the current UK children’s laureate and Niamh Sharkey, the Irish Laureate. Pupils also met authors, Niall De Burca, Christopher William Hill, Eoin Colfer and Darren Shan. We have had an excellent team of Pupil Librarians, Senior Prefects and the help of Mrs Tepe (classroom assistant) in the smooth running and supervision of the Library. Pupil involvement ensures the Library is relevant to pupils’ needs and gives them a chance to participate within school. We look forward to another busy year in the library. Merit Scheme

The School implemented a new merit scheme, in which merits are automatically emailed home to parents. Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children During one week in October 2013, Forms I and II collected over £3,000 during a sponsored reading event in the English Department. In a follow-up visit in September 2014, fourteen pupils went to “Narnia”-the Fund’s respite care home in Newcastle, County Down-to see the facilities provided by the charity. Primary School Experience The popularity of the Primary School Experience programme continued last year with 44 Lower Sixth pupils attending 14 primary schools on a weekly basis for classroom experience. About half of the primary schools were in the Shankill area and the school minibus was used to transport our LVI

School Notes

pupils to and from these schools. The majority of other primary schools were in the Antrim Road/ Cliftonville areas and our pupils made their own way there either on foot or using public transport. Our pupils enjoyed the programme very much and they benefited in a range of ways from developing their communication skills to learning about working in a professional environment. Save the Children Fund The Save the Children Fund Committee raised more than £5,000 in 2013/14, from events such as BRA’s Got Talent, a Staff Christmas Jumper Day, 1st XV leg waxing, a non-uniform day and the BBQ at the Sponsored Walk. The School Council • The School Council met each term to consider and respond to the requests of the Pupil Council. • The School Council reported back directly to the Pupil Council on how it has carried forward the issues raised. • The School Council also delivered reports during whole school Assemblies in December and April. • Ms Graham chaired the meetings and was ably assisted by the Head Boy, Harry Robinson and Head Girl, Sarah Minford. • The issues considered by the School Council this year included: • The School Development Plan • Timing of School Examinations • Promotion of extra-curricular activities • Lunchtime Arrangements – including fingerprinting • Transport – including a response to DENI • Uniform • Toilets • Well-being • Positive Behaviour • Charity Collections and Fundraising • The School Council nominated the NI Hospice “Wall of Hope” Appeal as its charity. • Detailed minutes of the School Council Meetings are displayed on the School Council Noticeboard (outside LL1) and are available from Ms Graham or Ms McBeth.

Sponsored Walk

The sponsored walk took place on a fine April day with over 900 pupils participating. New safety measures on the course and a slight alteration to the route ensured that everyone safely completed the walk and had a lot of fun. The good weather and activities at Ben Madigan ensured the whole school community had a pleasing time. STEM A diverse range of STEM activities were undertaken this year including three organised through cooperation within the North Belfast Area Learning Community (NBALC). The first of three NBALC events was held in The City Hall in January. Here, Senior pupils had the opportunity to meet and interact with a diverse range of STEM companies, QUB STEM departments, NRC, BMC and CAFRE. Also in January pupils in Form I had the opportunity to attend the Science for Life Show hosted by St. Malachy’s College. In March pupils from Form IV attended a STEM event at the Northern Ireland Science Park. Other events throughout the year included Gender diversity, Women’s day, A Level options in STEM and a BELTECH14 conference. The final activity was hosted by the BBC, where Form III pupils gained experience of the BBC through recording radio and news interviews. Student Teachers The following students were given School Experience and Teaching Practice at the Academy in the academic year 2013/14: Queen’s University • Rebekah Poole • Colin Taplin • Gabrielle Moore

English Modern Languages Mathematics

University of Ulster • Stephanie Brown

Home Economics

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Stranmillis University College • Helen Moutray Religious Studies • Naomi Montgomery Business Studies Open University • Judith Spence

Biology

Work Experience Placement • Niamh McMillen English • Oriana Firgau Marcano Art and Design • Kirsty Sloan Art and Design THE VILLIERS PARK TRUST An Educational Trust based in Cambridge which aims to inspire gifted and talented pupils 34

Selected by the Trustees of Villiers Park for participation in the Annual Series of Reading Parties at Foxton, Cambridge:

tower. This project has been grant-aided by the Department of Education. This follows the successful completion of a major stonework repair project to the rear elevation of the building, for which we received funding both from the Department of Education and from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. • A new heating system was installed in the Library, which is located within the Crombie Building. • Some new vinyl flooring was laid in the upper floor of the building and decoration work was carried out to the Crombie building internal staircase, including the wooden panels along the staircase. Other buildings on this site

Buildings, Estates and Equipment CLIFTONVILLE ROAD SITE

• A new heating system was installed in the Sixth Form Centre to improve heating in the study area. New specialist blinds were also installed in the Sixth Form Centre and in one of the Art classrooms. • The Assembly Hall floor and stage facing were sanded and treated with a specialist coat of varnish. • Extensive work was carried out in replacing damaged pipework to the rear of the Crombie Building. This area was then finished with a new tarmacadam surface. • New seats were acquired for the Sixth Form Centre and for some classrooms throughout the school. • The changing rooms linked to the Gymnasium were refurbished, having a specialist antibacterial coating applied to the walls. • A programme of interior decoration works continued, covering the Sillery, Jackson, Bruce and Louis Lord Buildings and the Sports Hall. • A programme of carpet cleaning and blind cleaning continued. • Portable appliance testing was completed. • Fixed wire testing was carried out at the Swimming Pool, the Crombie Building and at the Roughfort Pavilion in line with legislative requirements. • iPads were introduced for two departments within the School, as a teaching and learning tool.

Crombie Building

BEN MADIGAN SITE

• Work has commenced on the next phase of the stonework repairs to the Crombie Building, involving work to the Crombie Building

• Specialist renovation work was carried out to the pitches at the Ben Madigan site.

Jack Armstrong Modern History Gavin Arrell Engineering Ruairi Brogan Exploration of Space Sorcha Burke Biology Alan Campbell Law Jenny Coates English Literature: Exploring Shakespeare Natalie Cole Computer Science Liam Ferris Computer Science Alice Kavanagh Physics: How the universe lives and dies Faye Kidd Modern History Beth MacDougall Theatre Studies Rowan Madden Creative Writing Sarah McMahon History: Hidden Histories Rosalind Ware French: Language and Identity Amy Wilson PPE Wellbeing 20 Form III pupils attended a ‘Health and Wellbeing’ Day at the Grove Leisure Centre.

School Notes

• Extensive decoration work was carried out to the Sports Pavilion at Ben Madigan. Some classrooms and corridors were also painted. • A disabled parking bay was marked out. • Decoration work was also carried out at the Kindergarten building and the intruder alarm system was upgraded. • Some trees were felled to maintain site safety. ROUGHFORT SITE • New spectator barriers were installed around rugby pitch 1. This significantly enhances the appearance of the site. • New 13m rugby posts were also erected on pitch 1. • Specialist renovation work was carried out to all the pitches on the site. • The staff changing rooms were painted.

• The school was successful in an application for grant funding of £150k to Belfast City Council towards the costs of erecting floodlighting around the synthetic hockey pitch at Roughfort. Once completed, this project will be of major benefit to the school and is also likely to encourage clubs and community groups to use this excellent facility. It is intended that this project will be completed by December 2014. • The School is planning an extension to the Roughfort pavilion, to provide facilities to entertain visitors, parents and pupils, as well as serving as a seminar room.

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Diary of the School Year September 2013 A parents’ evening was held for parents of new Form 1 pupils. 36

**** The Headmaster welcomed a reunion of 1982 leavers back to school. After a brief presentation, the Headmaster gave the visitors a tour of the school.

September to run a joint workshop on ‘Writing an award winning UCAS Personal Statement’. **** In Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, 176 Form 3 pupils signed up for the Bronze Award. **** Two former B.R.A. pupils, Andrew Robinson (2010) and Jasmin Campbell (2012), were awarded prizes in Spanish from the School of Modern Languages at Queen’s University.

Chris Torbitt, artistic director of Belfast Youth in the Arts, came into school to take a drama and music workshop. **** Many eager students completed the first round of the ‘The Great B.R.A. Bake-Off’. **** The Academy’s very own Traditional Music Group took part in Music For Youth National Festival at the Adrian Boult Hall. **** Representatives from the University of Aberdeen and the University of Stirling visited school on 11th

Cheques of £1616.39, raised from the 2013 Sponsored Walk, were presented to three charities: BRA Malawi Project, The Tony Simpson Fund and Zanini Batwana.

Diary of the School Year

BRA held its first ever ‘Wellbeing Week’ to promote healthy habits amongst pupils.

**** James Reid (Form V) won a Bronze medal in the Sainsbury School Games in Sheffield. **** Form I pupils were given a presentation about Internet Safety. **** Rugby results were as follows: Fixtures against Lurgan College 2nd XV Medallion

won 14-5 lost 12-7.

Fixtures against Lurgan Junior High School U14A U13A

won 34-10 won 24-0. ****

The Hockey Club recorded a pleasing set of victories against Glenlola Collegiate: 1st XI 2A XI 2B XI U14A XI U14B XI U13A XI U13B XI

won 6-0 won 1-0 won 1-0 won 4-1 won 6-0 won 1-0 won 1-0. ****

The BRA Golf team of Kyle Higginson, Conor Magee, Stuart McComb and Pierce Clements competed in the Irish Schools’ Matchplay Championships qualifier. **** Academy old boy, and Ulster and Ireland international, Iain Henderson helped the Rugby Club officially announce its sponsorship deal with Bruces Hill Gourmet Farm Shop.

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Dr. Janice Carruthers, Head of the School of Modern Languages and Professor of French at QUB talked to LVI and Form V pupils about the importance of language learning and having a language qualification for the world of work. **** Kelly-Anne Rainey, a former pupil, now reading French and Spanish at university, took some time out from her schedule to return to school to speak to our current LVI pupils about the study skills needed in order to be successful at AS/A2 level Languages. ****

Academy athlete Jack Agnew recently represented Ulster at the England Athletics Age-group Championships, held at the Bedford International Stadium. Taking part in the T54 category, Jack finished first in all three U14 events. **** A group of eleven Form II pupils visited ‘Narnia’, the respite centre for families with children suffering from cancer. ‘Read-On’, is a sponsored reading activity undertaken in the English Department every October. On average, this raises £3,500 is raised. **** Heat 3 of ‘The Great B.R.A. Bake-Off’ saw the toughest part of the competition so far, with many students participating in the penultimate round of ‘Biscuits and Cookies.’ **** An information evening was held for parents of LVI pupils. ****

Diary of the School Year

****

Georgia Sloan (Form LVl) was selected to be part of a British Exploring Society Arctic expedition. She spent an amazing five weeks with the team, based in Finnmark, Norway.

The “Cavehill Clean-Up”, organised by FOTA, took place.

****

Sixteen members of the Reading Group and Ms Graham attended the Literary Lunchtime Event at the Ulster Hall to hear Jo Baker reading from and talking about her new novel, “Longbourn”.

The School Library hosted a poetry competition in the build-up to National Poetry Day.

**** Abbie Brown, Emer Gribbon, Lauren McCullough and Kellie McLean were selected for the U19 Podium Netball Squad. **** Form MVI and LVI Art and Design pupils attended an inspiring presentation by Francis McCrory.

**** Two Senior Boys’ teams went to the Irish Lifesaving Championships in Dublin. Alan Curtis and Tom Donnelly placed 4th, while Ruairi Hurson and David Speers secured 2nd place and with it a qualifying spot for the British Championships. ****

****

Thirteen pupils from the Junior Book Club enjoyed a talk and book signing by Eoin Colfer, author of the million-selling Artemis Fowl series, at Bangor Castle Walled Garden.

The Girls’ U14 Waterpolo team had a successful weekend at the U14 Ulster Waterpolo Tournament making the semi-finals after finishing 2nd in their group.

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The Library hosted a Scholastic Book Fair for Junior pupils. ****

Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Hockey results versus Strathearn were as follows: 1st XI 2A XI 2B XI 3rd XI U14A XI U14B XI U13A XI U13B XI

won 2-1 lost 2-0 drew 0-0 lost 2-1 drew 0-0 drew 0-0 won 2-0 lost 2-0.

Versus Bloomfield:

The Malawi 2013 team hosted their Family and Friends night. **** Eye4education visited school to run a competitionbased Business Groupwork Event for Business Studies pupils in Forms III and IV.

1st XI 2A XI 2B XI 3rd XI U14A XI U14B XI U13A XI U13B XI

won 8-0 won 2-0 won 5-1 won 1-0 won 3-0 won 1-0 won 2-0 drew 0-0. ****

Over 100 pupils and staff attended the annual SU Weekend to Castlewellan Castle, County Down. ****

**** Timmy Robinson (Form V) came second representing Belfast Royal Academy in the 2013 RYANI Schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Championship in the RS Feva Class (two-handed dinghy). **** The Pupil and School Council held their first meetings of the year. ****

Form III Drama students attended a Creative Choices Careers event at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast. ****

Diary of the School Year

The Young Einstein Club got off to a great start with over 60 Junior Pupils meeting in BP5 for the Jelly Bean Taste Test.

The Politics Society had its inaugural meeting.

****

20 Form V pupils attended an ‘A Level Options STEM Careers Event’.

****

Lisa May, artistic director of Bruiser Theatre Company, came into school to lead a Drama Workshop with Form VI students. **** Several Academy pupils competed successfully in the 5th Scottish Open Poomsae Championships. This international Taekwondo event, held in Grangemouth near Falkirk, saw over 10 countries compete across a range of age-groups and class divisions. Form V pupils Rebecca Marno and Cathryn Morrissey both continued their impressive run of results, winning 1 Gold & 2 Bronze and 1 Gold and 1 Silver medals respectively. The Championships also saw the emergence of two new faces from the Academy on to the international Taekwondo scene, with Ryan Corbett (Form III) collecting 1 Gold and 1 Silver and Ryan Jameson (Form I) securing 2 Gold medals. ****

Four members of the Senior Traditional Music Group played recently at a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Silver Award ceremony held in the Belfast Harbour Commissioner’s Office. Also present was Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, who spent a short while speaking with the group members about their music before proceeding to the ceremony to present the awards. ****

The Academy hosted the first workshop in this year’s Habitat for Humanity partnership with La Salle Boys’ College.

44 pupils in Form Lower VI have completed Gold expedition theory training.

****

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NOVEMBER 2013 The sixth student exchange took place between the Academy and Escultor Juan de Villanueva in La Pola de Siero in the Principality of Asturias. **** The Ulster Schools’ Bridge Pairs took place. The school finished 3rd in the Senior Section and won the Intermediate section. ****

The Pupil Council decided that a Bike Rack should be placed behind the Pollen Building and this facility is now in use. **** Twelve students from MVI travelled to Rome for the annual RE and Classics visit. **** Geraldine O’Hare, a Chartered & Registered Forensic Psychologist, came into school to give a presentation to 51 Form LVI and MVI pupils about her work. **** Ten LVI pupils joined our partner school, La Salle, for a day’s volunteering at Europe’s first Restore shop. The low cost DIY store, funded and managed by Habitat volunteers, recently opened in the Riverside Centre, Lisburn. The Schools’ Programme volunteers were responsible for painting the newly plastered second floor of the facility. **** Ruth McConnell attained 1st Place in Northern Ireland in Spanish at GCSE; David Speers attained Joint 1st Place in German in Northern Ireland at GCSE; and Rachel Millar attained Joint 2nd Place in French in Northern Ireland at GCSE. ****

Diary of the School Year

The first round of the Ulster Schools’ Show Jumping Championships, took place at Knockagh View Equestrian Centre, Greenisland. ****

The Young Einstein Club investigated Windmills.

Pupils from Forms I - III gathered in the dining hall for a Halloween disco. The disco organised by the Rock Challenge team, helped to raise money for the upcoming competition.

****

The Chamber Choir competed against four other schools in the Regional Final of the All-Ireland Choir Competition. Over 80 schools entered the competition, and it was a great honour for the Academy to be included among the top 20 choirs in Ireland. ****

The Annual Presentation of Prizes took place in the University of Ulster. The Guest of Honour was Basil McCrea MLA. ****

Belfast Royal Academy won the Euro Quiz sponsored by Belfast City Council and hosted by Cool FM at St. George’s Market’s Annual European languages and culture fair. The team of Caitlyn Murphy, Natalie Stevenson, Ben Johnston, Kyle McClelland and Nathan MacDonald fought off stiff competition from other schools. **** MVI and LVI language students visited The Opportunity Europe and Beyond Exhibition in St. George’s Market. ****

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Ms McBeth, along with pupils Sarah Minford and Harry Robinson, helped launch the Northern Ireland Hospice ‘Wall of Hope’ appeal. ****

A Remembrance Parade was held in the Crombie entrance hall. A piper and a bugler participated in the proceedings. **** Dr David Costley (Q.U.B.) gave a talk on ‘Antibiotic Resistance’ to the Senior Science Society. **** Georgie Johnston from Save The Children visited the school to receive a cheque for £3,500. ****

The 1st XV took part in the St Joseph’s College, Ipswich, National Schools’ Rugby Festival and the Medallion took part in the U15 equivalent at Langley School, Norwich. Other fixtures were against Ballymena Academy: 3rd XV U13 A U13 B

won 14-12 won 10-0 won 25-5. ****

Rugby results against Bangor Grammar were as follows: 1st XV 2nd XV Medallion XV U14A XV U14B XV U13A XV U13B

won 13-10 won 56-0 won 26-5 won 29-28 won 24-19 lost 25-0 won 12-0. ****

The Minor A Netball team beat Aquinas 9-8. Abbie Brown, Emer Gribbon, Lauren McCullough and Kellie McLean were selected to play in the U19 Podium Netball Tournament. The Intermediate A Netball team played against Sullivan Upper and won the game 22-8. The Junior Netball team won 13-1 in their game against the Girls’ Model. **** The Girls’ 1st XI Hockey team beat Methodist College Belfast 5-2 and Portadown College 3-1. ****

Diary of the School Year

In Girls’ Hockey Schools’ Cup, Second Round: 1st XI vs Cambridge House – won 2-1. Gibson Cup: 2B XI vs Wallace – won 3-1 Junior fixtures vs Methody U14A won 2-0 U14B lost 1-0 U13A lost 3-0 U13B lost 3-0. **** The Academy’s Traditional Music Group was invited to play at this year’s UK Schools’ Prom held in London’s Royal Albert Hall. **** Footloose was the Senior school musical. **** The Young Einstein Club changed water into wine and wine turn into milk shake! ****

Netball: Junior A vs Rathmore lost 13-5 Minor A vs Aquinas won 9-8 Inter A vs Sullivan won 22-8 Junior B vs Hunter House lost 7-3. **** 46 pupils and 7 members of Dof E staff took part in a successful Gold Expedition Training Weekend, based in the Mournes / Castlewellan Lake area. DECEMBER 2013 Two students, Yedida and Paz, from Jerusalem came into school to speak to our A Level Religious Education students about life as a Jew in modern Israel. ****

The Show Jumping team competed at the third leg of The MEC’s Inter Schools’ Show Jumping Championships. The Novice team finished on a zero score and finished in a very well-deserved second place. Again, in the Open competition, we put up an excellent performance to finish in second place.

MVI Economics pupils paid a visit to IKEA and were given a tour of the store by one of the managers, Mr Nigel McGarry.

****

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Girls’ Hockey results were as follows: 2A XI against Methody won 1-0. Gibson Cup:

Mr Barry Lowry, Director of IT Shared Services and Strategy from the NI Civil Service came in to school to deliver a presentation to pupils who are thinking of a Career in IT. ****

2B XI against Strathearn won 2-1. **** LVI and MVI pupils from the German Department, along with Miss Carson, Jana and Lukas (German assistants), went to the Queen’s Film Theatre for a screening of the film Almanya – Willkommen in Deutschland and a workshop on the film by Sabine Uibel, a lecturer working for the Goethe-Institut in London and Berlin. 46

**** Jenna Todd (MVI) received a certificate to mark her participation in the Institute of Directors’ Shadowing Scheme, supported by Ulster Bank. **** The second round of the Ulster Schools’ Show Jumping Championships took place at Knockagh View Equestrian Centre, Greenisland. The Open teams were placed 1st and 3rd in the league. ****

Several Academy swimmers starred for Larne Swimming Club at the Ulster Short Course Championships in Bangor. **** The 2014 Rock Challenge team, together with the teams from Belfast Model School for Girls, Ashfield Girls’ High School and Hazelwood Integrated College, hosted a Family Fun Day. ****

Netball results: Minor B against Bloomfield lost 9-3 Inter B against Rathmore won 16-4 Senior against Rathmore lost 30-10. ****

Diary of the School Year

Dr Jack Kyle visited school to have lunch with the Headmaster and Mr David Haslett, President of the Old Boys’ Association. Afterwards, he had the opportunity to see the life-size photograph of himself which is part of the Roughfort Pavilion refurbishment. The refurbishment project has been carried out with funding assistance from the Association. **** The newly-formed Politics Society had its first outing to the cinema to watch ‘The Butler’. **** The M.P. for North Belfast, Nigel Dodds, visited the school to talk with A Level Politics students. His visit came just at the end of Parliament Week and so he explained the varied role of an M.P. working on constituency issues, party work and parliamentary business before answering students’ questions.

Junior Book Club members were treated to a great afternoon at the launch of the NI Book Award at Victoria College. The pupils had the opportunity to hear the shortlist for this year’s N.I Book Award and meet famous storyteller Niall de Burca. **** Girls’ Hockey results were as follows: Matches versus Down High 1st XI 2A XI 2B XI

lost 1-0 won 2-1 lost 3-0.

Matches versus Victoria College: U14 A XI U14 B XI

drew 1-1 won 3-0. ****

Rugby results were as follows: Medallion A XV won 7-5 against Dalriada U13 A XV won 27-12 against Dalriada. **** The U12 Rugby boys enjoyed a visit to Ravenhill to see Ulster take on Edinburgh.

**** Dr Roy Sterritt (UUJ) gave a talk on “SPAAACE: Self-Properties, Autonomous, Autonomic, Apoptotic Computing Environments” to the Senior Science Society. ****

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Sixth Form students attended a presentation by Guy Flouch from Eunicas on the opportunities available to those who wish to study abroad through the medium of English. **** 48

Mr Sean O’Reilly from Admissions, and Mr Paul McNamee, the Student Northern Ambassador, came into school to speak to a group of LVI and MVI pupils who expressed an interest in applying to Trinity College through CAO.

MVI Business Studies pupils attended a Hospitality Careers Day in St Patrick’s School, Donegall Street. This event was organised by the Horatio Group, one of Belfast’s leading employers in the Food and Drinks Industry. **** A group of five girls, who are studying GCSE Technology and Design, were invited to a ‘Gender Diversity Event’ at Schlumberger. ****

**** Over 200 students entered the Halloween Short Story Competition 2013. Congratulations to the following students: 1st Place – Lucy Jamison 2CA2 with ‘Mr Linden’s Library’ 2nd Place – Meghan Hamilton 2G with ‘The Old Piano’ 3rd Place – Katie Purvis 2PO2 with ‘The China Doll’. Commendations were awarded to: Aaron Martin, Trinity Geddis, Daniel Quigley, Rachel Patterson and Abbie Magowan.

The Malawi team decorated a tree as part of the Eglinton Presbyterian Church Christmas Tree Festival.

****

Diary of the School Year

The Old Boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association Dinner was held in the Wellington Park Hotel, Belfast. Dr Jack Kyle proposed the toast to the School. **** Eye4Education came into school to deliver their Interview and Assessment programme. All of our LVI pupils were involved.

Cameron McGaughey (Form IV) reached the final of the Poetry Games competition. The competition involved over 32,000 entrants from across the UK having to bring their poetry to life using video or slideshow. ****

****

LVI Technology and Design students recently visited Ikea for a guided tour, providing them with an insight into industrial product design and innovation.

The members of the Senior Science Society were pleased to welcome back two Old Boys to talk at recent meetings. Mr David Costley discussed the problem of microbial antibiotic resistance and gave an insight into the experimental research that he is undertaking in this field. Mr Philip McBride gave an illuminating talk about the applications and recent developments in the field of LASER technology. ****

**** Fifteen pupils from school took part in a Multi Mini Interview Simulation Event at Dominican College. **** Rugby fixtures against Dalriada: Medallion XV U13 A XV

won 7-5 won 27-0.

Fixtures against Regent House: 1st XV 2nd XV Medallion XV U13 A and B XV

won 27-18 lost 14 0 lost 21 14 won.

Fixture against RBAI: U14 A

lost 21-14. ****

Three pupils in Form IV (Nathan McCarthy, Zuzsanna Loboda, and Kirsty Miller) competed in the Northern Ireland final of the World Wise Quiz at Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University, Belfast. **** Netball results were as follows: Minor A against Lagan College lost 13-9 Junior A against Lagan College won 13-2 Inter B against Lagan College won 15-10. ****

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The Irish Bridge Schools’ Pairs were held. The School finished with 6 pairs in the top 12: Jason Roe and Ryan Lightowler 4th, Melissa Antonio and Rebecca Rowan 5th, Victoria Frame and Pooja Sridhar 6th. **** Members fo the Young Einstein Club this year were building hovercrafts. **** Eorann O’Neill was recently awarded her Millennium Volunteer Certificate for 100 hours of voluntary experience. ****

The third round of the Ulster Schools’ Show Jumping Championships took place at Knockagh View Equestrian Centre, Greenisland. **** **** Hockey results were as follows: 1st XI Schools’ Cup against Ballymena – lost 2-1 2B XI Gibson Cup against Sullivan – lost 4-1. Juniors against Glenlola: U14A XI won 7-0 U14B XI won 1-0 (G.S. Katy Thompson) 13A XI drew 0-0 U13B XI won 3-0. **** Rugby results were as follows: Matches against Coleraine A.I. Medallion A XV won 12-7 Medallion B XV lost U14 A XV won 42-15 U14 B XV won 27-12 U13 A XV won 31-5 U13 B XV lost 12-7. ****

The Sixth Form Centre Committee organised a charity break for all staff in the Sixth Form Centre. ****

Diary of the School Year

Dr Laura McMorran, a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist and a former pupil of the school, gave a presentation and Q&A session to the Medicine/ Dentistry group.

The Annual Mournes’ Clean-up day took place.

****

Erin Connolly and Jack Foster recently joined other Form I pupils from local schools across North and West Belfast for the launch of the Translink initiative ‘Life’s Better Taking the Bus to School’.

Academy pupils Peter Boyd, Patrick Donnelly, Liam Ferris and Clodagh Poots took part in, along with their bandmates from the City of Belfast Youth Concert Band, a Carol Party organised by the Belfast Education and Library Board, in conjunction with Belfast City Council.

****

**** Rugby results against Banbridge Academy were as follows: 1st XV 2nd XV Medallion XV U14 A U13 A

won 31-20 won 19-0 won 12-0 drew 5-5 won 33-5

BRA staff members surprised pupils by taking part in a “Christmas Jumper Day” in aid of Save The Children. ****

**** Two Politics students, Ryan Gaffikin and Anna McMillen (MVI) were part of the audience of the BBC Northern Ireland programme Spotlight Special broadcast. ****

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Former pupil, Basil McCrea MLA hosted a Carol Service in the Great Hall of Parliament Buildings in Stormont. ****

Jay McCrum (Form IV) became Ulster Motocross Champion. ****

Girls’ Hockey results against Sullivan: 1st XI 2A 2Bs 3s U14A U14B U13A U13B

drew 1-1 lost 3-0 drew 1-1 lost 1-0 lost 2-1 drew 0-0 drew 0-0 lost 3-0. Lauren McKay, a past pupil, who is currently reading Spanish with Business Management at Northumbria University, came into school to speak with AS French and Spanish pupils about the numerous university pathways and employment opportunities available for language graduates. **** ****

Darren Nixon from Eye4Education came into school to run an event called Labour Market Information. **** Form II participated in an interactive workshop with Eye4education called ‘An Introduction to Careers’. ****

Ted Jenson and Darren Nixon from Eye4Education came into school to run a STEM carousel. All Form III pupils visited 6 stations where they learned about the nature of each business organisation and the type of careers available. ****

Diary of the School Year

The Belfast Royal Academy Boys’ Choir visited Brookvale House. The elderly residents of the home were treated to seasonal music, including stirring renditions of ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ and ‘Jingle Bells’ along with the traditional carol ‘Once in Royal David’s City’. **** Open Evenings for Prospective Form 1 pupils and parents were held. **** The Senior Maths team finished runners-up in the recent Maths Competition held at the Queen’s University of Belfast. **** The Headmaster attended a Principals’ Conference at University of Ulster, Jordanstown. **** A team of our pupils took part in, and subsequently won, the Bioscience Olympiad at Queen’s University. **** 28 pupils, former students and teachers gathered for some Bridge and chat to celebrate with Dr. Lomas on the occasion of her retirement. **** The GCSE Home Economics practicals took place. **** Former pupil Alice Rooney gave a presentation of her further education route to Glasgow School of Art, studying Visual Communication and Graphic Design. ****

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Ben O’Donnell from last year’s MVI was presented with the CCEA Art and Design top candidate N. Ireland Award for Excellence at the Stormont Hotel. Ben is presently studying Product Design at Glasgow College of Art.

Duke of Edinburgh membership stood at 429 pupils in Forms III to Middle VI. It is the largest school-based Award Centre in Northern Ireland and probably the United Kingdom. **** JANUARY 2014 Girls’ Hockey results were as follows: 1st XI Shield match against Down High School won 1-0 U14A against Methody won 1-0 U14B against Methody lost 2-0 U13A and B against Down High School were postponed due to bad weather. ****

****

Angela Cao LVI has her GCSE course work displayed at the Ulster Museum True Colours exhibition. **** Rugby results were as follows:

During the School’s recent Open Nights, the History Department ran a competition for visitors to try and identify various First World War artefacts from the battlefield and trenches of the Somme. The competition was won by Jamie Young from Greenisland Primary School. Jamie’s prize consisted of a book on the First World War and a bar of chocolate with a First World War label as issued to troops in 1914. ****

Medallion XV won 8-7 against Ballymena Academy U13A XV lost 19-12 to Campbell College 1st XV won 38-10 against Portadown College U13A XV won 26-14 against Killicomaine U13B XV won 38-7 against Killicomaine Medallion XV lost 7-0 to Down High. **** Hockey results were as follows: 1st XI won 1-0 against Down High in the Shield U14A XI won 1-0 against M.C.B. U14B XI lost 2-0 to M.C.B.

Belfast Royal Academy experienced a fantastic weekend at the Ulster Secondary Schools’ Swimming Championships, held at Ballymena Leisure Centre. ****

Diary of the School Year

The FOTA quiz was held at Fortwilliam Golf Club. **** Rugby results were as follows: Medallion XV lost 28-0 against Grosvenor, U14A XV lost against Grosvenor, U13A XV won 41-0 against Grosvenor, U13B XV won 45-0 against Grosvenor.1st XV defeated Ballymena Academy 3810, 2nd XV defeated Omagh Academy 12-7 (Cup) U13A XV won 26-14 against Killicomaine, U13B XV won 38-7 against Killicomaine, Medallion XV lost 7-0 to Down High.1st XV lost to RBAI, Medallion XV won 8-7 against Ballymena Academy, U13A XV lost 19-12 to Campbell College. **** Hockey results were as follows:

The School Council presented a cheque for £2,550 to Jordan Dunbar from NI Hospice, for their “Wall of Hope” Appeal. **** Eighty pupils from Form I attended an interactive STEM presentation in St. Malachy’s College.

Matches against Carrick Grammar: 2B XI drew 1-1, 3rd XI game cancelled, U14B XI won 1-0, U13A XI won 1-0. 1st XI won 1-0 against Down High in the Shield, U14A XI won 1-0 against M.C.B., U14B XI lost 2-0 to M.C.B. ****

****

Six of our pupils attended the ‘Step into Careers in Financial and Professional Services’ event at St. Rose’s. Following a welcome from the Financial & Legal Skills Partnership Representative, pupils were informed of the various pathways for getting into Finance, Accountancy and Financial Services. ****

Seven MVI pupils attended week-long residential courses at Villiers Park as part of the Inspiring Excellence programme. **** The U14A Girls’ Hockey team won the 1st round of the U14 Plate 4-0 against Cambridge House. ****

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Fabio Rota, a Technical Drawing, Architecture and Art teacher from Italy, visited Belfast Royal Academy for a period of two weeks. **** French and Spanish pupils from across Northern Ireland descended on QUB to attend a Modern Foreign Language examination skills masterclass, language forum and careers event. **** Jenny Fekkes (Form III) was selected to represent Northern Ireland in Sailing at the RYA Home Nations Cup at Strangford Lough Yacht Club. 56

**** Andrew Robathan MP, the Minister of State for Northern Ireland, visited the Academy and was welcomed by Dr Scully at a Reception in the Library. **** Station Warrant Officer Ivor Clyde of the Royal Air Force came into school to give a presentation to our ATC cadets. **** Charlotte Nicholl, Form IV, presented a cheque to Katherine O’Hara of the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice at Assembly. **** FEBRUARY 2014 Form III went to Cityside cinema to watch Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. **** The Girls’ Tag Rugby team played in the Schools’ Cup qualifying tournament at Wellington College. ****

Diary of the School Year

Mr Wilson, a Sentinus Ambassador from RepStor, came into school to run an Experiences of Work event.

Girls’ Hockey results versus Grosvenor:

A concert was held in the Assembly Hall at which the orchestra of Gonzaga College, Dublin performed with a number of our school musical groups.

2B XI won 3-0 U14B XI won 3-0 U13A XI won 1-0 U13B XI won 1-0 3rd XI called off due to flooded pitch beat Down High School 2-1 in the Quarter-final of the Plate.

****

The Politics Society had a visit from Margaret Ritchie, MP for South Down and former leader of the SDLP.

Congratulations went to Faye Kidd (U18) and Erin Getty (U16) on selection for their respective Irish Hockey training camps. **** **** The Irish Minor Schools’ Swimming Championships took place at the National Aquatic Centre, Dublin with 9 Junior swimmers from the Academy competing.

In line with Safer Internet Day 2014, the theme of assemblies in school was ‘Let’s Create a Better Internet Together’. **** The Boys’ Colts Hockey team beat Lurgan College 3-1 in a Taylor Cup match. **** The second Kayak Canoe Course commenced. **** AS Geography classes went to Roughfort and Carryduff respectively to carry out field work for their Module 2 examination. ****

**** Boys’ Hockey results were as follows:

Over 40 mini rugby coaches attended an IRFU Stage 1 (Mini) Coaching Course, hosted at Ben Madigan Preparatory School.

1st XI drew 2-2 versus Regent House.

****

Our Junior Golf team competed in the Darren Clarke Golf League at Shandon Park Golf Club.

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The Ireland Rugby squad took to the Newforge Country Club pitches in Belfast for a training session, along with some Leinster and Ulster Academy players. Afterwards Paul O’Connell, Brian O’Driscoll, Andrew Trimble and their teammates mixed with the watching fans, including both Academy and Ben Madigan pupils, signed autographs and posed for photographs. ****

MARCH 2014 The 3rd XV defeated the Royal School Armagh 26-5 in the 3rd XV Cup. The Medallion XV lost 17-7 to Coleraine Academical Institution in the Medallion Plate. **** The Ski Trip took place. **** Sixteen pupils and three members of staff went to Dublin to attend [WCDMUN14], the seventh Model United Nations Conference to be held at Wesley College Dublin.

Paula Bradshaw from the Greater Village Regeneration Trust came into school to give an informative talk to A Level Geography pupils on regeneration of South Belfast. **** Professor Burt Hornback and Mr Mark Long visited school to discuss links with Universitat Des Saarlandes in Germany. ****

**** LVI Politics students visited Parliament Buildings, Stormont as part of their AS course to learn more about the devolved government in action and the people who work there.

The Junior Maths team won the Regional Final of the UKMT Team Challenge (for the second year in a row) and will be representing Northern Ireland. **** The senior netball team lost to Methody (26-11) in the second round of the Plate. **** The Headmaster and Mr Creighton travelled to London to attend a Former Pupils’ Dinner.

****

Diary of the School Year

country of Nicaragua in Central America to work with a Christian charity called Latin Link. In Rugby, the 3rd XV drew their game 15-15 against Coleraine Academical Institution at Roughfort in the 3rd XV Cup. The replay will take place at C.A.I. **** Senior pupils from SU joined pupils from Hunterhouse College for fun, fellowship and lots of pizza.

The Headmaster attended a ‘Taking Boys Seriously’ conference at the Glenavon House Hotel, Cookstown.

****

James Reid (Form V) was short-listed for ‘Young Sportsperson of the Year’ at the Belfast Sports Awards 2014 for his achievements in representing Belfast Royal Academy in Judo.

In Girls’ Hockey against Larne the results were as follows: 1st XI 2A 2B U14A U14B U13A U13B U12

lost 2-1 drew 0-0 lost 2-1 drew 0-0 won 3-0 lost 2-1 won 2-0 drew 1-1. ****

**** The Politics Society welcomed the BBC presenter and journalist, Noel Thompson. Noel spoke about his career, which has spanned Northern Ireland’s history from the Troubles to devolution.

Over 50 Senior pupils attended the Senior Scripture Union weekend at Seaview House, Kilkeel.

**** Through a vigorous application and interview process, Sapphira Ling Chung, currently studying Spanish at AS level, secured a place on a mission team. She will be travelling to the Spanish-speaking

**** The Boys’ Colts Hockey team beat Newry High School 5-0 in a Taylor Cup match. ****

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Alex McGovern was selected from hundreds of aspiring candidates to work at Disneyland, Paris. **** Rebecca Marno, Cathryn Morrissey and Ryan Jameson – took part in the British National Taekwondo Championships, held in Crawley, London. ****

The Library celebrated World Book Day 2014 by screening ‘The Biggest Book Show on Earth’. Academy pupils joined school pupils around the world, who had gathered to watch the video streaming. Popular authors James Patterson, Robert Muchamore and Lauren St John all made appearances. **** A poetry competition was held to help celebrate World Book Day 2014. Jack Green earned first place and won a £10 voucher to spend at the school book fair. The three runners-up were Kathryn Allen, Molly O’Donnell and Alizeh Ali. All three received a £5 voucher to spend at the book fair.

The Irish Schools’ Bridge Championships were held in Galway. The team comprising Melissa Antonio, Ryan Lightowler, Pooja Sridhar and Victoria Frame finished 3rd in the Gold Final (Top N.I. school). **** The 2A XI Girls’ Hockey team were victorious against Omagh Academy, 2-1, and progressed to the Final of the Plate competition. **** The Rugby 3rd XV won their Quarter-final match 26-20 in the 3rd XV Cup against Coleraine Academical Institution. **** Sixteen pupils were involved in the British Lifesaving Championships, held in Sheffield. The team came home with 33 medals. 4 pupils – Eorann O’Neill, Ruairi Hurson, Finn Purdy and Sinead Gourley – were selected for the G.B Performance Squad.

**** The BRA Karting team started their season off with a practice session at the Need4Speed track in Doagh.

**** Jayne Olorunda, who left the Academy in 1997, led a seminar for Sixth Formers on the theme of prejudice. ****

****

Diary of the School Year

The Headmaster attended a Queen’s Scholarship Awards Ceremony at the Whitla Hall. **** The Annual Spring Concert took place in the Ulster Hall. **** Roughfort hosted an U13 rugby tournament for eight schools. **** Members of the team which drew the 1964 Schools’ Cup final with Campbell College visited school. **** The Silver Award Police Service Course has continued.

Six Academy pupils, representing the Arab Republic of Egypt, attended the eighth annual George Watson’s College Model United Nations (MUN) Conference. **** In House Hockey, Form IV played a mixed house hockey tournament: 1st Pottinger 2nd Cairns 3rd Currie 4th Shaw. **** Judithe Allen (Form V) and Amy O’Donnell (Form V) competed in the Ulster Schools’ Girls’ Golf Championships at Royal Portrush Golf Club. The girls finished in 2nd place, behind the current Irish Senior Girls’ champions.

**** The School Council met to discuss a range of issues. **** APRIL 2014 Abbie Brown, Judithe Allen and Lucy Miller were selected for the Belfast U17 hockey team. **** Senior Scripture Union had guest speakers from Crown Jesus Ministries.

****

**** The Academy’s Show Jumping team took part in the St Patrick’s Day Competition held at The Meadows Equestrian Centre, Lurgan.

****

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Congratulations went to Jing-Yi Sun (Form I) who took part in the Junior Prepared Prose Reading competition at Belfast Speech and Drama Festival and was placed 2nd overall. **** The Senior 7s team won the Ballyclare High School 7s Tournament. **** 62

SEMTA – the Sector Skills Council for Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies in Northern Ireland invited five pupils to a launch event concerning ‘Addressing the Gender Bias in STEM’. **** Faye Kidd was selected for the Irish U18 hockey team. **** Alice Reid, Charlotte Anderson, Trinity Geddis and Savannah Thompson represented the Belfast U15 Team in the Area Hockey Tournament at Lisnagarvey.

Congratulations went to Erin Getty on selection for Ireland Hockey U16 for the international series against Scotland. Four of our girls Hockey players were selected in the final squad of 16 for the Belfast Area U15 team: Savannagh Thompson (Form IV) Charlotte Anderson (Form III) Alice Reid (Form III) Trinity Geddis (Form III). Anna Wilson and Irish Alvardo were selected as reserves. **** Jack Agnew (Form III) was selected for the NI Knights Senior team to play against Sheffield Steelers at the Aurora Centre, Bangor.

**** Our congratulations go to Mr Timothy Wilson, who teaches P6 at our Preparatory Department, Ben Madigan, who was chosen by readers of the Primary Times magazine for a Family Star Award as Best Primary School Teacher in Northern Ireland.

**** Six pupils and Miss McAtamney were delighted to have the opportunity to meet at Stormont the awardwinning author, Malorie Blackman. Pupils also met the current Irish Laureate Na nÓg, Niamh Sharkey. **** Congratulations went to James Moorehead (LVI), Amber Cole (III), Jing-Yi Sun (I) and Mairead Crinion (I) who took part in the Belfast Speech and Drama Festival at the Lyric Theatre. **** ****

Diary of the School Year

Boys’ Colts Hockey team completed their run in the Taylor Cup with a convincing 4-0 victory away to Nendrum College, Comber.

The Girls’ 1st XI Hockey team finished their season on a high by beating Lomond School 5-1 at Roughfort.

****

The BRA Junior Golf team competed in the final round of the Darren Clarke Golf League. **** James Reid (Form V) was honoured as ‘Young Sportsperson of the Year’ at the Belfast Sports Awards 2014 for his achievements in representing Belfast Royal Academy in Judo. **** Congratulations went to the ‘Leavers’ XV on a 40-12 victory over the ‘Stayers’ XV. Afterwards, players from all of the school teams attended a ‘Hogroast’ at Roughfort to celebrate the end of another very enjoyable rugby season. Iain Henderson and Stuart Olding presented the team awards. ****

14 Academy pupils attended a STEM event at the Northern Ireland Science Park. **** An Academy team performed in the Rock Challenge 2014 final in the Waterfront Hall. Our team received four awards.

The Politics Society welcomed three alumni to the Academy: Chris Bailie, Philip Brett and Ben Kelso who were in the Politics class of 2010. All are standing in the local council elections in May (Workers’ Party, DUP and UUP respectively).

**** Judge McColgan led a Shared Experience Seminar in school. She met with 20 pupils in the library and discussed a career in the law.

****

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The Show Jumping team attending the Awards Ball at the Knockagh Lodge Hotel to pick up their prizes from the league competition.

Judithe Allen, Abbie Brown and Lucy Miller (Form V) represented the Belfast U17 Hockey team in the Area Board Tournament at Lisnagarvey.

****

The 2A XI Hockey team played Down High School in the Final of the Plate Competition. ****

Jessica Johnston (Form V) was selected by the National Governing Body of Equestrian Sport in Ireland for inclusion in a ‘Talent Development Squad’ where she will be coached and led through workshop sessions throughout the 2014 season. **** The Academy Rugby Club Dinner was held in the clubhouse. The Headmaster represented the School. **** The Headmaster attended an Anti-Bullying Seminar at the Old Court House. **** Academy pupil Sarah Moore made headlines following her successful and enjoyable week’s work experience at a farm in Broughshane, County Antrim.

A number of GCSE Drama students showcased their moderated performances for an audience of friends, families and teachers. **** Over sixty students gathered for the Politics Society Big Debate on same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland. **** The Annual Sponsored Walk took place. **** Members of the Junior Book Club attended a special book launch and signing with Darren Shan.

Diary of the School Year

Conor Ferguson (Form III) competed in the Scottish Gas National Open Championships, held between 3rd & 6th April at Glasgow’s Tollcross 50m Commonwealth pool. Despite being the youngest male competitor at the event, Conor set two new Ulster Junior records in the 200m and 50m Backstroke, a British record in the 200m Backstroke and achieved an ‘A’ qualifying time for the World Youth Olympics, which are being held in China later this year. ****

Congratulations went to Alice Reid (Form III) who was selected for the Ulster U16 Hockey squad. **** The Medallion 7s were runners up in Campbell College 7s Tournament – beating Down High in Semi-Final, before losing narrowly to RBAI in the Final. **** A group of LVI pupils attended the BELTECH14 Conference at the Europa Hotel in Belfast. ****

Jack Agnew (Form III) was part of the Northern Ireland U15 Wheelchair Basketball team that won the UK Championships in Sheffield. **** Carla Heatley (Form LVl) qualified to represent Ulster at the World Irish Dancing Championships to be held in London.

Biologists Go Rural! – our LVI Biology students travelled to Greenmount College (CAFRE) to see first-hand the strategies now used to encourage biodiversity within agriculture in Northern Ireland.

****

The Cricket 1st XI beat Down High by 6 wickets in their first game of the season.

Over 80 pupils and staff attended the annual Scripture Union Pizza Evening.

****

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Mrs Morris and five of our Senior girls attended the International Women’s Day event at the Titanic Centre. **** Jack Agnew (Form III) continued his remarkable sporting success with a stunning win in the young people’s mini wheelchair race in the London Marathon. **** Members of the Junior Book Club attended the Grand Finale of the 2013-14 NI Book Awards at the Lyric Theatre. **** 66

The Annual General Meeting of the Old Boys’ Association was held in the Sixth Form Centre.

Mr McCarey was also over in London competing in the gruelling 26.2 mile event. Although not quite managing to worry Mo Farah, Mr McCarey still posted a very respectable time under 4 hours. ****

**** Two major expedition events took place: the Bronze practice expedition in the Ballypatrick Forest area near Ballycastle; and the First Gold foot practice expedition in the Mourne Mountains. **** MAY 2014

Erin Getty (Form IV) represented Northern Ireland U16 in the UEFA international development tournament being held at New Forge, Belfast. **** Congratulations went to Faye Kidd and the Ireland U18 Hockey team who beat Scotland by 3 matches to nil in the recent international series. ****

Seven members of staff volunteered to take part in a parachute jump for their chosen charities. **** The Culloden Ball for MVI pupils and members of staff was held. ****

Tom Donnelly, Sean Hickland, Suraj Tirupati and Kyle McClelland took part in an Apprentice-style competition which was organised by Charles Hurst, in partnership with Business in the Community (BITC).

Diary of the School Year

The 1st XI, U15 XI, U13 XI and U12 XI all won their games against Ballyclare High. **** Congratulations went to Karting A team who won the Northern Ireland regional heat of the British Schools’ Karting Championships and went on to NI in the final. **** The regional meeting of the ATC was held in the Library. **** The AS Drama class showcased their moderated performance for an audience of friends and family in Wingfield Drama Studio. **** FOTA met in the Library. **** Following on from the U19 Waterpolo team’s success in the Canada Trophy and Ulster Schools’ League, who finished in 2nd place in both, the U16 Boys’ Waterpolo team played their remaining fixtures in their Schools’ League winning one and drawing two, which, when added to their earlier victories in the competition, left them as winners of both the Ulster Schools’ U16 Waterpolo Championships and the Ulster Schools’ League. **** Six pupils from Form I along with pupils from other schools in North and West Belfast, were invited to the award ceremony for the ‘Life’s Better with Translink’ School Challenge. ****

Those who watched the television coverage of the Giro d’Italia will have enjoyed the expert commentary on the event provided by Michael Hutchinson. Michael attended the Academy between 1983 and 1990. **** 55 Academy pupils were published in the ‘A Twist In The Tale’ Anthology. **** The Ulster Schools’ Athletics Championships took place at the Antrim Forum. There were numerous outstanding performances with many athletes recording personal bests. **** The Cricket 1st XI secured 8 wicket victories against Antrim Grammar in the Schools’ Cup and Friends’ in the McCullough Cup. **** Congratulations went to the Form 1 Netball team on finishing 3rd in their group in the Rockport School U13 tournament. **** Around 15 Academy pupils contributed to the running of a Special Olympics Development Aquatics Event, held at Bangor Aurora. ****

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Tom Spence’s “An App Story” was chosen from over a hundred thousand entries from across the UK, and made it to the final of the BBC 500 Words competition. **** 68

The U14 District Final was held at Belfast Boys’ Model.

During our Open Morning, visitors had the opportunity to answer a series of quiz questions using clues found at different points around the school. The Headmaster drew a winner from all of the correct entries - Joseph Donaldson from Holy Family Primary. ****

**** JUNE 2014

Michael Woods was racing in the Irish Karting Championships, which is held over 8 rounds throughout Ireland. ****

Megan Carson (Form III) and Daniel Quigley (Form III) competed in the UK Maths Trust’s Intermediate Olympiad. **** The Cricket 1st XI secured 8 wicket victories against Antrim Grammar in the Schools’ Cup and Friends’ in the McCullough Cup. **** The Junior Boys’ Tennis team defeated Wellington College by 29 games to 25. ****

The MFL Department welcomed three student language teachers from France, Germany and Northern Ireland. ****

Diary of the School Year

The Junior Boys’ Tennis team won their match against RBAI ‘B’ 4-2.

**** Five Form I pupils from Belfast Royal Academy visited Stormont and attended a language conference to learn about the Arabic language and culture.

Nicola Jackson, a past pupil of Belfast Royal Academy, who is in her first year studying Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Queen’s University of Belfast, has been awarded a prestigious scholarship by Northern Ireland Electricity.

****

The Irish Schools’ Athletics Championships took place.

The Senior Tennis team won their section of the Schools’ Cup. The Intermediate team also won their section and will proceed to the quarter-finals.

****

**** A reunion of the Class of 1994 was held. The following day a reunion of the Class of 1989 took place. **** Jack Burton was selected for the Northern Cricket Union Under 15 Junior Knights squad to take part in the 2014 Inter-provincial tournament being held in Belfast. Jordi Fettis and Ross Bryans were selected for the Ulster Schools’ Trials.

Tom Spence (Form II) was invited to the famous Hay Festival of Literature & Arts as a finalist of the BBC 500 Words Competition. Tom was congratulated for his achievement by a number of celebrities, including Chris Evans BBC Radio 2 DJ and event host. ****

**** The parents of LVI attended a meeting in the Library on the subject of university student finance. **** Congratulations went to the following pupils who were selected to represent the Ulster Schools’ Athletics Association Inter-provincial team that will compete in Santry, Dublin:

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• • • • • •

Stephen McCorry – Hammer Matthew Dalton – Discus and Shot Putt Shane Martin – Pole Vault Callum Dalzell – Steeple Chase Victoria Beattie – Pole Vault Katie Ritchie – Pole Vault. ****

The ‘End of Term Staff Dinner’ was held in Deane’s at Queen’s. ****

The Annual Belfast Royal Academy Art & Design Exhibition took place in the Pollin Building. **** Congratulations went to Amie Bradley and Harriett Dougan (Form II) who were selected to represent District B in the U14 Inter-District Athletics Final at Antrim Forum. Amie was 1st in the 100m and Harriett 1st in the 75m Hurdles. ****

Diary of the School Year

Merit Scheme Prize Winners 2013-2014 Form 1

Form 2

Form 3

Form 4

Form5

Autumn Term 1

Dervla Craig

Eoghan Watt

Ben Greenlees

Alan Martin

Kirstin Shields

Elisha Carmichael

Meghan Hamilton

Laura Loboda

Oliver Rhodes

Jessica Dowey

Ollie Parkes

Oran Corry

Rachel Baillie

Chloe Farrington

Kayleigh Martin

Megan Sloan

James Carroll

Chloe Watt

Kirstyn Smith

Taylor McClenaghan 71

Spring Term 1

David Russell

Jill Massey

Caitlin Duffy

Cherie McDermott

Michael Calderwood

Louis West

Carl Vincent Custodio

Laura Loboda

Carly Wilkinson

John Mooney

Jack Foster

Caitlin Joyce

Eve Proctor

Chloe Dawson

Henry Cavan

Summer Term 1

Hannah Hill

Jaimie Eaglen

James Desmond

Lee Hendry

Joshua Ford

Meghan Hamilton

Luke McGarvey

Cherie McDermott

Rachel Duff

Tara McBride

Szymo Bukowski

Monique Hipolito

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Valete

E. BURCH

B. McCAUGHRAN

Emily joined the Academy in 2010 and during the past four years made a significant contribution to the Music Department. A former pupil of the Academy she went on to read Music at Trinity College, Dublin. Emily covered the Head of Music responsibilities during the Head of Department’s maternity leave.

Mrs. Barbara McCaughran was a former pupil of Strathearn school where she had been a talented sportswoman playing hockey for Ulster Schools’ and representing Irish Schools’ Athletics in High Jump, Long Jump and Relay.

I always knew the Department would be in safe hands during these absences. Emily’s enthusiasm for the subject, optimism and academic ability meant that many pupils were encouraged to follow music, both inside and outside the classroom. As a classroom practitioner, Emily’s excellent rapport with the children stood out, providing a solid basis for teaching and learning. She taught Music to Advanced Level and helped with the KS3 teaching of Drama and Geography. Emily was always prepared as well as organised and her teaching was of the highest standard. Outside the classroom, she took Chamber Choir to a new level, introducing the group to the repertoire of established choral writers such as John Taverner, Eric Whitacre and arranging many popular melodies for Chamber Choir herself. Emily took Big Band and helped out in many groups over the years, especially with sectional rehearsals in Senior Choir. However, it was in the School Musicals that she really stood out as an excellent director and musician. It was a privilege to watch her take vast numbers of untrained pupils and develop them into a tap-dancing, harmony-singing cast of a very high standard. On behalf of the Music Department at the Academy, I wish Emily all the best in her new role as Head of Music at Bloomfield Collegiate. M.M.M.

After leaving Strathearn in 1969, Barbara attended the Ulster College of Physical Education from where she graduated in 1973 with a Diploma in P.E. Barbara’s first job commenced in September of that year at Belfast Royal Academy, but she only stayed until March 1976 when she left to start a family. Barbara returned to teaching P.E. part-time at Methodist College in 1979 where she taught for 10 years before returning to B.R.A in 1989. Throughout her 25 years at the Academy Barbara coached junior hockey teams and in the summer term helped with tennis and athletics. Barbara also spent many long days officiating at the District and Ulster athletics championships. It was Barbara’s flexibility and willingness to help in any area of the games programme that made her such a valuable member of the P.E. Department. Barbara is a keen golfer and it is on the golf course that we would expect Barbara to be spending more of her time now, in between enjoying precious time with her grandchildren. Having given 25 years of her teaching career to P.E. and sport within Belfast Royal Academy we hope the Barbara will look back with fondness and have many happy memories. Hopefully we will still see her on the side of the hockey pitch in all weathers and still offering to help out no doubt! We will miss her and wish her well for the new chapter of her life. N.N.

Valete

P. CUPPLES Mr Paul Cupples was appointed to Belfast Royal Academy as a teacher of mathematics in 1980. He took early retirement as a result of unexpected illness and his loss is felt by the ICT Department and all his friends and colleagues throughout the School community. Paul played a central role in the establishment of computing and ICT in the School: introducing computing at ‘A’ Level in 1996 and ‘A’ Level ICT in 1999, before becoming Head of ICT in 2002. He is a man of high professional standards, exacting, conscientious and highly organised. These were qualities he relied on throughout his time as chairman of the Computer Studies Panel at Queen’s University Belfast, and as Assistant Examiner for Key Stage 3, ‘O’ Level Computing and ‘A’ Level ICT and Assistant Coursework Moderator for Information Systems. As Head of Department he had the vision to undertake new ventures, and the determination to see them through. He carried out his role with a supportive and good-humoured disposition. Paul holds strongly to his spiritual conviction, and has a keen sense of service in all he undertakes. In giving to the extra-curricular life of the School Paul was also involved in Wednesday afternoon games, the annual sponsored walks and a number of school trips. Some of his fondest memories are his travelling to Malawi with pupils, including daughter Rebecca, in 2009, and, accompanied by his wife Jesse, leading a staff team in 2010. The pillars of Paul’s life are his family and Church. He has a profound faith and a strong family link with the Academy which his five children attended. These will continue to be the strongholds and enjoyment of his life during retirement. We wish Paul a long, happy and fulfilling retirement. D.K.

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Obituaries Mr D. S. Rankin It was with much sadness that the School community learned of the death of Shaun Rankin, a member of staff at the Academy for 37 years. A good friend and valued colleague, he is much missed.

Shaun Rankin was appointed to the staff of Belfast Royal Academy as a teacher of English in September 1971. An Old Boy of Methodist College, Belfast, Shaun studied English at Queen’s University, where he also gained a Diploma in Education. His first permanent post was in the Academy and he remained at the School until ill-health in 2008 forced him to consider early retirement. Mr Rankin was an outstanding classroom teacher at all levels. Many pupils benefitted from his extensive knowledge and love of English. Shaun had the ability to make lessons original, interesting and relevant. However, Mr Rankin’s contribution to the Academy was not confined to the classroom. He played a major role in extra-curricular activities including athletics, rugby and Stratford-UponAvon trips. In addition, he served as a Form Master from 1977-1982. In 1982 Shaun was appointed Careers master and went on to become Head of Careers in 1996. In the latter role he managed the Department with vision, dedication and enthusiasm organising many visits and events thereby enabling pupils to make more informed decisions when considering future career options. In February 1998 Shaun was elected to serve as a TeacherGovernor of the Academy, a position he retained until February 2006. He joined the Senior Management Team in September 2001 and the School benefitted immeasurably from his clarity of thinking and perceptive advice. It is impossible to sum up Shaun’s contribution to the English Department and to the School. He continues to be missed and his family members remain in our thoughts. Jack Kyle One of Ireland’s greatest rugby players, John Wilson Kyle was a pupil at the Academy between 1930 and 1944, and during his last terms at school, 1943-44, he was Head Boy, captain of rugby and captain of cricket. Good-humoured, modest and humane, his was a life well lived: most of it lived far from the arena of his fame and in the service of others, as a surgeon in Zambia. If a school is judged by the quality of its former pupils, we can be proud indeed to be associated with Jack Kyle.

The following obituary appeared in the The Irish Times 30th November 2014: Ireland has lost one of its all-time sporting legends with the death of Jack Kyle. Out-half on the Grand Slam-winning Irish rugby team of 1948, the Belfast surgeon played 46 times for Ireland and another six with the British and Irish Lions. He won a Grand Slam, two triple Crowns and another Five Nations in 1951 and played on for Ireland until 1958. Upon his retirement, he was the world’s mostcapped rugby international. John Wilson Kyle was born in Belfast on February 10th 1926. Following in the footsteps of his elder brother Eric, who played for Ulster, he first began to show promise as a schoolboy at the Belfast Royal Academy. He played fullback for Ulster Schools but became an outhalf when he went to Queen’s University to study medicine in 1944. His first Ireland cap came against France in 1947 and by the following year he was the key player in Karl Mullen’s historic team that won every match in the Five Nations, a feat that stand alone in Irish rugby until Brian O’Driscoll’s team matched them 61 years later. Kyle went on to be a Lions stalwart on the tour to New Zealand and Australia in 1951 and was hailed by observers of all nationalities as an adornment to the number 10 position. When his rugby career was finished, Kyle went on to have an incredible second life. He worked as a surgeon in Indonesia and Sumatra before finally settling in Zambia where he would stay for 34 years. His work in Africa was honoured with an honorary doctorate from Queen’s University in 1991, and a lifetime achievement award by the Irish Journal of Medical Science and the Royal Academy of Medicine of Ireland. He returned to Belfast in 2000 and was inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 2006. A gentleman to all who had the pleasure of meeting him, Jack Kyle died this morning at the age of 88. He is survived by his children, Caleb and Justine. Tributes have poured in, on Twitter and elsewhere. Chief among them came from the only other outhalf ever to win a Grand Slam with Ireland. Ronan O’Gara posted: ‘Was great to have shared the day with Jack Kyle in Cardiff in 09. A thorough gentleman. Deepest sympathies to his loved ones.’

Literary Contributions

Literary Contributions VISUALISE

Bed, room, doorstep. All once belonged to me as well. Now abandoned, sealed away in dust. Displacement of 2000.

Early there, early out, Before the rest. I walk alone, Earphones shouting. Leaves run across the ground. I get to the middle, So familiar, Always the same.

My childhood there, dead. A dog I once fought with, Opposite me and along with, An old village. Everything about old me is still lying there. Dead. I don’t know much. I remember nothing of such. But I bless her, in Father, the Son, And the Holy Spirit. Amen.

I start to visualise. Getting time alone For my own chance. It’s important for everyone,

Seweryn Szulgan, Form IV

But for me, It’s real.

I’LL REMEMBER Jack Burton, Form IV

THE GRANDMOTHER A wooden low framed bed. With a payload Of an old passed woman, Who lies now under the hot scorched earth. Displacement of 2000. My memory lies vanquished. A delicious hot soup consumed away, To never again see the light of day. The memory, just perhaps sealed away, To never again see the light of day. A memory.

The memory will never leave. For the rest of my life I’ll remember. I’ll remember the tears shed, I’ll remember every thought of hope, Like a candle in the wind, still existing, But easily extinguished, I’ll remember. Just not understanding at all. Why must I remember? Why can I simply not forget? The scent of tobacco in a pipe. The signal of a croaky voice. The sense of warmness inside. Never leaving, never escaping. Never forgotten, always remembered. Harry Mitchell, Form IV

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Molly Martin

James Carey

THE DANCER Silence. Only breathing. The stale smell of sweat lingers in the air. Her satin shoes stained with blood, Her face stained with tears. She’s drained, but she carries on. This is her dream, her life. At any second her body could surrender, But it won’t, she won’t let it. 76

It’s just her, Alone, on the dance floor, Pushing through the pain; Through all those years they told her she wasn’t good enough. But she is good, she knows it. The music starts, she begins. Her world slowly disappears around her. All her worries, gone. Now, she’s free. Molly Bond, Form IV CHILDHOOD AND CHANGE

Catherine Nelson 3d printer

With my sisters was inevitable. It was a space where anything could happen, And it could take only hours or seconds. More people appear, Crushing it to a small broken piece. No longer what it once was. I can never go back or forget. The movement of lives changing, Terrifies me. Holding me in the past. Nothing can last. Not even childhood. Lori McDermott, Form IV TIME Time, time passes, It can speed up or slow down, The clock can bully you, It can be your best friend. TICK TICK TICK Always there, always ticking, A final few seconds or the beginning of a new life. A man lying, hopeless, waiting for his time, Last year he was diagnosed with cancer.

Secluded, claustrophobic alley. Overgrown brambles and Branches dangling blackberries in the summer. Long and gloomy. Old rotten bits of wooden fence, Chipped paint, a train coming close On the tracks.

TICK TICK TICK

To anyone else it would be strange, Different and unusual. But To me it says childhood. Monday mornings, going

TICK TICK TICK

That year felt like a minute. There is a panic, the nurses rush, The family wait in silence, the only sound is the clock. The nurses return, the family cry.

His time is up.

Nathan McCarthy, Form IV

Literary Contributions

OLD AND BROKE She is cold, the heating stuck On zero and the dial broken off. The seats, lumpy, itchy and Tattered, a pain to sit on. The top grey with cigarette ash. The hands, brown, covered in dirt. The wheels torn, as the material Comes off every time she moves. The face, cracked, only one Working eye to show the way. As she crashes continually into Walls, causing dents and bruises. The wheel axle has broken, the smell terrible. We all love her still. Lee Smallwood, Form IV CHRISTMAS TIME Excited nights, festive days, Building up to just a few fun-filled hours. Dressing up the tree, Hanging up decorations, Buying in the turkey, ready for the family to come. Then, in one night, the excitement builds, Of opening up the presents that I got. Did I get what I wanted? What did my friends get? The wait is over, soon I’ll see. Then, in one day, the excitement’s over, Then the sadness of taking down decorations, Into the attic, for one year’s time. When it all starts again. Daniel Parkhill, Form IV EVERY MORNING The bus is like a graveyard. Not a soul dares to speak. Silence. Darkness, emptiness. Dead. As I bounce about in my seat, I can feel the cold rising through my bones.

Gnawing its way to me, Fingers and toes. My tie, it is growing tighter and tighter, Strangulation! The driver, a monster with my life in his hands, Watching me slowly as I shiver and chatter. The day had only begun. Olivia Donaldson, Form I THE FOREST We ventured on through the trees, Aware of every little whisper of the wind. It was getting dark and the forest looked eerie in the light of the moon. The trees grabbed at us, as they moved with the wind. The ground was as soft as a pillow, covered with moss. The wind warned us to go home, We didn’t listen. I was getting scared now, But my friend urged me to keep going. She loved to explore, But I was getting worried. I felt something rub against my leg, And I let out a yelp. I want to go home. Layla Creaney, Form I MARCH It was a sad day for all, Not the usual celebratory cheers. A depressing Friday morning, For all who were to hear. A buzz of sadness rang through our ears, Like the sound of high-pitched screaming. Deep desperation and depression in the mother’s eyes. Longing for the chance to cherish her child. For there were no smiling faces, Or gracious gifts to be given, For a child so young, so little, not given a breath. Just given an irreversible death. We will always remember you, to our last waking day. When we were told you had been taken away. “Somewhere over the rainbow,” as Judy Garland sang, As we laid you to rest, in the Garden of God. Sadness overwhelms as I think about you now. A baby and a mother, no longer together.

The Owl 2014

Junior Artwork

Literary Contributions

THE FORSAKEN STARS

Severely changed our worlds forever. On this day in March, A stillborn baby, in our hearts forever. Holly McGookin, Form IV SCHOOL IS LIKE A GRAVEYARD School is like a graveyard, filled to the brim with boredom. The kids were groaning and moaning like zombies, Bored out of their minds. School is like a forest, filled with different creatures. The children were wolves, Waiting to catch some food for lunch. School is like a rollercoaster, having its ups and downs. Having fun in Technology, Or waiting for a French lesson to end. The school goes to sleep when the kids leave. School is a universe, because you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know What you might learn. Reece Sloan, Form I

A choking, tense room Pants of sheer and utter despair. Stars on their arms, statues of gloom, Minds unaware. Panic sets in To that human waste bin; Eyes stricken with fear. Murder appears, To seize the night. A sickly yellow light Emerges with joy. Drowning each man, woman and boy. Gasping for air, struggling for height, Lives stolen on that menacing night. A smug Nazi, a lost soul Swipes what he desires and makes haste, For even he cannot bear the waste. Can this be right? It seems so wrong, But it did not stop there, no, it carried on. So let us remember those stars long taken; So brave, courageous, forever unshaken. We respect all those tragic lives lost, In that horrific, disgusting, vile Holocaust. Mimi Joffroy, Form V

Form 3 Masks

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AIRBUS A380 The A380 gliding above the earth, Four Rolls Royce engines pushing it along. At 35,000 above us, The world’s biggest airliner. It is a majestic eagle ready to fly. As fast as a cheetah, The engines screaming at the people on earth, In the tone of a banshee. Up in the first-class lounge, All the passengers are treated like kings. As the airliner starts to descend towards the earth, The pilots take control. They smoothly bring the plane down, And slowly taxi to the runway. STAR WARS

Corey McVeigh, Form I

The stars at night Look twinkly and quiet. But behind the scenes They’re having a riot! 80

Chloe Lynas

Louise Turner

The flu of winter is a shadow of doubt. It creeps upon them uninvited and an unpredictable foe. I look out at you and love you so, If I prepare myself from head to toe, You aren’t so harsh or cruel, I know! But sensitive and romantic, a friend, not a foe.

The graceful shooting star Glides by, But we can’t see The war in the sky!

With colours in contrast like a fine piece of art, You are the only creation to my heart. Nakisa Towfighi, Form III

They crash, they burn, They collide and fight, But all we see is A starry night.

A TWINKLING IN HER EYES Luca Johnston, Form II

WINTER When he arrives his presence is known. I unlock the door and suddenly he’s there, A thief in the night, who’s left his mark in the air. He moves so sincerely through the bristly winds And the motionless trees as he presents us A sheet of wintry snow. An icy and bitter nature as complex as time, A heartbeat of frost, no love to offer, His compassion unknown. He commands vehicles and disturbs lives, He can look so pretty but has a deadly bite. The old and grey fear him most,

Living in an ongoing war zone, Her eyes, ebony-black, She wanders back through the ashes, To the last upstanding shack. Striving to hold onto her childhood, The memories fading fast, Maturity arriving quickly, Thanks to the last blast. Her dreams infused with a wishing star, Imagination trickles through, Although she lives in a war zone, There’s time for dreaming too. As she sits alone, Her eyes wander to the starless skies, Yet still an everlasting twinkle, Rests gently in her eyes. Katie McConnaughie, Form III

Literary Contributions

Zoe Wilderidge

Jordan Ferguson

Zoe McDonnell

Chloe Shaw

Tracey Hollie

Rachael O’Donnell

Juanita O’Kane

Micah Hipolito

Jordanna Park

Alizeh Ali Cathryn Morrissey

Jordanna Park

Gemma Kelly

Hannah Kelly

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STARS Stars are shining in the sky, Illuminating the night. They are as still as statues, Shining bright. They are always there, Although they hide away in daylight. Sometimes I stop and look up, While they are sparkling And feel like they are staring back at me, Watching the cruel world go by. I wonder what it’s like to live Where they are in space in a peaceful place. With nothing bad happening, Just stars twinkling at each other. Katie McDowell, Form IV 82

WHERE THE SEA BREEZE BLEW We arrived in a scenic shore town where the sea breeze blew along the coast, raging through everything in its path, relentlessly chilling the bones of anyone caught in its icy jaws. I had been jumping from boat to barge all of my twelve, insignificant years. I had no idea where any one of these ships were headed but that was the good thing though, I relished the uncertainty that it gave me. Uncertainty is exciting; knowing where to go and where you are going is boring. I was awake before anyone else was and decided that it would be safe to stick my head through the loose board. As I emerged from my hiding place, I slowly scoped out the area and found a small shore town, situated in a large cove between the ‘Jaws of Death’. As I stared up in awe at the rugged rock face, I saw why the inhabitants named them what they did. As my view of the outer sea disappeared round the corner of Upper Jaw, the last thing I saw was a solemn lighthouse. It was still lit, even through the day, but I was confused, not at the lighthouse but at the fact that I recognised everything. It all seemed familiar for some reason that I could not explain or comprehend. Even the eerie boat wreck stranded on the beach rang bells in my head. I had no time

to think about that though, because I heard the thumping of Captain’s boots on the rotting wooden boards. I quickly ducked below and replaced the board that was removed to let me see. They had been gathering mussels by the shore and I had had a steady supply of them falling through the floorboards. Radley and I ate them for the weeks that we had been on the shore. Radley was the rat that I made friends with during my travels. We docked quickly and Radley and I made our escape into the forest while the captain unloaded all the cargo. We ran through the woods and when we reached a clearing a huge abandoned manor house crept up from between the trees, looming overhead. I slowly pressed the door open and it creaked to a halt. I stepped into the threshold and began to explore the many rooms. When I got upstairs, I heard someone crying from a room next door and crept into it. Standing right there was a young girl, a couple of years younger than me, in the middle of the floor. She had bright red hair that flamed and flowed down her back and framed her pretty but hollowcheeked face. Behind her was a huge black trunk and in her delicate hand was an elegant, brass, ornate pen-knife. It was a menacing scene, her standing there, me and my rat in the doorway, she was almost snarling at me! But then something snapped, she dropped the knife and then fell to her knees, eyes never off my face. I was even more surprised when she started to cry, big hot tears dribbling down her face. “Who are you?” she sobbed, “I am… umm…” wait, did I know? I had no name, no home and no family, “I don’t know,” I replied and hung my head. “Brother,” she breathed then took me into a warm embrace. It suddenly flooded back to me, I had a sister, and my home was here… this is where I had spent the first seven years of my life! The Jaws of Death, the boat wreck and the lighthouse! My hometown! I gently hugged her back. “I’m Blade by the way, my name is Blade,” she whispered into my ear. “Mussel, it’s Mussel.” I soon was told that that I had another sibling In fact, for about four years Elle (the baby who slept in the trunk), Blade and I lived in the old manor house. Our peace could not last forever, though.

Literary Contributions

They knocked on the door with a loud bang, bang, bang, and entered without permission, the deadly social services. It all happened in such a blur, they told me someone walking past had spotted us and grassed us up. Petty eejits should have minded their own business. I made Blade and Elle run before they got in. I ended up in a foster family who I paid little attention to. They named me Tyler, stupid, huh? After years of under achievement, a friend gave me wind of a redheaded girl roaming the moors. That was it for me, I packed a light bag and placed the bare minimum into it. I left the house late one Wednesday night in the middle of June, on the same date that I found my kin. I did not know whether or not I would find them again, but my answer came sooner than I realised. I walked and walked until I saw red, on the ground, in a ring around a pale face. My little sister, here she was, holding a small bundle of blankets, my Elle, in her ice-cold arms, as fragile as glass. Warm tears slipped down my pale cheeks. ‘Tears are liquid sadness’ I quoted. When I stooped to see her and quickly realised that the blankets were empty, I saw what she had done. She left Elle on her own to keep her safe, it was my job to find her. “Thank you.” I whispered. And so I wondered the roads where the sea breeze blew along the coast, raging through everything in its path, relentlessly chilling the bones of anyone caught in its icy jaws, looking for my Elle, my sister. Lily Williamson, Form I THE UNIVERSE You are so big, but also so empty, You are like my stomach on a cold winter’s day, You are full of emptiness and dangers, And death and happiness. You hold us on your night floor, And provide us with life, As we know it. Today. You are full of stars and planets, And many things much smaller,

Like comets and moons, All just balls of rock, and ice. The starts are so huge, Our sun small but enormous, Like fireworks that burn for billions of years In a never-ending show of power. Planets, like hours, Calm but always in danger. Planets, like Jupiter, lethal, but untouchable. Moons, barren but, We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for our moon. Some planets have more than one, Like Saturn with sixty altogether. Us, all seven billion of us, Small but in plentiful supply. Around our sun we are so small, but in ourselves, We are the universe. Douglas Adams, Form II MOUNT EVEREST MAGIC A blue dot on a blanket of white. Bitter, icy wind makes skin cling to my face. “Come on,” Mum urges. “A few more miles and we’ll be there.” I press up…up…up! The oxygen is thin, the snow is soft. We get to the top. I can see for miles around. Mum and I stand there mesmerised by the beauty. Snowy towns and frozen lakes are scattered across the landscape. It’s as if it were all a dream! Tara McBride, Form II THE CASINO A world of gambling, risk, win or lose; win it all or risk it all. The casino noise was deafening. The shouts of victorious players. Then there was me. Stuck in an alien place. Not knowing what to do. Concentrating on my chips. Not revealing cards to my opponents. The sound of the slot machines ringing in my ear, the smell of drinking, the repulsive smell of smoke. Then last, and probably most important of all, was red and black. Harry Robinson, Form II

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ROLLER COASTER RIDE Up, down, swirl around, big, small, all around. Hearing the screams of the crowd, I can’t scream ‘cause I’m proud. The time has come for me to try. I’ll tell you now, I’m not gonna lie. Buckled up now I might start a row. Here we go, it starts low but gets higher, oh no! Up, down, swirl round, big, small, all around. I start to scream, I might make some steam. It gets slower and slower, it’s finally over! Ryan Scott, Form II THE BIG CITY

I’m walking through Central Park, feet crunching through the white, winter snow. The bright yellow taxis whizzing past and the skyscrapers high above. Wrapped in my winter coat, I can see my breath ahead. Christmas Day is nearing, Santa Claus is coming and happy faces all around. Evenings are getting shorter, darker and colder by the minute. I sit down on a park bench and think to myself, what a wonderful place this is, the magical city of New York. Beth McMillan, Form II THE SNOW As cold as ice, as soft as a feather pillow. It falls from the sky like rain, but it isn’t wet. A thick blanket covers the land, it’s like fallen clouds. It only falls in the winter, just in time for Santa. Soft to the touch, cold to the centre. A kid’s dream. When children see snow they know it’s time to play. They bring out their sledges and head to the hills. Unaware of the cold of their fingers and toes. Jack MacNeill, Form V MARKET BY THE LAKE A sea of colours in every stall: food, clothes and jewellery. The noise of people selling and buying deafens your ears, but somehow it’s relaxing. The smell of food is mouth-watering. Music fills my ears. The town is beautifully lit up, but there’s more to offer. Walk out from the market, the music starts to disappear, slowly, into the darkness. Then you arrive at the gorgeous lake, the water

shimmering. This is Lake Garda, Italy, all night, every night. Beth Magill, Form V THE CONCERT The beat thudded in my ear. The music was my path. My mind was buzzing. The lights moved rapidly. A sense of love overwhelmed my body. The atmosphere beyond imagination. Strangers, everywhere, but yet friendship. I was weightless. I was flying. The adrenaline pumped through. Everything was ecstatic. At one with my surroundings. Peace. I felt powerful, shining bright with all glory. My smile would not fade. Complete and utter happiness. A night I would not forget. Amazing. Kara Johnston, Form III TERRA MITICA BENIDORM As I stepped off the coach, I felt excitement rush through me. I looked up at the sign which read: ‘Terra Mitica’ and hurried to the front gates. I went on an Egyptian water ride. I stepped into the sarcophagus and off I went. The cold water felt brilliant as it was a warm day. Lastly, I went on the Devil’s Ride which twirled and spun in the air. I got sunburned in sunny Benidorm, but it was worth it! Leah Potter, Form II VIVA LAS VEGAS The swirling lights shine in exciting shapes. Slot machines hidden in the casinos. Cards galore! Fantastic risks disguised as humble games. Magicians overshadowed by the thousands of spectators. One wheel. Three colours. Just one question: red or black? I’m sucked into the world of gambling, losing more than I’m winning, but the fun is all-powerful. My taste buds are tingling, but I leave the beautiful lights behind. I’m back in the real world, with a huge story to tell. Daniel Quigley, Form III AFRICAN DRUMMERS The boom, boom, boom of the drums loudly banged as we danced around the fire and sang with our friends. The birds chirped and the children

Literary Contributions

laughed and played. The tide waltzed up beside our feet. We danced in the skirts and sang our hearts out. We had a marvellous buffet but still the drummers kept drumming a different rhythm each time. They were dressed in colourful clothes: purple, yellow, red and green floated around as we danced. I love Africa. Chloe Watt, Form II CHINESE NEW YEAR As I walked through the streets of China, I was deafened by bursts of laughter and ripples of merriment. The sights and smells were marvellous from the food stalls and lanterns. The fireworks lit up the sky with every colour of the rainbow as the dragon went whizzing past with the legs of many people poking out underneath the creature’s body. As midnight came everyone joyfully gave a loud cheer. They jumped into the air as the New Year began. Sam Cherry, Form II DAKOTA’S FINAL BATTLE My legs shook and my heart raced, the edges of my vision were blurred with the cold wind blowing into my open eyes. I sniffed the air and could tell that there was someone close. I stood stock still, not moving so that I would be able to hear. Something twitched behind me, Dakota and Koko, my best friends, crept up and stood at each side of me. Dakota looked up at me and growled, “When do you turn?” “Not long now, just be patient, friend,” I replied quietly. “Hurry,” Koko rasped, “he’ll get away if we are not quick enough.” “He won’t get far before we catch him.” Suddenly I felt the power pulsing through my veins and pins and needles spread through me. The usual symptoms, then the blackness. When I woke up again I was much closer to the ground and level with Dakota and Koko. My snout was long, my fur thick and all my senses were stronger. “Are we going yet?” Koko said impatiently. “Yes, which way did you see him go?” I asked her. “North,” Dakota cut in before Koko, “towards the woods,” “Let’s go then!” I yelled and then let out a long and solemn howl, the others joined me. I turned and

ran with Dakota and Koko close on my tail. The game was on. We raced down the face of the mountain and stopped on the edge of a rocky outcrop, listening and sniffing the air. Dakota looked north-west, straight into the heart of the woods, and said in a low voice, “The centre of the woods, that’s where he would go.” “Are you sure?” Koko asked, “I know that you’re smart but would he be so stupid?” “I know how his mind works,” he replied, “that is where he would take refuge.” “Let’s go then,” I said over their quarrelling, “We won’t catch him by arguing.” Then we set off again, quicker and quieter than before, with our ears pricked and noses alert. When we reached the edge of the forest we knew we were not alone. I felt rather than saw the presence behind me. The rasping breath was barely audible, the coldness that seemed to radiate off him made me shudder and quake. “I thought I would wait for you here, I knew you would come.” His voice was like nails on a chalkboard, though more consistent. “I have to stop you, easy work.” All of a sudden, he leapt on top of me, his claws and teeth digging into my sides so hard I cried out. Dakota pulled him off me, which only made him angrier. Dakota was now underneath him and struggling to get up. I looked into his eyes and saw it was the end. “His back,” Dakota whispered. In his blind rage, our enemy was unprotected. Koko and I had an easy job of killing him, though we will never forget how he took Dakota’s life for as long as we live. Lily Williamson, Form I THE TOWER On a miserable rainy day there were two children who were moving house, one called Bartholomew, he was eighteen, and his younger sister called Deidre, she was ten. When they heard they were moving house they were thrilled because they wanted to go somewhere near their friends from school but what they got was the complete opposite of that, it was a large house in the middle of a forest. Once they had finished unpacking, they decided to find the beach next to the cliffs on the other side of the forest, they both liked sailing.

The Owl 2014

Jenna Todd

Megan Bingham

Jade Anderson

Philip Simon

Megan Bingham

Reema Waite

Megan Bingham

Carrie Whitcroft

Cliodna Boyle

Sophie Damiler

Jenna Todd

Chloe Jeffrey

Sophie Damiler

Literary Contributions

This particular time they wanted to go far out from the beach, but soon massive grey clouds formed and Deidre was getting worried and wanted to go home, but Bartholomew wanted to go a bit further. Suddenly, an enormous storm broke out and they both lost control of their boat, and not long after their boat plummeted into a tall stone tower.

They found a large piece of driftwood, set the boy on it and gently pushed him off to sea; they saw the boat, climbed in and started sailing back home.

When they got up, they realised their boat was destroyed, so they looked around and saw that the whole bottom floor of the tower was covered with mussels.

When they woke up, people were cramming food into their mouths, they had landed on an island far away from their home and they stayed there because they did not know the way back.

Bartholomew opened a few with his penknife and they ate them.

My name is Bartholomew Smith. I am 96, and my sister and I have lived on this island ever since.

Deidre spotted an ancient chest lying on its side at the back of the tower. Bartholomew picked the lock on the chest and saw millions of tiny rats come scuttling out. Deidre screamed, she hated rats.

Ewan Purdy, Form I

They looked up and saw there was an opening in the roof that led to the first floor of the tower, but it was within their grasp, so they pushed all of the rocks on to the floor to make a pile that they could climb up. Deidre went first, so that if she fell she would land on Bartholomew. Once they had reached the first floor they saw that the roof of the tower had fallen in and the only thing standing was the staircase to the top of the tower. When they looked around they saw a teenage boy who was incredibly skinny. He seemed to be talking to somebody. The two children asked him who he was talking to; he said he was talking to his baby sister; unfortunately his sister died of hunger a couple of days ago. Bartholomew explained that they wanted to get home; the boy said that his boat was on the other side of the tower, but he was dying from pneumonia and he was too weak to carry his sister. They explained that his sister was not there, he must have been imagining it, but they could save him. When the boy got up, the two children saw that he was lying on a large length of rope, so they carried him and the rope up to the top of the tower first and then a small boulder. When they reached the top of the tower they saw that the boy had passed away, so Bartholomew lifted him up and tied the rope to the boulder and gradually climbed down the rope with Deidre.

They had only been sailing for a few minutes when they both fainted of hunger and the boat drifted off course, away from their destination.

THE CRY My name is Oscar. I’m 13. I live with my sister, Lisa. She is 9, and a little mouse called Stella. We have lived in a large lighthouse as long as I can remember, and when I was little I awoke with a small fur ball in my pocket, of course this was Stella. I awoke one morning and the air was filled with the sound of an infant crying. The noise made my eyes water. I covered my ears to block some of the noise out and looked outside the lighthouse’s steamy windows, but all I could see was rain and the sea bashing against the rocks. The noise was now bearable, so I released my hands and turned around; there perched on top of a rusty chest was Stella, I walked over and examined the chest. It looked bashed and beaten, so I took a step back and kicked it open. Inside were a key and a brass coloured pocket knife. As I looked upon them Lisa came over. She looked at the key and smiled “Oscar! Remember the door in the bottom of the lighthouse, this is it our way out, the key to the door!” she shouted giddily. I grabbed the key, the knife and Stella and ran down to the door, I pushed the key in the door and twisted, to my great joy it opened and my lungs filled with fresh air. Lisa was already on a rowing boat, so I joined her, but first I picked mussels off the rocks, but I felt watched. Soon we arrived at land. My mussels came in handy because when we became hungry we opened them with the pocket knife and ate the insides, but when we came ashore we were met by great hills. “I’m so tired, let’s rest.” groaned Lisa. “We should get as far up this hill as possible, then when the sun sets we shall rest.” So we did, although we were

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tired and soaked to the bone, we made it all the way up the hill and we rested. When morning struck, we had rested to our optimum and we walked carefully down the sloped hill. We made it to a forest, but something felt wrong, a tree slammed down in front of me with no sign of warning at all. I travelled forward through a path, but every twist and turn only made me more suspicious. Sometimes I could hear something, I could smell something or I could see something and I knew this was human, as no animal could make such noises and it was bigger than a fox. Finally, we made it to a house; it was a huge residence and so friendly-looking, I was convinced that we were in the wrong place so I walked to the door and knocked on it. The man took one glance at my sister and gave me a smile and then a cheerful laugh. His arms spread around Lisa and I saw this was a surprise. But soon it turned sinister, he looked at me and lifted my sleeve to find a black spot. I knew now this story is still not finished…

Form 2

Sarah McIlroy, Form I 88

THE RAT AND THE WITCH Samantha sat down on one of the rocks on the beach. The sea was rough, but she was too tired and didn’t want to go back yet. She sat for a while until the waves started getting bigger than she’d ever seen them: massive towers piling up and moving towards her. She sat up frantically and started to make her way back home. However, the waves were still coming after her, almost like a policeman running after a robber. Then ‘BAM’, it hit her over the head, crashing down. She shut her eyes as the sea water fell against her face. Suddenly, her face was dry again. She tentatively opened her eyes. Samantha was standing in a dark, gloomy forest. The trees stood tall and towering over her like tall, thin giants. But most interesting was the derelict manor house in front of her, looking like it had just been transported from Victorian times. She knew she probably shouldn’t have gone inside as she didn’t know what could be in there, but she did anyway. She crept inside, nervously. Inside was a great, big main room, completely empty of furniture, except an old, wooden trunk with a hefty lock. Beside it sat a new pocketknife, gleaming. Using her instinct she opened the pocketknife and used it to pick the lock. It was surprisingly easy. She opened the trunk slowly, and to her surprise a giant, black rat jumped out and onto her.

Form 1

Form 3

Form 1

“Aahh!” she screeched, trying to push the rat off of her. “Calm down!” shouted the rat. She screamed even more. “Don’t worry!” tried the rat again. “I am not a real rat, I am a person! A witch cursed me to be like this, but if I eat these magic mussels in the lighthouse near here, I’ll become a human again.” Samantha put the rat on her hand and walked outside. She then saw the lighthouse in the distance that she previously hadn’t noticed. “That’s not too far away,” she said. “I guess I can help you over there.”

Literary Contributions

Juanita O’Kane

Molly McEwan

Rosa Laws-Quinn

Chloe Anderson

Kieran McKenna

“Good,” the rat smiled. “The rowboat is sitting over there. You’ll need to row.” Samantha walked grudgingly over to the rowboat; a little annoyed she had to row, but to be fair the rat couldn’t. She sat down in the rickety rowboat, sat the rat down too, and picked up the oars. “Faster, faster!” it shouted. “I’ve waited years for this!” She grew to get annoyed of the rat’s demands as the current was pushing her back a lot, and she couldn’t really fight it. Finally, they arrived at the lighthouse surrounded by craggy rocks. Samantha stopped the boat at one of the rocks and climbed out. “Come on!” she shouted at the rat. She was tired of carrying him and just wanted to get him those stupid mussels so she could go home. The lighthouse steps were steep so Shannon had to carry the rat as she herself could barely climb up the steps.

Amy Collins

At the top of the stairs was another trunk, nearly identical to the one Shannon had found the rat in. “Are the mussels in here?” asked Shannon. “Probably,” said the rat, “use your pocketknife to open it.” Shannon bent down and started to pick the lock. Then she popped open the trunk. Sitting inside were the mussels! “Go on, pass them down!” the rat screeched. Suddenly, Samantha heard a crying baby down below. She looked out of the window and could see a starving family sitting outside on the rocks. Samantha then looked back at the rat’s greedy face and thought how mean he’d been to her. Maybe he deserved to be a rat. She then grabbed the mussels and tossed them down to the family below. “No!” the rat cried. Then right before Samantha’s eyes, the family transformed into a tall, slim witch.

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“Rat,” she bellowed. “For being so selfish, you shall remain a rat forever. Samantha, for being so selfless you can go back home.” Again, Samantha felt water washing over her face. When she opened her eyes she was back standing on the beach. Then she started to run back, screaming “Mum! Dad! I’ve got something to tell you!” Maia Hamilton, Form I THE BATTERED TEA-STAINED MAP

It was a dark stormy day, so I went into the wardrobe to get a fleecy blanket; a large trunk fell out instead. It was inscribed in what looked to be Latin. Inside were a rusty key and a battered tea-stained map. I stepped inside and began my adventure out into the hidden forest. With the rusty key in my hand and my eyes fixed on the map. I finally reached some sort of abandoned house, I don’t think it had been empty for that long. The rusty key opened the ivoryencrusted lock to the big heavy door. It was damp, dark and cold. I was having second thoughts about this trip, but I decided to motor on anyway. The map led to a room at the back of the house; here I spotted an ‘X’ was marked on the floor. I raised the floorboards to find a huge, lifeless rat, in its mouth a pocket knife with a note taped to it: “Use it wisely.” Again I looked down at the map to see that I had to climb to the highest room in the house. I put the knife in my back pocket and continued on up the stairs to the point where I began to feel extremely sick. I went over to the nearest window and looked out; suddenly my gaze was interrupted by a faint, very hushed, cry. I followed my senses and in a little box room at the front of the house, I found a little girl; she was all skin and bones with thin, stick-like legs and you could visibly see she was very malnourished. I lifted her out of her cradle and lying on the mattress I found yet another note, “Sugar does the world of good.” I had a biscuit in my leather satchel, I fed it to the little thing and she immediately began to perk up. I took the frail little thing under my arm; she sat on my left hip quite comfortably. We went back over to the window; I could see these majestic white cliffs on the horizon. Out of the corner of my eye I could see a lighthouse with its lights on. I took no great notice of it I as I was more concerned about the little girl, so I decided to take her down to the water near the cliffs where it was nice, peaceful and calm. The sea floor was absolutely laden with mussel shells; they were shining and glistening in the water. It was lovely. I took my fair share of them as I was

starving; unfortunately, the little one was just too small for them. Over at the far side of the golden sandy beach there was an older man with a longish beard; he was painting an award-worthy picture of the shipwreck that was on the horizon. I vaguely remember a picture of a shipwreck inscribed on the trunk. It was the one in the water, half in the water and half out. The little girl smiled. With a startle, I woke. Olivia Donaldson, Form I

Distribution of Prizes

Distribution of Prizes The Annual Distribution of Prizes took place this year on Friday 24th October at The Spire’s Centre. The Warden, Mr S. J. S. Warke, welcomed the Guest of Honour, Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor D. S. Jones to the prize-giving ceremony. In his speech Professor Jones thanked everyone for the invitation to speak, and in particular acknowledged the prize winners as “the stars of the show”. Teachers were often an inspiration, even if this was not always recognised until many years after leaving school. As a governor of the Academy, Professor Jones expressed his pride in the wonderful achievements of the prize winners, but was keen to recognise those who had worked hard but did not receive prizes. He quoted Thomas Edison, “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety nine per cent perspiration,” to underline the importance of continuing to work hard. Professor Jones spoke of the quality of education available at the Academy. The headmaster was an inspirational figure whose outstanding qualities of leadership had been acknowledged externally by the Education and Training Inspectorate. The speaker believed the knowledge, skills and values required at Belfast Royal Academy would enable its students to stand out from others in the future. Drawing on experiences from his own life, Professor Jones made three further points to students, parents and members of staff. He pointed out how much he had enjoyed, and still relishes, his time spent at Queen’s University Belfast. As part of a first degree in Pharmacy he had to take a class in the History and Philosophy of Science. Professor Jones used this example to urge young people to try something different, but equally after due consideration, not to be afraid to change their minds by paraphrasing Yogi Berra’s observation, “If you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

Quoting Henry Miller, “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things,” Professor Jones encouraged prize winners to travel abroad and experience different ways of life. He went on to describe accepting a job offer in New Zealand, an experience which led him to work with members of the All Blacks rugby team as well as a descendant of Fletcher Christian! Professor Jones’ closing remarks emphasised the importance of students working hard as well as listening to and learning from others around them. Pupils were recommended always to ask for advice, undertake study of subjects they wished to follow at university, and maintain a wide range of extracurricular activities in order to remain competitive in an increasingly intense job market. The Senior Orchestra gave a rousing rendition of the ‘March from Carmen’ by Bizet while the Chamber Choir gave a moving performance of Mozart’s ‘Ave Verum Corpus’. We are very grateful to the Rev. Prof. J. P. Taylor, M.B.E. for opening the prize-giving ceremony. **** The Headmaster’s Address Warden, Ladies and Gentlemen, Pupils of the Academy It is a pleasure to welcome our Guest of Honour, Professor David Jones, to our Ceremony today. Of course, as a member of our Board of Governors, he may well have been here in any case, and as the father of Dary and Holly he has attended Prize Days in the past as a parent. However, it is fitting that he should speak to us today, because, with his appointment as Pro Vice Chancellor of Queen’s University in the summer, with responsibility for Education and

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Students he has assumed a position at the heart of educational thinking in the province. His strategic vision is well equipped for his new role, informed as it is by his experience as a parent, as a Governor of the Academy and of his old school, the Royal School Dungannon, and by his experience as one of our leading academics. He has degrees in Pharmacy and Mathematics and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics; he has worked in industry and been a lecturer at the University of Otago, and, as Professor of Biomaterial Science in the School of Pharmacy at Queen’s, he has been a dynamic leader in a department which is among the most highly rated in the United Kingdom and which is renowned for innovation. He is well informed about the challenges which face schools, universities and industry, but, as a teacher and a parent, he understands that their success depends upon the motivation of the people within them, and the opportunities which will inspire them to discover their potential. I first met him at Roughfort, when he was watching Dary, who played alongside Iain Henderson on a Cup-winning 3rd XV before stepping down to the 1st XV. He has been a stimulating colleague and a supportive friend ever since. I am delighted that he is able to be our Guest today. 92

I am pleased also, to welcome Professor Patton Taylor, whose own ties to the school are longstanding, to our ceremony today. To be a Governor at a large and forward-looking school like the Academy requires a significant commitment of time and calls upon reserves of judgement and expertise. We are fortunate indeed to be so well served in this regard and I thank the members of our Board for their tireless efforts on behalf the school. The Warden must take a strategic view and gain an insight into issues far beyond any particular area of expertise. To do so effectively requires dedication, nourished by loyalty. In this, Mr Warke has been exemplary. As a pupil of the Academy he played cricket for Irish Schools, and went on to win 114 full international caps for Ireland. He has been a dynamic leader, dedicated to the pursuit of high standards. His understanding of the traditions of the Academy combined, through Caitlyn, Harry and Megan, with an insight into the school as it is today, informs his vision for our future.I value his support and I thank him for it. Teaching and learning play a central role in our

endeavours. The awakening of the mind cannot be measured adequately by statistics, but success in the public examinations is important. Last year’s MVI did not match the standard achieved the year before – which was our best ever – but they did well. 97% of pupils gained at least 3 Advanced level passes, 85% of the examinations were passed at grades A* - C and 70% of pupils achieved three passes at grades A* - C. Of the 553 examinations sat, only 4 were failed. Kyle Auterson, Rachael Blythe, Patricia Martin and Hannah Robinson gained 3A* passes, for which more than 90% in the A2 modules is required, and I grade A. Our GCSE results were the best that we have had. 93% of pupils achieved grades A* - C grades in 7 or more subjects including English and Mathematics, and 98% passed in 5 or more subjects. 44% of the examinations taken were passed at grades A* or A. Micah Hipolito and Niamh Martin gained 10 passes at A* and one at grade A. Following in the footsteps of the pupils who achieved top three placings in Modern Languages last year, Kellie McLean was Joint 2nd in Northern Ireland in French, while Taylor McCombe was placed 3rd in the province in PE. Chloe Anderson, Rachael O’Donnell and Juanita O’Kane gained full marks in Art and Design,and Kellie McLean, Ben Hoey and Mimi Joffroy achieved full marks in French. Four of our pupils have taken up places at Cambridge University: Alice Kavanagh will read Engineering at Gonville and Caius; Faye Kidd will study History at Homerton, where she has been awarded a choral scholarship; from the previous MVI, Daniel Dass will take his place at St. Catharine’s College, where he will study Economics, and Michael Bell has won a scholarship to study Music, also at St. Catharine’s. We wish them well, and our best wishes go to all of our former pupils who are embarking upon their degree studies at 43 different universities. It was a rewarding year also for those who wrestle with academic problems for fun: our Junior Maths team won the Northern Ireland final of the UK Mathematics Trust competition and represented the province in London for the second year in a row; the Senior team came second in a field of 27 schools in the Queen’s university Mathematics competition, but were outdone by our Biologists who won the Bioscience Olympiad at Queen’s and were presented with the Champions Cup.

Distribution of Prizes

Ben Madigan had a memorable year, and not only because of their ‘very good’ inspection. It is particularly pleasing to report that Mr Wilson was chosen by readers of The Primary Times magazine for a Best Primary School Teacher award – an exceptional accolade, and one which he well deserves. We wish Mrs Marshall and Mrs Sherrard well in retirement after 40 years of service to the school between them. I am pleased to record that once again we were among the schools most applied to at the time of Transfer. I believe that this is largely because of the work undertaken by our members of staff on Open Evenings and on the mornings of the tests. I thank them for their efforts; and I thank Mr Young and his team at AQE also, for the excellence of their administration of the assessment process. You will have noticed that on the scaffolding surrounding the Crombie tower there is a screen which bears the legend: ‘Shaping the Future, Respecting the Past’. It was coined, I believe, by a wise member of Dr Scully’s Form III Mathematics class. It refers on the one hand to creating new buildings and preserving or rejuvenating old ones: not only will the Crombie tower be restored this year and the Home Economics Department refurbished, but a new dining area will be created and a new Music block will be built. There will be significant developments at Roughfort also.

It is with sadness that I record the death this year of two former members of staff who seemed defining figures when I entered the staffroom in 1980. Shaun Rankin was an erudite teacher of English Literature, an effective coach of rugby forwards and an acerbic wit. He added much to the wider life of the school as Head of Careers and Senior Teacher, and as a raconteur. Miss McIlroy seemed to embody measured judgement and unassailable authority in her role as Deputy Principal. She was also an inspirational teacher. When he gave the 225th Anniversary Lecture in 2010, Professor James Stirling, one of the team of scientists behind the CERN project, noted that it was she who had inspired his love of Physics. The idea expressed on the Crombie tower says something about us; but it tells only part of the story. Perhaps the 19th Century American poet, Emerson, came closer to the heart of our purpose when he said, What lies behind us And what lies beyond us Are tiny matters Compared to what lies within us. Good schools exist to foster the potential which lies within our pupils.

On the other hand, I think the motto touches on something more complex. By educating pupils we not only help to shape their future, but also the future of our society, to which they will contribute so much, and indeed, the future of societies beyond Northern Ireland. We respect the past not only in our traditions and buildings, but through our relationship with former pupils. When they return for reunions, they find a school which is recognisable but changed. And that is as it should be. Not only must our facilities evolve, but so must our methods of teaching and learning, with, increasingly, the use of tablet technology and online resources.

Kurt Hahn, who founded Gordonstown School in 1934, understood this when he chose the medieval motto“Plus est en vous” for the school. It means, “There is more in you”, ‘There is more in you than you think’.

The passage of time inevitably sees changes in our staffroom. After many years of service, we wish Mr Cupples and Mrs McCaughran well in their retirement. They will be missed, as, indeed, will Mrs Burch, who has been appointed to the post of Head of Music at Bloomfield Collegiate. Our staffing structures have been reshaped also,with the appointment of three new Heads of School and a Senior Administrator.

The potential within is exceptional. In their own time, pupils have excelled in Sailing, Motocross and Irish Dancing, and they have triumphed when competing for the School; in the pool, Conor Ferguson set new Ulster and British Junior Backstroke Records; Jack Agnew represented Great Britain in the Under 18 wheelchair Basketball competition at the Paralympics Youth Festival in Utrecht, and was part of the Northern Ireland team

The scaffolding which surrounds the Crombie building may be seen as a metaphor – not only for the framework of support, the pastoral care, which surrounds pupils in school, but also for the framework of opportunities which allows pupils to grow in confidence and accomplishment – to discover what is in them.

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which won the UK Championships. He won three Gold medals at the England Athletics Age Group Championships and went on to win the Under 14 category of the Wheelchair London Marathon; James Reid was named Young Sportsperson of the Year in recognition of his achievements in Judo; Erin Getty played football for Northern Ireland and hockey for Ireland; Faye Kidd played on the Ireland Under 18 Hockey team and Alice Reid played for Ulster Under 16s; Eorann O’Neill, Lori Turkington and Ruairi Brogan travelled to Canberra to compete for Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships; Shane Martin, Stephen McCorry, Matthew Dalton, Ruairi Brogan, Stewart Martin, Victoria Beattie and Melissa Moffett won Gold medals at the Ulster Athletics Championships, and went on, with others, to compete at the Irish Championships, where Shane Martin, Matthew Dalton and Scott McMurtry won Gold. Stewart Martin, David Campbell and Jordan Hylton were selected for Ulster Schools’ rugby squads; Rebecca Marno, Cathryn Morrisey, Ryan Corbett and Ryan Jameson won Gold medals at the Scottish Taekwon-do Championships; Rebecca, Cathryn and Ryan Jameson went on to repeat the feat at the British Championships; Pooja Sridhar, Victoria Frame, Melissa Antonio and Ryan Lightowler were selected for the Northern Ireland Under 20 Bridge team;after winning trophies at the Inter-Service shooting competition at Bisley, Peter Gilleece was selected for the Athelings, the UK cadet rifle team which toured Canada in the summer; at the Northern Ireland Cadet meeting, Jake Magill was the Champion Cadet, and he has been selected for the Atheling’s tour of Canada next summer.

speak at meetings of the Politics Society – sometimes contentious and never less than stimulating, it is not fanciful to say that in our debates we may have seen pupils take their first steps in a political career; not fanciful at all, given that the three candidates standing for different parties at the local council elections who spoke in the ‘Alumini Debate’ had only recently left our Sixth Form. Other initiatives in the course of the year included the creation of a Wellbeing Committee and the first ‘BRA Bake-Off’ - without resorting to sabotage,Anna Hogg emerged triumphant in the Final, which was judged by Jenny Bristow. When not engrossed in baking, Science or Politics, our pupils were pursuing literary interests. Members of the Junior Book Club will soon have to bring passports to school, so widely do they travel in search of authors. One highlight this year was meeting the Children’s Laureate, Malorie Blackman at Stormont. Not to be outdone, the Senior Reading Group went to the Ulster Hall to attend a reading by Jo Baker, whose novel, ‘Longbourn’, was one of the Guardian’s ‘Books for Summer’. Our pupils are not only readers – they are writers too. Following the success of Cameron McGaughey in ‘The Poetry Games’, “An App Story” by Tom Spence was chosen, by a judging panel which included Chris Evans and Richard Hammond, from more than 100,000 entries from across the UK to reach the final of the BBC ‘500 words’ competition.

It testifies to the accomplishment of our pupils. However, pupils grow into their potential in ways which are, perhaps, less eye-catching but just as profound.

The affection of former pupils for the school was evident in their willingness to return: Michael Herbert, Jayne Olorunda and Judge Donna McColgan shared their experiences and their advice with groups of Sixth Formers who, as they contemplated their path beyond school, appreciated the insights gained. Francis McCrory led a workshop in the Art Department. Other former pupils returned throughout the year. Four reunions revisited old haunts, the Old Boys’ Association organised a networking Business Breakfast, Kate Hoey returned, Iain Henderson and Stuart Olding presented the team awards at the end of season Rugby Club Hog Roast, and Jack Kyle visited the refurbished pavilion at Roughfort and wondered at the life-size photograph of himself, running with the ball more than sixty years ago.

Intellectual curiosity was stirred by the impressive range of visitors who spoke at meetings of the Scientific Society on subjects ranging from Laser technology to Antibiotic resistance, while a stream of politicians and political journalists visited school to

For many pupils, ‘growing into their potential’ includes a wish to make a difference to the lives of people who are less fortunate than themselves. Charlotte Nicholl raised more than £800 for the Children’s Hospice by persuading other pupils to

We will glimpse something of their achievements, and those of many other pupils, in the latest episode of Mr Jamison’s chronicle of school life. * I am very grateful to Mr Jamison for producing such an entertaining record of the year.

Distribution of Prizes

join her in filling Smartie tubes with 20p pieces; Eorann O’Neill was awarded the Millennium Volunteer Certificate for completing 100 hours of voluntary service; three Sixth Formers were part of a Habitat for Humanity International YOUTHBUILD team this summer - Mykila Donaldson, James Moorehead and Andrew McIntyre travelled to Romania after fund-raising £1500 each; in Malawi, our team built a house for an elderly woman whose home had been washed away; thousands of pounds were raised for Save the Children, for the Hospice ‘Wall of Hope’ appeal and for the Cancer Fund for Children, and money was raised for a wide range of charities, either though weekly donations in Registration, or as a result of activities such as cake sales, the Copper Wars, the staff Christmas Jumper Day or the rather more challenging staff parachute jump in April. A growing wish to help others was evident in the numbers volunteering to help in primary schools in North and West Belfast, and indeed in the willingness of our Senior pupils to help Juniors who are having difficulty with their work; remarkably, this year, every Junior pupil who was mentored in this way saw their marks improve in the June examinations. All of this growth – of interests, confidence and achievement - is fostered by the dedication of our staff, who provide the scaffolding of opportunities which support it. I thank them on my own behalf and on yours. I know that they felt just as keenly as the pupils in their charge the triumphs and heartbreaks of the year – the Spring concert at the Ulster Hall, Rock Challenge, Footloose, the SU activities, Showjumping, the ATC, Bridge, Swimming and Waterpolo, the Traditional Group performing at the Royal Albert Hall, about which a member of the audience wrote to me, describing it as “inspiring and transformative”, and from the realm of heartbreak, our Girls’ 1st and 2nd teams both losing hockey finals by a goal in extra time. Our Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme, among the largest in the United Kingdom, prompts disbelief and envy in other school Heads; we should pause to remember the definition of the term ‘outward bound’. It originally referred to a ship leaving the safety of port; it was ‘outward bound’, leaving familiarity behind, to voyage into a new world of challenge and opportunity; it is through those journeys into new, and sometimes challenging, experiences, that character and confidence grow and potential develops.

This journey is implicit in every activity in which pupils learn to meet a challenge, to work with others, to lead, to speak in public or to develop skills which will allow them to excel. It is a privilege to work in a school which values such things, with pupils and teachers such as ours, and I am fortunate indeed that those with whom I work most closely – Dr Scully, Mr Creighton, Dr Brown and our Bursar, Miss Hull, are professionals of the highest calibre; expert, judicious and seemingly tireless. Without their dedication the Academy would not be what it is. I will end by recalling a talk which I recently attended given by Sir Howard Stringer, former President of CBS and Chief Executive of Sony. He worked at the centre of the communications revolution which will characterise our time. He spoke about the ‘acceleration and velocity of the modern world’, and about the need to deal with change, which is one of the few things which won’t change! With our Crombie motto in mind I was pleased to hear him say that to move forward with confidence you need to remember where you came from. Our young people will need to be adaptable, to have the confidence to grasp opportunities, take risks and try new things. Not all of the risks will pay off – not all new things will last; where now is Concorde or the Sinclair C5? VHS - video recording – which revolutionised our viewing, was redundant within 25 years of its invention; Research at Princeton suggests that 80% of Facebook users will have left it for something new by 2017, and who knows if the drones with which Amazon and others claim to be experimenting for the delivery of internet shopping will ever catch on… But we can be sure that something will, something which we haven’t thought of yet, but which our young people will be imagining, designing and building.They have the potential to do it, potential which we will do all in our power to foster.‘Plus est en vous’. * At this point a DVD was shown to illustrate some of the highlights from the school year including the following: ACADEMIC SUCCESS AS Level 5A Grades Oliver Vick, Angela Cao

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GCSE 11 A or A* Grades Micah Hipolito, Niamh Martin, Matthew Wilson, Aidan Davison, Clare Brown, Taylor McClenaghan, Rebecca Harbinson, Hannah Torrens, Mimi Joffroy, Niamh Carroll, Nicole Xu, Rachel O’Donnell, Taylor McCombe, Hollie McCalmont, Harry Brewster, Ryan Corry, Niall Gray, Sam Millar, Tom Loane, Cameron Chisim, Courtney Duncan AS Level 4A Grades Shahrukh, Tom Donnelly, Suraj Tirupati, Sarah McMahon, Aaron Henderson, Clare McGowan, Ruiri Brogan, Sarah McGuckin, David Speers, Helen Diamond, Sapphira Chung, Rebecca McKinstry, Ruth McConnell, Sorcha Burke, Sara Thabeth, Louise Broad, James Glover A2 Level 3A*+ 1A Grades Kyle Auterson, Rachael Blythe, Patricia Martin, Hannah Robinson GCSE Art Full Marks: Rachael O’Donnell, Chloe Anderson, Juanita O’Kane 96

GCSE French Full Marks: Ben Hoey, Kellie McLean (second in NI), Mimi Joffroy GCSE PE: Taylor McCombe 3rd place in NI OTHER SUCCESS UK Maths Trust NI Winners QUB Maths Competition: Senior team 2nd place out of 27 teams Tom Spence: finalist of BBC 500 words Biology: winners of Bioscience Olympiad Poetry: Cameron McGaughey, 1 of 12 finalists in Poetry Games Geography: finalists in World Wise Quiz IOD: Jenna Todd selected for Shadowing Scheme Sentinus: Team awarded Gold Certificate Arabic and Chinese classes now at BRA Villiers Park Alice Kavanagh, Amy Wilson, Faye Kidd, Natalie Cole, Beth MacDougall, Rosalind Ware, Jack Armstrong, Gavin Arrell, Ruairi Brogan, Sorcha Burke, Alan Campbell, Jenny Coates, Liam Ferris, Rowan Madden, Sarah McMahon

Oxbridge Alice Kavanagh Engineering Gonville and Caius Faye Kidd History, Homerton, a choral scholarship Daniel Dass, St. Catharine’s College, Economics Michael Bell has won a scholarship to study Music, St. Catharine’s Duke of Edinburgh 429 members 75 Bronze, 13 Silver, 8 Gold 24th Mournes’ Clean-up Performing Arts Gonzaga visit for Malawi Winter review Ulster Hall Spring Concert Ulster Youth Jazz Orchestra: Jack Johnston, Ruari McGowan, Owen Donnnelly Ulster Youth Orchestra: Hannah Edgar Ulster Youth Training Choir: Paige Clements, Patrick Donnelly St Peter’s Carol Service Senior School Play: Footloose Drama Studio Groups Irish Dancing: Niamh Rogan, Carla Heatley Rock Challenge Trips Spanish Exchange with Asturias Swedish Trip Paris Visit Castlewellan SU Malawi: Be the Change Rome Classics and RE Hadrian’s Wall Classics and History Ski Trip to Austria SPORT Hockey: 1st XI Shield Finalists, 2nd XI Plate Finalists, U14A Plate Semi-Finalists Belfast U15: Alice Reid, Charlotte Anderson, Trinity Geddis, Savannah Thompson Ulster U16: Alice Reid Belfast U17: Judithe Allen, Abbie Brown, Lucy Miller Ireland U16: Erin Getty Ireland U18: Faye Kidd Golf Ulster Schools’ runners-up: Judithe Allen, Amy O’Donnell Bridge Winners of Intermediate Cup: Brandon Binnie, Conor Gallagher U20 NI Team for Peggy Bayer Trophy: Ryan

Distribution of Prizes

Lightowler, Victoria Frame, Pooja Sridhar, Melissa Antonio

Taekwondo British National Gold Medals: Rebecca Marno, Cathryn Morrissey, Ryan Jameson

Swimming: Conor Ferguson: New Ulster and British Records + Mary Peters Trust Award for Excellence Top School in Ulster 121 Medals Special Olympics BRA time keepers Life Saving Commonwealth Life Savers Bronze Medalists: Eorann O’Neill, Lori Turkington, Ruairi Hurson Water Polo Ulster: David Speers, Tom Donnelly, Ruairi Hurson, Maeve Gallagher, Ashley Johnstone

Ulster Motocross Champion: Jay McCrum

Netball U19 Belfast Podium Squad: Kellie McLean, Emer Gribbon, Lauren McCullough Athletics Districts: 66 medals (24 Gold) Ulster Gold: Shane Allen, Stephen McCorry, Matthew Dalton, Ruairi Brogan, Stewart Martin, Victoria Beattie, Melissa Moffett Irish Gold: Shane Allen, Matthew Dalton, Scott McMurtry Sports Day Rugby Jack Kyle: Inspiring the next generation U19 Ulster Squad: Stewart Martin U18 Ulster Squad: David Campbell, Jordan Hylton 1st XV: Pulling Their Weight Stuart Olding: Still Inspiring Show Jumping Irish Development Squad: Jessica Johnston MEC and Ulster League runners-up

Soccer: NI U16 Erin Getty Sailing: NI RYA team Jenny Fekkes Karting: Michael Woods podium place at White River round of Irish Championships Kayaking: 2 Silver Medals Amy Kingston Shooting: Peter Gilleece selected for the Athelings + Jake Magill Champion Cadet Cheerleading: NI Champions: Amy Kingston, Alix McKee, Rebecca Atkinson, Sophie Orr, Bobbi Linton, Katie Purvis Commonwealth Games: Christine McMahon (former pupil) Giro Commentator: Michael Hutchinson (former pupil) ACHIEVEMENTS AND EVENTS Business Studies:Tom Donnelly winner of Charles Hurst “Apprentice” Model United Nations: Jessica Dowey: Highly Commended Kuda Kunaka: Best in Health and Youth Millenium Volunteer Certificate: Eorann O’Neill 100 hours of service

Boys’ Hockey Colts: A promising Year Jack Agnew

Great BRA Bake-off

Basketball: GB U18 Paralympics Youth Festival in Utrecht and as NI team member UK champion Track: 3 Gold Medals at England Athletics Championships Marathon: U14 London Wheelchair Winner James Reid: Young Sports Person of the Year (Judo)

Wellbeing Week

BES Arctic Expedition: Georgia Sloan

Careers Outings: IKEA, Schlumberger, W5 Winners of Translink Road Safety Competition

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Book Club: meeting the Authors Reading Group: meeting Children’s Laureate, Malorie Blackman Young Einstein

Save the Children: £5,000

Stem Show

“Read On” for NI Cancer Fund for Children: £3,271 including visit to Narnia

Senior Science Society: Laser to Antibiotics

School Council for NI Hospice: £2,250

Biology visit to Greenmount

Charlotte Nicholl “Smartie Tube Appeal”: £802

Politics Society: meeting the politicians

Habitat for Humanity at home and in Romania

Art Exhibition

Staff Charity Events

Big Day of Science

Christmas Jumpers, Parachute Jump, Ice Bucket

Primary School Support

Additional Photography: James Cleland

Retirements: McCaughran

Charity Sponsored Walk: SOS, Malawi, Children’s Hospice £8,700

Paul

Cupples

and

Barbara

Music by: Anna Leyden, Scott Jamison and The BRA Traditional Music Group at the Albert Hall

Distribution of Prizes

PRIZE LIST Form I Bennett, Aoife C

Erwin, Dylan

Moore, Katie G

Convery, Aimee S

Gifford, Alexandra P

Patterson, Rachel L

Carson, Jack B

Convery, Lorcan F Cooke, Tori J

Craig, Dervla

Creaney, Layla M

Donaldson, Olivia S Enriquez, Cher H

Forbes, Julia R

Hamilton, Maia C Hayward, Eva J Higgins, Jack P Lee, Kirsty

McBride, Holly E

McClements, Victoria A

Parkes, Oliver

Russell, David J R

Salvatierra, Wrianne M Stephenson, Callisto J

Szlachta, Magdalena O Uprichard, Julia

Walker, Charlotte E

HONOURABLE MENTION Armstrong, Ellie J

Johnston, Vivienne T A

Meeke, Laura C

Carmichael, Elisha R

Kane, Nikhil T

Thabeth, Zakir S

Bain, Sasha K

Clements, Rory W J Davison, Megan R

Dougan, Charlotte M George, Patrick

Graham, Matthew C

Jones, Edward A Kelly, Scott I

Kerr, Nathan C

McBride, Ryan D

McNeill, Morgan V C McVicker, Nia

Roberts, Una C

Towfighi, Aryan H Williamson, Lily I Woloszyn, Sandra

Wright, Lauren M 99

Form II Agnew-Boyce, Molly

Massey, Jill

McQueen, Rosie C

Bassett, Andrew C

McCullagh, Elisa

Peters, Sasha

Baird, Katie J

Corry, Oran P

Dougan, Harriet A Green, Jack C

Gutermann, Niamh C Hamilton, Meghan A Jain, Alen

McCalmont, Amber E McFarland, Emily R

McGowan, Cormac K

McGrath, Samantha A McGuckin, Naomi C McMillan, Beth L

O’Neill, Jacob J Purvis, Kathryn

Reddington, Thea L Shaw, Madison S Spence, Tom H

Warke, Harry S L

HONOURABLE MENTION Armstrong, Reece

Hamilton, Rachel A

McConnaughie, Hannah E

Cahoon, Sarah N

Jamison, Lucy

McKinnell, Amy O

Benson, Rebecca Carson, Cara C

Clingen, Anna R

Dorman, Andrew K

Fitzsimons, Eirinn R Flynn, Rory N

Gamble, Rachel S

Jackson, Jessica S Kane, Adam S

Lundy, Zak J A

McBride, Tara B

McCauley, Elizabeth G

McComiskey, Christopher

McKillen, Mark T O’Kane, Orla C Peden, Ryan J

Ramalho-McCourt, Daniella Uche, Doris U

Woloszyn, Jakub

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DEPARTMENTAL PRIZES

Baird, C Campbell Bobryk, Simon A Brown, Molly E Carroll, Euan D

Carson, Megan C E Cavan, Tara

Donnelly, Patrick C Foster, Conor M

Ferguson, Adam J Gaston, Lucy C

Geddis, Trinity E

Giannetto, Mia A

Gilleece, Grainne M

Hoey, Caitlin A

Jamison, Harry M

Lawlor, Callum G A 100

Loboda, Laura D

Form III

Carroll, Euan D

Physics

Dalzell, Ellen K

Music

German Drama

Business Studies, English Latin

French Music

French, Latin, Music, Spanish

Chemistry, Mathematics Art and Design Geography

Religious Studies

Biology, Chemistry, English, French, Geography, Mathematics, Religious Studies, Technology and Design German

Business Studies Business Studies History

Cavan, Tara

Foster, Conor M

Ferguson, Adam J Foster, Scott

Gamble, Alice J A Gaston, Eva G

Geddis, Trinity E

Gilleece, Grainne M Johnston, Ella L

Lawlor, Callum G A Linton, Bobbi A F Loboda, Laura D Lynn, Jillian G

Maguire, Aaron E Martin, Shane M

McClurg, Joanna McCullough, Victoria L

Spanish Chemistry, Mathematics Physics

Notable Progress

Home Economics Art and Design

Home Economics, Music Latin

Notable Progress History, Physics

Notable Progress, Business Studies German, Technology and Design Notable Progress

English, Geography

Biology, Business Studies, Geography, Mathematics Chemistry, Music

Home Economics

McEwan, Eilish

German

McKeown, Hannah E

Notable Progress

McConnaughie, Katie L English

Moore, Craig D

Notable Progress

Poh, Charlotte M W

Parker, Tia

Martin, Shane M

McClurg, Joanna

Chemistry, History, Physics, Technology and Design Art and Design, Drama, Technology and Design

McIlwaine, Rebecca L

McVeigh, Curtis J

History

Orr, Natasha

Quigley, Daniel G

Biology, Geography, Mathematics, Music, Religious Studies

Payot, Alexis A T

Reid, V Alice Ross, Jasmine L Schlogel, Lena M Spence, Kate

Sterrett, Scott D Vick, Amber L

Home Economics

Chemistry, French, History, Physics, Spanish, Technology and Design Biology, English, Latin, Spanish German

Art and Design

Business Studies

Art and Design, Drama

HONOURABLE MENTION Form III

Adams, Douglas W Brown, Molly E

Art and Design

Religious Studies

Quigley, Daniel G Quinn, Ellen E Reid, V Alice

Ritchie, Katie L

Ross, Jasmine L

Scarborough, Jack E Schlogel, Lena M Shaw, Alison F Vick, Amber L

Walker, Jordan M Watt, Chloe L

Latin

Biology, Spanish

Geography, Spanish Notable Progress

Art and Design, Technology and Design Latin

Drama

Art and Design, Biology Drama

French, Religious Studies Physics

Chemistry, English French, History

Mathematics, Religious Studies Drama

German

Distribution of Prizes

Agnew, Bobbie-Jean Berry, Molly I

Bryan, Lucy A E

Cairns, Matthew W G Carey, Thomas P J

Cochrane, Aimee C Cousins, Mary O

Crawford, Amy H Davidson, Lewis

Dawson, Chloe A Dougan, Courtney N Edgar, Hannah E M Firgau Marcano, Carlos L Hipolito, Roi J

Jones, Matthew Kelly, Natasha Li, Ming Yu

Loboda, Zuzanna A Magill, Max R McAllister, Shanagh M

McAuley, Conor R McCartney, Cameron L

Form IV

Business Communication Studies Home Economics Drama

Physical Education Economics

English Literature, Geography, German

English Literature, German Latin

General Excellence

Biology, Chemistry, ICT, Mathematics, Physics, Technology and Design English Literature

Business Communication Studies

Drama, English Language, French, Physics Art and Design

Biology, Chemistry, French, Geography, Latin, Mathematics Technology and Design Art and Design Economics Music

McMahon, Emily A

Chemistry, Religious Studies

McVeigh, Jessica L

Drama, History

Neill, Hannah C A Newton, Naomi J

Patton, Morgan L

Russell, Harry J G Stewart, Casey J

Mathematics

Geography, Physics

German, Religious Studies

Wilkinson, Carly M

History

Wallace, Katherine G

Home Economics

HONOURABLE MENTION Form IV

Bond, Molly R

Economics

Burton, Jack P

Economics

Carey, Thomas P J

Cousins, Mary O

Crawford, Amy H

Dalton, Matthew K Davidson, Lewis Dickson, Rebecca V

Dougan, Courtney N

Religious Studies English Language

Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics French, History

Chemistry, ICT, Physics

Business Communication Studies, Physical Education Chemistry, English Language, Mathematics Drama Latin

Firgau Marcano, Carlos L French Fleck, Laura

Drama

Henderson, Hannah E

German

Getty, Erin M P E Hipolito, Rio J IIIyuk, Anna

Johnston, Ashley Johnston, Kalvin Kelly, Natasha

Lapworth, Morgan S Loboda, Zuzanna A Magill, Max R

Martin, Naomi R

Spanish

McAllister, Shanagh M

Business Studies

McCartney, Cameron L

Art and Design

Business Studies, History, ICT, Technology and Design

Wallace, Abby M

Cochrane, Aimee C

Biology

Murphy-Morrison, Beth K

Physical Education

Music

Spanish

McDowell, Katie J

Mulholland, Roma E

Thompson, Savannah R

Szulgan, Seweryn D

Burns, Courtney R

Physical Education

Miller, Kirsty A

Music

Business Studies, History, Religious Studies

McCorry, Stephen P B

Millard, Jack E

Stewart, Victoria

McCarthy, Nathan J

English Literature Art and Design German

Chemistry

Business Communication Studies History

German Physics ICT

Music

Business Studies, Religious Studies Geography, Spanish

Drama, English Literature

English Language, English Literature, Latin

McCullough, Jemma

English Literature

Business Studies

McDowell, Katie J McKinnell, Jordan

Geography, Spanish

English Language, Spanish General Excellence

McDermott, Cherie C

Religious Studies

Home Economics

101

The Owl 2014

McMahon, Emily A

English Language, Latin

Gutermann, Cianan C

French, German

McMahon-Beattie, James A

History

Hipolito, Micah D

Chemistry, English Literature, Geography

McMahon, Megan

Art and Design

Millard, Jack E

Music, Spanish

O’Neill, Gemma A

Technology and Design

Murray, Jamie E J

Parkhill, Daniel D C Purcell, Ethan W Rea, Stephen

Reid, Kiah R T Roe, Jason F

Simon, Richard D Stewart, Casey J Stewart, Lucy A

Stewart, Victoria

Szulgan, Seweryn D Tandon, J Yasmine Waite, Megan A Walker, James J

Wallace, Abby M Waters, Philip J

Wilkinson, Carly M 102

Anderson, Chloe M Atkinson, Rachel E Auterson, Luke S

Barnes, Bradley A Benson, Conor

Brewster, Harry J Calderwood, Michael S

Biology

Technology and Design Physical Education ICT

Business Studies

Technology and Design Home Economics

Art and Design, French, Latin Physical Education Mathematics Physics

English Literature

Biology, Chemistry English Literature Music ICT

Geography

Form V

Art and Design

English Language, Spanish General Excellence Business Studies

Harbinson, Rebecca E

Hoey, Samuel B

Joffroy, Camille A Johnston, Clare

Jones, Eimear L Kinnear, Lucy M

Kunaka, Kudakwashe Lightowler, Ryan J Loane, Tom C

Lynn, Cathy-Ann M MacNeill, Rachel L Magill, Abigail H Martin, Niamh K McCalmont, Hollie T

McCartney, Kyle T G McCaughey, Conor D

McClements, David S McClenaghan, Taylor L

McCombe, Taylor A

General Excellence

McDonald, Kelly A

German, Latin

McKenna, Kieran P

German

McGovern, Erica R

Carroll, Niamh H R

Latin

McLean, Kellie

Chisim, Cameron E G

Geography, Religious Studies

Miller, Lucy E

Cavan, Henry J

Corry, Ryan D Dalzell, Callum T

Davison, Aidan M Dempsey, Morgan A

Desmond, Anastasia J Duncan, Courtney T Gergett, Cameron B Gray, Niall O H

Business Studies, History

Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Mathematics, Physics Mathematics

Biology, English Literature, Home Economics General Excellence

Technology and Design Business Studies Music ICT

Millar, Samuel T O’Donnell, Rachael M

General Excellence

French, German

Chemistry, English Language, French, Spanish General Excellence

Business Communication Studies, Drama English Language

English Literature, Technology and Design

Geography, Mathematics, Physics Physics

General Excellence General Excellence

History, Music, Religious Studies

Chemistry, History, Home Economics

Biology, English Language Business Communication Studies General Excellence Geography

Religious Studies Biology, Physical Education, Physics Drama Drama

Music, Technology and Design French

General Excellence Physical Education Art and Design

O’Kane, Juanita C

Art and Design

Robinson, Timothy R

Economics

Reid, James M T

Shaw, Chloe E N

Stronge, Adam J B Torrens, Hannah L Venus, Shannon T

Wilson, Matthew G Xu, Nicole

Physical Education Spanish ICT

General Excellence Latin

General Excellence General Excellence

Distribution of Prizes

HONOURABLE MENTION Form V

Allen, Judithe A A

Physical Education

Auterson, Luke S

Music, Physics, Technology and Design

Atkinson, Rachel E

Boreland, Andrew J Carroll, Niamh H R

Chisim, Cameron E G Corry, Ryan D

Davison, Aidan M

Dempsey, Morgan A Duncan, Courtney T Gray, Niall O H

Gribbon, Emer C

Harbinson, Rebecca E Harper, Courtney Y Hipolito, Micah D Hoey, Samuel B

Joffroy, Camille A Kinnear, Owen

Kunaka, Kudakwashe Lau, Hannah X E

English Literature, Religious Studies

ICT

English Language, History Biology

Rood, Sophie

Latin

Stuart, Paul

Business Communication Studies, Physical Education

Shaw, Chloe E N

Torrens, Hannah L

Drama

Geography

Biology, Physics French

Geography History

Art and Design, Mathematics Chemistry Biology

Business Communication Studies

Business Studies, English Language English Literature, Home Economics

Wilson, Matthew G

Anderson, Reuben A

Burke, Sorcha M

Campbell, Alan T

Campbell, Victoria R Cao, Angela Y

Chung, Sapphira W L Clements, Paige E

Clements, Pierce B Coates, Jenny E

Colvin, Meghan D B Diamond, Helen R

Donnelly, Thomas J Ferris, Liam K

MacDougall, Emma J

Physical Education

Gordon, Megan S

Spanish

Green, Paul A

Mathematics, Music

Henderson, Aaron D

Chemistry, Home Economics

Ingram, Lauren E

ICT

Glover, James W H

MacNeill, Rachel L

Music

Gorman, Aaron

Drama

Heatley, Carla S

Business Studies

Hurson, Ruairi J

McCaughey, Conor D McClenaghan, Taylor L

McCombe, Taylor A McCotter, Ciera

McCullough, Carly McIlroy, Fiona A

McKenna, Kieran P

McLarnon, David M Millar, Samuel T Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donnell, Rachael M

Park, Jordanna

Rolston, Lauren E

English Literature, Spanish ICT

Drama Music

Art and Design History

Chemistry

French, Religious Studies Art and Design Spanish

Form LVI

Brogan, Ruairi

Lynas, Chloe P

McCalmont, Hollie T

ICT, Mathematics, Physics

Broad, Louise E

Leonard, Antoinette A S Home Economics

Majury, Amy R

German

Xu, Nicole

Gibson, Enna E

Magill, Abigail H

Business Studies

Turkington, Lauren H R German

Religious Studies

English Language, Latin

French

Irvine, Christopher A C Khosla, Aakarsha Kingston, Amy L

Madden, Rowan E Maguire, Florence J McComb, Jordan

McConnell, Ruth E

McGowan, Clare J K McGowan, Ruari B S

General Excellence French

History

Biology, Chemistry

Government and Politics Chemistry, Mathematics

Art and Design, Chemistry Spanish

Drama, Religious Studies General Excellence Drama

English Literature, Sociology Biology

Economics

Technology and Design English Literature

Government and Politics General Excellence General Excellence Physics

Art and Design, History Religious Studies

Economics, Mathematics, Physics General Excellence

Classical Civilisation, English Language Business Studies

Business Studies, ICT Classical Civilisation, English Language General Excellence Religious Studies

Mathematics, Spanish

English Literature, Moving Image Arts Geography

103

The Owl 2014

McGuckin, Sarah G

General Excellence

McMahon, Sarah A

Biology, History

McKinstry, Rebecca J McMurtry, Scott T Millar, Rachel A

Miller, Rachel N

Moorehead, James O Mullan, Adam W

Nelson, Catherine D Noble, Victoria C Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Loan, Eilis C

Geography

French

Johnston, Ben M

French

Geography, French

Macaulay, Alexander L

Geography

Geography, Physics Government and Politics French

Art and Design

English Language, ICT, Sociology

Ingram, Lauren E

McAllister, Emma B

Business Studies

Maguire, Florence J

Spanish

McConnell, Ruth E

General Excellence

McGowan, Clare J K

Speers, David C

German

McMahon, Sarah A

Thabeth, Sara D

General Excellence

Tirupati, Suraj

Vick, Oliver R Watt, Kathleen S

Whittley, Sarah A

English Literature Business Studies

Physics, Technology and Design Spanish

General Excellence

HONOURABLE MENTION Form LVI

Anderson, Reuben A

History, ICT

Broad, Louise E

Spanish

Benson, Lauren Brogan, Ruairi

Burke, Sorcha M Burns, Mia R V

Campbell, Alan T

Campbell, Victoria R Cao, Angela Y

Carey, James J

Clarke, Louise E

Clements, Pierce B

Crothers, Lauren N Cullen, Tristan A

Diamond, Helen R

Elmore, Bronagh C Ferris, Liam K

Fullerton, Hannah Gilleece, Peter E

Gordon, Megan S Haddock, Victoria

English Literature Chemistry, Physics Art and Design

Biology, Music Biology

Art and Design

Government and Politics Business Studies History

Religious Studies Geography

Economics ICT

Drama

Technology and Design

Drama, English Language, Moving Image Arts Music

ICT

Biology, Chemistry French

English Language

McKinstry, Rebecca J Millar, Rachel A Mills, Emma L

Mullan, Adam W

Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donnell-Anderson, David A

English Language Mathematics Chemistry

Mathematics

Government and Politics Mathematics, Spanish Art and Design

Orr, Jamie W

Physics

Relph, Dana

French

Reid, Abby S Speers, David C Tarr, Curtis

Thabeth, Sara D Tirupati, Suraj

Whittley, Sarah A

Religious Studies Religious Studies

Classical Civilisation, French

McBriarty, Orlagh

McIntyre, Andrew J

Spring, Olivia J

Technology and Design ICT

Technology and Design

Shahrukh, Muhammad

Moving Image Arts

Magill, Jake T

McDonald, Nathan C

Reid, Abby S

Government and Politics, Sociology

Khosla, Aakarsha

General Excellence

Orr, Jamie W

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Henderson, Aaron D

Armstrong, Jack C Auterson, Kyle D Baillie, Leah R

Bingham, Sarah N Blythe, Rachel A

Brice, Kathryn V

Britten, Samuel K

Browne, Calvin A Cole, Natalie H Corry, Clodagh

Crooks, Bethany A Daniels, Sophie

Gaffikin, Ryan S

Business Studies Economics

Technology and Design English Literature, Sociology Physics

Spanish

Form MVI

History, Government and Politics General Excellence General Excellence Geography

English Language, English Literature, French, German Biology ICT

General Excellence General Excellence General Excellence English Literature

Art and Design, Biology

Government and Politics

Distribution of Prizes

Gray, Emma H

General Excellence

Boal, Ashleigh L

English Literature

Irvine, Kirsty P

Business Studies

Clements, Holly D

Government and Politics

Hughes, Claire M S Johnston, Jack C

Jones, Chelsey A C

Kavanagh, Alice M Kidd, Faye G Linden, Katy

Martin, Patricia S MacDougall, Elizabeth A

ICT

Chemistry Sociology

Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics

History, Religious Studies General Excellence Chemistry, Physics

General Excellence

McAtamney, Aoife L

French

McCullough, Erin D J

Music

McCoubrey, Nikita Z

McDaid, Fionnuala C McGovern, Alexandra C

General Excellence General Excellence French, Spanish

McKenna, Daniel T H

Music

McMurray, Scott J

Religious Studies

McMillan, Anna J H Minford, Sarah A

Moreland, Ryan R Moss, Elizabeth A

Murphy, Charlotte K

English Literature, Sociology Spanish

Art and Design

General Excellence

Bryans, Ross D Cole, Natalie H

Daly, Terrilouise Flaherty, Jade A Gray, Emma H

Hamilton, Ryan J Jeffrey, Chloe R

Johnston, Jack C

Jones, Chelsey A C Kidd, Faye G Linden, Katy MacDougall, Elizabeth A

McCoubrey, Nikita Z

McDaid, Fionnuala C McMillan, Anna J H

History

Meighan, Jordan D M

Geography, Spanish

Moss, Elizabeth A

Business Studies

Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill, Eorann

Music

Peters, Rachel

Geography, Mathematics

Rawe, Yasmin R

General Excellence

Reynolds, Michael P

General Excellence

Rowan, Rebecca A

Economics

Ogilby, Alastair P

General Excellence

Queripel, Justin F

Biology

Rea, Grace E

General Excellence

Robinson, Hannah J

Art and Design, Economics

Semple, Emily R

Walker, Chloe R

General Excellence

Tinsley, Dylan J

Ware, Rosalind V

French

Wallace, Ryan P

Peters, Rachel

Porte, Marcus T

Queripel, Justin F Reid, Holly D

Robinson, Hannah J Shaw, Robbie D F

Sinclair, Elizabeth D Stewart, Maeve B Todd, Jenna

Turnbull, Christopher G Mathematics, Physics

Shaw, Robert D F

Wallace, Ryan P

General Excellence

Walker, Chloe R

Business Studies

Ware, Rosalind V

Wilson, Amy C

HONOURABLE MENTION Form MVI

Auterson, Kyle D

Biology, Mathematics, Physics

English Literature

Technology and Design Art and Design Physics

English Literature, Religious Studies Government and Politics Spanish

Drama, History, Sociology

Music

Noble, Charlotte L

Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill, Eorann

Art and Design

McBride, Hannah B K

Martin, Patricia S

General Excellence

Ogilby, Alastair P

Sociology

English Language

Minford, Sarah A

Noble, Charlotte L

ICT, Technology and Design

Marsh, Elizabeth H R

Business Studies

Nixon, Benjamin C W

Physical Education

Whitcroft, Carrie Wilson, Amy C

Worsell, Daniel-Scott

Biology

English Language, Religious Studies Geography

History, Government and Politics Economics

Business Studies, French Chemistry French

Geography

French, Spanish

English Language Biology Drama

Religious Studies

English Literature

Mathematics, Physics

Technology and Design Geography

Economics

Business Studies Chemistry Chemistry

Mathematics

Art and Design History

Physical Education

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SPECIAL PRIZES

ANNE BARRON PRIZE (Ben Madigan) SIR SAMUEL FERGUSON PRIZE (English Literature) FREDERICK WHITE MEMORIAL PRIZE (G.C.S.E.)

106

Emma Uprichard Zara P Handley Georgia R Harvey

Rachel A Blythe

Micah Hipolito Niamh Martin

HAROLD RAINEY MEMORIAL PRIZE (English)

Rachel E Atkinson

J. J. KANE MEMORIAL PRIZE (For contributions to ‘The Owl’)

Courtney Y Harper

T. R. COLLIER PRIZE (Mathematics)

Alice M Kavanagh

THE J. W. and EVELYN DARBYSHIRE AWARD (Geography)

Holly D Reid

J. C. PICKEN MEMORIAL PRIZE (Art and Design)

Angela Y Cao

ANTHONY TAYLOR MEMORIAL PRIZE (History) J. N. SHEARMAN MEMORIAL PRIZE (Classics) R.H. HARTE MEMORIAL PRIZE (Greek) G. B. TAYLOR MEMORIAL PRIZE (Mathematics)

Charlotte K Murphy

Rowan Madden

Christopher Irvine

Christopher G Turnbull

Distribution of Prizes

TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN AWARD Sponsored by H and J Martin Integrated Services (for the top marks in GCSE Technology and Design) R. J. BRYCE MEMORIAL PRIZE (Irish Studies) THE W. L. CLEMENTS MEMORIAL PRIZE (Music) R. M. FANNIN MEMORIAL PRIZE (Music) McCORMICK PRIZE (English)

Kieran P McKenna

Charlotte K Murphy

Daniel T H McKenna

Kyle D Auterson

Grainne M Gilleece

ALLISON HERON PRIZE (Biology) Hannah J Robinson AMY DICKSON TROPHY and PRIZE (Art and Design) Catherine D Nelson S. S. N. PIERCE MEMORIAL TROPHY (Outstanding endeavour at GCSE)

Jordanna Park

TROPHY FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE PERFORMING ARTS (Presented by the Old Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association)

Faye G Kidd

McCAUGHEY PRIZE (Science)

Patricia S Martin

MERVYN SEMPLE PRIZE (Chemistry)

Patricia S Martin

R. S. J. H. MAGOWAN PRIZE (GCSE Geography)

Cameron E G Chisim

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WALTER TATE PRIZES Economics Government and Politics Physics Chemistry Religious Studies Sociology

Rachel Peters Jack C Armstrong Patricia S Martin Alice M Kavanagh Faye G Kidd Elizabeth A MacDougall

MARY A. HYNDMAN PRIZE (GCSE Home Economics) Aidan M Davison MIDDLETON PRIZE (Music)

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Rebecca A Rowan

LEO FORTE PRIZE (Music)

Erin D J McCullough

CLYDE PRIZE (GCSE Religious Studies)

Cameron E G Chisim

McCLAY PRIZE (Business Studies) Amy C Wilson JACKSON PRIZE (GCSE Science) Ryan D Corry

KNOX PRIZE (Advanced Level Physical Education) Ross D Bryans HAROLD HUTCHINSON PRIZE (Religious Studies)

Aaron D Henderson

OWL TROPHY (Presented by W. H. and J. Gray) (Outstanding Endeavour at Advanced Level)

Alexandra Kyle

THE CHRISTOPHER BOWES AWARD

Peter E Gilleece

Distribution of Prizes

SIR DONALD CURRIE SCHOLARSHIPS Form I Form II Form III Form IV Form V

Aoife C Bennett Tom H Spence Grainne M Gilleece Carlos L Firgau Marcano Micah D Hipolito LEAVING SCHOLARSHIPS

SIR PAUL GIRVAN J. M. CLEMENTS SIR FRANCIS EVANS WHITEHEAD MAURICE JACKSON HUGH GIRVAN WALTER TATE KNOX ANTHONY TAYLOR C.B. and A.M. MURRAY Dr L. H. CAMPBELL McCLEERY G.B. TAYLOR PICKEN ARCHIBALD BRUCE PIM

Jack C Armstrong Faye G Kidd Alice M Kavanagh Kyle D Auterson Rachel A Blythe Kathryn V Brice, Jack C Johnston Patricia S Martin Amy C Wilson Rosalind V Ware Anna J H McMillan Alan M T Curtis Christopher G Turnbull Hannah J Robinson Katy Linden Elizabeth A Moss Elizabeth D Sinclair Elizabeth D Sinclair

W. A. RAW BURSARY (Modern Languages) THE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY BURSARY MacDERMOTT TRAVELLING BURSARY (Modern Languages) SHEARMAN TRAVELLING BURSARY (Modern Languages) GLORIA SIDWELL (nee KINKEAD) MEMORIAL BURSARY (Art) J. S. LOUGHRIDGE BURSARY (Geography) TENNANT SALVER WALTER TATE ROSE BOWL MARTIN PRIZE WHITEHEAD TROPHY ANNUAL PRIZE FOR BOYS J. C. PICKEN BAT N. M. SAVAGE AWARD

McGovern, Alexandra C Daniel R Dass Rachel A Blythe Noble, Charlotte L Jenna Todd Helen R Diamond Alexandra Kyle Sarah A Minford Faye G Kidd Harry S Robinson Stewart M R Martin Ross D Bryans Faye G Kidd

THE EVANS TROPHY Pottinger

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The Owl 2014

School Societies AIR TRAINING CORPS Recruiting in 2013-2014 was not as good as the previous year but we ended the year with 20 cadets on strength. None were lost due to leaving school at the end of the year. Recruiting for 2014 -15 has started. Flying was curtailed for part of the year so that modifications could be carried out on the aircraft propellers but we had a successful flying slot alongside Portadown College, at RAF Woodvale, near Liverpool and all nine cadets from BRA who attended got the opportunity to experience powered flight.

110

Cadets also attended our gliding slots at 664 VGS at Newtownards. One had just begun his Gliding Scholarships when gliding was suspended throughout their Air Cadet Organisation due to problems with record keeping. Several cadets attended the Wing Annual Parade at Aldergrove. Four Senior Cadets did the Methods of Instruction Course, the Basic Course, and have been cleared by Access NI, which are all necessary for them to become Instructor Cadets and stay in the ACO when they are over 18. In the Spring Term, those not on study leave enjoyed learning some basic fieldcraft, taught by Mr Thompson in the Ben Madigan grounds. Cadets also took part in Wing Rugby, Soccer, Cross Country and Athletics. Eric Macauley went on to represent the Wing at Regional level in Rugby. The School Act of Remembrance in November was again led by the ATC and very ably organised by Mr Billy Thompson. A piper played during the Inspection and the bugler sounded ‘Last Post’ and ‘Reveille’. Cadets read out the list of those past pupils who fell in both Wars.

Several cadets took part in the Open Nights and the information session for P6 pupils alongside Mr Thompson’s First World War Exhibition. The ACO runs a camp each year at the Royal International Air Tattoo at Fairford, where they help to run the Show. Two cadets from 2390 Squadron were selected to attend and had a very enjoyable time. The ATC cadets get closer to the displays, the aircraft and their crews, than the general public and the camp is always oversubscribed. Our other camp this year is not until October half-term, when 5 cadets will be going to RAF Henlow. H.R.M. SHOOTING Two Junior cadets went to a Sector shooting training weekend in Aldergrove in the autumn, where they qualified on and fired the No. 8 rifle. They were joined on Sunday for the shooting element, by one Senior cadet who was already trained. In February, three cadets attended another Sector weekend to train and qualify on the L98A2 rifle, which they then fired in April. Teams and Individuals were entered for Smallbore Competitions at local, regional and national level. In Smallbore, Peter Gilleece, Jake Magill and Eric Macauley were selected for the Air Training Corps small-bore team in the Inter-Service match in the winter. Jake Magill won Open Class C at the NI Indoor Championships. Jake Magill and Peter Gilleece fired for a Northern Ireland Team in the Schools’ International postal match. In Fullbore, at the Northern Ireland Cadet Meeting in April, Jake Magill was the Champion Cadet. At the Inter-Service Cadet Rifle Meeting at Bisley in July, Peter Gilleece and Jake Magill came first and second in the Cadet Hundred so both fired in the

School Societies

Inter-Service Team for the ATC. Peter therefore also won the Lady Gwendolyn Guinness Cup for first place and the Boulter Cup as highest placed ATC cadet. He also came third in the 600 yard Individual. Jake Magill, Peter Gilleece and Eric Macauley stayed on at Bisley for the National Rifle Association Annual Meeting, the ‘Imperial Meeting’. Peter then went on to tour in Canada with the UK cadet rifle team in August, during which he fired for UK Cadets in the Michael Faraday match against the Canadian Cadets and on the GB U-25 team against the Canadian U- 25’s. At the end of August Jake Magill went to Jersey with the GB Cadet Team to fire in their Annual Meeting. Jake was selected to attend the Athelings Pre-Selection Coaching course at Bisley in September and was successful in getting a place in the 2015 team. H.R.M. BRIDGE The Bridge Club meets at lunchtimes and requires dedication from its members to learn a challenging card game and master the skills of ‘bidding’ an auction and playing tricks. It is a game that challenges the mind but also allows friendships with other pupils to develop in school and across Ireland. New members are welcome and should speak to Mr. Harte in BG3 or anyone wearing a red blazer for Bridge. The highlight of the year is the trip to Galway to compete in the Irish Schools’ Teams competition. We took seven teams in 2014 including those in Form I and those in Sixth Form. Although we have had better years, we still had some success across all the competitions. There were new partnerships and teams and it was great to welcome some new members. The year started with Pooja Sridhar and Victoria Frame winning the BRA School Pairs. Their dedication to practice in the last few years was recognised when they were selected to represent Northern Ireland in the ‘Peggy Bayer’ Home International U20 Series this year along with Ryan Lightowler and Melissa Antonio. These four pupils competed in Germany during the summer at the European Youth Bridge Competition. Ulster Schools’ Pairs (Belfast): 3rd Angela Cao & Eilis O’Loan 4th Erin Getty & Ryan Lightowler 6th Chris Turnbull & Philip Rowan 6th Cameron McGaughey & Andrew Milligan.

Irish Schools’ Pairs (Dublin): 4th Ryan Lightowler & Jason Roe 5th Melissa Antonio & Rebecca Rowan 6th Pooja Sridhar & Victoria Frame 8th Chris Turnbull & Philip Rowan 9th Angela Cao & Eilis O’Loan. Ulster Schools’ Teams (Belfast): 2nd Ryan Lightowler, Melissa Antonio, Pooja Sridhar, Victoria Frame. Irish Schools’ Teams (Galway): 3rd Ryan Lightowler, Melissa Antonio, Pooja Sridhar, Victoria Frame 4th Chris Turnbull, Philip Rowan, Angela Cao, Eilis O’Loan 8th Roma Mulholland, James Walker, Cameron McGaughey, Andrew Milligan. Irish Under 20 Inter-Provincial Teams (Belfast): 2nd Ryan Lightowler, Melissa Antonio, Pooja Sridhar, Victoria Frame. There were successes too at Intermediate and Novice level. We hope this can be continued at Senior level next season. Throughout the year we had the privilege of being coached by Diane Greenwood, one of the best players in Northern Ireland. We learnt a great deal from her and are very thankful. We are also really pleased that despite Dr. Lomas’ retirement we still received advice from her. Without Dr. Lomas’ ongoing commitment we are certain we could not have had the same success. Thanks also to Mr Graham for his support and knowledge which has amused and enlightened us over the year. I know he is going to miss us when he is away teaching in America and will follow our progress from afar. We look forward to more success under the stewardship of Mr Harte, himself a former Irish Schools’ Champion. Also, a fond farewell to all the MVI players who have been at the Club over the years. You will be missed too. We have enjoyed your company and occasional bridge playing! S.G. CHESS Chess continues to meet on Thursday and Friday lunchtimes in M4. The absence of a league this year meant the Club was confined to matches in school but plenty of good chess was played. The Club

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continues to be attended enthusiastically by a large number of pupils: both regulars and occasional visitors. Anybody, whatever their level of chess, is always welcome and the Club continues to be both very informal and also welcoming to newcomers. S.C.S.

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THE CLASSICS SOCIETY During the year, the Classics Society met at lunchtime every Thursday in J13. The meetings were attended by a very lively group of Junior pupils. Plenty of Roman Wall (Window) art was carried out, as well as discussions of the virtues of different languages, over our packed bacchanalian feasts. When at a loss, we fell back on the television series: ‘The Roman Mysteries’, and ‘The Last day of Pompeii’. The Greek club took place every Friday lunchtime and this year was made up of both Senior and Junior pupils. New members are very welcome, both to the Classics Society and to the Greek club. J.M.G.

HADRIAN’S WALL TRIP 2014 saw another very enjoyable trip to The Wall with sixteen pupils from Form I and fifteen from Form II, accompanied by Mr Baldwin, Mr Jameson, Mrs Thompson and Mrs McGowan. We began our trip at the Roman Army Museum to get an overview of the purpose of The Wall and then visited Chesters Fort on the way to Newcastle. Chesters is a riverside fort in a beautiful part of the countryside. The weather was so hot that it was a relief to get there so that the pupils could let off a bit of steam and run about in the open air, while taking in the sights. The next morning was spent at Segedunum - a Roman fort at the end of the wall, discovered under the site of the Tyne and Wear Shipyard. At Segedunum, there is a reconstructed bath-house and cavalry barracks. There, we climbed up onto a small section of the wall (reconstructed) and got a feel for its actual size. In the afternoon, we went to a pool with a wave machine near the sea, which gave us an opportunity to go to the beach. We returned and had dinner in the hotel and lastly we pursued Roman culture for a couple of hours in the Metro Centre.

School Societies

On the third day, we went to Arbeia, the storehouse for the wall, where there are reconstructed barrack blocks as well as a commanding officer’s house and a reconstructed gatehouse. We then spent the afternoon in a re-enacted mining community – Beamish. There, it is possible to go down into the mine or visit the mining village or town and buy some presents in the old-fashioned shops. In the evening, the entertainment was a trip to the cinema to see a variety of films.

On our way back home, we visited two of the most beautiful sites on the Wall – Housesteads, a lonely, high-up, windswept fort and Vindolanda with its amazing museum, housing a collection of letters written home by Roman soldiers doing their stint on the wall. J.M.G. JUNIOR DEBATING SOCIETY This was another very successful year for the Junior Debating Society with increasing levels of participation. As well as the stalwarts from last year, many Form I and Form III pupils took part in the various lively debates. Once again the debates focused on areas of particular interest to young people, and ranged from the light-hearted to the serious. Several of the more serious debates attracted the largest attendance, which goes to show that our young people are interested in the world around them and are anxious to have their say. We have some very enthusiastic debaters in the Society whom we look forward to seeing again this year. However, many have moved on to the Senior Debating Society so there is plenty of room for new speakers to make their mark in the coming year. J.S.

SENIOR DEBATING SOCIETY This year proved to be another eventful and enjoyable one for the Senior Debating Society with a good attendance at lunchtime events.

Our first lunchtime debate was on the subject: “This House would End School Uniform,” with speakers Rachel Blaney and Victoria Noble proposing the motion and Lee Smallwood and Sara Tabeth opposing. This was followed several weeks later by the more weighty motion: “This House Believes that the Orange Order should be able to March Where it Pleases.” It is a credit to the young people of the Debating Society that they were able to debate the motion without any of the rancour which exists outside of school. As usual we entered the Northern Ireland Schools’ Debating Competition. Our team consisted initially of LVI pupils Ruarí Magowan and Victoria Noble and in our first debate we proposed the motion: “This House Believes that Wind Farms do more Harm than Good,” against a team from Enniskillen Collegiate Grammar School. Often the standard of debate can be quite modest in the first round, but this was not the case on this occasion, and we were delighted to win the round. In the second round debate Sara Thabeth stood in for Victoria and we proposed the motion: “This House Believes that Drugs should be Treated as a Medical and not a Criminal Issue” against a team from Abbey Christian Brothers’ Grammar School in Newry. Once again the standard of the debate was high, but on this occasion victory went to the opposition. Lunchtime debates continued in school following the January examinations with motions ranging from the “Legalisation of Cannabis” to “The Value of Social Networking.” A particular highlight was a debate on the motion, “This House Believes that iPads should not be used in Schools,” which was proposed by Sara Thabeth and Ruarí Magowan. Former member of our Society and passionate

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iPad advocate, Mr Shields, teamed up with Ruairí Brogan to oppose the motion. Our final debate featured two MVI stalwarts of the Debating Society, Anna McMillen and Ryan Gaffickin. Anna, together with Ruarí Magowan, proposed the motion, “This House Believes that BRA is an Ancient Institution which needs to be Modernised, so there!” against Ryan and Ruairí Brogan. M.P./H.T. GAMERS’ CLUB Gamers’ Club has now morphed into something more inclusive. We meet every Tuesday in BB2 and in addition to socialising with other like-minded ‘Creatives’, pupils indulge in Fantasy Cards, Retro Video games, PSP games, LEGO as well as the occasional Warhammer battle. The Club is now referred to as the Gamers’ Club and it is attracting both boys and girls who like to exercise their imaginations in gaming. R.J. MODEL UNITED NATIONS

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local conference at Methodist College, which never fails to serve an annual warm-up for our summerreminiscing minds. However, it did not take long until the Society was running at full swing. The Senior MUN met fortnightly in the Social Science room to plan for conferences and above all, enjoy companionship. The Junior MUN had a weekly meeting in C5. Resolution-writing and funfilled debates are just a snapshot of what took place within the friendly bunch. Early springtime came and we were on the road to Wesley College, Dublin, popular within the Society for its warm hospitality and heavenly food. We took two delegations, both of which spoke at the podium and reviewed the conference as one of the best this year. It has become an annual habit for our delegates to scoop the ‘Best Delegate’ award, so it came as no surprise when Kuda Kunaka ‘brought home the bacon’. Jessica Dowey also secured the ‘Commended’ award in the Environment Committee as Iran. A few weeks later, we checked in another halfdelegation; destination Scotland, where we competed against a pool of over 700 delegates from all over the UK. Lucy Kinnear and Kuda Kunaka were both highly commended by the officials for the successful lobbying and fruitful debate in representation of Egypt. Never-mind the selfies and sight-seeing, the Saturday night’s Ceilidh remains a firm favourite of mine, as was the ice-cream at Luca’s en route home. After a successful year, the absence of our very own Junior conference leaves me feeling a few fries short of a happy meal, but we rest assured by last season’s attendance and performance that the MUN society is still healthy! It remains for me to thank Dr Adair, Ms Barnett and Dr Lomas, who in her retirement continues to invest in us her expertise. Kuda Kunaka (LVI) SENIOR SCIENCE SOCIETY

Suits and boots, beds and breakfasts...just another year at the MUN Society. The Hollywood life is being had right here! We started the year off with a

During the year the Senior Science Society invited guest speakers in to School to talk on a broad range of extra-curricular topics. We are very grateful for the support and enthusiasm of our guest speakers and for the tremendous effort they made to engage pupils and stimulate their intellectual curiosity.

School Societies

David Costley, a past pupil now working in the Queen’s University Belfast gave a talk on ‘Antibiotic Resistance’ and the latest research into novel ways of tackling the problem. Dr Lisa McCoy, a preprocessing team leader with Almac Diagnostics gave a talk on her career path and the work that is currently being undertaken by Almac Diagnostics. Dr Roy Sterritt from the School of Computing and Mathematics at the University of Ulster gave a fascinating talk about ‘SPAAACE: Self-Properties, Autonomous, Autonomic, Apoptotic Computing Environments’. This concept was inspired by the human autonomic nervous system. The final speaker of the year was Mr Philip McBride from Thales who spoke about ‘What has the LASER ever done for modern warfare?’

some pressing questions, which many of the members enjoyed and found very helpful. It also meant that the committee members got to build on the relationships we had with the Junior school pupils. To finish the year we looked at the character of David, accompanied by many relevant videos and discussion questions.

T.B.

At the end of the year we had to say goodbye to four Middle Sixth committee members: Jessica Allen, Erin Blair, Zara King and Danny Worsell. We’ll miss their enthusiasm and pray that they continue to grow in their faith. We hope that next year will be as blessed as this year and that Junior Scripture Union continues to grow in size, involving many more Junior school pupils. We can’t wait to see what God has in store for Scripture Union 2014/15!

JUNIOR SCRIPTURE UNION

During the year Junior SU joined with Senior SU for a mixture of activities, including the big SU weekend held at Castlewellan Castle. The members of Junior SU had a great time listening to our speaker, Phillip Annett, whilst joining with the older pupils for some amazing food and banter. Both Scripture Unions also joined together for the very successful Pizza Evening which is held every April.

D.D.M./S.E.G. SENIOR SCRIPTURE UNION Junior Scripture Union continued to meet every Wednesday at lunchtime in LL11. It is headed by Mr Morrison and Mrs Graydon, along with the fabulous Junior SU committee members. This year we had a solid turn-out of pupils from Forms I-III, who thoroughly enjoyed the programme planned for the year. From September to December we focused on a variety of topics, including how we can not only find, but strengthen our relationship with God. We then looked at how we can be men and women of God, giving us the opportunity to explore people from the Bible who were great pioneers of faith.

Senior SU started fantastically this year with such a great number of people deciding they wanted to serve God on the committee; that was definitely something in which we saw answered prayer, as it says in Luke 10:2 - “He (Jesus) said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest”.

As usual our annual Christmas party was extremely well attended, which allowed us to get to know the younger pupils better, sharing what Christmas really means and the true reason to celebrate.

We had a change of scenery this year meeting in J6 instead of BG4 every Friday lunchtime. Our first theme was ‘Who is God?’ and we explored what the Bible says about the Lord in terms of ‘God is Creator’, ‘God is Sovereign’, ‘God is Father’ as well as perhaps most importantly to each of us ‘God is Saviour!’ - “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

After the Christmas break we resumed by exploring a brilliant verse from 1 Timothy, with talks on how we should live out our faith to others through speech, conduct, love, faith and purity. After the talks we split into discussion groups and tackled

The second-half of the year we looked at ‘Modern Day Heroes of the Faith’, where we focused on people today or in history who have inspired or challenged us in our walk with God - we had C.S Lewis, Eric Liddell, Charles Spurgeon and a few

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others. We looked at these great men of God, and how their lives glorify and reflect Christ. Throughout the year a bible study was also held every Wednesday morning as we looked at the book of Hebrews. There were also several pizza nights held in conjunction with Hunterhouse College where we enjoyed some banter, fellowship and worship with one another.

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One of the highlights of the year was the big weekend to Castlewellan Castle, where we had Philip Annet from CEF in Ireland speaking to us on the book of Jonah. Phillip spoke to us about God’s Sovereignty and saving nature in the life of Jonah, and in our own lives. It was a great weekend with lots of praise, small groups, prayer and of course signs - lot of signs! The Senior SU weekend later in the year to Seaview House in Kilkeel was also a big hit, with Marcus from CEF speaking to us about Daniel. One highlight was the relaxed night in which the teachers opened up and shared with us about their personal walk with Christ. All together it was a great year, with fantastic people and the best teachers. Although we will miss those pupils and teachers who have since moved on, we trust that God is Sovereign, and has placed them there according to His will and will use them where they are for His glory. We all had a wonderful year, but in the end, SU was not about us - “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!” (Psalm 115:1) - Bring on next year! Jordan McComb (LVI)

YOUNG EINSTEIN CLUB The Young Einstein Club had another enjoyable year in school. It continues to provide Junior school pupils with a relaxed environment where science is, above all, fun. We enjoyed breaking the golden rule about eating in the laboratory as we took part in the Great Jelly Bean Taste Test; we tried to develop our engineering skills as we made Windmills, Hovercrafts and Paper Towers and struggled to believe our eyes as we changed water to wine and wine to milkshake as we mixed our Chemical Cocktails. We thank our outgoing LVI committee for all their help throughout the year and especially our faithful Junior pupils who approached each experiment with limitless enthusiasm. J.C./A.T./N.H. YOUNG ENGINEERS The Young Engineers Club continued to meet in the Technology Department every Tuesday at lunchtime. Projects undertaken this year included ‘Electronic Xylophone’, ‘Electronic dice’ and ‘Electronic MP3 amplifier’. We also invested in a new ‘snap electronics’ kit and reconditioned some old LEGO parts both of which have proved to be excellent teaching and learning tools. The Club members were assisted this year by members of a very dedicated team of LVI pupils who study Technology and Design. The enthusiasm of every pupil involved this year is, as always, very much appreciated. P.T.S/S.E.G

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Music in School BOYS’ CHOIR Boys’ Choir is taken by Miss Carson once a week in J9. During the year Boys’ Choir expanded – we had a total of 62 pupils and 6 staff – this is the biggest it has ever been. During the last week of term in December the boys performed at two school assemblies and also at Brookvale House, where we sang for the residents there. This was really enjoyed by all. Once again we had the privilege of getting everyone into the Christmas spirit by singing at the final assembly on the last day of term but this year we were outside in the main playground! The first piece which had been chosen was “Once In Royal David’s City”, in which Cameron McCartney did a breathtaking solo. The next piece was “Jingle Bells” (with a special jazzy Boys’ Choir twist) and our final piece was a crowd favourite – “Merry Christmas, Everyone”.

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The Boys’ Choir then participated in the Spring Concert which was held in the Ulster Hall. At the concert we sang a medley of rugby anthems (including “La Marseillaise” in French!), which went down a treat with the audience. We also performed “Ho Hey” by The Lumineers. In this piece three excellent solo performances were given by Mahdi Tavakoli, Chris Turnbull and Reece Johnston. On behalf of everyone in Boys’ Choir, I would like to thank Miss Carson for the hard work and

effort that she put in throughout the year. As you can imagine, it is some achievement to be able to control a room of 62 boys as they rehearse. I would recommend Boys’ Choir to everyone, as it is a great opportunity to make new friends and have great fun. David Campbell (LVI) BIG BAND Big Band continues to thrive in Belfast Royal Academy for two main reasons - the range of young musical talent that is found in the school and also the patience and attention to detail shown by our conductor, Mrs Burch. The group is essentially a jazz band which consists of trumpets, trombones, tubas, saxophones, guitars and percussion, and our repertoire for this year was entirely new. We played two instrumental pieces – “The Jazz Police” and “Brooklyn”, the latter containing a challenging 1st trombone part played by Middle Sixth student Kyle Auterson. We also performed the classics “Knock On Wood” and “Feeling Good”, and the band was

Music in School

both Mrs Burch and the band members, we finally got our music up to a very high standard in time for the annual Spring Concert and so we had a very enjoyable evening. We once again bid farewell to a multitude of talented musicians this year and also to Mrs Burch, who has shown a great commitment to the Big Band over the past number of years. We wish her and the departing members all the very best in the years ahead. Luke Auterson (IV) CHAMBER CHOIR supported by a range of talented vocalists including Megan Gordon (LVI) and Jenny Coates (LVI) in “Knock On Wood” and a group of guys who coined themselves ‘The Six Shades of Grey’ in “Feeling Good”. This male quintet, which consisted of Christian O’Connor (LVI), Cameron Gergett (V), David O’Donnell-Anderson (LVI), Ruairi Linden (LVI) and Ruairi Brogan (LVI), were certainly excellent singers but sadly they didn’t look quite as attractive as their name suggested.

As usual our first performance of the year was in the Assembly Hall at Open Night. Considering how early it is in the year and the short time that we have to practise for it we performed pretty well, but I think we all agreed that it could have gone a bit better. Thankfully, as a result of the perseverance of

Chamber Choir rehearses every morning before school and this year proved to be an excellent experience for all involved. Mrs Burch entered us in the ‘All Island School Choir Competition’ which was shown on RTE late last autumn. One of the most exciting parts of the whole experience was the day when television cameras and reporters came into one of our rehearsals and filmed some footage of our choir at work. This experience was certainly not for the camera-shy, which quite obviously did not include the Lower Sixth boys in the back two rows whose hair was exceptionally swept across their foreheads for the occasion. Rehearsals for the competition began before the school year started and we performed the traditional spiritual piece “Wade in de Water”, arranged by Allen Koepke, and Lennon and McCartney’s “Lady Madonna”, the latter featuring solos from Erin McCullough (MVI), Sarah Minford (MVI), Megan Gordon (LVI), Faye Kidd (MVI) and Rebecca Rowan (MVI). Unfortunately, we did not win the competition but it was a really enjoyable experience for all involved. The School’s annual Prize Day ceremony took place at the end of October and featured the Chamber Choir singing a repeat performance of “Wade in de Water”, which the audience thoroughly enjoyed. The next performance of the year was the annual Christmas Carol Service. In the festive spirit we introduced two new songs to our repertoire: the well-known traditional carol “Wexford Carol” and “Lux Aurumque” by Eric Whitacre. The former featured beautiful solos from Jenny Coates (LVI) and Rebecca Rowan (MVI). For the performance of “Lux Aurumque” the choir spread themselves around the church, adding to the haunting atmosphere of this gentle and exquisite piece. The harmonies in this song were often hard to establish but, once we mastered them, this song became one of our favourite and most powerful pieces.

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After Christmas we began rehearsing for the Winter Blues Review concert in February 2014. Musicians from Gonzaga College in Dublin travelled to our school to aid us in our fundraising endeavour for our trip to Malawi this year and the concert was a huge success. Mrs Burch arranged a version of Florence & The Machine’s “You Got the Love” for us to perform alongside our usual numbers, and we also accompanied a very successful local band “Go Wolf” who recently supported The Killers at the Tennant’s Vital music festival.

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JUNIOR CHAMBER CHOIR As soon as the Senior pupils leave the gates of Belfast Royal Academy to study for their external examinations in May, the Junior pupils in school must rise up to take the almighty, and highly overwhelming challenge of singing in a SATB choir for the first time. Their task is to fill the Chamber Choir slot in the Summer Serenade programme and this is no mean feat to accomplish. Junior Chamber Choir sang two modern classics this year, “Here Comes The Sun” by The Beatles, which was a very apt choice considering the time of year, and Coldplay’s “Fix You”, which was a rollercoaster of emotions, sounds and lyrics from start to finish. Both were performed to a very high standard at the end of the Summer Serenade concert and our solo jazz hands brought another academic year of music in Belfast Royal Academy to a close. We had five beautiful solos performed in our repertoire by Molly Bond (IV), Hannah Edgar (IV), Jessica McVeigh (IV), Charlotte Nicholl (IV) and Morgan Patton (IV), each of whom really impressed us with their outstanding vocal technique, ability and range!

The musical year always finishes with the extravaganza that is the Spring Concert. The Chamber Choir performed a selection of all of our best songs including “Lux Aurumque” and “You Got We did experience an awful lot of fun at 8:30am the Love”, both of which were again extremely well each morning with Mrs Burch. Our vocal abilities received. We also introduced a new challenging were improved and musical friendships were piece called “Rytmus” by Hrusovsky. After months cemented throughout our time as members of Junior of agonising over the hideous harmonies and Chamber Choir 2014. So thank you to Belfast messing up everywhere where it was possible to, Royal Academy, thank you to Mrs Burch and, most the piece finally clicked and sounded phenomenal, importantly, ‘thank you for the music’. much to the pride and surprise of Mrs Burch. I cannot emphasise enough how much I personally Cameron McCartney (IV) enjoyed Chamber Choir this year and I can certainly say on behalf of the whole choir that this year’s MVI JUNIOR CHOIR and Mrs Burch will be sorely and very sadly missed. Anyone in Forms I and II is welcome to join the Mimi Joffroy (V) Junior Choir. We meet up every Wednesday after school in the large Music Room. You don’t need to have the voice of an angel to be a member, and according to Mr Briggs (Briggsy), very few of us do possess this gift! With Mrs Prior and Mr Briggs at the helm however, they manage to bring out the best in us and I really think we sounded amazing this year. We took part in various events throughout the year. Our first outing was the Junior Carol Service held on the last day of the first term. Mrs Prior was our conductor on this occasion and we opened the Carol Service with “Once in Royal David’s City” with Tara McBride (II) singing the first verse beautifully

Music in School

term, and nearly one hundred and thirty members to keep in order, it was obvious that Mrs Burch and Ms McMullan had a lot on their plates. However, hard work, dedication and a lot of patience definitely paid off as it turned out to be one of the most successful years we have ever had.

as a solo. We also sang the popular carols “Silent Night” and “Away in a Manger” and then finished off with a lively rendition of “Saviour’s Day”. It was a lovely way to end the first term of the year and get us into the Christmas spirit and everyone seemed to really enjoy it. Our next performance of the year was the annual Spring Concert in the Ulster Hall. It was definitely one of the highlights of the year for me as staff and pupils work so hard to put on an amazing show. This year we sang the traditional piece “Chariot’s Comin’!” and “That Dixieland Sound” by Don Besig. Mr Briggs took over rehearsals for the Spring Concert and he was so proud of our lovely harmonies, which were not bad for a bunch of amateurs! I would strongly encourage anyone to join the Junior Choir, if only to be able to take part in this evening. It is such a happy event and it makes me feel proud to be a pupil at Belfast Royal Academy. The Summer Serenade in June was our final performance of the year. At this we sang a funky rendition of Shakira’s “Waka Waka” and also “Making Melodies” by Uncle Charlie, which the crowd found very amusing. This is a less formal and more intimate evening in the Assembly Hall and a perfect way to end the school year. I would like to say a huge thank you to Mrs Prior and Mr Briggs as, without their hard work and dedication, there would be no Junior Choir in Belfast Royal Academy. Harriet Dougan (II) SENIOR CHOIR With standards set very high after the successes of previous years, many wondered how Senior Choir could possibly uphold its reputation. With three lunchtime rehearsals a week from the beginning of

Preparations for the Carol Service, held in St. Peter’s Church on the Antrim Road, began almost from the beginning of the first term. We rehearsed classics such as “Away in a Manger”, “O Come All Ye Faithful” and a compelling SATB arrangement of “O Holy Night” with stunning solos by Fiona McIlroy (V), Sarah Minford (MVI) and Faye Kidd (MVI). We also performed “Once in Royal David’s City” which included an enticing a capella solo sung by Jessica McVeigh (IV) and the ever so beautiful “In The Bleak Mid-Winter” featuring exquisite solos from Christian O’Connor (LVI) and Erin McCullough (MVI).

With the first performance completed, everyone’s attention was drawn to the annual Spring Concert which took place in the Ulster Hall in March. The Senior Choir commenced the second half of the concert and performed “Kyrie” from Will Todd’s jazz mass, “Mass in Blue”, with Faye Kidd (MVI) singing a beautiful solo within the movement. What better way to end the concert than with an uplifting arrangement of the pop song “Some Nights” made famous by the group Fun, with lead vocals performed brilliantly by Fiona McIlroy (V) and Morgan Patton (IV). Sincere thanks must go to Mrs Burch and Ms McMullan for all that they’ve done throughout the year and everyone is looking forward to doing it all over again next year. Amber Maxwell (V)

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SENIOR ORCHESTRA It has been yet another successful year for Senior Orchestra, with rehearsals after school on Fridays being the highlight of everyone’s social calendar. We began under the leadership of Ms McMullan, readying ourselves for our first performance of the year at Prize Day, which was again held in the University of Ulster, Jordanstown. This year’s choice of music was the famous “Dambusters March” by Eric Coates. Next was the Christmas Carol Service, where we played our usual array of carols, accompanied by Stephen Hamill on the organ. This was our last engagement with Ms McMullan at the helm before she left for maternity leave to have her lovely twin girls, and it was its usual chaotic yet fantastic evening. When we returned in January after the Christmas holidays, we were now under the baton of Mr Briggs and it was straight into preparations for the Spring Concert in the Ulster Hall. We opened up the evening with a medley of the music from “Les Misérables” (Schonberg, arr. Lowden), featuring a solo from Jack Johnston (MVI), “Master of the House”. This was followed by “The Muppets Medley” (arr. Chase). As always, it was a great night and the culmination of a year of hard work by all the excellent musicians in school.

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We would like to thank Ms McMullan and Mr Briggs for doing such a good job of looking after the School’s own Muppet Show and to wish this year’s Middle Sixth members the best of luck in their future endeavours. It’s sad to see them go, but equally I am sure that this year will be as good as the last (or maybe even better!) and we look forward to seeing the new music, new faces and new biscuits that it brings. Victoria Campbell (LVI) JUNIOR STRINGS I decided to join Junior Strings at the beginning of the year because I play the violin and I like to play as a member of a group. I attended the first rehearsal expecting to have to audition for a place but I was delighted when Mrs Prior announced that I was very welcome and that I could take a seat and start playing. The first performance that we took part in this year was the annual Spring Concert which was held in

the Ulster Hall. I had only been to the Ulster Hall a few times before and it was a big challenge to be able to fill it all up with music. We rehearsed like mad for the concert, playing “Andante” from Haydn’s “Surprise Symphony” and “The Bringer of Joy” by Holst. All my family came to watch and, with the exception of my younger brothers who thought it was quite long, they really enjoyed it. It was amazing! Our next performance of the year was the Summer Serenade concert, which took place in the school Assembly Hall at the end of June. We got out of class a few times to rehearse as we were playing quite a difficult new piece, “Themes from Harry Potter” by John Williams. There were lots of tricky accidentals that we had to make sure were played in tune but we managed brilliantly. It was also nice to be able to hear what all the other musical groups had been playing since the Spring Concert. We would like to thank Mrs Burch for popping in from time to time and giving us encouragement and, most of all, Mrs Prior for being such a fantastic conductor. We couldn’t have done it without her. I have had a great experience in Junior Strings this year and I am definitely going to join again next year. I really hope that the new students who join next year find it as enjoyable as I have done. Eva Hayward (I) SENIOR STRINGS September 2013 saw the return of Senior Strings on Friday lunchtimes under the musical direction of Ms McMullan. After settling into rehearsals, we readily got to work preparing for the annual Spring Concert in the Ulster Hall. Ms McMullan’s leadership was then expertly taken over by Mrs Prior when Ms McMullan started her maternity leave following the birth of her twins Penelope and Matilda.

Music in School

Our main performance of the year is one that we always look forward to, the annual Spring Concert in the Ulster Hall, and Mrs Prior made sure that we were completely prepared for the performance that night. Everyone who heard us perform really enjoyed it and we all felt ourselves that we had given a very accomplished performance. In terms of our repertoire, Senior Strings strayed from its usual ‘classical’ sound this year and experimented with two very different pieces: the “Lady Gaga Fugue” by Germanotta and Khayat and the powerful Irish Traditional piece “Toss the Feathers” arranged by Sean O’Loughlin. This definitely pleased the lovers of ‘Trad’ music at the Academy- which is basically the whole of the Music Department! As this academic year draws to a close, we are sad to lose so many familiar faces that have really shaped the group, and have been role models for the younger players. We all wish the current Middle Sixth members Erin McCullough, Philip Simon, Dan McKenna, Nesta Griffiths and Rosalind Ware every success in the future. As for the present members of Senior Strings, we are looking forward to another successful year in the newly directed Music Department! Rebecca Burns (LVI) SENIOR TRADITIONAL GROUP The Senior Traditional Group had an unforgettable year. While practising for the Spring Concert in March 2013, they had made a rather hurried video entry to the NI heat of the Music for Youth National Festival and unexpectedly won through to the final, playing in Birmingham in July. This was a great experience – the first time the Traditional Group had travelled outside Ireland to play – but following this, we were astonished to find that we were invited to play in the 2013 Schools Prom in the Royal Albert Hall in November. Under the expert

musical leadership of Niall McIlroy, the group of 14 current pupils and 4 past pupils practised every Sunday evening through September and October to produce an innovative and stylish performance which was mature and skilful well beyond what might be expected of a school group. The roar of

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the Albert Hall crowd following their performance was a just reward. This was a hard act to follow but after a well-earned rest, the group began to work again on a new set, this time one written by Niall, and at the annual Spring Concert in the Ulster Hall in May, they performed this along with one of the pieces from London. Sadly, this marked the end of a wonderful year for the group, but they produced a fine performance worthy of the occasion. The success of the Senior Traditional Group this year was due to many people and I am grateful to them all: to the group members for their hard work and commitment; to Mrs Burch and Mr Carolan for their assistance; and to parents for hosting and catering for the many Sunday evening practices. A special word must go to Niall, who gave tirelessly of his time, energy and talent to make this such a memorable year. C.N.S. TRADITIONAL GROUP PERFORM IN THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL

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You may be one of those people whose parents make you play an instrument. “Give it up and you’ll regret it” they say, “Yeah right,” you think. Well I’m afraid they’ve got this one right and as evidence one need go no further than BRA’s very own Traditional group. Upon seeing them perform everyone who has ever given up on an instrument will surely let out a collective groan of regret, although it’s never too late to dig out and dust off that out-of-tune tin whistle. On Tuesday 12th November 2013 they were involved in a diverse and rich youth concert in the Royal Albert Hall, the theme of which was “Transformation”, showing how today’s youth can produce their own interpretation of different musical genres. From Northamptonshire’s Renaissance re-enactments to a Welsh folk choir, the concert exhibited bands from all over the U.K, yet in the midst of all that diversity B.R.A. still stood out, as their sound was so unique.

Many hours of work had been put into this performance by pupils, past and present, and Dr Scully, culminating in a full day’s rehearsals the group was allocated to the Albert Hall’s very own ‘Green Room’ in what may have been the organisers’ idea of a joke. Beginning with a flute solo, accompanied by a capella voices, they encapsulated the stillness and yet living nature of the countryside that is so Irish and this was perfectly juxtaposed with the crescendo and rhythm of the lively jig that it transformed into. The polka that followed brought further delight with a faster rhythm and even more energy from the musicians themselves. They made the tunes their own with their large numbers of musicians allowing them to add new layers of sound. With the exuberant swaying of the fiddlers, Niall McIlroy’s seamless interchanges between instruments and the enthralling sound of Faye Kidd’s mando-gazuki (no, I don’t really know what it is either) just some of the highlights - they produced a master class in transforming traditional music. What was particularly evident was the freedom they felt in playing, as it translated directly into pure ecstasy on their faces. The ceiling lighting that accompanied them hinted at green shamrocks, further adding to the atmosphere, and the band connected with the audience in a special way. Those watching had been keen to participate throughout and at the end of B.R.A.’s final piece gave, in the opinion of this completely partial observer, the biggest round of applause of the evening, save that given for an attending Dambusters war veteran. Even the Royal Albert Hall has surely never been graced with such a medley of Irish innovation and we look forward to hearing the echoes of the bohdrán in its hallowed halls more often. John William Carey (Former Pupil)

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JUNIOR TRADITIONAL GROUP The Junior Traditional Group has had yet another very successful year, making significant contributions to both the annual Spring Concert and the Summer Serenade concert at the end of the year. We were led this year by Niall McIlroy and Mrs Prior and they both made sure that we knew our pieces really well and that we were ready to impress the audiences with our technical skill and musical expertise! We performed two traditional pieces for the Spring Concert – the “Neckbelly Reel & Boys of Malin” and also the beautiful slow air “Sheebeg and Sheemore” which everyone seemed to really enjoy. Once the Spring Concert was over, there was no chance to rest and take it easy as rehearsals began in earnest for the upcoming Summer Serenade. Mrs Prior introduced a few new members to our group, such as Emma Calderwood (II) on the harp and Kirk Mullally (II) on the bodhran which added an extra dimension to our sound. For the Summer Serenade we played “Sackows & Going to the Well for Water” and, because Mr Briggs had requested a repeat performance of his favourite piece of all time, we agreed to perform “Sheebeg and Sheemore” one more time which he was delighted about. We played very well that evening. Mrs Prior was very proud of us and delighted with the sound that we managed to achieve. Sincere thanks need to be expressed to both Niall McIlroy and Mrs Prior for all their hard work and dedication. We couldn’t do it without them. This year was been a very successful year for the Junior Traditional Group and hopefully next year will be just as great. Owen Donnelly (III) WIND BAND The conductor of Wind Band has always had a ‘love-hate relationship’ with its members and this year wasn’t going to be any different! That complex and labyrinth-like link was especially true for Mr Briggs who took the band every Thursday lunchtime for its ‘7 month lifespan’. Many moments of joy and despair were experienced by Mr Briggs in the first few weeks, then came the worrying months when nothing seemed to be coming together, then the months full of despair when we couldn’t play even the basic notes, and eventually the hopeful month, when he conducted us during the annual Spring

Concert in the Ulster Hall. This month soon became the ‘relieved month’ once it was all over! Like most years, there was a mad rush at the end to try and cram in the numerous semiquavers and trills the flutes were expected to be playing (preferably in tune) with only a few weeks to go before the concert. Meanwhile, if at least one of the two trombonists turned up to a rehearsal after their 3 weeks of ‘personally taken leave’, it was labelled a success and we were in full swing! This ‘leave’ was the usual justification for doing whatever trombonists usually do in their spare time - possibly collecting newts from nearby streams and delicately concocting potions and brews from their favourite novels such as Harry Potter and Twilight. When we got to our final performance of the year, sometime in the season of spring, in true Wind Band fashion we pulled it right out of the bag with an admirable performance which truly made it a night to remember! We started our performance off with a medley piece called “Best of the ‘80s –Rock” which contained famous songs such as “Take my Breath Away” and other top hits from the 1980s. We then moved onto our next piece, “The Magnificent Seven” by Elmer Bernstein, which really transported the audience back 200 years to the Wild West. Both of these pieces went very well and hopefully will have inspired some new people to join our merry band. Finally, we would like to thank Mr Briggs for surrendering his free lunchtimes to the monolith known as ‘Wind Band’, and the Middle Sixth pupils who have played their parts dutifully for so many years. Kieran McKenna (V)

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Forthcoming Events:

Annual Spring Concert Ulster Hall Wednesday 18th March 2015 @ 7.30pm. Tickets: Adults £10; Students/OAP £8.

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ARTS HONOURS AWARDS 2014 Major Re-Date

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Kyle Auterson (MVI) Hannah Caldwell (MVI) Nesta Griffiths (MVI) Jack Johnston (MVI) Faye Kidd (MVI) Hannah McBride (MVI) Erin McCullough (MVI) Beth MacDougall (MVI) Oliver McGowan (MVI) Dan McKenna (MVI) Sarah Minford (MVI) Hannah Robinson (MVI) Philip Simon (MVI) Rosalind Ware (MVI) Sorcha Burke (LVI) Jessica Burns (LVI) Rebecca Burns (LVI) Victoria Campbell (LVI) Victoria Haddock (LVI) Florence Maguire (LVI) Molly Martin (LVI) Ruth McConnell (LVI) Ruari McGowan (LVI) Sarah McGuckin (LVI) Rebecca McKinstry (LVI)

Major New Clodagh Corry (MVI) Charlotte Noble (MVI) Rebecca Rowan (MVI) Amy Wilson (MVI) Peter Boyd (LVI) Ruairi Brogan (LVI) Jenny Coates (LVI) Megan Gordon (LVI) Clare McGowan (LVI) David O’Donnell-Anderson (LVI) Georgia Sloan (LVI) Ellie White (LVI) Luke Auterson (V) Jason Fleming (V) Cameron Gergett (V) Martha Gordon (V) Emer Gribbon (V) Mollie Haddock (V) Clare Johnston (V) Kuda Kunaka (V) Hannah Lau (V) Antoinette Leonard (V) Rachel MacNeill (V) Abigail Magill (V) Hollie McCalmont (V) David McClements (V) Fiona McIlroy (V) Kieran McKenna (V) Rachel O’Donnell (V) Timmy Robinson (V)

Music in School

ARTS HONOURS AWARDS 2014 Minor Re-Date Sarah Bingham (MVI) Emma Gray (MVI) Georgia Ramm (MVI) Holly Reid (MVI) Chris Turnbull (MVI) Michael Browne (LVI) Ling Chung (LVI) Ruairi Linden (LVI) Hannah McCalmont (LVI) Lori Turkington (LVI) Orlaith Duffy (V) Harry Russell (IV) Daniel Wonnacott (IV)

Minor New Matt Holland (MVI) Patricia Martin (MVI) Alex McGovern (MVI) Marcus Porte (MVI) Carrie Whitcroft (MVI) David Bannon (LVI) Rachel Campbell (LVI) James Carey (LVI) Rachel Millar (LVI) Christian Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Connor (LVI) Sophie Orr (LVI) Rebekah Spratt (LVI) Olivia Spring (LVI) Jessica Dowey (V) Kayleigh Martin (V) Niamh Martin (V) Amber Maxwell (V) Carly McCullough (V) Natalie Watson (V) Mary Cousins (IV) Aidan Davison (IV) Hannah Edgar (IV) Cameron McCartney (IV) Jack Millard (IV) Ciara Patterson (IV) Victoria Stewart (IV) Patrick Donnelly (III) Conor Foster (III) Jason Poots (III) Daniel Quigley (III) Ellen Quinn (III)

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Drama in School I could feel my stomach lurch as I stood before the hopeful auditionees. Surely the staff shouldn’t be feeling nervous before they audition the students? This was different: demonstrating a dance for the students’ audition was completely out of my comfort zone. However, leaving comfort zones, facing up to fears and challenging oneself were the central themes of ‘Footloose’ – November’s Senior Production, so it seemed apt that the initial stages should throw these issues into reality!

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This was the second Burch-Tinman production to come to fruition, and Miss Tinman and I were so excited to be tackling this musical. It seemed an appropriate choice for our Senior students in terms of its lively and challenging music, fast-paced drama and youthful spirit.

After a rigorous audition process, our diverse and talented cast started rehearsals in mid-September. Opening night on 25th November seemed a longway off, but rehearsing the music every lunch-time and the dancing and dialogue after school made the time fly, and before we knew it, we were all standing backstage, taking deep breaths and getting ready to burst into the opening number for real. ‘Footloose’ tells the story of streetwise Chicagoborn teenager Ren McCormack, who moves to Bomont, a town where dancing is prohibited. Though Ren (played by Ruairi Brogan) tries hard to fit in, he can’t quite believe he’s living in a place where rock music and dancing are illegal. However, there is one small pleasure: Ariel Moore (Clodagh Corry). Rev. Shaw Moore (Harry Robinson) is responsible for keeping the town dance-free, due to a personal anguish he and his wife Vi (Erin McCullough) faced previously. Ren and his classmates want to do away with this ordinance, especially since the Senior Prom is around the corner, but only Ren has the courage to initiate a battle to abolish the outmoded ban and revitalise the spirit of the repressed townspeople. The major characters have one trait in common: they are all survivors. Their circumstances – no matter how tragic – have not defeated them, and,

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as a consequence, the audience find them likeable, sympathetic and humane. Every single member of the cast showed maturity in taking on and giving a dramatic dimension to this production, while still retaining the inherent humour of the script. Despite the light and popular nature of much of the music as well as lively dance routines, the themes running throughout the musical were appropriate for today’s young people and required much thought and a very high level of dramatic performance. Of course a production of this scale would have been impossible without a brilliant stage crew, of which there are too many to name here. These pupils, along with lighting-guru Ruairi Linden and sound-man extraordinaire Morgan Cassidy-Henderson, were led by the ever-dedicated Mr Jamison, whose expertise and advice were sought after on many occasions. Dr Springer, with his props team, again managed to find all kinds of weird and wonderful objects required! The set design and execution were simply

incredible. The Art Department and students, led by Mrs Kerr, continue to excel themselves in every venture. A wonderful band, under the guidance of Ms McMullan gave such energy and flair to the music. ‘Footloose’ also required many costume changes for each cast member and thankfully Dr Lomas provided the authentic and detailed outfits for this purpose. Special credit must also go to the staff who appeared in dancing cameo roles, breaking out some ‘signature moves’ to huge acclaim! As you can see the production was a real team effort. Miss Tinman and I were overwhelmed by the talent and commitment exhibited by each and every member of the cast and crew. We know the show would not have been the success it was without them, or without the team of staff. The link between the Music and Drama Departments is as strong as ever, and, no doubt, there will be many more successful shows to come! E. Burch

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Miscellany ART AND DESIGN Chloe Anderson, Rachael O’Donnell and Juanita O’Kane Form V gained full marks in the CCEA GCSE level examination 2014. James Carey, Angela Cao and Catherine Nelson Form LVI gained full marks in the CCEA AS level coursework. The following work was requested by CCEA for possible inclusion the 2014 – 2015 True Colours exhibition: • Catherine Nelson – her Core Portfolio unit based on the theme of ‘Africa’ which has a fashion and jewellery outcome. Also requested is her examination unit based on the theme ‘Arrange’ which has a fashion outcome. Mr Roy Donaldson from Donaldson and Weir Graphics Ltd. presented two Art and Design MVI A2 level pupils with a Student Art Pack Award:

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Jenna Todd who has gained a place at Ulster University Belfast to study Art and Design and Sophie Daniel who gained a place at Liverpool University to study Dentistry. All Art and Design GCSE, AS and A2 level pupils attended the 2014 True Colours exhibition at the Ulster Museum to view the best examples of N. Ireland’s CCEA Art and Design coursework and externally set assignments. They also toured the Ulster Museum exhibitions and collections. Ruairi Brogan and Angela Cao received a CCEA Certificate of Excellence for gaining full marks at GCSE level. Ben O’Donnell received a CCEA Certificate of Excellence for gaining full marks at A2 level.

The MVI and LVI Art and Design pupils visited the 2014 Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition and workshop at the Ulster Museum. The Department is used every week for Duke of Edinburgh Art and Design projects and CCEA GCSE and A level units of work. A dedicated team of pupils enjoyed constructing, painting and decorating the set for the Senior School Production, ‘Footloose’. Juanita O’Kane, Form V was awarded the first Art and Design Major Award in the history of the school. The June 2014 Annual Art Exhibition included an excellent variety of work from all Forms. The Art Exhibition’s coffee morning raised £90 for Save the Children Fund. A further £157 was raised by teaching and non-teaching staff a break time preview of the exhibition. The Department continues to develop staff training in the use of ICT by attending courses in Photoshop, Animation and iPad training. The Department has recently purchased two iPad cradles and tripods to support the teaching and learning with the iPad. The Department continues to provide pupils with an insight into Art and Design career routes. This was supported by guest speakers:

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• Alice Rooney, former pupil of BRA, gave Form LVI and MVI Art and Design students a talk about Glasgow College of Art and portfolio presentations; • Francis McCrory, former pupil of BRA (Freelance Painter) gave a talk about his work. He kindly brought along live work for the Form LVI and MVI Art and Design students to view; • Representatives from the Northumbria University gave presentations on Art and Design courses to the GCSE, AS and A2 level Art and Design students. P.K. FOTA Friends of the Academy continued to support both Ben Madigan and the Grammar School during 2013-2014. A range of activities was organised, sometimes for fundraising purposes and sometimes to provide a service for the School community. In September, a group of staff, parents and pupils once again spent an afternoon collecting litter in Cavehill Country Park, along with volunteers from the Cavehill Conservation Volunteers. This has now become an annual event which provides an opportunity to give something back to a facility which is very much appreciated by many in the School community. Luck was with the group regarding the weather, and a lovely sunny afternoon was rounded off with coffee and buns at the foot of the hill. The Copper Wars were organized in the Autumn term and raised over £200 for the Children’s Hospice. Pupils placed copper coins in one of four boxes, each one representing a School House. Great rivalry between Houses resulted in some serious ‘sabotaging’ of other Houses by putting silver coins in their box. Currie were the victors in the end, whether by fair means or foul! Also in the Autumn term, a Ben Madigan Calendar was produced, featuring pupils enjoying a wide range of activities, and it proved as popular as ever. A table quiz was held in Fortwilliam Golf Club in January and with the winning combination of Dr Brown and Mr Shields as quizmasters, a good night was guaranteed. March saw the annual Dinner Dance, which was again held in the Stormont Hotel. It was a really enjoyable evening which began with relaxing music from the School’s String Quartet,

continued with fine food and ended with dancing into the wee hours. A number of uniform sales were held through the year. These have been increasing in popularity and the feedback from parents has been very positive. One sale was held in November and two were held in June. The use of email to promote the sales has been very effective, in terms both of getting in donations and of publicising the event to parents. Refreshments were provided at a range of school events in the course of the year, namely the School Play, Ben Madigan Carol Service, the Senior Carol Service, the Christmas Reception, the two Open Evenings in January and the Open Morning in May and the Summer Serenade. Money raised this year went to: Prizes for Merit Awards Sports Equipment Support for Hockey Club Purchase of a Marquee Pupil Bursaries. FOTA and the School greatly appreciate the support for their fund-raising initiatives which has allowed these projects to be funded. Looking forward to seeing everyone at our events in 2014-2015! Liz Gregg Secretary, Friends of the Academy lizgregg2@googlemail.com GEOGRAPHY FIELDWORK FORM I GEOGRAPHY AND WEATHER On the 9th of September 2014 our Geography class was put into 10 different groups and went to different parts around the School playground to measure the temperature and the wind speed in the BRA site. The places we went to included outside the Crombie Building, the Swimming Pool and outside the Jackson Building. We used a thermometer to measure the temperature and an anemometer to record the wind speed in the School grounds. We waited 5 minutes for the

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temperature to stop fluctuating. To measure the wind speed, we held the anemometer in the air for 2 minutes and recorded the average speed. Then we went back to the classroom to find the average of all the results. Morgan McIlwaine and Nathan Hogg (I) FORM II GEOGRAPHY FIELD TRIP TO HOLYWOOD We travelled to Holywood for our Coastal Defence fieldwork during the sunny month of May. Once there, we carried out experiments in groups of four or five to test infiltration rates along the upper, middle and lower parts of the beach. We were spread out in six different sections of the beach. We used two cans, a milk carton and a stopwatch to carry out our experiment. When we had completed this task we walked along the coastal path examining, photographing and sketching the main five coastal defences on this part of the coast. We looked at the rock armour, gabions, riprap, straight sea wall and the curved sea wall. We also looked at the well-nourished beach. We were able to understand how each of the defence measures we visited did its job as our teachers explained this to us. When we got back to BRA we drew two different line graphs to show the different infiltration rates along the six sites and on the three sections up and down the beach. We used all the information we were given on the day as well as other knowledge and research to complete the project. Doris Uche, Christopher Lyttle and Layona Philip (II) 136

FORM IV GEOGRAPHY FIELD TRIP TO BELFAST CITY CENTRE On Thursday 19th June 2014, GCSE Geography pupils from Form IV for their Controlled Assessment task went into the centre of Belfast to survey the public on questions about population and migration. Over 60 pupils gathered in different areas of the City Centre and asked passers-by numerous questions on the topic. An example of a question asked was: “Do you think the death rate in Belfast, since 2000, has either: • fallen • increased

• stayed the same • don’t know?” When the data was collected, the pupils went back to school and in their Geography classes spent the day completing graphs and tables for their hypotheses and evaluations. The Controlled Assessment equates to 25% of the final Geography GCSE grade. All in all, the trip into Belfast was very successful and the pupils also found it a good experience. Rachel O’Mullan and Lucy Todd ( IV) LOWER VI FIELDWORK

On the 4th February 2014 the two AS Geography classes went to Roughfort and Carryduff respectively to carry out fieldwork for their Module 2 examination. Each class travelled towards the City Centre stopping along the way recording data such as temperature, average wind speed and humidity to determine if an urban heat island effect existed in Belfast. Pupils were split into groups of three within their classes and recorded data allowing us to take averages once we returned to school. It was a fun and successful trip and a stop for fast food afterwards was enjoyed by all. Ruari McGowan and Lori Turkington (LVI) MIDDLE VI TRIP TO DUNDRUM BAY On 8th September 2014, the MVI Geography students set off for a field trip to Murlough Bay and Newcastle, Co. Down. We studied the different coastal defence systems along the beach, stopping to draw sketches and take pictures along the way. We observed sea walls, gabions and railway sleepers which protect Royal Co. Down Golf Course and the Slieve Donard Hotel from sea erosion. When we arrived at Newcastle, we were given questionnaires which we asked the public to

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complete, with questions regarding their experiences of Newcastle as a tourist resort. Overall, the field trip was a success as we collected valuable first-hand information and got to see the coastal defences, which we had previously studied in class. When we finished, we were picked up in Newcastle and delivered back to school. Geographers (MVI) VILLIAGE URBAN RENEWAL AREA TALK

N.I. Schools’ Programme once again. The project consists of two days of workshops fostering crosscommunity co-operation and examining the global issue of poverty. A further day is spent carrying out volunteer work. This year the pupils were involved in the renovation of Habitat for Humanity’s first Re:build shop in Ireland. Re:build shops sell DIY and building materials, as well as furniture, which have been donated to the charity. The group was tasked with painting the upstairs warehouse area. Throughout the year pupils also fund-raised £900 for the Habitat for Humanity Building Project through personal fund-raising endeavours including selling ice-cream and hosting a quiz at the Academy Club. T.M.B. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY YOUTH-BUILD ROMANIA

On Thursday 27th February Paula Bradshaw from the Greater Village Regeneration Trust came into school to give an informative talk to Geography A Level pupils on regeneration of South Belfast. She discussed ongoing re-urbanisation of Belfast and the associated issues such planning and development of such projects relative to the A Level curriculum. The students may make use of the information in their case studies as part of the AS course. It was enjoyed by all who attended, teachers included. We thank Ms Bradshaw for taking the time out to give the talk. Ruari McGowan and Lori Turkington (LVI) HABITAT FOR HUMANITY N.I. BRA LVI pupils collaborated with boys from De La Salle College to take part in the Habitat for Humanity

Travelling to Romania this summer offered several rare opportunities, including learning about the Roma culture, meeting hundreds of new people, and challenging ourselves to leap out of our comfortzone by grabbing a pick-axe, shovel or spade. Prior to the trip each participant fund-raised £1500 in a variety of ways including James Moorehead’s courageous abseil down the Europa building in Belfast; Mykila Donaldson’s quiz and my halfmarathon. Other events organised included a coffee morning and car boot sale. We travelled to Romania to help the locals build a multi-purpose school/church centre, which is being used by children after school for clubs and activities, as well as for help with their studies. The most satisfying part of the experience was undoubtedly seeing the difference of the building from when we arrived and then after the week of tough work. Andrew McIntyre (LVI) INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL AWARD Belfast Royal Academy has completed three years of having the International Schools Award status. Over the next term, we will be detailing all of the new opportunities the School has created to expand its international focus, in a bid to be re-accredited. New opportunities may arise to investigate online collaboration with International schools. P.D.

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INTERNATIONAL VISITS

JUNIOR BOOK CLUB Junior Book Club meet each week in the Library to share a love of reading. The Club is also afforded the opportunity to engage in various book-related activities throughout the year, including trips and author visits. On Friday 27th September thirteen pupils from the Junior Book Club enjoyed a talk and book signing by Eoin Colfer, author of the million-selling Artemis Fowl series at Bangor Castle Walled Garden at the 22nd Annual Aspects Festival. This festival has had many notable visitors over the years which have included Seamus Heaney, Roddy Doyle, Maeve Binchy, Paul Muldoon and Michael Longley, to name a few. This year, BRA pupils Eva Hayward and Lui Hurson were two of the lucky members of the audience selected to ask the author a question. Several pupils received signed copies of the first book in Colfer’s new series. Pupils also enjoyed meeting the author Colin Bateman who hosted the event.

The School hosted a number of visitors in 2013/14: this began with the Spanish Exchange visiting in September 2013. In November, we hosted some Danish teachers who experienced a broad range of the curriculum we offer. The Swedish exchange also offered Swedish pupils and teachers an opportunity to experience a week in the life of BRA.

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In June and July the school hosted visits from the ‘People to People’ project. This project was set up post-WW2 to break down barriers between the UK and US. Young Americans have to earn a place on the project by writing essays and attending interviews. The delegates visit school for about two hours during which they see a short presentation on NI and the School. Many Academy pupils from the Senior school hosted the visits after school and in the holidays. Their friendly approach and informative presentations to such large groups of strangers are worthy of note. A delegation of visitors from Mulanjie Mission in Malawi visited in Early October 2014. They had the opportunity to renew friendships with teachers and pupils who had previously travelled to Malawi. We would like to thank Dr Lomas for her continued support and co-ordination of many of the international visits to the school. P.D.

Later in the term, Junior Book Club members were treated to a great afternoon on Friday 22nd November at the launch of the NI Book Award at Victoria College. The pupils had the opportunity to hear the shortlist for this year’s NI Book Award and meet famous storyteller Niall de Burca. The launch event’s purpose is to enthuse children about books and stories and comments from Junior Book Club members certainly indicate that Niall did this by the bucket load! The pupils had the opportunity to have photographs taken with Niall and also received autographs. Throughout the year pupils read from the shortlisted titles and nominated their favourite book. Their nomination, alongside the nomination of the other participating schools, helped ensure ‘Russian Roulette’ by Anthony Horowitz won the 2014 award. Copies of the shortlisted books became available in the School Library for everyone to read. Later in the year, six Junior pupils were delighted to have the opportunity to meet the award winning author, Malorie Blackman at Stormont on Friday 21st March. Blackman has written over fifty books and has been awarded numerous prizes for her work, including the Fantastic Fiction Award and the Red House Children’s Book Award. She has been honoured with the Eleanor Farjeon Award in recognition of her services to children’s books, and in 2008 she received an OBE for her services to children’s literature. She is the current Waterstone’s Children’s Laureate for 2013-2015. At the event

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Academy pupils also met the current Laureate na nÓg, Niamh Sharkey whose books have been translated into over twenty languages and have won numerous prestigious awards. The event was chaired by Marie-Louise Muir. Four of the six Academy pupils were selected to ask the Laureates a question during the Q&A round. Pupils also had the opportunity to have photographs taken with the Laureates and obtain autographs after the event. It was a very positive experience for the pupils to meet with one of their favourite writers. We feel very honoured to have been one of the nine local Belfast schools present. The Grand Finale was held on Thursday 10th April at the Lyric Theatre. Without a doubt, this has been the most spectacular finale we have ever attended. Some 355 pupils and their Librarians filled the entire Danske Bank auditorium. Book Club members took part in quizzes alongside pupils from the other schools. They then met popular children’s author and NI Book Award 2013/14 runner up, Christopher William-Hill, a really super speaker who had the audience shrieking with laughter. April was a busy month for us as the master of children’s horror fiction Darren Shan visited Easons Donegall Place, Belfast on Monday 7th April. Book Club members from BRA joined with two other Belfast schools to meet this best-selling and extremely popular author as part of his Zom-B Mission book signing tour. On the day, Darren read passages from his Zom-B books and talked through the storylines. At the end of this pupils had a twenty minute Q&A session. A signing session then took place, with the pupils taking the opportunity to purchase books, get them signed and also to get a photograph with the bestselling author. It has been an extremely eventful and fun year for the Junior Book Club. We are all very much looking forward to meeting more of our favourite authors next year and of course, reading more wonderful books! E.M. MALAWI Our ‘be* the change’ Malawi adventure began on 23rd June 2014, when we set off from Belfast City airport. Our journey took us through London and Addis Ababa and finally, after an action packed 32 hours, we reached our destination – Mulanje, Malawi.

From Day One, everyone on the team got involved in the various projects – the schools, the hospital, the business and the build. Each experience taught us something new and enlightening. In the primary school, we taught classes of around sixty pupils, with limited resources and a daunting language barrier. Despite this, nothing could have prepared us for the enjoyment we got in watching the children grasp what we were teaching them. It was a joy to build friendships with the children and they never failed to put a smile on our faces, whether it was through their posing for a photograph, or everyone’s best friend, San Francisco, singing a rendition of ‘Waka Waka’. Apatsa was a different experience for us. It is a school founded by three grannies – Stella, Ella and Margaret – which caters for orphans and some local children from better off families. Despite this contrast, it was amazing to realise that it was impossible to tell which group was which. All the children accepted each other and the staff members were non-judgemental. Due to the nature of the school, the class numbers were much smaller and the level of English much higher. The children were so eager to learn and each class had that one character who never failed to feature in each team debrief. The secondary school, again, presented us with a new set of challenges. It was somewhat intimidating to walk into a classroom of nineteen and twenty year olds but, as we taught, we gained confidence and by the end of the lessons we always found ourselves singing and clapping along with the pupils. The nursery was a special experience, every relationship formed was through smiling and interaction during play, as none of the children spoke English. We played games with them and it was a delight to watch the children’s reactions when we produced the bubbles and ‘balloonese’. Our time at the hospital was both challenging and fascinating. During our work experience there, we were able to really get a feel for all that the hospital does to meet the needs of the local community and the difficulties they face in doing so. We had the opportunity to visit the male and female wards, the outpatient clinic, radiology and surgery. In the Outpatient Clinic the main issues faced by the local people really came to light. It was very difficult to see the number of children who came in with malaria. It wasn’t even malaria season and fifteen out of the sixteen children who came to the clinic had the illness. The majority of the other patients seemed to be HIV positive or have tuberculosis. To treat HIV

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positive patients the hospital has an anti-retroviral clinic. A problem faced by staff is that people are not willing to come for treatment as they don’t want to be associated with the stigma of being HIV positive. This makes matters very difficult, particularly in the case of pregnant women, for whom it is vital they get treatment to stop transmission to their child. One of my favourite memories of the hospital was the day we got to visit the “Kangaroo Ward”. This is the ward for newborn babies and their mothers. Due to a lack of resources, the hospital only has a few incubators which therefore can only be used for very sick infants. However, in an effort to overcome this problem, all newborn babies are strapped to their mothers’ chests 24/7, except for feeding, to keep them warm and form a close bond with their mother. It was so heart-warming and encouraging to see how the hospital had come up with a way to deal with their lack of resources and offer the best care possible within their means for these mothers. Another thing I will never forget is the day we saw a man with an incredibly rare condition. He had been admitted to the hospital after being stabbed, but when they took him to surgery they were met with quite a surprise...all of his organs were on the wrong side of his body! He had what’s called situs inversus and dextrocardia. The amazing thing is that, had he not been injured, he could have gone his whole life not knowing that he had this condition as he was very healthy. It was very exciting to see the curiosity and enthusiasm of the local doctors to learn about this fascinating condition.

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For business work experience the group went to Likuni Phala factory which makes the porridge that is a staple in the Malawian diet. They got to see the production process and also help out! They also had the opportunity to design the packaging of the product for the lady who runs the factory, as they were having difficulty marketing it. After the 123rd celebration of the church, our entrepreneurs then set up a stall and helped to sell the Likuni Phala, doing promotions and succeeding in selling all of the bags! For their last day of work experience, they visited Lujeri tea, which is a Fair Trade plantation, to see how the tea was made and packaged. Along with our work experience we also had the opportunity to build a house. The house was for Hilda, a grandmother whose home had been washed away in the floods. On the 2013 team, Gavin Gilfillan and Anna McMillan met young people who wanted to help the elderly in their community and decided to

raise money to build new homes. Along with the help of Geoffrey and his expert builders we set to work making use of the money raised. Each day, a different group of us would go to the build and slowly but surely the house began to take shape. We had to start by putting in the foundations with rocks from the river and then there were many long treks carrying all of the bricks required down to the site. This was tough, but as soon as we saw little Innocent (Hilda’s young grandson) carrying a brick on his head, we suddenly had a little more motivation to get it done and keep going. Next, was the actual building up of the walls of the house, using the bricks and mud as cement. After a very exciting trip to collect more bricks from the pit, on the back of a lorry, the walls were soon finished. We then had to go and collect the planks of wood for the roof that they were going to put the corrugated iron on. These were very heavy and hurt our shoulders but again, seeing women walk past with much heavier things on their heads, gave us the impetus to keep going and not complain! Soon the house was done, complete with several fruit trees we planted around it and a bed for Hilda. The handing-over ceremony is a very fond memory for everyone. Seeing Hilda, surrounded by her grandchildren, with the key to her new home that we had built really made us feel like we had “Been the Change” and made a difference to someone’s life. One day we had the chance to go on home visits with children from the secondary school. Pairs from our team went to the houses of two people from the school. We were paired up with two best friends called Bridget and Virginia. They lived quite close to the mission station which they walked to every day for school. They were both our age and were so kind and welcoming. We visited Virginia’s house first, where she lived with her mother and her three brothers and sisters. We sat outside and all of the children from the neighbouring houses came and sat around us while we chatted to them, it felt like story time! They gave us some bananas to eat and then gave some more to us as a present. Virginia told us how she wanted to be a doctor and Bridget wanted to be an accountant. When we visited Bridget’s home, her mother wasn’t there as she was in Blantyre delivering her school fees, but we got to meet her little sister. On the way back to the mission station they stopped at the market to buy us more bananas, they were so generous! We gave them friendship bracelets and we have some too, so we can always remember the special day we met our new friends Bridget and Virginia!

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We visited Nancy’s Dream Restaurant, where we were able to sit back and enjoy the beautiful sunset and later, the sky full of stars. We enjoyed freshly made pizza and listened to Nancy as she told us her story. She is such an inspirational woman and encouraged us to do our best at everything we attempt – ‘many things can come from little seeds that are looked after properly’. This year, the team had the privilege of performing for the Vice President of Malawi at the church’s nationally televised, 123rd anniversary celebration. We all wore special custom ‘chichenzi’ and sang ‘Be Thou my Vision’. Jessica Burns also Irish danced, accompanied by Molly Martin on the tin whistle.

achieved four Gold, ten Silver and eleven Bronze awards. Chris Turnbull (MVI) and Callum Dalzell (Form V) went on to compete in further rounds of the competition. At Intermediate level pupils achieved five Gold, fourteen Silver and nineteen Bronze awards. Megan Carson and Daniel Quigley (both Form III) qualified for the Intermediate Maths Olympiad in which they both received merit certificates for the quality of their work, a considerable achievement. At Junior level, Form I and II pupils achieved six Gold, twelve Silver and thirteen Bronze awards.

We were also privileged to go on safari at Mvuu, camping overnight in tents, just metres from the roaming elephants and hippos! We encountered breath-taking views and saw such a wide array of wildlife. On our last day at the mission station, we, along with many other groups from the primary and secondary school, took part in a talent show, held in the church. The building was packed from wallto-wall, with everyone wanting to catch a glimpse of the performing acts. The children provided us with a wide variety of entertainment, whether it was through a song, dance or even an acrobatics act! We tried our best to display some typical Northern Irish and European culture: Irish dancing, ballet and renditions of ‘I’ll tell me ma’ and ‘Ireland’s Call’, along with some not so typical culture, everyone’s favourite act, Suraj’s famous rapping. The end of the show was very emotional for each team member. The teachers and church staff said their farewells to us in the form of a song – something we’ll never forget. 142

Our last day in Malawi was spent at ‘Ken’s hotel’, where we spent time relaxing by the pool and watching some traditional Malawian dancing. It was a great time to share stories with other team members and discuss our experience – something we’ll be doing for a long time into the future. Rebecca McKinstry and Ruth McConnell (MVI) EXTRA-CURRICULAR MATHEMATICS Hundreds of pupils once again took part in the UK Maths Trust’s individual and team challenges. In the Senior Maths challenge in November, pupils

The School continued to have considerable success in team competitions. The year began with the Senior team coming fourth in the UKMT Team Challenge which they then followed up with an impressive (and very close!) second place in the annual Queen’s Mathematics competition. The team consisted of Chris Turnbull (MVI), Rosalind Ware (MVI), Ruairi Hurson (MVI) and Liam Ferris (MVI). In the spring, the Junior team won the NI regional final of the UKMT Junior Team Challenge for a second year in a row and again went on to represent NI at the national final in London. The Junior team consisted of Daniel Quigley (Form III), Lui Hurson (Form III), Jack Green (Form II) and Rory Flynn (Form II). The achievement of these teams is as impressive as their attitude; their courtesy and sense of fun is remarked upon by organisers as much as their success. The time and commitment required from pupils participating in further rounds and team competitions is considerable and it is of great credit to them that they do so with such diligence and enthusiasm. There is now a strong tradition of both participation and success in these competitions in BRA which gives cause for optimism for the coming year’s events. S.C.S.

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MILLIONAIRES’ CLUB Outstanding Accelerated Reader Performance. How do you become a Millionaire at BRA? Read one million words. BRA students who read over a million words this school year belong to a select group of Accelerated Reader Millionaires. A word count is generated each time a student reads a book and then takes a Reading Practice quiz online using our Accelerated Reader software. We have been able to rank pupils reading performance accordingly. We are very proud of the outstanding success of these pupils. All Form I and II pupils participate in Accelerated Reader. This takes place during weekly library lessons. It is certainly no easy task to obtain a place on our league tables. All pupils featured within the following league tables should be very proud of their achievements. SEPTEMBER 2013 1st place: Andrew Bassett 2nd place: Rachel Swann 3rd place: Jack Megahey OCTOBER 2013 1st place: Andrew Bassett 2nd place: Rachel Swann 3rd place: Jack Megahey

APRIL 2014 1st place: Joseph Desmond 2nd place: Maia Hamilton 3rd place:Mairead Crinion MAY 2014 1st place: Joseph Desmond 2nd place: Maia Hamilton 3rd place:Mairead Crinion Other pupils regularly scoring in the Top Ten: Rory Johnston Adam Keed Lucy Johnston Dylan McGrotty Zac Lundy Alen Jain Tara McBride Alen Jain Dominick Rhodes Eirinn Fitzsimmons Aoife Bennett

Luke Hughes Ireneusz Brunka Charlotte Walker Ewan Purdy Victoria McClements Katherine Peters Alexandra Gifford Ireneusz Brunka Megan McKay Rose McQueen Rachel Gamble E.M.

NICARAGUA – LATIN LINK

NOVEMBER 2013 1st place: Andrew Bassett 2nd place: Rachel Swann 3rd place: Jack Megahey DECEMBER 2013 1st place: Joseph Desmond 2nd place: Mairead Crinion 3rd place: Malek Hawela JANUARY 2014 1st place: Joseph Desmond 2nd place: Mairead Crinion 3rd place: Malek Hawela FEBRUARY 2014 1st place: Joseph Desmond 2nd place: Mairead Crinion 3rd place: Malek Hawela MARCH 2014 1st place: Joseph Desmond 2nd place: Maia Hamilton 3rd place: Malek Hawela

After travelling 13,832 miles and 6 planes, I finally touched down safely in Belfast after spending a month in Nicaragua, Latin America. The trip was organised by a Christian organisation Latin Link which, throughout the year, sends shortterm and long-term teams to Latin America. I was put on a “step short-term team” with six other students (five females and one male) from the UK. Our ages ranged from 17-21. We had only met each other a week before our trip, so I was both anxious and excited about the experience ahead. Among the seven of us; there were only a few Spanish speakers and, as this was the first year of

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this particular project, none of us really knew what to expect. However, gradually over the next few weeks everything fell into place. The house we stayed in for the month felt like a palace as we had running water and a toilet that flushed. A palace by Nicaraguan standards! Even so, all through the month we were still pestered by mice, rats, bats and, occasionally, scorpions and tarantulas! We were looked after by a kind lady from the church who cooked every meal for us: always beans and rice.

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Throughout the month we worked alongside the leaders of one of the local churches, Iglesia Esperanza en Cristo (Hope in Christ Church), a few minutes walk from our house. We led the preschool most mornings using drama, games and crafts. The pre-school had roughly forty children enrolled, and, believe me, it was a tight squeeze in the small church. After pre-school we usually went on home visits to the youth in the community. When we arrived the church had very few youth members, maybe three at the most, so we walked around the community, called at houses and asked the young people if they would like to join us in Bible study. Many of the youth in this community are involved in crime, drugs and alcohol so it was extremely daunting. We persevered and it was incredible and really encouraging after just a few sessions to see their willingness to come to church and join in with the activities. On the last youth night, we had approximately fifteen youth members which was amazing. During the month we also taught French and English classes in the afternoon. I thoroughly enjoyed this. I never would have thought that the Spanish, French and English taught to me at BRA would be put to such good use on the other side of the world. The church holds a service every afternoon and during our time there, my team and I led the majority of the services through drama, songs and talks. The enthusiasm and gratitude of the people of the church astounded me. This great sense of community and selflessness is something I always remember when I think of the people of Nicaragua. During our last two weeks, we began construction of an extension to the church, the first stage of a five-year project. We also painted the interior and exterior walls. It was challenging work, especially in the 35 degree tropical heat, but once again, it was very rewarding. During the month, we built strong relationships, not only within the team but with the church members as well. I learnt so much and I feel

incredibly blessed to have had such an amazing experience. I know it will have a lasting impact on me. Once again, I would like to thank everyone for their support throughout my Nicaraguan journey. Ling Chung (MVI) PARIS TRIP FORM II Sunday 22nd June – It was here – the day we had all been waiting for had finally arrived. No more updates on social networking counting down the days. We were heading off to the wonderful city of Paris. To Mr Carolan’s relief, all of us (well, nearly all of us – you know who you are!) arrived at the George Best Belfast City Airport on time. For many of us, this was our first time travelling abroad without our parents. This would be a new experience, giving us all a sense of responsibility and independence. We moved seamlessly through security, boarded our plane and in no time at all had arrived safely in London Gatwick where we collected our luggage and went to find our coach. We were introduced to our driver Jim, a pleasant, jolly man whom we all grew extremely fond of during the course of our trip. After a frantic rush, the girls claimed victory in securing the “thrones” at the back of the bus, much to the disappointment of the boys. Within a short time we had reached the Port of Dover, where we all hauled our tired bodies off the bus and went for some fresh air and snacks. It was here that a few of us became acquainted with some seagulls, each of whom we named and who became very keen on our chips. Our ferry journey was short and sweet, after which it was back to Jim’s coach for the long journey to Paris. Nearing our destination the excitement could be felt and loud cheers could be heard when the first glimpse of the Disneyland park was spotted. However, it was a tired but overall very excited group that checked into the hotel, fell into their beds ready for the next day’s adventure through the beautiful streets of Paris. Monday 23rd June – All of us awoke cheery and ready for the day ahead – electronic devices at the ready to capture photographic memories of the gorgeous city. Our first experience of Paris was a morning cruise on the River Seine which was magical. Dr Springer was closely observed by a party of French children who appeared fascinated by his accent and fluent French! As the boat sailed

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beneath the famous lock bridges, we waved at many tourists and young couples observing us from above. At the end of the cruise we boarded Jim’s coach and headed to the Trocadero viewing point for the Eiffel Tower – a place full of tourists and young students from all over the world. Clicking away enthusiastically, we ensured that many photographic memories were captured. We then walked to the pretty, historic streets of the Latin Quarter, full of quaint little shops, bookstores and, most important of all, chocolate shops and cafes. Here we had lunch. While some of us sampled French cuisine (snails, frogs’ legs!), others played safe and headed to McDonald’s (boring!). After walking up the many steps to the Sacre Coeur, we were all amazed by the fabulous views across the entire city. This spectacular white basilica looked as if it was watching over the city. Heading towards the Montmartre area, some of us wandered through the tiny streets. Others – like me – dashed to Starbucks, where we sat by the window watching the Parisians going about their everyday lives in the summer sun. Montmartre is where the young artists of Paris flock to paint and is full of tiny squares and winding streets.

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After our dinner at Flunch, Jim transported us safely back to the hotel. We then made the short journey on the bendy bus to the Disney village, where we continued to spend money and eat too much. After that, an exhausted group returned to the hotel, headed straight to bed and fell asleep immediately. Tuesday 24th June – After breakfast we set off for the Chateau de Versailles. We were all amazed by the incredible beauty and size of this wonderful building and its immense history. From the golden gates and painted roofs, to the beautiful gardens and historical items of art and furniture, it was all thoroughly impressive. Modern History lesson over, we were taken to the vast Versailles shopping centre where we had lunch and where some of us picked up presents and souvenirs. Back on Jim’s bus, we were taken to the Gothic masterpiece which is Notre Dame Cathedral. From the legendary gargoyles, stone sculptures, rose windows and bell towers, we stood in silence, soaking up this famous Parisian landmark. Afterwards, it was dinner at Flunch and then back to our hotel for a quick change and short shuttle bus ride to the Disney village where we relived our

childhood. This gave us a taster for what was to come and we were very excited about Thursday’s trip to the park itself. Wednesday 25th June – Everyone has heard of the Mona Lisa, and today was the day most of us would be meeting her for the first time! Pushing through the large crowds to catch a small glimpse of this priceless work of art was a very tight squeeze for us all. After lunch on the Champs Elysees, we proceeded towards the imposing Arc de Triomphe – the famous triumphal arch, which is the customary starting point for victory celebrations and parades in the city. There was a great deal of activity around this area and we quietly watched a small group of war veterans mark the outbreak of World War I. After dinner we said au revoir to Flunch and returned to our hotel, where we all became acquainted with some Scottish students who we played football with and with whom many of us remain in contact. Thursday 26th June – Finally, the day we had all been waiting for. We had visited many of the historical and cultural sites that Paris has to offer and wandered through some of the city’s most beautiful tourist areas – history lesson ended! We were now off to Disneyland – the real purpose of the trip! The day was ours to meet with our favourite princess or superhero, fly through the sky with Peter Pan, or orbit the earth with Buzz Lightyear. 45 Second Form BRA pupils returned to early childhood and had an absolute blast. Later, after our meal in Planet Hollywood, we returned for the final time to our hotel to pack before bed and an early start next morning on the long journey home. Friday 27th June – How lucky we were that the sun shone on us all week, just like the smiles on everyone’s faces – teachers included! It was a happy, but exhausted group that landed back in Belfast on Friday evening, happy to see our parents and inform them all about our fabulous trip and get some real food! A big thank you to Mr Carolan for organising the trip and ensuring that all the arrangements went smoothly. To the other teachers who kept a discrete eye on us all whilst making our time as pleasant as it could be – Mrs McCoy, Dr Springer, Ms Keenan, Miss Williams and Mr McCoy – a big thank you/ merci beaucoup and a special thank you to our

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driver, Jim Walsh, who simply became one of the group. It was a great trip and I highly recommend it to all pupils who have the chance to sign up. The memories will live in my heart forever. Lucy Jamison (III) POLITICS SOCIETY This year our extra-curricular offerings boast an important new arrival – that of Politics Society. We had no less than six visits into school throughout the year from local MPs, MLAs, Councillors, and television pundits, including Nigel Dodds, MP, Margaret Ritchie, MP, Noel Thompson and (BRA Old Boys) councillors, Phillip Brett and Ben Kelso. Politics Society students also went to a screening of The Butler, a live studio recording of the BBC’s Spotlight Special and a carol service in Parliament Buildings, Stormont. The Politics Society was kept busy this year! Of all the events, the most popular was the debate on same-sex marriage, in which BBC journalist, Mark Simpson chaired a discussion at the Library involving over sixty pupils and four panellists. Fidelma Carolan from the Equality Commission and Nuala McAllister of the Alliance Party argued on the side of same-sex marriage, while David Smyth from Evangelical Alliance and Paula Bradley, MLA, of the DUP argued in favour of the traditional view of marriage. After the debate, Mark had a quick dash from BRA to the studios of BBC Radio Ulster’s Evening Extra where a report from the event went out just 60 minutes afterwards. However, these more public events did not take away from the Thursday meetings at lunch time, where pupils of Forms V - MVI shared their political opinions and ideas on current affairs, such as Russia’s military intervention in Crimea, freedom of speech rights, and politics in the Republic of Ireland. These gatherings allowed students to hammer out their own position in political thinking, be it conservative, liberal or socialist inclinations. Because Politics Society challenged the very difficult questions of the world and because it pushed people to go out of their comfort zone in discussions, the room was always full with old and new faces. Given this success, the Society is hopeful of a similarly rewarding year during 2014-15. Ryan Gaffikin (MVI)

‘A’ LEVEL POLITICS TRIPS Both our LVI and MVI Politics students experienced learning outside of the classroom with trips this year. In February 2014, our MVI students joined with nearly 200 other Politics students from across the province in a Political Studies Association conference in Methodist College Belfast that covered different aspects of American politics. Our speakers were prominent university lecturers who spoke on three different areas. Dr. Matthew Ashton (Nottingham Trent) answered whether the US Constitution was still in good health in a particularly engaging and energetic manner. Professor Andrew Massey (University of Exeter) compared the effectiveness of Congress and Parliament, while Dr. Richard Heffernan (Open University) contrasted the powers of the Prime Minister and President. The conference had been tailored to the ‘A’ Level Politics course so the day was extremely useful to our students and was enjoyed by everyone. LVI students as part of their AS course visited the NI Assembly at Stormont in March 2014 to learn more about the workings of the devolved government. We met with Peter Hall, Clerk of the Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee. Peter, a former Politics teacher, gave us great insight into what committees have the power to do and the challenges they have in scrutinising the Executive. We met MLAs and party representatives, including North Belfast MLA, Alban Maginness (SDLP), and former Health Minister Michael McGimspey (UUP). Students got the opportunity to ask questions and debate a range of issues. At the end of the visit, we sat in the public gallery to watch the Assembly debate a report on electricity pricing. This, again, was an important visit for our students and one that from which they certainly benefitted. K.S.B. PRIMARY SCHOOL EXCHANGE The popularity of the Primary School Experience programme continued last year with 44 Lower Sixth pupils attending 14 primary schools on a weekly basis for classroom experience. About half of the primary schools were in the Shankill area and the School minibus was used to transport our LVI pupils to and from these schools. The majority of other primary schools were in the Antrim Road/ Cliftonville areas and our pupils made their own way there either on foot or using public transport. Our pupils enjoyed the programme very much and they benefited in a range of ways from developing their

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communication skills to learning about working in a professional environment.

ROME TRIP

C.N.S. ROCK CHALLENGE

Our Italian adventure began on the 11th October at the unholy hour of 2am. Arriving outside school in our freshly pressed, personalised hoodies the long drive to Dublin commenced. After what seemed like days of travelling, we arrived in Rome at around 12 noon. A sense of communal warmth and excitement washed over us. The first day involved a cycling tour around the beautiful city of Rome. We were all able to experience the atmosphere of the city, whilst absorbing its history and culture. By the time we were finished, none of us wanted to see a bike again, but the promise of pizza was enough to carry us back to the hotel!

On Thursday 20th March, a team of pupils returned once again to the Waterfront Hall to compete in Rock Challenge 2014. We faced competition from Belfast Model School for Girls, Ashfield Girls’ School and Hazelwood Integrated College. 148

This year’s performance was titled ‘Self’ and was about coping with the challenges young people face every day and learning to accept yourself as you are. The dance was made up of five distinct styles, each representing a different challenge: stress, bodyimage, peer-pressure, self-hate and sexuality. The team put on a fantastic performance and was rewarded with seven Awards of Excellence: Costume; Set Design; Entertainment; Performance Skill; Choreography; Video Performance and Community Support. L.E.C.

I doubt we have ever slept as soundly as we did that night. However, it was bittersweet as our alarms disturbed our glorious sleep at 6.30am. After we had spoilt ourselves on a continental breakfast, we were let loose on a walking tour of the city as well as designer shops and lots of ice cream. Definitely a day for the girls! Nevertheless, a breath-taking visit to the Colosseum had us all star-struck and feeling tiny amid the huge arena. Monday morning arrived and again my shrill alarm sounded at 6.30am with the sun shining through the curtains I walked out onto my hotel room balcony and soaked up some European sun. Our day began with an amazing visit to the Catacombs of San Sebastiano followed by a jam-packed itinerary finishing with the Vatican City. The Vatican City is the most extravagant and unbelievable city I have ever laid my eyes on. We were surrounded by people, art and culture. Our visit to the city began in the Vatican Museums, where we saw the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo’s famous painted ceiling. We made it through to St

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Peter’s Cathedral where we stood in awe of the vast surroundings. My Rome adventure is one I wish I could relive every day: the shining sun, the beautiful art and outstanding history stole my heart (their pizza wasn’t bad either). I would highly recommend treating yourself to a trip to Rome if you’re considering ‘A’ Level RE. Chelsey Jones (MVI) SAVE THE CHILDREN

Save The Children at Belfast Royal Academy continues to grow stronger, with a wide range of enjoyable fundraising events over the School year involving both the pupils and staff. The events kicked off this year with “The Great BRA Bake Off”. This consisted of a series of heats in which contestants baked cakes and tasty treats to be judged by a panel of teachers and sold to raise money for the Save the Children Fund. We would like to thank Miss Herron for organising this event and inviting us to assist in the selling of the treats to contribute to the charity. Not long after putting our aprons and cake tins away for the year, we began the preparation for “BRA’s Got Talent”. The process began with a number of hopefuls auditioning for what turned out to be two days’ worth of talented performances in the Assembly Hall. The audiences enjoyed themselves thoroughly and the committee would like to thank all those who took part in organising both before and after the event. In December, the 1st XV rugby team signed up to a sponsored leg wax to raise money for the charity. The committee waxed the brave boys’ legs in front of an audience to add more contributions to the

overall fund. Tentatively, the staff members of BRA paid to dig out their Christmas jumpers and wear them to school for a day, in exchange for a small donation to the fund. The annual Non-Uniform day came next; this gave pupils a chance to express their individuality by donating £2 in order to come to school in their normal clothes. The break from uniform was very welcome and it was a fantastic way to involve the whole school in contributing to a worthy cause. Finally, we held the School’s annual Sponsored Walk, where the committee came together to have a barbeque to feed the hungry participants. After a good few hours of hard work and strained voices from the repetitive “Would you like cheese with that?” we sold out. This was a fantastic way to conclude the busy, yet worthwhile, year of the committee. After yet another very successful year of fundraising, we are overwhelmed to say that the committee has raised an outstanding £5000 for the charity. We would like to thank Miss McMillen, Mrs McIntyre, Dr Bell and Dr Springer for their continued support and contribution in making the committee what it is and creating a wonderful atmosphere, where all of the members could express their ideas freely and have an enjoyable experience at the same time. The Save the Children Committee SCHOOL COUNCIL The School Council is a representative group of the student body of the School. It meets three times a year to discuss various issues of school life that are of concern to all pupils. It is formed from the Pupil Council wherein a boy and girl representative from every House in each form is voted democratically to serve as a Pupil Councillor. The Pupil Council is chaired by Ms McBeth and the secretary is a Senior pupil. This body elects a boy and a girl representative from each year group to serve on the School Council and meets regularly to compile the agenda for the School Council meetings and to respond to the Pupil Council’s action points. The School Council, this year, was chaired by Ms Graham who worked closely with the Head Boy, Harry Robinson, as Secretary and Head Girl, Sarah Minford as Vice-Chair. From the outset of the academic year, the School Council was determined to take vital steps to improve

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school life for pupils. Many discussions occurred on a range of topics including: charity, examinations, extra-curricular activities, the School Canteen and fingerprint system, consistent enforcement of rules and reward through merits, Junior girls’ make-up, boys’ games options and toilet facilities. Many of these foci saw positive results thanks to regular meetings organised by members of the School Council with members of staff, both teaching and non-teaching. Again, I would like to thank the various members of the Academy staff who met with the councillors, for giving freely of their time and for listening to our concerns, complaints and proposals. The Pupil and School Councils organised a nonuniform day which took place on Friday 18th October. A sum of £2550 was raised from the Non-Uniform day and it was decided by the Pupil Council that the full £2550 would be given to Northern Ireland Hospice, the charity nominated by the Pupil Council at the start of term. Northern Ireland Hospice leads the way in palliative care and offers the best support for patients and their families living in Northern Ireland. Currently, they are rebuilding the local Hospice on the Somerton Road and one of their fundraising projects is the ‘Buy a Brick’ campaign.

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Several of the actions undertaken by the School Council will hopefully be in evidence in the near future: • Examinations in school: As of a few years, the winter internal exams have been held in January instead of December to coincide with the modules that the Sixth Form students were sitting. As external modules will not be offered in January 2015, the Pupil Council voted in favour of the return of December examinations. • School Canteen and fingerprint system A recurring matter in the agenda of the School Council was that of the food which is sold in the Canteen and the Fingerprinting system. Pasta is now available two days a week and there are further vegetarian options. We have also had a third Biometric machine installed –this is located in the foyer of the William Sillery building, under the staircase. • Extra-Curricular Fair and activities Junior pupils are encouraged to join at least one extra-curricular activity. However, the Pupil Council was of the opinion that pupils needed more specific information about the opportunities

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available to them. The Head Boy and Head Girl organised two extra-curricular fairs on the 18th and 19th of September as part of ‘Wellbeing Week’. Numerous Clubs and Societies set up their stalls in the Library to inform all pupils what takes place in each club and how to get involved. This event was a huge success.

Senior Leadership Team with whom they will be working throughout the year. T.M.B. SKI TRIP - NIEDERAU

Overall, I believe that the School Council has made some large steps in order to enable the School to operate more efficiently. The School Council would like to thank Nikita McCoubrey for serving as secretary to the Pupil Council; Nikita produced the Pupil Council minutes which formed the Agenda for the School Council meetings. On behalf of the School and Pupil Councils, I would like to thank both Ms McBeth and Ms Graham for their continued and active support of both the Pupil and School Councils. I would also like to thank others who gave up their time to attend both Pupil Council and School Council meetings such as Mr Beggs and Mr Warke (Wardens to the Board of Governors). Thanks must also go to members of staff such as Mr Creighton, Dr Scully, Mr Thompson, Mr Baldwin and Mr Hastings who have taken the time to listen to our views and help us address the issues that we have raised on behalf of the pupils of Belfast Royal Academy. I feel very fortunate to have been a part of the School Council this year, as we took it into our own hands to find solutions to problems that directly affect us, the pupils. The School Council is a most proficient and effective way for the students to put across ideas and requests and to make their voices heard. Sarah Minford (Head Girl) SENIOR PREFECT TEAM-BUILDING EVENT This year the Senior Prefects participated in a team-building event after school on Tuesday 17th September. A range of tasks was devised to challenge the Senior Prefects’ communication, leadership and interpersonal skills. Relayed construction tasks (with Megablocks); blind-folded sketching and egg-throwing led to much laughter, as well as the intended development of team-building. Followed by a BRA themed quiz and pizza for tea, the event was a great success and allowed the Senior Prefects to strengthen relationships in the group and with the

This year’s school ski trip took place in the picturesque mountains of Nidereau, Austria. Approximately thirty five pupils accompanied by five teachers braved the elements and took to the slopes. Our journey began early in the morning as we travelled to Dublin airport to then fly to Salzburg airport. Our arrival was then followed by a three hour journey in a coach to reach our idyllic village. As soon as we had arrived, the excitement began to kick in as you could quite clearly see the slopes from our hotel. Every morning the group would be woken early for our breakfast: we were fortunate enough as we only had to walk a short distance to reach the slopes. We would ski for around two hours in the morning, followed by lunch and then skied for around another two hours in the afternoon. After our lessons had finished it was time to relax and explore the village and shops before our dinner. Each night there was a wide range of exciting activities on offer from bowling to bingo. This was a great way to end our day before another enjoyable day of skiing. We were lucky to have excellent snow conditions as well as the bright weather. Overall, the ski trip was an amazing experience and I would recommend it to all pupils of all ages. This trip would not have been possible without Mr Moles and the rest of the staff: Mr Nash, Mr McGonigle, Mrs Reynolds and Mrs Gilmore, we thank them all for making it such an enjoyable trip. Lucy Stewart and Charlotte Nicholl (V)

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SPANISH EXCHANGE We consider ourselves very fortunate to have as our partner school the Instituto Juan de Villaneuva in Pola de Siero, Asturias NW Spain as, through its bilingual programme, it hosts exchanges throughout the European Union. Most of the Spanish students from the Exchange programme are part of a bilingual scheme where they study different subjects, all taught in English from the age of eleven. This ensures that their level of English is of a high standard with the majority even understanding the local vernacular! The first leg of the programme took place in early September when two Spanish teachers, Dioni and Isabel, accompanied 18 Spanish students to sunny Northern Ireland. Although our Exchange is in its seventh successful year, the group had never experienced such mild weather making their stay particularly memorable. Some of their activities included a day on the north coast at Giant’s Causeway with weather conditions mild enough for the traverse of the Carrick-a-Rede! They also went to the Titanic museum where they spent a fascinating morning learning about our history. This year an additional activity was a tour of the Crumlin Gaol. This visit proved exceptional as the young visitors were enthralled by the guide’s narration on events related to the gaol. The group was delighted to be hosted by the Lord Mayor at a reception in the City Hall. The group was given the opportunity to engage in an interesting discussion with the Lord Mayor on cultural differences between the two countries and the lives of young people.

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The second stage of the Spanish exchange with Escultor Juan de Villeneuva began at the extremely early hour of 5am, when 18 sleepy but very excited pupils met at Belfast International Airport for the first flight of the day to Stansted. Some suitcases just made the weight limit (Mrs Roberts’ suitcase weighed 19.9 kilos, so no shopping in Spain for her!) There was just enough time for a coffee before boarding commenced and, at last, the Exchange was under way. After a very, very long queue through passport control in Asturias (only one officer was on duty) the group was welcomed warmly by their Spanish counterparts as they emerged into the hot sunshine to begin a week of life as part of a Spanish family, speaking Spanish, attending lessons in the local school, and visiting places of interest in Asturias.

As on previous trips, the group went to the beautiful Los Lagos, high up in the Picos de Europa, and afterwards to the enchanting seaside resort of Ribadesella, where the present Queen of Spain was born. They also visited the prehistoric Tito Bustillo caves where they saw wall paintings made over 25,000 years ago. The Mayor of Pola de Siero hosted a reception for the school party with the event later featuring in the local newspaper. Back at the school, the pupils took part in a practical Food Technology lesson in which they learnt how to make marzipan. This vocational two-year programme of study is an important element in the curriculum of the school which also offers literature, language, science, technology and engineering courses to students up to the age of eighteen. On the last day of the student exchange, Academy pupils visited the centre of operations for one of the most important industries of the region – the Central Lechera Asturiana. This is a dairy complex which produces many thousands of litres of milk and milk products in every seventy-hour sequence after which the machinery is re-sterilized before production continues. The tour was all the more interesting as the pupils were aware of the importance of a similar industry to the economy of Northern Ireland. In the course of a fascinating exploration of the plant (with everyone dressed in hygienic, if deeply uncool, hairnets and white coveralls) the pupils were guided through the different stages of production. They were told how the milk was sourced, the procedures for testing and preparation for different types of product, and the methods of distribution throughout Spain. The most impressive aspect was the evident pride which the employees took in the high quality of what the company produces, and their commitment to the continuing success of the enterprise. The guides spoke in Spanish throughout and this offered a valuable opportunity to enhance the pupils’ knowledge of business Spanish, in addition to direct experience of innovative management techniques: important elements in the development of later career opportunities for the young people. Indeed, the linguistic skills acquired, as well as the contribution to personal and professional development, made this aspect of the student exchange programme particularly useful. Overall, the exchange provided a wonderful opportunity for students of both countries to

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ASTURIAS TO BELFAST

BELFAST TO ASTURIAS

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experience life, culture and language in Spain and Northern Ireland. As we have seen over the many years of this exchange, enduring friendships have been formed and this year’s students look forward to being able to continue these relationships in the future. Viva el intercambio! S.R. SPEECH AND DRAMA

SPONSORED WALK The Sponsored Walk took place on a fine April day with over 900 pupils participating. New safety measures on the course and a slight alteration to the route ensured that everyone participating in the the Walk and had a great deal of fun. The good weather and activities at Ben Madigan ensured the whole-school community had an enjoyable time, whilst raising nearly £9000 in the process. P.D. SWEDISH EXCHANGE Belfast Royal Academy had a most successful exchange with a group of students from Fyrisskolan Upper Secondary in Uppsala. The continuation of a long-standing partnership between the two schools saw the Swedish students arrive in Belfast in October 2013 for three days of cultural activities. The students enjoyed a range of activities such as attending Stormont, touring the City Hall and experiencing the Open Top Bus tour of Belfast.

In March, pupils from Belfast Royal Academy participated in the Belfast Speech and Drama Festival at the Lyric Theatre.

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James Moorehead (LVI) placed 3rd in the Senior Prose Reading Competition, Amber Cole (III) finished just 1 mark off Highly Commended in the Senior Monologue Recital, and Jing-Yi Sun (I) and Mairead Crinion (I) both received Highly Commended awards in the Junior Verse Competition. Jing-Yi also took part in the Junior Prepared Prose Reading competition. She read an extract from ‘Ratburger’ by David Walliams and placed 2nd overall. The pupils were a credit to Belfast Royal Academy and are already looking forward to representing the school in next year’s competitions. L.E.C.

In March, 2014, seven students from BRA relished the experience of living with a Swedish family and attending classes in an Upper Secondary School in Uppsala. This was a unique experience as students gained a personal insight into the Swedish Educational system. In glorious weather, students and staff also enjoyed a guided tour of the picturesque town of Uppsala and the nearby city of Stockholm. Genuine friendships were made during the trip and a greater sense of understanding between two cultures. O.T.M. TEENAGE KICKS I have taken part in teenage kicks for six years and will participate in my seventh this year. Teenage Kicks is an energetic, fast-moving dance programme with Fitness Freddie and is a fun way to exercise with your friends. The programme is for young people across Belfast. It helps teenagers in leadership, through the mentoring of the younger pupils and highlights the benefit of physical exercise. We learn two dances over a period of six enjoyable weeks and at the end we get to perform at the Ulster Hall in front of an audience including the Lord Mayor.

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Through Teenage Kicks I have gained confidence, team-work skills, new dance moves and made many new friends from different schools, both primary and secondary. It has also helped me gain skills in communication, co-ordination and a more positive attitude towards exercise which I have been able to apply to everyday life. Rachel O’Neill (LVI) THE READING GROUP Every other Tuesday, a keen group of LVI and MVI pupils is welcomed into Ms Graham’s room, to share our love of books whilst enjoying tea/coffee and treats. In Reading Group, we have the opportunity to discover great authors and expand our interests by being exposed to different genres of books. We are given opportunities to exchange our thoughts on our recent reads and because of the variety of interests in the group, there are many fascinating discussions. This year, we have had discussions ranging from an intellectual debate about Ernest Hemingway to a passionate rant about a graphic novel. Despite our divergent tastes, we occasionally agree to read the same book. In the Autumn Term we read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and then reviewed the book together over Hallowe’en-themed snacks. We found that this book allowed us to experience writing from a different era. In the Spring Term, we read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This provoked some interesting discussions involving exclusion in a community. This year we also enjoyed attending Literary Lunchtimes at the Ulster Hall. On 18th December, we went to the Christmas Poetry Picnic, which was a fantastic day. We listened to Christmas poems, a reading from the works of Charles Dickens and some Christmas songs. On another occasion, we went to listen to Jo Baker talking about her novel, Longbourn, a story linked to Pride and Prejudice. After, we bought a copy of the book and got it signed by Jo Baker. Some of our more eventful Reading Group meetings included Pancake Day, when we made a big mess in the Home Economics Department and ate delicious pancakes. (We did clear up!) Another meeting that stands out involved our alternative take on Valentine’s Day. We all researched and read AntiValentine’s Day poems to the group and ironically ate heart-shaped chocolates.

Reading Group allowed us to expand the horizon of our views towards life and afforded us the opportunity to appreciate different opinions. The material we read certainly influenced our views on various issues. The society also granted us the chance to socialise with each other and to get to know an individual’s viewpoints. We hope that the Reading Group’s legacy will continue to nourish and enrich existing and future Sixth Form pupils who are willing to immerse themselves in one of the most diverse school societies that we have had the luxury of being a part of during our Sixth Form years. Tori McConnell and Mahdi Tavakoli (MVI) THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CHEMISTRY SCHOOLS’ ANALYST COMPETITION On the 8th March, a team of three Middle VI pupils competed in the Northern Ireland Regional Heat of the Royal Society of Chemistry Schools’ Analyst Competition at Stranmillis University College Belfast. The team consisted of Jack Johnston, Patricia Martin and Elizabeth Sinclair who were up against twelve other schools from across the province. The aim of the competition is to raise standards of practical analytical chemistry amongst Sixth Form students and is based on problems relevant to industrial and social needs. The students are assessed in their practical skills as well as their understanding and ability to work safely as a team and on their time management. The format of the competition is the same for each year. Each team carried out three experiments which all carried equal marks. This year, the practicals involved the determination of the partition coefficient of an organic acid by an acid-base titration, the analysis of a health supplement by a redox titration and the analysis of a health supplement by colorimetry. After three hours of practical work the BRA team just missed out on one of the top places, however, the experience gained was invaluable to the members of the team and I congratulate them on their performance. B.M.M. THE SCHOOL LIBRARY The past academic year was very busy in the Library. All Form I and II pupils were timetabled

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to attend the Library each week and take part in the Accelerated Reader programme. Many pupils scored 100% in their reading tests and others made it into our Millionaires’ Club which recognises pupils who have read over one million words within the school year. Prizes and an acknowledgement of their achievements were celebrated in school assemblies during each term. Borrowing increased from the previous school year and new resources were bought to enhance and sustain the improvement in reading. Pupils were able to use the library during Lunch and break to take online quizzes on books they have read. We hope to improve access to ICT to enable pupils to take quizzes more often. Other subjects across the curriculum visited and used the library. New resources for the BTEC P.E. were bought and many pupils used them.

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Highlights 2013/2014 • Roald Dahl Day was celebrated in September by hosting special quizzes for pupils and chocolate for the winners. • National Poetry Day on the 3rd October was recognised by hosting a poetry competition around the theme of ‘Water’. Over 70 pupils entered the competition and Jack Green, Form II won first place with his poem ‘The Drops’ and was awarded a £10 voucher to spend at the Book Fair. • Scholastic Book Fairs. Two book fairs were organised by the Library, generating over a thousand pounds in new books for the library. They were well supported and attended by Junior pupils • Displays showing the ‘Water’ poetry competition, Books we Loved, Millionaire Leader board, Malorie Blackman visit to Stormont and 100% Club were some of the displays along with seasonal book recommendations at Halloween, Christmas and Summer. • A new collection of resources entitled ‘The Life we’re Living’ was produced in the summer Term to help pupils who are going through particular events in their life and offer fiction and nonfiction as a means of help/therapy. This idea arose after the librarian attended a course where research on Bibliotherapy was produced. The Library aims to build this collection and link it with the school Wellbeing committee, Special Needs and the school nurse. • World Book Day was celebrated in March with

a book fair and the distribution of book tokens to every pupil in school. The online streaming of famous authors reading aloud took place on screen in the Library. We have had an excellent team of Pupil Librarians, Senior Prefects and the help of Mrs Tepe (classroom assistant) in the smooth running and supervision of the Library. Pupil involvement ensures the Library is relevant for pupils’ needs and gives them a chance to participate within school. We look forward to another busy year in the library. T.C. THE VILLIERS PARK TRUST An Educational Trust based in Cambridge which aims to inspire gifted and talented pupils. The following pupils were selected by the Trustees of Villiers Park for participation in the Annual Series of Reading Parties at Foxton, Cambridge: Jack Armstrong Modern History Gavin Arrell Engineering Ruairi Brogan Exploration of Space Sorcha Burke Biology Alan Campbell Law Jenny Coates English Literature: Exploring Shakespeare Natalie Cole Computer Science Liam Ferris Computer Science Alice Kavanagh Physics: How the universe lives and dies Faye Kidd Modern History Beth MacDougall Theatre Studies Rowan Madden Creative Writing Sarah McMahon History: Hidden Histories Rosalind Ware French: Language and Identity Amy Wilson PPE C.N.S. THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD 3rd July, 2014 was a significant date in the life of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in the Academy. That day saw the inception of our school D. of E. Facebook page (The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Belfast Royal Academy) and the beginning of a public record of all our work. As the summer progressed, and I monitored our regular updates, my sense of amazement and pride in relation to the vast

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range and variety of our activities was significantly renewed: Gold foot qualifying expeditions in the Fortwilliam/ Lochaber/ Glencoe area of Scotland; Silver and Gold Canadian canoe qualifying expeditions in Lough Erne, Co. Fermanagh; Gold foot qualifying expeditions in the North Antrim Hills; and Silver foot qualifying expeditions in the Mournes. All of this is the tip of a giant Academy D. of E. mountain of activities in the Volunteering, Skills, Physical and Gold Residential sections still to be covered on our Facebook page. In addition, during the summer, we completely refreshed and updated our website (www.academyduke.org. uk) and this, again, has helped to emphasize the enormous variety of our work and to strengthen further the good standing of the Academy D. of E. ‘family’. During 2013-14, our large membership remained steady at 429 pupils from Forms III to Middle VI: this means that the Academy has the largest schoolbased Award Centre in Northern Ireland, and possibly the United Kingdom. Continued effort on the part of our members produced a very creditable number of Awards gained during the course of the year: 35 Bronze Awards, 18 Silver Awards and 9 Gold Awards. The total number of awards gained from 1984 to date is:¬ Bronze –1199; Silver – 649; Gold – 429. Congratulations must go to the nine pupils and past pupils who gained the Gold Award: Leah Baillie (MVI) Shannon Clements, James Donnelly, Emma Gray (MVI), Alice Kavanagh (MVI) Lorna McGookin, Alex McGovern (MVI) Elizabeth Sinclair (MVI) and Amy Wilson (MVI). A very full and successful programme of expedition work in the Mourne Mountains, North Antrim Hills, Upper and Lower Lough Erne and in the Glencoe/ Fortwilliam/Lochaber area in Scotland was carried out during the year, directly involving 242 pupils in expedition theory classes, training weekends and practice and qualifying expeditions. We are indebted to the many people who were willing to give of their free time to make possible the huge undertaking of the Expedition section. We sincerely thank the following teachers, past pupils and adult helpers who generously gave their time and assistance:-

Mr. R. Armstrong Mr. J. Buchan Mr. K. Cheung Mr. R. Colhoun Mr. J. Cummings Mr. J. Davison Miss. L. Dugan Miss. H. Grant Mr. C. Hall Mr. K. Laverty Mr. J. Letson Mr. D. McArthur

Mr. P. McArthur Miss K. McClelland Mr. M. Miller Miss C. Murphy Miss R. Petticrew Mr. M. Scott Mr. D. Sharp Mr. D. Smith Mrs. M. Wilson Mr. A. Workman Mr. F. Workman

Very special thanks must also go to the following people: Mr. Maurice Miller for his outstanding contribution in overseeing all aspects of the Expedition section; Mr. Billy Dunn for driving the school bus on many weekends and for his valued assistance; Mr. Alan Hermon for assisting with transport; Mrs. Michelle Wilson for outstanding assistance with Award administration; Miss Holly Grant, Mr. Martin Scott, Ms. Helen Douglas and Miss Joanna Clarke for very valuable assistance with administration work; and the Gold Award Leaders of 2013-2014 for excellent assistance with the running of the D. of E. in the school. The Academy’s Award Centre is indebted to the various Bed and Breakfast houses, which are the supervision bases for our many expeditions. Grateful thanks indeed to: Mrs. M. Trainor of Silent Valley, Kilkeel; Mr. and Mrs. J. McHenry of Glenariff, Ballymena and Miss M. Scally of Torr Road, Cushendun. Not a single Duke of Edinburgh Expedition could have set out from the Academy during the year if it had not been for the tireless efforts of those ten or so pupils who form the “Tent Team” and who gave much of their time in maintaining our large stock of camping equipment. Many thanks, T-Team, for all your work! Expedition first-aid training was kindly provided by Dr. Norman Walker and by Dr. Keith Thompson and his team of volunteer first-aiders. The work of the Volunteering section continued successfully through the year. We are very grateful to Miss S. Ardis for administering the work of those pupils involved in individual Volunteering section activities. Thanks are owed to Mrs. G. Morris, Ms. T. McBeth and Ms. D. Keenan for assisting those pupils working in the Community Service option.

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The detailed administration of the Skills section was very ably undertaken by Mrs. N. Nicholl to whom we are very much indebted. Bible reading, car maintenance, photography and chess are just a few of the many interests pursued by our pupils within this section. Many thanks are due to the numerous members of staff who gave up their time to act as Skills section assessors including:

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Mrs. Kerr Mr. Briggs Mrs. E. Burch Ms. McMullan Mrs. Morrison Mrs. T. Corcoran Mrs. O’Donnell Mrs. Currie Mr. Spence Ms. Graham Mr. Jamison Within the Skills section, 28 pupils took part in the Bronze Award Fire Service Courses held at Whitla Street Fire Station. We warmly thank the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service for the provision of the courses and Mr. Reece Colhoun for supervising the classes. 26 pupils took part in two Bronze Award First-Aid Courses based in the Sixth Form Centre on Tuesday evenings in the autumn of 2013 and the spring of 2014. We are very grateful to Dr. Keith Thompson and his team of volunteer First Aiders for providing the course. 21 pupils were involved in the Silver Award Police Service Course organised during the year by the P.S.N.I. to whom we are most grateful. Thanks to Miss J. Spence for supervising the classes. We thank Mr. Carolan for organising the administration of the Physical section. Many sports are pursued by our pupils within this section and we are grateful to the staff of the P.E. Department: Mr. Creighton, Mrs. Nicholl, Mrs. Shaw, Mr. McGonigle, Mr. McCarey, Miss Brady and all of the Games staff for all their much appreciated help throughout the past year. We thank Mr. Brian McLaughlin and Mr. Robert Armstrong for all their work in training the kayak canoeists on Friday afternoons. Much helpful advice in connection with the Gold Residential section is given to our Sixth Form pupils by Mr. Buchan to whom we are very grateful. Thanks must go to Mr. Maurice Miller for his help in looking after our finances. The 24th Annual Sponsored “Mournes’ Clean-up and Environment Day” was held on Saturday, 14th December, 2013. Taking part were 114 pupils, all Duke of Edinburgh’s Award members from Forms

III to Middle VI as well as 37 adult helpers, including former pupils who are Gold Award holders, parents and teachers. Rubbish was collected from 12 sites in the Mournes area and in excess of two and a half tonnes of rubbish were cleared. This was very good indeed, bearing in mind the poor weather. The pleasing sum of £2,149.50 was raised for our funds. We had much appreciated assistance from Down District Council, Newry and Mourne District Council, The Mourne Heritage Trust, The National Trust and Mark’s Skip Hire (Kilkeel). Councillor Maria McCarthy, Chairman, Down District Council, Councillor David Taylor, Deputy Mayor, Newry and Mourne District Council, Mr Sean Rodgers M.L.A., Mr. Jim Wells M.L.A., Mr John McCallister M.L.A., Ms. Kate Thompson, Director of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in Northern Ireland, Ms. Colette O’Rourke, Performance and Quality Officer, Down District Council, Mr. Matthew Bushby, Countryside Services Manager, Mourne Heritage Trust, Mr. David Thompson, Area Warden for South Down, National Trust and Mr. Liam Dinsmore, Management Services Officer, Newry and Mourne District Council, were present in Donard Park, Newcastle, early on the Saturday morning to lend their support to the event and to wish the B.R.A. Team every success. The Academy’s Open Nights in January, 2014 and the Open Morning in May, 2014 were a great success and all aspects of school life were on show to prospective pupils and their parents. Many thanks to all of those who helped to make the impressive D. of E. display in the Sixth Form Study Area so effective. The seventeenth highly successful Canadian Canoe Week was held from 2nd to 9th August, 2014 in Lough Erne. This was a highly packed programme of Silver and Gold Canoe Qualifying Expeditions. 20 pupil members and 3 adult leaders took part. Congratulations to Holly Grant for gaining the Hillwalking Levels 1 and 2 Certificate; also to Keith Laverty who has completed work for the U.K.C.C. / B.C.U. Levels 1 and 2 Paddlesport Coach qualification. Three of our Sixth Form Gold participants, Claire McGowan, Rebecca Burns and Abby Reid, entered and won prizes in the BELB Competition recognising and thanking D. of E. leaders for their help and encouragement.

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I should like to take this opportunity of expressing my deep gratitude to my father who recently passed away and my mother for all their support and assistance during the last thirty-two years: they have been the ultimate back-up team.

Katherine Wallace (IV) Anna Wilson (IV)

In conclusion, 2013-2014 was a year of solid work and achievement on the part of all involved in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in the Academy. Teamwork, self-reliance, a sense of responsibility to others, leadership, commitment, ‘stickability’, enterprise, self-discipline and initiative are all qualities which, to a greater or lesser extent, have been developed by our pupils as they have participated in the various sections of the D. of E. and which will stand them in good stead not only now but in later years.

Silver Award Rachel Abbott (-) Natalie Cole (MVI) Ana Desmond (V) Gavin Gilfillan (MVI) Victoria Haddock (LVI) Emma McAllister (LVI) Kieran McKenna (V) Bronagh McLaughlin (LVI) Gabrielle Moore (LVI) Beth Moss (MVI) Catherine Nelson (LVI) Gary Nelson (LVI) Samuel Nelson (-) Thomas O’Callaghan (LVI) Oliver Vick (LVI) Katie Watt (LVI) Sarah Whittley (LVI)

Finally, pride of place and congratulations must go to the following pupils and past pupils who gained awards during the past year:Bronze Award Lauren Benson (MVI) Daniel Bingham (IV) Andrew Boreland (V) Harry Brewster (V) Mary Cousins (IV) Callum Dalzell (V) Chloe Dawson (IV) Helen Diamond (LVI) Keeva Drummond (LVI) Enna Gibson (MVI) Martha Gordon (V) Aaron Gorman (LVI) Niall Gray (V) Mollie Haddock (V) Monique Hipolito (V) Natasha Kelly (IV) Ashley Johnston (IV) Rosa Laws-Quinn (V) Beth Magill (III) Ciara McAnallen (MVI) Christopher McConnell (IV) Chloe McCrory (III) Joshua McCullough (MVI) James McMahon-Beattie (IV) Kirsty Miller (IV) Erin Moffett (III) Cathryn Morrissey (V) Naomi Newton (IV) Christian O’Connor (LVI) Hollie Tracey (IV) Shannon Venus (V)

Bronze & Silver Lorna Joyce (MVI)

Gold Award Leah Baillie (MVI) Shannon Clements (-) James Donnelly (-) Emma Gray (MVI) Alice Kavanagh (MVI) Lorna McGookin (-) Alex McGovern (MVI) Elizabeth Sinclair (MVI) Amy Wilson (MVI) BRONZE AWARD BOYS’ FOOT QUALIFYING EXPEDITION 12th - 13th APRIL, 2014 MOURNE MOUNTAINS Day 1 We arrived at Fofanny Dam, in the Mournes, at approximately 11:30am on Saturday 12th April, 2014. We were supposed to be setting off on our expedition at 12 noon. However, due to unexpected delays, we started slightly later than planned. This made my team, including myself, feel slightly frustrated as we just wanted to get going. The first few legs were pretty easy for my team. It became more difficult when we started to climb and we had to walk off-road. This is when my team began to struggle and Luke fell over and hurt his ankle. At

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the time he said it was okay. But by about halfway through leg 4, he fell again while contouring round Slievenamiskan, and this caused him to injure his ankle. As he had been hurt so badly, we decided to use the emergency phone. Maurice quickly came to our aid and assisted Luke off the mountain. We also had problems when going down the mountain to Hen Mountain as this section was very steep. This slowed our pace slightly, but we got down in good time. When we eventually got to the bottom of the mountain, we met Johnny, one of the Instructors, with his dog, and he told us that because we were so late, we did not have to contour around Hen Mountain. Instead we could go up and through the col of Hen and Cock Mountain. We arrived at the campsite at around 7:30pm which made my team and me extremely happy. Day 2 My team was awakened around 7:30am by the Gold Award Leaders. We arose from our tents, ate breakfast and packed up all of our things including the tents. My team was supposed to leave by 9:45am but it ended up being around 11:00am before we left, due to delays. The first three legs of the route were difficult as we had to ascend between Rocky Mountain and Tornamrock, which was very steep. We had to take many breaks during this climb. At this point, it was quite cold and there was a light rain.

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Once we got past these legs, it was easier for my team as it was basically all flat ground. We even over took a few teams who had left much earlier than us! We had decided that instead of stopping for lunch, we would just eat as we were walking. This saved us a lot of time and we had a very good pace. At some points on the home stretch, there was deep mud and Harry McCaffrey nearly lost his leg, never mind his shoe! This small humorous act raised team morale as it was incredibly funny at the time. The weather had improved and it was really warm and dry by this stage in the day. We eventually caught up with all of the Gold Award Leaders and they said that if our team got to the finish first, that they would buy us all ice cream. This made my team and I get to the finish as fast as we could and we ended up finishing 3rd, so the Goldies won the bet. Harry Jamison (IV), Jack Scarborough (IV), James Campbell (IV), Luke McGarvey (IV),

Harry McCaffery (IV), Aaron Maguire (IV) and Conor Moss (IV) BRONZE AWARD GIRLS’ FOOT QUALIFYING EXPEDITION 26th – 27th APRIL, 2014 MOURNE MOUNTAINS Everyone arrived at school at 7am Firstly, we had our initial briefing in the Dining Hall followed by the distribution of equipment including tents, trangias and all our team equipment, that we didn’t have room for! With the trailer loaded up we set off for the Mournes. We were dropped off at Fofanny Dam, where each team set off on their expedition at 30 minute intervals. Our team set off on the road and what we thought would only take us an hour, actually took closer to 3! As we got round to the other side of Spelga Dam, we met the dreaded, marshy, Deer’s Meadow that we had heard the Goldie’s talk and laugh about so much! At last it was lunch time – food and water refills. It was actually good to see the leaders. After contouring Slievenamiskan, fantastic news followed … we didn’t have to contour Hen Mountain! Instead we were able to go between the col of Hen and Cock Mountain. It seemed to be hours of walking and slogging before we finally reached our campsite. It was a great feeling to dump the rucksacks and relieve our shoulders. Our team split into two – one half cooked and the other set up the tent (with just a little help from the Goldies). Dinner was amazing, but finding a suitable toilet area proved to be quite taxing. It was so good to get dry clothes on and into that sleeping bag which I had been thinking of for so long. We chatted for a while, but in no time, we were fast asleep. This was a good thing as we had an early start the next morning and a full day’s walking. On Sunday morning we were up at 8:00am and had an hour to get everything packed up and away into our rucksacks, only to put it back on to our aching shoulders. After a litter sweep of the campsite, the leaders arrived with more water and once again we set off in 30 minute intervals. The first hour was definitely the hardest as we climbed to the col between Rocky Mountain and Tornamrock where the Goldies were waiting. We then met another set of Goldies at the start of Rostervor Forest. Everyone said this was the easiest route – homeward bound – straight down all forest track but it seemed like an endless journey. The rucksacks seemed to get heavier but at least we didn’t get lost. We met yet another set of Goldies at Yellow Water Bridge where we had our lunch stop. From this point, we knew

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we only had 1 hour left. Later in the day, I thought that we only had about 5 minutes to go and my feet were in that much agony I decided that it would be a good idea to put my flip flops on. It really wasn’t! I think that I ended up with twice the number of blisters in that short period of time than I did the whole weekend! We were the first team back. Only when all of the other teams were finished were we driven down to Warrenpoint for food, then back to school, where we were called up in our teams to get our equipment checked, returned and hung up. Lastly, we had our debriefing and then HOME! Really fun weekend! Maria Del Castillo (IV), Laura Loboda (IV), Lucia McCorry (IV), Eilish McEwan (IV), Alex McKee (IV) SILVER AWARD FOOT QUALIFYING EXPEDITION 20th – 22nd JUNE, 2014 MOURNE MOUNTAINS Day 1 The bus deposited all the participants and leaders at Donard Car Park at approximately 10:00am. We commenced our walk contouring around Slieve Donard giving us some breathtaking views overlooking Newcastle. The weather was warm and settled which allowed us to enjoy the scenery on our occasional five minute breaks. The good weather was also good for morale as the conditions were ideal for walking. We proceeded along the edge of the forest until lunchtime. During our lunch break we met our assessor for the first time. We continued our walk until we reached the viewpoint at Tollymore Forest. Having resumed our walk we made our way through the forest until we reached the second viewpoint. We decided to take a longer break here as everyone was tired after the day’s walk. We then continued along Trassey Track until we reached the campsite. On reaching the campsite we identified a site for our tents. While the boys set up the tents, the girls set up the trangias and put water on to boil to make our much anticipated evening meal. We were all really hungry after our walk and the food tasted really good. Day 2 After a good night’s sleep we woke early at 6:30am and made our breakfast. We packed our tents away and put them in our rucksacks. We left the campsite and made our way up through the col of Slieve Meelmore and Slieve Bearnagh. We proceeded

along the mountain track. We then contoured around Slieve Meelbeg and Slieve Loughshannagh, eventually making our way to the car park on the Slievenaman road. On reaching the car park we rewarded ourselves with a five minute break. Having got our breath back we set off again and made our way up to the Spelga Dam where we had our lunch. We contoured around Slievenamiskan and on the route met with our assessor. Following the meeting with the assessor we proceeded along the Hen Track until we reached our campsite. We set up camp and prepared our meals. Day 3 We woke at 7:00am and made our breakfast, packed up our gear and set off. The whole way to Batt’s Wall we tried to avoid the very marshy ground, but as a consequence of this, our walk took longer than expected. When we reached the entrance to Rostrevor Forest we realised we had made a navigational error. Fortunately, we encountered an instructor, Holly, who set us back on the right course and we proceeded to follow the boundary wall of the forest. At this stage of the day, Daniel had fallen down a hole in the ground and twisted his ankle. He was obviously in pain and said his left leg, especially the ankle, was very sore. Andrew and I helped him climb out of the hole and supported him to the wall to allow him to sit down. I had already tried using the emergency phone but was unable to get a signal. To our great relief at around 3:00pm we were met by Holly and Martin, another instructor. The instructors created makeshift crutches from two tent poles and with this support and help from them, Daniel was able to make it back to the path at the entrance to the forest. At the roadside we waited for a few moments until Maurice arrived with the minibus. We were driven to Warrenpoint, where we got food. Never have chips tasted so good! We returned to school in much better spirits – tired but happy to have risen to the challenge of our Silver Expedition and content that Daniel was likely to recover swiftly from his sprained ankle. Cameron McGaughey (V), Andrew Milligan (V), Daniel Harold (V), Katie Wallace (V), Chealsea Roxas (V), Roma Mulholland (V) SILVER AWARD FOOT QUALIFYING EXPEDITION 22nd – 24th AUGUST, 2014 MOURNE MOUNTAINS Day 1 It was a very sombre moment when my dad shook

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me awake at 5am on the morning of Friday, 22nd August, 2014 - it was the day of our Silver Qualifying Expedition. We had to meet in the school car-park at 7.00am, in order to receive our equipment for the weekend. The weather seemed perfect for walking dry, crisp and clear - everyone was in relatively high spirits. After a hugging spree, we bid our parents adieu, and dragged our bags into the playground, to check and pack the tents, trangia, compasses, emergency telephone numbers and high-vis vests. We arrived in Newcastle at 10.00am, bade civilisation farewell, took a pre-Expedition photo, and set off into the wilderness. The first path we followed was one of the steepest hills we would encounter throughout the weekend, and, needless to say, we were quite tired at the end of it. However, we were not to be deterred, and continued walking at a moderately fast pace. The weather was still beautiful - not too warm, yet not too cold, and we spent the time chatting and gossiping. After half an hour, we reached a field full of brambles and thorns, which we had to walk through, that separated Donard Wood from Tollymore Forest Park. That wasn’t pleasant, but we remained positive, and afterwards stopped for a fifteen-minute break, where we had a drink, a snack and a good grumble at the lack of gardeners in the Mournes! After an hour-anda-half, and 4.4km more of walking by the edge of Tollymore Forest Park, we stopped for lunch, and admired the beautiful view of the Mournes as the sun shone down on their green peaks. I had never been more glad to see a peanut-butter sandwich in my life; we all enjoyed the rest and each other’s company.

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Most of the first day was spent in forest, where we could shelter from the sun. We got into the mountain range around 2.10pm, and followed a wall until we met Trassey Track, forty minutes later. We were still in good spirits, but our feet were tired, and, despite much snacking throughout the day, we were looking forward to a good dinner and sit-down. Following Trassey Track was easy, and we soon found our campsite, just five minutes late. We threw our bags down and scoured the area for the flattest ground we could find, and then, since it was only 3.35pm, everyone helped to pitch the tents. We unpacked hastily, and then slumped by the river, dangling our bare feet into the cool waters - it was very refreshing. Dinner was started around 5.00pm, and we all sat together. There was much to talk about, so we were well entertained. Maurice and Holly turned up not long afterwards, followed soon by our assessor. She seemed happy with us, and we all chatted as dinner was served. Soon afterwards, everyone piled into

Clodagh’s tent, sharing sweets, talking and just generally having a good time. However, we were all exhausted, and the lights were out by 9.30pm. Day 2 Saturday morning dawned bright and early; there had been no rain, but everything was covered in a fine, soft dew. An alarm woke us at the ugly hour of 6.45am. After a slow breakfast, we dressed, brushed our teeth, packed everything away, refilled our water bottles (adding, of course, water purification tablets) and set off at 9.00am. Our first challenge was a climb of 210 metres up Slieve Bearnagh, and then through the col of Slieve Bearnagh and Slieve Meelmore. We walked along mostly flat ground between many mountains for forty minutes, stopping only a few times; talk and laughter flowed. Upon reaching the car-park, after fifty minutes’ walking, the sun gave in and it finally started to rain. We met with our assessor, and then continued through the field bordering Slievenamuck to the car-park at Spelga Dam, arriving at 12pm. There, we met with Maurice, Holly and Martin, and took a further fifty minutes to dine. When it became clear that our sandwiches were becoming inedible due to heavy rain, we retired to the bathrooms (a welcome delight, after over a day without proper toilets) and finished our meal there. We followed the road for a while after that, which had been taken over by purple-tutu-wearing motorbikers, and crossed Spelga Dam. The weather cleared, but the ground was still marshy, so that made walking more difficult. We contoured around Slievenamiskan and Hen Mountain for an hour until we reached a sheepfold; from there, we walked by Rowan Tree River for 3km, climbing 120 metres and taking one hour and twenty minutes to do so. Relief coursed through us as we arrived at the area where our campsite was to be; it had been a hard day, and we were looking forward to relaxing. However, after being sniffed at by some indifferent horses, we couldn’t find anywhere that seemed like campsite material. After a good half-hour of standing around, shuffling our feet and deliberating, we decided to pick the least marshy ground we could find and pitch there, even though we were sure it wasn’t the proper place. It was another beautiful evening, and also a beautiful view - the mountains fell away to give us a brief view of civilisation, covered by a glimmering haze. The sun was beginning to set, and the horizon was streaked with pink and orange. Everybody was still in high spirits - there had been no depressive slump that afternoon - laughing and joking, and enjoying each other’s company. Maurice, Holly and our trainee assessor visited us that evening, and we

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had a nice chat with them. It was freezing that night (the coldest night in August to date), so sleep didn’t come as naturally as before, even though we were bundled into our sleeping bags by 10.00pm. Day 3 This was it. The last day. The delight was evident on everyone’s faces - the Expedition was going well, and we were going home that night. Like Day 2, Day 3 began with a 100 metre climb between Wee Slievemoughan and Slievemoughanmore, but we handled ourselves well, by taking breaks and snacking. We arrived at Rocky Water River, and relaxed for a bit. The sun was shining, and we were content; it could have been the most beautiful day yet. We then contoured around Tornamrock, climbing 90 metres on track. We walked for nearly two hours, leaving the mountain range and reentering the forest, until we came to a wall. There, we had lunch for thirty minutes by a river, where we chatted, appreciated the view and listened to the sound of the river rushing past. We were on the home run now - our feet ached; we were hungry and dirty, but we didn’t slow down. The allure of civilisation was just too much, and we were so excited to get fast food and feel the thrum of an engine below our feet. We simply followed the path for 6.5km to the Car Park, and then to our finishing point, where we all promptly collapsed. We had arrived an hour early, due to leaving an hour early in the morning, and everyone was so happy. The sun was still shining, Maurice brought us cupcakes and our euphoria could not be dampened. We had finished our Silver Qualifying. Now all we had to look forward to was Gold. Mary Cousins (V), Clodagh Poots (V), Natasha Kelly (V), Ciara Patterson (V) and Carly Wilkinson (V) 166

SILVER AWARD CANOEING QUALIFYING EXPEDITION 3rd – 5th AUGUST, 2014 LOUGH ERNE The purpose of my expedition was to gather information on our project which was ‘Wild Life and Plant Life on Upper Lough Erne’. The secondary purpose, but by no means less important purpose, was to have new experiences like working entirely for the benefit of a team and learning new skills, but also to have fun. The expedition started 3/8/14 and ended 5/8/14.

Day 1 We travelled down by school bus to Lough Erne the day before. The first day was bright and everyone was in good spirits. The canoeing went well but we fell behind for a while but continued on and made it up again. There was some confusion as to where our campsite was but we chose a field and it turned out to be fine. Day 2 We started off early and it was another very bright fresh morning. Today we kept to our route and times very well. We got lots of work for our project completed this day as there were lots of places on the route to visit. There was again more trouble finding the campsite but we all got moved and the two canoe teams camped together that evening. Day 3 This morning was not so good as the weather turned bad and this had a negative effect on my team. We continued on and got more project work done. The rain started to clear. Near the end of the route we spent more time at Crom Castle, as we were ahead of time and it was nice. We were told that, to finish our expedition, we had to sing a song, so we had a fun time trying to make up a song. Once we had finished, we had our debrief and headed home. I enjoyed my expedition and gained a great deal from the experience. I enjoy being in a team and in the challenging outdoors. I would like to thank Mr. Reilly and everyone who helped. Matthew Blair (IV), Lucy Fisher (IV), Richard Simon (IV), Courtney Dougan (IV), Hannah Henderson (IV), Daniel Allen (IV) GOLD AWARD FOOT QUALIFYING EXPEDITION 29th JULY – 1st AUGUST, 2014 FORT WILLIAM/GLENCOE AREA, SCOTLAND On Wednesday, 30th July at 10.00am we set off for our qualifying expedition from the ski center in Leanachan Forest. The weather was perfect as there was a slight breeze and no rain. From the start we noticed that there was something wrong where we were walking and quickly realised that we had taken a wrong turn. This set us back on our timing from the beginning. Luckily, we got ourselves back on track, but this meant we had to take our lunch earlier. When we got to the footbridge we met with our instructors who informed us that our assessor, Doug, said we could cut out a small part

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of our route, which meant that we would be able to get into camp slightly earlier than estimated (due to the slight detour!). We continued on, walking on a path through the forest until we came to an opening and had to walk up a hill with a height climb of approximately 200m. We found this part of the route especially difficult because it was coming to the end of our first day. We were behind on our timings and the flat ground mixed with the variation in height climbed made it sore on our feet. Nearing to our camp, we met Doug on his bike, who pushed us to the finish line. We reached our camp at nearly 8:00pm. Our pace had improved at this stage and we reached camp at a decent hour. Our camp was swarmed with midges making it nearly impossible to stand still. So we quickly set up camp and retreated to the bothy to make our food. The next morning we awoke at 7:30am to make sure we had time to eat breakfast and pack away our tents. We left our camp just after 8:30am (with our nets still on to protect us from the midges). This day, we were again following a path to our campsite. We had to make sure to follow Allt na Lairige river but to keep it on our left hand side, which we were able to do with some concentration as the path had a tendency to disappear and reappear due to overgrown grass. We ate our lunch beside the river at 12:30pm - this was because our pace was significantly slower than the first day mostly because we were all wrecked after the first day. The weather before lunch was similar to that of the first day, it was breezy and didn’t rain. But after lunch it started to get extremely warm. This meant that we had to stop for a break to take layers off. We followed the path, passing the waterfall on our left, then passing a derelict house which then brought us to a large footbridge at Abhainn Rath river. We followed the path which contoured around Garbh Chnapan. We came to another footbridge and had doubts as to whether we should continue or turn right. After some consideration, we decided that even though the path wasn’t clear, if we turned right it made sense as to where we were. Luckily the further we walked the more clear the path was made. We followed the path with the river on our left for 3-4 hours! We veered off slightly to the right at one point because the path wasn’t always clear, but we made our way back on track. Unfortunately, this did affect our arrival time to the camp. We arrived at our camp at nearly 5:00pm. This was due to the fact that our pace was slower on this day and we took more stops to consult the map, so we didn’t have a repeat of the first day. This camp also had a bothy

and had fewer midges so we were able to sit up and make food without the annoyance of midges. On Friday morning we woke up again at 7:30am so that we were ready to leave at 8.30am. We followed a path, keeping the river on our left again. It was a bit rainy in the morning but not unbearable. The path we were following was hard to see at times because of the rain which turned the path into bog, but we kept heading in the right direction and eventually met up with the path again. The path brought us to Blackwater Reservoir. Here, we had a break because our route was going very well and we were on time. We followed the path on round keeping the reservoir on our left. This brought us to the pipeline. The majority of our route that day consisted of us following the pipeline as we walked on the path beside it. This became very monotonous as we followed the pipeline for 2-3 hours. Nearing the end of the pipeline we stopped for lunch, the weather had become better and became very sunny which was a bit uncomfortable because there was no breeze; but it was better than the rain. When we stopped for lunch, we saw spectacular views of Kinlochmore which was a town surrounded by mountains. We then met with the dam and footbridge. Once we had crossed this we followed a very clear path all the way to our campsite. On this path we passed Loch Eilde Mor and Loch Elide Beag on our right. The path was stoney the whole way along which meant it was very sore on our feet, but thankfully flat. The path was very up and down as well. It took us about 4 hours from the dam to get to the campsite on this path. This was because our pace slowed down significantly from our pace before lunch and we were starting to feel the difficulties of a four-day expedition. Once we got to our tent, some of us realised that we were quite badly sun-burnt, which wasn’t fun! We set up camp, made food, crawled into our tents and went to sleep, well, tried to. However a near death experience made it difficult as we were circled by a herd of cows during the night which wasn’t pleasant but we survived, somehow! On Saturday we awoke at the usual time of 7:30am to leave on time at 8:30am. The midges were particularly bad this morning so it was harder to get motivated and build up the will power to leave the tent. The weather was good, breezy with no rain - we were very thankful because we thought we had got decent weather the whole expedition. We followed the path with the river on our right. Our instructors had warned us that the path was very hard to see, so we might have had to use our

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bearings. It took us around 2-3 hours to get to the rope bridge. This is where we met up with our instructor, Maurice and our assessor, Doug along the way to keep spirits high. The weather seemed to be getting increasingly worse as the day went on. We stopped at the rope bridge for lunch then continued on the path following the river with some more amazing views. We had to climb down through slippery rocks, but, once we had got past this area we reached the car park and followed the road downhill. Then we entered Glen Nevis forest. By this point the weather was atrocious, there was very heavy rainfall which did not help us during our last few legs. The forest was easy to navigate through because it was one straight path, but it went on forever. It took us 3 hours to get through the forest and we were all starting to feel the pain of the expedition: the flat ground meant our feet were aching. Once we had reached the end of the forest, we only had 1 kilometre to go until the car park at Fort William. The rain hadn’t eased off at all but all we wanted to do was finish and we did! We met the school bus and Doug at the finish line at around 5.00pm. Doug told us we had passed our expedition and it didn’t matter how bad the weather was, we were all very happy with ourselves. Clare McGowan (MVI), Gabrielle Moore (MVI), Sarah Whittley (MVI), Emma McAllister (MVI), Abby Reid (MVI) and Keeva Drummond (MVI) GOLD AWARD FOOT QUALIFYING EXPEDITION 14th - 17th AUGUST, 2014 NORTH ANTRIM HILLS

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Thursday, 14th August, 2014 was the date that had been lurking in the back of our minds for quite some time. It was the date of our final expedition and our AS-level results! However, we had decided not to get our results until Sunday night as we didn’t want to start the expedition in a bad mood! Once we got off the minibus, we were all determined to finish what we had started, even though it didn’t motivate us to think that we had four long days of walking ahead of us! After a few hours of walking, we soon noticed that the scenery didn’t really change! It was so different to that of the previous expeditions in the Mourne Mountains. We spent the first day double checking that the person at the front was navigating correctly and singing various songs to keep our spirits high! We had a well-deserved lunch break for an hour and then continued on our way to our campsite. Once

we got to what we thought was our campsite in a forest, we were told that we had to keep walking as we weren’t allowed to camp in that forest! The day felt endless! Thankfully, we reached our actual campsite while there was still some day light left! We quickly ate dinner and went to sleep. We got up the next morning at 7:00am and got our rucksacks repacked and got ready to leave. However, we then saw our assessor, Dermot, and talked to him for a long time and managed to leave 30 minutes late! We started on really boggy ground, trying to keep our boots as dry as possible. A few hours into the walk, one of our team members wanted to drop out after obtaining an injury! Thankfully, Maurice was able to get her an ice pack which seemed to help, as she continued on with the expedition. Finally, after another day of agony, we reached our next campsite. It was covered in logs which we all used to sit on and had dinner together as a group. The next morning, after a half an hour of walking, we saw our assessor and were delighted to hear his news of possibly cutting our route on the Sunday, due to Sophie’s injury. After this the weather started to deteriorate and it rained for the rest of the day. After hours of pain and suffering we finally reached our campsite, where Maurice confirmed that we were able to cut out a bit of Sunday’s route! On the final day, we were all motivated to get moving and get home! We then raced up our first mountain but struggled on our second due to gale force winds and heavy rain! However, we fought on and finally arrived at the minibus! We all really enjoyed this expedition and I would thoroughly recommend it to everyone! Pierce Clements (MVI), Helen Diamond (MVI), Sophie Porter (MVI), James Carey (MVI), Sorcha Burke (MVI) and Rebecca Burns (MVI) GOLD AWARD CANOE QUALIFYING EXPEDITION 6th – 9th AUGUST, 2014 LOUGH ERNE We started our expedition on Wednesday 6th August, from Lusty Beg car park at roughly 10.00am. We got the canoes off the trailer, tied in our barrels, with appropriate trim and set off! We arrived at the end of our first leg, Lustymore Jetty in reasonably good time, after taking a little while to find our canoeing feet again! Then, we set off for our first project exploration point, Cleenishmeen Island. Whilst

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we were canoeing, we noticed a lot of algae on the water, and in the water surrounding Cleenishmeen, the algae was particularly dense and difficult to canoe through! We got out, did some exploration, observing some different types of wildlife, including some frogs, and then got back into our canoes and headed to our next stop! This was Castle Archdale, at the recommendation of our instructor Ruth. During the journey to Castle Archdale, the previously quite pleasant weather suddenly took a turn for the worse, resulting in a downpour on us. The Lough became very choppy and it was very difficult to canoe through and quite scary - we were convinced that we would capsize! Eventually, we arrived at Castle Archdale and, although we were a little bit soggy, we were thankfully safe and sound! We took an extremely long lunch break there, taking some time to visit the Castle and an exhibition on Flora and Fauna in the Exhibition Centre, which was very interesting and informative. With the weather not looking like it was going to improve at all, we set out reluctantly to finish our journey. We had to tie our canoes together and make a raft, to give us more stability in the rough water. This proved successful, helping us to make (very slow!) progress, and we eventually rounded both the corners at Rossbeg point and Duross point. Unfortunately after this, things went a bit ‘pear shaped’!

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We were blown into a very rocky, shallow area and one of the canoes filled with water up to the gunnels, and sank! To make matters worse, waves kept crashing in on us, knocking us off our feet (which we were now on, trying to salvage our raft) on several occasions, tossing the barrels from the canoes and making it extremely difficult to bail our now completely filled canoes. None of our training had prepared us for this! We eventually managed to tip the majority of the water out of the canoes and bail the rest, using a makeshift bailer, which we had to make out of one of our water bottles. After this, we reassembled the raft and canoed our hardest to try and get out of the rocky area and the dire situation we were in. Unfortunately, we were not successful. To our dismay, the canoes filled again, and we were blown straight back into shore, and we had to start remaking the raft from scratch. This time, we distributed the weight more evenly between the canoes, realising this had been the issue before. Once the raft was remade, we set out for the second time, with determination...we did not want to have to remake the raft a third time! Thankfully, after some very intense paddling, we

got out of the difficult area and to the safety of the boat and our instructors. After that, understandably, all we wanted was to be on dry land, so we decided to paddle the best we could to reach our final destination and campsite of Inish Davar in the quickest time possible. However, despite our best intentions, we were exhausted and it was not the speedy journey we had hoped for; the body was willing, but the flesh was weak! Eventually we arrived, got dried off, had some hot dinner and got straight into bed! It had been a long and testing day, but I felt that it had also been one of achievement! I think our team performed well under pressure and, in my opinion, had never been more of a team! We really banded together to help each other out, and face the challenge we were presented with. So, although we went to bed with some nervous anticipation of what the next day might hold, we also felt reassured by the fact that, whatever we would face, we would be able to take it on together, as a team. Day 2 On Day 2 we set off on time for Gublusk jetty, ready and raring to go after the previous day’s antics! The conditions were a lot more favourable and we felt very lucky, knowing how the weather can turn so quickly! Unfortunately, the day before seemed to have taken its toll, as we were travelling very slowly! On arriving at the end of our leg, we headed on to Lakeland Forum. This was a very slow process. I have to admit that our canoeing was sluggish at best and we eventually arrived at the Forum three hours behind time! Although the journey was not as eventful as the first day’s, it was very long and really tested our endurance and enthusiasm. On meeting our instructors at the forum, we had a discussion, and it was decided that we should cut our route short and canoe the rest of it the next day, when we would have had a good night’s sleep, be fresh and have some more energy! So we continued on, and met the other team, whom we camped with, at the old railway bridge, opposite the Ardhowen Theatre. It was nice to catch up with the others and hear about their day, before getting an early night, in preparation before the (now extended) day ahead of us! Day 3 On Day 3, in an attempt to stay on time, we got up early, to make up the distance we hadn’t covered the day before. Unfortunately, a member of the other team was very sick and we waited with them until we were sure they would be able to get help. We

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then set off, a little behind time, to finish our route from the day before, stopping at Bellanleck Jetty for a much-needed break. After that we continued on our route, managing to get on the route actually intended for that day! However, although we were back on track with our route, we were certainly not on track with our times. When we arrived at Carrybridge, we met our instructors, who informed us of this. After a discussion, we realised the need for us to pick up the pace and so, after some lunch, we set off with a new impetus to get back on time and do some more effective paddling (until now, we had not mastered the art of chatting while canoeing!) After this, we did manage to get back on track with our timings, and arrived at Inish Creagh at 14:30,- the time it said on our route card! Here we got out and did some project work, exploring the beautiful island that is a wildlife reserve. From here, we powered on to Naan Island, feeling very proud of ourselves for getting back on time. Unfortunately, pride does come before a fall, which we discovered to be very true. In our triumphant excitement of being on time and determination to stay on time, we canoed right past Naan and had to go back on ourselves to get out and explore. At this point, the girls were very tired and decided to take a nap and let Oliver and Ruari do the exploring of the island! We then set off, once again, and finally arrived at our destination of Trannish Island...well we almost did! We arrived at the wrong spot, and had to relocate to the correct campsite! Here we met up with our leaders, who gave us some much needed and appreciated sun hats for the next day! Day 4 On the final day of our expedition we set off, eager to get finished and with the motivation of a promised Chinese takeaway when we had! We headed to Reilly Wood, where we did some project work and took a little break and discussed just what we were going to get from the Chinese! On arriving at Crom Jetty we were met by the other team and our instructors. We had a lovely chat in the sun, and went up to the museum to get some information for our project. Finally, we set out for the last time to our ultimate destination of Bun Bridge Jetty. Once we had arrived and unpacked all of the canoes, we were delighted to find out that we had passed our expedition. It had been an eventful yet brilliant time. We really enjoyed our expedition and feel that, although at times it was challenging, it was in these times that our team got even closer

as we worked together to salvage whatever sticky situation we were in! We had mixed emotions about finishing as, although we felt a sense of achievement and relief that it was over, we were very sad that it was our last ever Duke of Edinburgh expedition. We have enjoyed our time on all of our expeditions so much, and really value the friendships and memories we have made. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award truly is an invaluable experience, and we would recommend it to anyone and everyone. Ruth McConnell (MVI), Katie Watt (MVI), Eilis O’Loan (MVI), Ruari McGowan (MVI), Olivia Spring (MVI), Oliver Vick (MVI) GOLD AWARD VOLUNTEERING SECTION YOUTH CLUB I volunteered at a Youth Club on the Antrim Road. I have been helping out there for a number of years now and, as I was doing it anyway, I thought I should use it for the Volunteering section of my Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Some of the activities I have to do as part of my work there include helping to organise games for the children and helping to develop new skills that they can use in life such as teamwork. I very much enjoy volunteering there as I think it is one of the most rewarding places to work. Since I began helping I have gained important qualities such as good leadership and patience. I think that The Duke of Edinburgh’s Volunteering section will definitely help me in my future. Peter Gilleece (MVI) BRONZE AWARD SKILLS SECTION DRAMA For my Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze Award Skills Section award I had the pleasure to go to weekly sessions at the Lyric Theatre every Sunday for a year. For two hours each week we worked on developing a variety of different skills which comprised developing our confidence in speaking publically, improvisation, and breathing skills as a basis for drama production. I enjoyed it and will be going to attend another course this year as part of my Silver award. I found the D. of E. really encouraged me to pursue the acting career I hope to achieve and it encouraged me further down this path. The D. of E. leaders are an amazing group of people and I would hope everyone tries to take part in the Award scheme. Adam Jarman (IV)

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SILVER AWARD PHYSICAL SECTION WOMEN’S RUGBY

GOLD AWARD RESIDENTIAL SECTION DISCOVERY VILLAGE, SHARE CENTRE

I am a member of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at BRA and I am currently working for my Silver Award, having already achieved my Bronze. I started my Silver at the beginning of Form IV and completed my qualifying expedition in Lough Erne during the summer.

During the summer of 2014 I spent a total of 5 days and 4 nights taking part in my Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Residential section. I completed my Residential at the Discovery Village Share Centre in Enniskillen. I went on the residential with my friend Clare McGowan, who is also from BRA, and met another 7 people who were doing the same course. Throughout the 5 days, the 9 of us were helping with maintenance around the Share Centre, mostly taking part in painting the facility buildings.

I started playing for Malone Rugby Club U18 women’s team in the middle of September, 2013. We train twice a week, on Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons, with our coaches John, Johnny and Pete. During our training sessions we do many different activities and learn new skills – from rucking, mauling, line-outs and tackling to basic ball-handling skills. At the end of each session, we usually have a 15 minute match between our team allowing us to practise what we have done that session. Every week or every other week, we participate in tournaments with the other U18 female teams in Northern Ireland/Republic of Ireland or else full matches and our team is usually very successful in them. I decided to use rugby for my Physical section for my Silver Award and I also hope to do rugby for my Gold Award Physical section. Courtney Dougan (V)

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Clare and I shared a room with a friend we made there from Limavady. Throughout the week the Share Centre offered us use of all their facilities including the swimming pool, gym and dormitories. Whilst staying there, we were given a warm welcome and shown great hospitality by the staff. As there were only a small number of us in total doing the course, it meant it was easy to get to know each other. The residential gave me the opportunity to create friendships from all over Northern Ireland and even England. I met friends from Methodist College, Belfast whom I still spend time with today. By the end of the course we had transformed from a group of strangers to a group of tight-knit friends. Spending time in the Share Centre taught me some very important skills such as communication, problem solving and personal development. I completed successfully all challenges given to me and feel as though I showed my positive qualities throughout the experience. I am so thankful I chose to spend my Duke of Edinburgh’s Residential in the Share Centre. I was thrown in the deep end with new people and from this gained important life skills that I can apply to my future educational career. Gabrielle Moore (MVI)

Miscellany

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What the papers say...

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School Games THE RUGBY CLUB The Rugby Club continues to thrive at School with up to ten teams regularly playing competitive fixtures each Saturday. There were some notable successes with the 3rd XV reaching the semi-final of their Cup competition and many players gaining representative honours. Club captain Stewart Martin was involved with the Ulster U19 squad while David Campbell and Jordan Hylton were both capped by Ulster Schools’ U18 during their Inter-provincial campaign. Matthew Dalton trained with the Ulster U17 squad over the summer and Shane Martin, Kurtis Scott, Aaron Lyons and Cormac McCracken all trained with the Ulster U16 development squad.

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The Medallion XV made sterling progress this season. They had a slow start to the season, struggling to defeat teams having had the lion’s share of both territory and possession. Their hard work in training was soon rewarded and performances improved immeasurably. They were unfortunate to draw Ballymena away in the Shield losing 6-3 to a team which went on to contest the final, losing narrowly to RBAI. The U14 A continued to develop and were a very competitive side during the season. They enjoyed many great victories and rounded off the season with the annual trip to Cambridge which was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

A young 1st XV worked hard this year and with great enthusiasm. Highlights of the season were the performances against Regent House and Bangor Grammar as well as winning the Ballyclare High School Sevens tournament. The team also participated in the St. Joseph’s College, Ipswich, National Schools Festival holding their own against some of the top schoolboy sides in the UK.

The U14 B squad trained hard during the year and had some impressive results. Many boys have the potential to play for the ‘A’ team next year The U13A had a successful year, following a shaky start. The highlight was a win against Catholic University School from Dublin and the trip to the Aviva to watch Brian O’Driscoll’s last home game for Ireland.

Captained by David Reid, the 2nd XV had a very enjoyable year, if not a most successful one. Losing as many games as they won made it less successful than had been hoped but some very good and memorable performances saw them beat convincingly a strong Royal School Armagh team, Bangor Grammar and, (in the Cup) Omagh Academy. Unfortunately, the side was defeated by a very talented RBAI team in the 2nd round of the Cup, which called the end of the season.

The 3rd XV enjoyed a remarkable season, finishing worthy semi-finalists in the Cup competition. The highlight of the year was a superb away win against CAI in the quarter-finals.

It was a very promising season for the Form I rugby team. Throughout the season there were a number of very tight and exciting games, especially against Sullivan Upper, Ballymena Academy, Coleraine Inst, Ballyclare High and Dalriada. The season was rounded off with a Hog Roast at the Academy Club. Guests of honour and former pupils Stuart Olding and Iain Henderson presented Player

School Games

of the Season and Most Improved Player awards to each of the teams. The evening was a great success with over 100 boys attending. It is hoped that this will become an annual event. I would like to thank the coaches for their enthusiasm and endeavour throughout the year. They brave all weathers at Roughfort and travel the length of the country all for the good of the pupils. I can’t thank them enough. C.M.C.

1st XV The 2013 / 2014 season will be remembered as a transitional year for the 1st XV. Some eleven players had left from the previous season and this combined with a small playing pool in Middle Sixth resulted in a young side that struggled to dominate against other sides. That said, there was no shortage of endeavour. The season got under way in a tight match against Ballyclare. The side showed much promise in this game but came off second best. This was to be the story for the rest of the season with wins hard to come by, although victories were recorded over Bangor Grammar School, Regent House, Portadown College, Grosvenor Grammar School and Larne Grammar School. There were also signs of the side’s potential at the St. Joseph’s College, Ipswich, National Schools Festival in October. The team gave some very spirited performances and held their own against

some of the top sides in the United Kingdom. In the Schools’ Cup competition the side was drawn away to Rainey Endowed School. In a tight match the Academy side was second best in a game they might have won. Missed tackles and a lack of penetration cost the side a place in the next round. In the Subsidiary competition the team faced Foyle and Londonderry College away from home. After the long bus journey the side failed to perform to their potential and thus the hosts dominated proceedings and just did enough to progress to the next round. This was a huge disappointment to all involved, but hopefully lessons have been learnt and this young side will learn from their mistakes as well as use their experiences to their advantage next season. Dylan Tinsley and James Reid were the regular starters at prop. Dylan carried the ball well regularly getting over the gain line he also made some massively physical tackles. James Reid, a Form V pupil and judo specialist, is an efficient prop. Tall and lean, James held his own in the scrum and was mobile in open play. Ben Campbell, Drew Willis and Gary Nelson all featured at numerous times during the season and played well when called upon. All three players show great promise for the future. David O’Donnell Anderson played at hooker having made the switch from full back. He adapted quickly to the change of position and looked quite at home in the front row. He brought his athleticism to the pack and displayed a good work ethic. His line-out

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throwing also developed well and we look forward to his continued development in this role next year. Chris Torrens was the regular partner of Alex Steenson in the second Row. Standing at some 6’5’’, Chris was the main target player in the line-out. He was also athletic and deceptively quick which made him a threat in the loose play. Alex Steenson is a big, ball-carrying second row and with improved workrate should make a big impact next season. Luke Auterson was also a regular member of the back five of the scrum. Luke developed both physically and as a player throughout the year and he should be a key player in the coming years. Stewart Martin played at Number 8 and was the captain of the side. He was involved with Ulster U19 but unfortunately suffered an ankle injury during their summer training programme that was to limit his participation before Christmas. This was a huge loss to the side as Stewart is an excellent player. He is dynamic, powerful and always made yards when carrying the ball. A quiet guy by nature he led by example. He has the potential to play at a high level with increased drive and self -confidence. Scott McMurtry played regularly at flanker. He is an effective ball-carrier and a useful line-out option. With increased mobility he too should make a big impact next season. Calvin Lawrence and Michael Kane were also regular starters in the back row. Both struggled with injury throughout the year but when fit they were key members of the side offering aggressive play both on and off the ball.

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The half backs for the season were Ross Bryans, Ben Cave and Francis Collins. Unfortunately, due to injury, Francis was unable to play several games throughout the season. He is a very talented rugby player who brought continual variation and control to our attack. Ross Bryans played at out half for much of the season. Ross is another very talented player who showed great game management in this position. His passing and kicking were both excellent, creating many scoring opportunities throughout the season. Ben Cave started many games at scrum half during the season. Ben is a lively player who worked hard throughout the season. His technical skills in many games were very good, improving as the season progressed. In the centres Nathan Rooney, Jordan Hylton and Gavin Gilfillan all made valuable contributions. These three Senior players brought their experience and control to these positions. Nathan and Gavin

competed for a starting position at inside centre. Both players showed great commitment in attack and defence, particularly enjoying the physical side of the game. Jordan was our regular starter at outside centre. He is a very athletic and dangerous rugby player. With ball in hand, Jordan regularly caused the opposition problems. The back three for the season was made up of David Campbell, David McCullough and Michael Wilson. This was David Campbell’s second season playing for the 1st XV and his experience showed. He works hard off the ball to get himself in good attacking areas and also showed great commitment in defence, communicating and tackling well in several games. David McCullough is an extremely powerful running winger. On many occasions he demonstrated agility to beat players on the outside, but also used his power to cut through the middle of backlines when required. Michael Wilson became a regular starter at full back. This was Michael’s first season in Senior rugby. His kicking both out of hand and at goal was crucial in several victories. He is a very talented player who has a bright rugby future ahead of him in BRA. D.J.C.

2nd XV The season began with much belief that we could achieve something special. Our target – to win the 2nd XV Cup. This was an aim which I still believe was realistic despite the disappointment of being knocked out at the quarter-final stage by a very good RBAI side. We began the season with a disappointing performance, against an average Ballyclare High School. It was a comfortable victory for them which highlighted our squad limitations. We began the game with a relatively inexperienced pack and with an ‘injury hit’ backline. I was optimistic that when the injury list cleared up we would be very competitive. It was obvious from early in this game that we needed to increase our intensity and levels of aggression as well as develop a killer instinct because we missed a number of opportunities throughout the match to score. However, there were enough positives to be confident for a successful season. The month of September saw our usual fixtures against Catholic Universities and Belvedere College cancelled which aided us, in that our injury hit squad

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had more time to recover before our next match. The next match, however, still came too soon. We played and lost heavily to a very strong Methodist College. October and November offered a packed fixture list. Eight games in total were played where our record was somewhat inconsistent. We played a much fancied Sullivan Upper side in Holywood. The attitude of the boys, despite another heavy defeat (10-47) must be praised. They never gave up. Afterwards, realising they had reached a higher level of performance compared to previous matches, they were determined to improve further. This required long hours on the training ground to address some defensive frailties, and further practice of offensive moves, in preparation for the games that lay ahead.

However, the following match saw us slide to a hard-fought but disappointing defeat to Regent House 0-14. We had two further games, which provided victories against Banbridge Academy and a convincing win against Portadown 42-10, before our Cup match in January. In these games there were a few concerns defensively, but against Portadown also more pleasing signs. We had learnt to be patient and control the game. Our ball retention, our improved body angles when rucking and our direct lines of running had developed, thus making us a formidable side in attack. The boys left for their Christmas holidays knowing their first game back in the New Year would be a 2nd round Cup fixture against a much fancied Omagh. Christmas came and went and the Cup fixture was upon us. We performed brilliantly against an Omagh side that had been on a winning streak of 9 games. After a slow and nervous start it was a very pleasing performance where we showed many encouraging signs that we might be about to peak at the right time of year. The 3rd round draw, an away fixture against a much fancied RBAI at Osbourne Park, was tough but I thought winnable for us.

This was followed by a confidence-boosting 1910 win against a Lurgan High 1st XV team. There were many pleasing signs; it was a disciplined and clinical performance that gave much confidence for the games that lay ahead. Our extra focus in training seemed to be paying off! We followed this match up with an average performance against the Wallace High School team. Atrocious weather put pay to fixtures against Ballymena and Dungannon. However, the break seemed to revitalise us and gave time for a number of key players who due to injury had missed previous games, to recover fully. Our next match was against Bangor Grammar. We were excellent in this match, winning it 56-0. This, for me, was the performance of the season. The boys were hungry. It was obvious they had a point to prove. Their rucking, their defence, their offensive attacking lines, their determination and their will to win were all at the top level. Bangor Grammar left that pitch with their heads in their hands. BRA left the pitch with pride, with confidence and genuine belief; this could have been a major turning pointâ&#x20AC;Ś

Our earlier fixture against Inst in October had been cancelled. This match was played in fair weather conditions but on a very wet and muddy pitch due to overnight rain. The boys were very focused, yet excited at the prospect of playing here. We started fairly well but it was clear that we were going to have to play close to our best if we were to progress to the next round. They had a very aggressive, robust pack which we more than matched in the opening encounters. However, as the game developed we were losing many of the key battles at the breakdown. RBAI players were playing at a very high level, with ferocious intensity and unfortunately we werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t competing at that level. Halfway into the first-half we conceded what was from our perspective a soft try on our blindside. This seemed to knock our confidence and we lost two more tries before half-time. The boys to their credit never gave up, fighting to the end through injury. However, victory was not to be. The final whistle saw a season of so much promise end at the second hurdle. We had been well beaten by an excellent RBAI side. I was extremely disappointed for the boys who had given their all and had deserved so much more.

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Trials, hardships, disappointments and defeats can make you a ‘better person’ and it is my belief that this ‘successful’ season will turn out to be a brilliant strengthening and learning experience for bigger days to come. Many of these boys will form next year’s 1st XV and it is my belief that with further expert coaching, they will again compete for the Schools’ Cup if not next year, then the following year. I thank them for their efforts throughout the season and wish them every success in their rugby careers. Special mention and my thanks go to my captain throughout the year David Reid, whose enthusiasm and desire to succeed should have been rewarded with more success than we had, and to the parents who supported us. 2nd XV Squad: D. Reid (c), G. Gilfillan, B. Cave, C. Lawrence, R. Shaw, S. McCombe, M. Kane, G. Nelson, A. Steenson, D. Willis, W. Montgomery, D. McCullough, R. Chia, F. Collins, J. McCrum, B. Nixon, P. Geraghty, B. Campbell, J. Queripel, L. Donaldson, K. Auterson, S. MaCaulay, C. Boyd, E. MaCaulay, C. Benson, J. McCullough, N. Rooney, J. Mooney, A. Forbes. P. M. / C. Leckey

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The 3rd XV enjoyed a remarkable season, finishing worthy semi-finalists of the Schools’ Cup. Many players had the opportunity to represent this team and all did so with an abundance of enthusiasm as well as a great willingness to represent proudly the School. The team was captained by Eric Macaulay, who led by example and provided a real focal point for both attack and defence. He will be remembered on the 3rd XV for his unwavering commitment and always putting his body on the line, as demonstrated by his crunching tackles in defence. Despite some early defeats against stern opposition such as Methody and Ballyclare, the character of the squad was never in doubt. Just how far the team had developed throughout the season was evident in some superb wins against Wallace, Ballymena and Bangor. These wins gave the boys confidence and self-belief going into the Cup. In the second round of the Schools’ Cup, the 3rd XV played some exceptional rugby on the road against Armagh. We started the match with much vigour and played some great running rugby to eventually

win comfortably. On the day, our forwards worked tirelessly to secure possession for our backs, who in return scored some very creative tries. The final score: 27-7. The quarter-final draw saw a fancied Coleraine Inst team travel to Roughfort in what proved to be a very hard-fought match. BRA started well and played rugby in the right areas of the pitch. However, a few injuries to key players unsettled the momentum of the team and Inst took the advantage. The game ended a 13-13 draw.

The replay of the quarter-final meant travelling to Coleraine – a notoriously difficult place at which to win. The pace and skill of the game was truly breathtaking from both sides. The team’s unyielding commitment was epitomised by one key moment – with Inst in front on points, the boys kept putting in tremendous tackles, which led to a charge down clearance kick for BRA to pounce on for the game’s vital score. BRA ended the game victorious 21-19. In the semi-final, the team faced old rivals Methody. We knew we would have to spend large parts of the game defending and would have to keep the ball moving to put pressure on the MCB forwards and to bring our pace into the match. As the match progressed, BRA managed to keep the score-line tight and ended the first half 14-7. However, injuries took their toll in the second half, and Methody proved too strong to contain for the full 80 minutes. Although the squad was disappointed not to progress further in their Cup campaign, the boys can be very proud that they finished the season a top four team. I wish all the boys every success next season and in particular the MVI contingent in their future adventures. O.M.

School Games

MEDALLION A XV Played 21

Won 11

Lost 10

Last season was disappointing for only one reason; we did not win the Shield! The players worked hard, made amazing progress, matured into young men, but unfortunately couldn’t take that difficult final step and make the Medallion Shield final. The season started in earnest early July with two weekly training sessions which were well attended in general. From this early start we were able to build a strong squad, by developing the fringe players early on in the season, so they can play for the ‘A’ team sooner, creating some healthy competition between first team players and the ‘B’ squad players for positions. The first game of the season saw Sullivan travel to the Castle grounds and the home team emerged victorious by a margin of 8-0. The Catholic University School was next at Roughfort and they travelled home to Dublin with a victory. They won 24-7, but it was not a victory that was earned, more so it was handed to them on a plate. It was this performance which showed the coaches how much work needed done on the training pitch. A good win over Ballyclare was quickly followed by a disastrous loss to Lurgan, a match that the Academy team could and should’ve won ten times over, but lost due to lack of killer instinct. The next series of results continued to be mixed, with narrow defeats to MCB, Wallace, Regent and Down High complemented by wins against Sullivan, Dungannon, Bangor, Dalriada, Coleraine, Belfast High and Banbridge which took us up to the Christmas break. By this point, the Medallion team was playing a quicker and slicker style of rugby which came to fruition, as a result of, a visit to The Langley Festival of Rugby. During this tournament, held in England during October, we played against teams of a much higher standard than ourselves. We travelled with a young and inexperienced team and were delighted with the performances of all involved both on and off the pitch. We won two of our four group matches and lost narrowly in the knock-out stages. The New Year dawned and with it came the realisation that the ‘business end’ of the season was only round the corner. First up in January was

the visit to Roughfort of a very strong and much -fancied Ballymena team. The match certainly didn’t disappoint with both teams playing an exciting brand of rugby, attacking hard from all areas of the pitch, with both defences holding firm for the vast majority of the game. The large crowd who had assembled to watch was certainly not left disappointed, with a late penalty attempt sealing a victory for the home team 8-7. Next we travelled to Down High to play them for a second time. Down High was a more than useful team, a large pack was complimented by an agile and pacey backline. Down won 7-0, but was pushed all the way by the Academy team who spurned multiple chances to win. Next up was Grosvenor in atrocious conditions at Roughfort. A gale was blowing, torrential rain was falling and there was a horrific wind-chill factor as well. Academy quite simply did not turn up: the Shield match to be played the following week was evidently on a lot of player’s minds, as some tiptoed through the match in an attempt to avoid injury. Grosvenor ran out deserved winners 26-0 and our momentum and pride had taken a significant knock. The first weekend in February had arrived, which meant one thing, Shield time. The draw had not been kind: Ballymena away. We knew we could beat them, we knew we were a match for them, but this fixture pitted two of the top three teams in the division against each other and it was made slightly harder due to the fact it was not a home match. The day of the game arrived and so did the weather, match postponed. The rearranged tie was played midweek where we travelled to Ballymena and a large crowd gathered to watch what proved to be a very exciting match. The game was spoiled for both teams to a large extent as the match had a startstop feel to it and too many penalties were conceded by both teams in the early stages. Half-time saw us trail by a score line 6-0. A few calming and positive words at half-time saw the Academy team re-group and go on to dominate the second-half

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proceedings. Wave after wave of attack were foiled by a superb Ballymena defence and some dubious decisions. Commitment could not be faulted, nor determination, but alas it came to nothing as a solitary penalty was all we could muster in thirty pulsating minutes to leave the result at a loss by the margin 6-3. To say we were disappointed at the final whistle would be an understatement. However, both coaches and parents were extremely proud of the manner in which we had played, the grit shown and our graciousness in defeat, characteristics which quite simply cannot be coached. Having lost in the Shield, we went on to contest the Plate and Regent was to be the opposition. We had lost to them in Ards the previous November, but all in attendance would agree that Academy was definitely the better team. The game was to be played over the half-term period and we quickly realised that twelve of the starting fifteen would be missing due to the school ski trip. Contact was made with the opposition in an attempt to do the sensible thing and rearrange. However, Regent decided to push the game ahead on the original date and a depleted team took to the field. What happened next will stay with the coaches for a long, long time, not just the result of the fixture, but the manner of performance of all those involved. Academy seized the initiative early and took control from the outset. A dominant forward performance provided clean ball for a backline which broke the gain line phase after phase. To be quite honest; Regent never stood a chance against a weakened Academy team who were the epitome of resilience, backbone, steeliness and heart. Home team victory 17-5.

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Coleraine was the opponent in the semi-final, a match which should have been the final pairing, but that’s the luck of the draw. We had beaten them earlier in the season in a close encounter at Roughfort, so we knew on our day we had the measure of them. The match was played in near perfect conditions at Roughfort and it was a hotly contested tie with both teams doing their best to play attractive rugby. Academy took an early lead, but Coleraine clawed their way back into the fixture and at half-time it was finely poised at 10-7 to the visitors. Midway through the second-half and Academy tails were up, dominant in both possession and territory. A good kick through the Coleraine defence was fielded by their full back but naivety and inexperience on the part of the home defence meant that the opposition player was not tackled and possession regained, backs were turned and Coleraine ran the length of the park to score underneath the posts to take a 17-7

lead, which would not be overturned. That brought our regular season to a disappointing close. It could have been so much better, but fine lines and narrow margins dictated otherwise. The front row was made up of Stephen McCorry, Matthew Borne, Rakeem Marica and Matthew Cairns. Any combination of these players would be a formidable front row in any team, in any school at Medallion level. Strong in the scrum and in the loose, these players laid a strong foundation ‘up front’ for the duration of the season. Stephen improved leaps and bounds; from pre-season right the way through, he worked hard on his basic skills. He is a determined and reliable player, who deservedly won the accolade of most improved player. Matthew is a livewire in attack, a keen ball carrier and strike runner. He had to work hard at his throwing all season, but once he had mastered that basic skill, our line-outs improved immeasurably. Rakeem has the potential to go a long, long way in rugby. He has the size, strength and skills to go far, but sometimes lacks the application. If Rakeem addresses this issue he has the potential to go on and play at a high standard. Matthew returned from long term injury at the start of the season and impressed after time out of the game. He brought bull-like qualities to the pack, eager and aggressive he often caught the eye. His season finished prematurely, unfortunately due to injury. The second row was a hotly contested area. Cameron McCaughey, Rorie Godfrey, Karl Buick and Jack Plackett from the U14’s all made regular appearances. Rorie was unfortunately injured in October; a broken bone in his foot would keep him out until the Shield competition. Rorie is a hardened player, full of steeliness and attrition, he possesses a never-say-die attitude, qualities which every team needs. Cameron is one of those players who tirelessly gets on with their job. He could regularly be seen making big hits in defence and doing the dirty work others sometimes failed to do. Karl was a revelation over the course of the season;he wasn’t keen to play early on, but once coerced into it, he never looked back. A good ball carrier and defender, he never once seemed out of place. The back row was a source of strength. Cormac Saunders played blind-side flanker all season. A robust and hardy player, Cormac was destructive in both attack and defence. From an early stage in the season, Cormac McCracken made the open-side flank position his own. Cormac is a crafty player, and is full of guile. Quick to the breakdown, he was

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a nuisance to opposition teams and a constant thorn in defence. Harry Russell played Number 8. Harry is a tremendously gifted and intelligent player with a great determination for the game. Direct in defence, he was another who was a thorn in the side of the opposition. Our half backs were Conor McAuley and Samuel Osborne, two players blessed with tremendous skills and ability. Samuel was converted to out half from scrum half and was one of our key players all season long. He has an uncanny ability to read a match, kicking well from both hand and tee, he repeatedly put us in territorial positions from which we were then able to attack. Conor is a very gifted scrum half. He possesses a strong pass off both hands and clever feet. He was a constant source of ‘clean’ ball and was responsible for setting up waves of attack. Matthew Dalton and Lewis Davidson, the centre pairing, is one which was probably the envy of every team at this age group last season. Due to their size and stature, they formed a formidable partnership in the middle of the park. Matthew is a fine athlete, tall and very strong, extremely fast and a great desire to succeed. Lewis was captain of the team, showing outstanding leadership qualities over the course of the season and always led by example both on and off the pitch. He also is very athletic and strong and was undoubtedly the best player in the squad over the course of the season, gaining player of the year. Both players were capable of breaking the gain line time after time and were fearless in defence, making some massive hits at critical times. It is our opinion that Matthew and Lewis have the ability to go and represent the School at 1st XV level for the next three years. Jack Burton was moved from out half to full back early in the season and this proved to be a masterstroke by Mr Patterson. This positional change brought out the best of Jack, giving him the time and space to use his talent to exploit opposition defences with barnstorming runs. Coming from a cricket background, Jack has reassuring safe hands and he also has a bright rugby future ahead. The two wingers over the course of the season were James McMahon-Beattie and Ethan Purcell. Whilst neither is blessed with outstanding pace, they were both determined, hardworking and brought other necessary attributes to the team. Hard runners, they never gave up at any stage in any match and were fearless in defence, putting themselves on the line repeatedly for the cause. Mention should also be made of Brandon Doyle. Brandon is a very talented

footballer and made it clear to his coaches from an early stage that this was where his priorities lay. He did, however, make himself available to play when he had no football commitments. He could’ve played anywhere in the backline such are his talents, but when called upon he was usually slotted into the back three. We thank Brandon for his efforts and wish him well for the future. Niall Carson, Daniel Bingham, Jason Stubbs, Daniel Davison, Shane Martin, Jack Plackett, Jude Zion Cowley and Kurtis Scott all played on numerous occasions over the course of the season and we are most indebted to them. Although unable to gain and maintain a starting place, they were invaluable members of the Squad. Many thanks to Mr Patterson for his considerable efforts with the backline over the course of the season, and also to Mr McCarey as well as Mr Creighton for their continued and unwavering support. Many thanks and a special mention to those parents who gave their support over the course of the season. Rain, hail or shine they were in attendance wherever the venue and their support was much appreciated at all times. It certainly helped get the coaches through some dark mornings, both home as well as away. A final word for the boys: thank you very much for your efforts over the course of the Season. It was at times hard work; I’m sure as players you feel that too. On the whole, however, it was a pleasure to work with you, your efforts both in training and in matches did not go unnoticed. We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the best of luck in Senior rugby for the next three years. N.I./S.T.P.

Medallion Langley Festival In October we had the honour to participate in the Langley School U15 Rugby Tournament in Norfolk, England. The tournament brought together ten of the best-performing rugby schools in the UK for a weekend of rugby. With almost all regions of the UK represented, the tournament had a truly national feel: there was also the bonus aspect of the Aviva Premiership Trophy on display during the weekend. The tournament provided us with a great opportunity to see how we ranked against opponents of similar level from England and Scotland. After arriving to our hotel on the Friday night, we were anxious to play our opening game the next morning.

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Our opening game of the tournament was against Eton College. Eton is well known for its rugby talent and was favourite to win the tournament. Despite this, we went into the match with confidence. After a very strong start by Academy we made several simple errors which resulted in a strong counterattack and two tries for Eton College. Once again we put ourselves in a try-scoring position, only to fumble the ball which subsequently led to another breakaway try for Eton. We trailed at half-time 17-0. However, we felt this score line an unfair reflection of our capability. The second-half began with another dominant spell from Academy: several times we looked poised to get on the scoreboard, but Eton’s defence withheld. Eton’s attacking flair allowed them to score two more times late in the second-half. The final score, not very representative of our performance, was 29-0 to Eton.

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Later in the day, we went on to play Solihull School whom we beat comfortably 18-5. Next up was our first match on Sunday against Royal Grammar School, Newcastle. A very evenly matched game ended in a narrow victory to Newcastle, with one try in the opening minutes the decider. We knew if we wanted to reach a higher final, we were going to have to perform in our concluding group match. The opposition was Bedford, who had only narrowly been defeated by Eton College. We played the game in a controlled manner, sticking to our game plan whilst dominating the breakdown, territory and possession. At half-time we led by a converted try, confident that we could put more points past the Bedford defence. However, one lapse of concentration in defence gifted Bedford a try, which they failed to convert. There were now only two points separating the two teams. Thankfully, due to excellent defensive work we prevailed, and came out of our final group match with a victory. The group ended with Academy joint second. However, due to points difference we were positioned 4th, thus we were entered into the Vase Final. Our final game of the tournament was against Millfield, an opponent we were confident we could overcome. However, an extremely poor team display led to our heaviest defeat of the weekend, from a very average team. Complacency and a lack of concentration were key factors in our defeat. Despite the disappointing end to the weekend, the tour provided us with a phenomenal team-bonding experience. Also, we could draw many positives from our performances during the weekend. Lewis Davidson (Captain)

MEDALLION B XV Played 6

Won 4

Lost 2

The 2013/14 season was one of mixed fortunes for the Medallion ‘B’ team. However, we made the best of it and played our hearts out. We had a good pack with Daniel Bingham, Niall Carson and Daniel Harold making up the Front-Row Club. In the engine room were Matthew Blair and Jack Millard. We also had a strong back row made up of Dylan Getty and Karl Buick on the flanks and Daniel Allen in at 8. The fortunes of the back line were mixed with a number of injuries and call-ups to the Medallion ‘A’ team. However, we did have regular starters who worked hard throughout the season such as Jordan McKinnel at scrum half. In the midfield pairing, we had Matthew Ireland and Zaid Thabeth who both were successful defenders and dynamic in attack, often punching holes in the opposition’s defence. The back three comprised Robert Spence at full back and the Davison brothers on the wing. We also had a number of substitutes who played regularly throughout the season. Everyone progressed together and progressed well. One of our most memorable games was against Bristol RFC, a team which was on tour. The first half was quiet with the only score being Bristol’s try without a conversion just before the half-time whistle. We came out in the second-half ambitious to succeed at the ‘Fort’ looking for a win. Within five minutes of the half kicking off we had scored a great try under the posts through a brilliant passage of play with Michael Brady adding the extras! It was then Bristol’s turn to attack but our defence held out to a degree. Unfortunately, Bristol proved too strong at this moment and managed to get the ball out wide to score in the corner. However, their kicker missed the conversion and we knew we only had to gain one try to win the game. We played with ten times the ferocity and skill. Continuous forward runs and balls out wide put us on Bristol’s five-metre line. An amazing break through scored the try that won us the match.

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Many of the Medallion ‘B’ team will go on to play at higher levels of rugby within the Academy and we wish them all well. We would also like to thank our coaches and parents for their continued help and support rain, hail or shine both home and away Daniel Harold (Form V) / N.I.

UNDER 14A AND UNDER 14B It was another year of great development for Under 14 rugby in the School. We began proceedings with a very good win away to Ballyclare High School. Shane Martin captained the team, leading from the front throughout. We had a series of narrow defeats against RBAI, Methody and Wallace which earned high praise from opposition coaches. We really developed our pattern through the season, winning the majority of our games after the Christmas period. This culminated in a tournament at Ballymena Academy where we were defeated in the quarterfinal by Ballymena Academy after performing very well in the group stages. The Under 14B team had a very good season under the captaincy of Andrew Meeke winning 8 of their matches. It was encouraging to see so many boys willing to participate in such an enthusiastic manner. All boys should be very proud of their efforts and I hope they enjoy much success in their rugby careers in school. I.M.G.

U13A RUGBY 2013-14 proved a year of significant progress for the U13 rugby team. As usual, there were significant changes to personnel and positions between the start and end of the season. By March, the back line consisted of hockey convert, Max Burton, at scrum-half, with Harry Warke outside him at flyhalf. These two have the potential to control games against the best of sides, with a combination of intelligence and significant passing and kicking skills. At inside centre, in the mould of a second 10, was Luca Johnston, who frequently fed Hassan, his centre partner and top try scorer. The back three consisted of Luke Carlin, Tom Spence and player of the year, Adam Kane. These back were complemented, occasionally when on loan from Ballymena United, by Harry Robinson who is as tenacious a runner as I have seen at this age group. The pack was equally talented: the front row was Kirk Mullally, Aaron Martin and Mark McKillen, who, to use boxing terminology, is the best pound-

for-pound tackler I have seen on a rugby pitch. In the second row we had the athletic Dominick Rhodes and Phil O’Callaghan, who regularly made themselves available to carry, ruck and tackle. The back row was a combination of Tom Stewart, Charlie George, Simon Dalzell and Daniel Logan. As a combination, these three players had a very impressive tackle and turnover count. So how did we fare? As often, we had a difficult start to the season. However, as the boys got used to each other’s rugby we fared increasingly well as the year progressed, culminating in an excellent 12-0 victory over Catholic University School and winning our group (Ballymena, Grosvenor and Wallace) in the first BRA tournament, only to be narrowly beaten by Sullivan in the semi-finals. This is a particularly talented and affable group of boys and I look forward to their continued progression on and off the field in 2014/15. M.R.S.

U13B Played 13

Won 8

Lost 5

The U13 ‘B’ team started the season on a positive note with a fine 17-7 win over rivals Ballyclare High; a very pleasing result and a reversal from last season’s loss. Unfortunately, two successive defeats ensued against strong Methodist College and Sullivan Upper sides; however, team morale remained high. The hard work and dedication of players such as Michael McCormack, Eoghan Watt, Jacob O’Neill and Joshua Ritchie were rewarded when the team won their next two matches against Wallace and Ballymena. The latter game proved to be a season high and saw Jack Megahey making his mark at scrum half. At this stage of the season

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it was encouraging to see players such as Ben Hopkins and Myles Ingram prove themselves as excellent utility players, and the powerful Youcef Saied making inroads into the A’s side. Max Burton, and most improved player Ben Coleman proved to be the difference in a close encounter with Bangor Grammar in November, a month that also saw a narrow loss against Down High. The emerging leadership qualities of Rory Linden became evident in a 25-0 win against Regent, where he put in a man-of-the-match performance alongside a rotating central trio of Cameron White, Andrew Bassett and Ryan Davidson. End of season victories against Killicomaine and Grosvenor displayed the potential of a powerful pack which included Simon Dalzell, Michael Mahood, James Bryan and Adam Keed. These wins provided the perfect ending to a season of development and progression. I am looking forward to seeing the potential of this side fulfilled in the near future, and would finally like to thank all of the boys for their effort and enthusiasm this year.

Ballymena Academy and Ballyclare High School. All games were very competitive with the boys giving a good account of themselves. Yet, the season ended in disappointment with the team failing to win any of the games in their group in the annual Coleraine tournament. However, in the final few minutes of the Plate semi-final against Ballymena there was a glimmer of their true potential. I hope the boys will learn from this experience and come back stronger and hungrier for success next year. They have the potential and eagerness to be strong contenders in tournaments in years to come.

P.T.S.

There were a number of outstanding performances throughout the season. Callum Davison captained the side extremely well. He was the team’s talisman and led by example. He is a very talented player, strong in defence and always ready to run the ball back at the opposition.

FORM I RUGBY

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This year’s Form I rugby squad was a very enthusiastic, tenacious and responsive group. There were a number of exceptional players which meant stiff competition for places. This was demonstrated with around 25 players representing the ‘A’ team at some stage throughout the season. Most pleasing to the coaches on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturday mornings were, regardless of level of experience, the dedication and willingness to learn new skills. The team played a number of games throughout the season against Wallace High School, Regent House, Dalriada, Coleraine Inst, Grosvenor College,

The ‘A’ forwards throughout the season consisted of Rob Sturgess, Ollie Parkes, Patrick George, Jordan McGuinness, Jack Higgins, Louis West, Jude McCracken, Adam Loudon, Aaron Gutterham, Zakhir Thabeth and Ben Brown; while the ‘A’ backs included Andrew Greer, Callum Davison, Nikhil Kane, Jack Davis, Tom Nicholl, Joel Miller, Jack Whitley and Adam Lamb.

Other players to particularly impress throughout the season were Louis West, Ollie Parkes, Jack Higgins, Aaron Gutterham, Nikhil Kane, Joel Miller, Jack Davis and Jack Whitley. They were a real threat to the opposition with elusive running and ferocious tackling. In closing, apart from the boys, I am also indebted to the hard work and professionalism of my fellow coaches during the year: Mr A. Creighton, Mr Bell, Mr McCarey, Mr D. Creighton and Mr Wylie. Their support, expertise, dedication and friendship made

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it a joy to be involved with coaching such a pleasant and enthusiastic group of boys. T.H.

BOYS’ HOCKEY CLUB 1st XI Captain – Chris Roe

The 2013-2014 season was a moderately successful, but enjoyable one. The 1st XI, under the leadership of Chris Roe, had limited success in the Prior Shield and bowed out of the Burney Cup at the 2nd round stage. However, the team displayed character throughout the season and significant progress was made by many of those within the squad. In the Prior Shield we started off with an encouraging result against a strong Friends’ School Lisburn side. At Mossely we managed to hold the eventual finalists to a 0-0 draw. It was a curate’s egg of a performance as we constantly gave away possession in midfield, but some of our last ditch defending was heroic, with the irrepressible Daryn McMeekin to the fore. We also benefitted in no small part from the visitors profligacy in front of goal. This result turned out to be the highlight of our campaign. In our other matches we tended to allow our opposition too much of a foothold in the game before we decided to ‘turn up’. Nowhere was this better illustrated than in our trip to Bangor. We surrendered a 3-0 lead within the first 15 minutes, allowing the opposition too much time and space on the ball, particularly in their right back channel. In the second-half we rallied and brought much greater intensity to the game, but we had left ourselves with too much of a mountain to climb. With this defeat our campaign, in a group out of which only one team emerged, petered out. After Christmas our focus moved to the Burney Cup. The preliminary round saw us go up against

Lurgan College at Roughfort. This was our best performance of the year as we played with good fluidity as well as defensive stability to produce a comprehensive 5-0 victory. Our reward for such a performance was a much sterner test against a strong Cookstown High School side, who had featured prominently in both the McCullough Cup and Irish Schools’ tournament. The boys were fired up for the occasion and produced an encouraging display. We turned around at halftime 3-0 down, having conceded just on the stroke of half-time. We manufactured some good chances of our own, winning two short corners and Chris Roe had a one-on-one with their ‘keeper, which unfortunately he was unable to convert. Jason Roe took the game to Cookstown well and the two James’s; Johnston and Carey produced typically abrasive defensive displays. In the second-half we eventually tired and Cookstown started to pick holes in our defence with greater ease, eventually running out 9-0 winners, but we battled to the end and stuck at our task well. The team had Daryn McMeekin in goal. Daryn’s enthusiasm was unbridled and he had the ability to pull off magnificent saves. However, sometimes he was too enthusiastic and his desire to pull off spectacular saves had a tendency to leave his defenders exposed. His presence will be sorely missed in the season ahead. Alan Jones was one of those competing for the starting berth at right back. His qualities lay more in his ability as a marker and a tackler than in his skills of distribution. If he continues to play hockey next year he needs to get greater strength on the ball and generate more ball pace when passing. Thomas Carey was another option at right back, although he was increasingly employed further up the pitch. He is a strong runner and shows good stick skills. Sometimes his feet moved a little quicker than his head and he needs to improve his end product. Too often he gets into good positions but his final pass lets him down. Richard Ware played a number of times as a fourth former at the back and was often competing with John Miller for the starting berth. Richard is a good low tackler and reads the game well – he has a good natural positional sense. However, he needs to assert himself more upon the game and play with a little bit more aggression. John has very good basic skills and greater ability to beat a player than most on the team. What he needs to improve is the speed

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at which he makes decisions on the pitch and more discernment to take the simple options. Too often he got caught in possession trying to beat the third player or intercepted playing the glory pass, when a simpler ball was the better choice. The other two defenders who regularly started in the back four were James Carey and Danny Worsell. Danny played left back and showed many of the skills required in that position. He was a strong tackler and has a very good slap hit pass. The criticism of his game was that he had a tendency to waver a little in position and when he did so he sometimes turned over the ball. James at centre back was often our most committed player. He leads by example as he is aggressive in the tackle and a tenacious marker. His distribution at times could be better and I would like him to be more vocal on the pitch. In midfield the combination most often employed to start was Jason Roe, James Johnston and Ryan McAlister. Jason, despite being in fourth form, was our most influential player. He was involved with Antrim Hockey club’s 1st XI during the season, indeed while playing with them he picked up a nasty injury that saw him miss a number of games. His regular hockey at a higher level showed. He has good stick skills, which he uses well to beat players and he moves the ball around with greater pace than anyone else on the team. His example shows the others the need to play Club hockey if they are to make the necessary improvement both individually and as a team.

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Ryan’s hockey improved dramatically during the course of the season. He developed greater strength on the ball and tenacity as he cemented a regular starting place at left midfield. He needs to do everything with a bit more pace and crispness if his impact on the game is going to be greater. James is a combative player and great competitor. He was disciplined in centre or left midfield and gave the team good structure and stability. His basic skill set is good, but like Ryan he needs to do everything with a bit more urgency. The captain, Chris Roe sometimes operated in midfield, particularly following his brother’s injury, or played as a withdrawn centre forward. He led the side well and worked tirelessly for the team. At times he tended to get drawn to the ball and follow it, which sometimes left other areas of the pitch exposed but his effort was never questioned. He carried the ball with good balance and picked up some important goals during the season. In addition

to the pitch, his ability to organise and motivate his teammates was key. Chris Jones was arguably our most improved player during the course of the year and by the end of the season had cemented his place in our starting XI. His basic skills improved a great deal during the season and his ability on the left wing position to receive the ball, turn strong and therefore to bring support runners into the game, was an example other forwards would do well to follow. He also had the handy knack of scoring goals. Ben Irvine was another whose abilities improved considerably during the course of the year. He has moved to a more advanced position up the pitch and looks set to have a greater impact there. He has a tendency, like Chris Roe, to get drawn towards the ball when we are defending, which affects our defensive shape. However, his basic skills are very solid and he moves the ball with much greater pace and urgency than many of his peers. Mark Johnston was another who vied for a position up front. He has good pace and one or two good tricks on the ball. However, he continues to not be strong enough in possession of the ball and too often he was not able to link up with the midfield, so the ball would be turned over. Oliver McGowan suffered a little from not always being available due to other commitments. He was another tenacious player who never shied away from a challenge. However, he needs to learn to do everything with more pace and to improve the speed of his passing. Ryan Lightowler and David McClements emerged on the scene at the start of the year. Both featured more and more as the season progressed and will be key players next year. David is naturally left-sided and needs to improve his ability to transfer the ball from left to right, so that he can open the pitch up and not drive into the left channel. Ryan had a good eye for goal, but needs to improve his basic stick skills in order to make more use of his abilities away from the opposition’s circle. Finally I would just like to thank the boys for their effort throughout the year, to Chris Roe for his leadership, and to wish the significant number of MVI who left last year all the best for the future. I hope they will continue to play hockey in the future and I trust they got enjoyment out of the sport in their time at school. M.G.H.

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COLTS

name on the score sheet, in what turned out to be an aggressive and high tempo match. The 2013-2014 season was a relatively successful one for the Colts XI. The team comprised of mainly Form IV and V players, with a sprinkling of some select Form III. Much progress was made by the players during the course of the season and several of those who started on the Colts have now staked a claim for a 1st XI place for next season. The highlight of the season was the Colts’ participation in the Taylor Cup, with the team narrowly missing out on progressing to the knock out stages of the competition. The team began with victory against Lurgan College by beating them 3-1. Thomas Carey scored twice and Jason Roe also scored in what turned out to be a very impressive and dominant performance.

The boys’ Colts Hockey team completed their run in the Taylor Cup with a convincing 4-0 victory away to Nendrum College, Comber. Ryan Lightowler scored twice, with Jason Roe and Niall Armstrong getting the final two goals. This match rounded off an encouraging campaign and season for the Colts team. Jason Roe led the team well as captain, and did so with a never-say-die attitude. Jason along with Thomas Carey formed an excellent partnership in middle field, whilst John Miller and Richard Ware were rocks at the back when protecting the formidable Seweryn Szulgan in nets.

The boys were beaten convincingly by Portadown College on a warm spring afternoon at Roughfort, before losing narrowly to Wellington College away. This match proved to be the fatal wound to the Colts’ campaign. The team steeled themselves to restore pride to the revered name of the Academy’s Colts XI by finishing off their time in the competition with two very strong victories. They beat Newry High School 5-0 with Thomas Carey and Jason Roe both scoring twice, and Cameron Gergett also getting his

I would like to thank the team for their commitment and hard work over an enjoyable season. D.D.M.

JUNIOR HOCKEY

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If we were to reflect upon the 2013-14 season statistically it would show an unsuccessful season. However, I feel that it would be unfair to do so. In terms of commitment, application and development the boys had a very successful season and it was very rewarding to see young men represent their school with pride on the hockey pitch. The season started with home and away defeats to a very strong Methody side who passed the ball well in midfield and were clinical in front of goal. Next, we played a very entertaining game against RBAI, losing 7-2, but competed well in all areas of the pitch. However, we lacked some fitness at the end of the game. Ethan Thompson, Form II scored both goals, proving once again his ability to manipulate his way through tight defences.

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November brought a heavy defeat to Regent, then a competitive defeat to Friends’, 3-1, before an excellent win, 3-1, against Campbell College at home. This victory came after a sustained improvement in every match that was played. Under the guidance of captain Barra Patterson, Form III, the defence developed into one capable of making better-timed tackles and then distributing or clearing the ball effectively. After this victory, spirits were lifted greatly going into the next fixture against Grosvenor. However, despite playing some good hockey, we were unable to take our chances and lost 5-2. Several Form I boys made good contributions to the team, notably Owen O’Kane, Christopher Pollock and David Russell. Although it was sometimes difficult for them to compete with the physicality of older boys, it will

have given them invaluable experience as they lead the Junior team next year. Unfortunately, the New Year did not bring any more victories and in the Bannister Bowl we were knocked out by Bangor, who were extremely clinical in front of goal. There were several players who made significant developments in their skills and ability to perform and contribute in a match situation. In defence, Peter Watt, Form II, developed into a very able defender, improving on his decision making and distribution. In midfield, David Rea, Form II, showed good skills and link play. Eoin Bradley, Form III, improved greatly to contribute in midfield or the forward line, keeping possession of the ball well. Barra Patterson, in defence, always performed at a consistently high level and he led by example as captain of a welldisciplined Academy side. One cannot dismiss the benefits of playing team sport and contributing to your school. The boys of this Junior team have developed their hockey, team and personal skills and should be very proud of their efforts throughout the season. K.L.

GIRLS’ HOCKEY CLUB For the 2013/14 season we fielded our usual four Senior and four Junior teams every Saturday in our block fixtures and fielded a fifth Senior team anytime the opposing school could. Also on a Saturday morning our Form I club ran every week thanks to coaches Neil Hermon, who

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has been our our Form I coach for some 10 years now and Ashleigh Beattie a player from Owl’s Ladies Hockey club.

BRA, represented Ulster and Ireland. Faye played at U18 level and competed in a three-match series in Dublin against Scotland.

The Owl’s Cup is presented every year to the most successful team and this year it was won by the Under 14’s captained by Charlotte Anderson, one of three players from the team who played up and represented the 1st XI during the second-half of the season. The other two U14 players were Trinity Geddis and Alice Reid and all three players were selected deservedly to represent the U15 Belfast Area team. Alice Reid progressed to be selected for Ulster U16 and travelled to Scotland to play a three -match series against them.

Erin Getty represented Ulster and Ireland at U16 level. Erin travelled to Scotland at Easter with the Irish team for a three-match series and then to Austria in June to play their national team in another three-match series, and finally a three match series against Wales in Dublin in July.

1st XI Played 19

Lost 7

Drawn 2

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Won 10

Other girls with representative honours included Abbie Brown, Judithe Allen and Lucy Miller who all played for Belfast U17.

SQUAD

We had other girls with representative honours: our captain Anna Hutchinson in her last year of school represented Ulster U21. Anna was a true warrior and leader on the pitch and will be a hard act to follow. Our vice-captain Faye Kidd, also in her last year at

Abbie Brown, Anna Hutchinson (Captain), Anna Wilson, Erin Getty, Faye Kidd (Vice-Captain), Holly Reid, Judithe Allen, Lauren Crothers, Lucy Miller, Lucy Stewart, Megan Geddis, Robyn Geddis, Savannah Thompson, Taylor McComb.

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The 1st XI 2013/14 season, captained by Anna Hutchinson, will be remembered best for reaching the final of the Ulster Shield. This competition is for teams who exit the Schools’ Cup at the round three stage. In the Schools’ Cup we had beaten Cambridge House at home in the 2nd round. The 3rd round drew us against Ballymena Academy, one of the Cup favourites. Our girls rose to the challenge and ‘stepped up’ their game. After going a goal down, we pulled one back through Erin Getty. With seconds remaining and extra time tactics being planned by Mr. Dorman and mine, a tired pass from our defence played the ball straight onto a Ballymena stick. The ball was immediately played back into our defensive circle to a Ballymena forward who finished the opportunity with a superbly taken shot into the net. This was immediately followed by the final whistle, we didn’t even have time to take the restart. We stood and looked at each other almost in disbelief at what had just happened while our opponents celebrated.

The only way we could pick ourselves up from such a defeat was to quickly re-set our focus on winning the Shield competition as our compensation, nothing less would do. We had to play well to ‘dig out’ a 1-0 win against Down High away from home in the 1st round of the Ulster Shield, with Judithe Allen getting the allimportant goal. 192

We met Methody in the semi-final and after a convincing win over them earlier in the season we

knew they would be seeking revenge! It was a hardfought match as expected and a goal apiece at the end of normal time forced the game into extra time. Our goal had come from a superb short corner strike by Erin Getty. Just five minutes into extra-time our captain Anna again stepped up when needed and scored an excellent goal to give us the lead. The team gave their all to hold on to the one-goal lead and celebrated in style when the final whistle went - we were in the final! The final was against Armagh and was played at Lisnagarvey Hockey Club. Again, the girls rose to the occasion and contributed to what was an excellent final. A further match was forced to go to extra-time as the score stood at 1-1 with our goal coming from Faye Kidd. Unfortunately, Armagh did get the all-important goal in extra-time meaning we had to settle for the runners-up medals which was hugely disappointing when we felt that certain umpiring decisions had cost us. Other impressive and notable performances by the 1st XI during 2013/14 season were 8-0 victories against Bloomfield Collegiate and then Antrim Grammar School. Also a 5-2 win at home to Methody, when we were without Irish player Faye Kidd, was an equally impressive performance. N.N.

2A XI Played 18

Lost 8

Drawn 3

Won 7

SQUAD Amy O’Donnell, Anna Hogg, Anna Wilson, Clara Montgomery, Emma Gray (Captain), Hannah Lau, Jessica North, Leah Baillie, Lucy Browne, Lucy Stewart, Megan Geddis, Rebecca Curtis, Rebecca Harbinson, Yasmin McClean. The team, captained by Emma Gray in her last year at BRA, had a good combination of younger and experienced players.

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Like the 1st XI, the story of the 2A’s season was reaching the final of their Plate competition after going out of their Cup to Coleraine Girls’ High.The team beat Regent House at home in the quarter-final of the Plate and then went on to steal a 2-1 away victory over Omagh Academy in the semi-final, with goals from Anna Hogg and Anna Wilson. Down High was our opposition in the final and just as the 1st XI final had gone, we had to play extratime. Neither team had managed to score in normal time but Down High managed to find another gear in extra-time scoring in the first-half. Unfortunately, we had to settle for runners-up medals for the 2nd time in two weeks, but the experience of reaching and playing in a final was an enjoyable one and for both teams, one they will remember.

of the season. We opened the season well winning 5-1 against Bloomfield, 1-0 against Glenlola and drawing 0-0 against a strong Strathearn team. We won the first two matches in our 3rd XI Cup against Wallace 3-1 and Strathearn 2-1. In both matches we were 1-0 down at half time but worked hard in the second half to secure a win. In our third Cup match against Sullivan we didn’t have our usual team and we lost 4-1. However, we played them again the next week and drew 1-1. We sadly lost our last match of the season against Larne despite the hard work of the forwards in the second-half. Although we had mixed results, it was an enjoyable season during which everyone worked hard as a team. K.Taggart (Captain)

A huge thank you to Mr. Dorman who despite an extremely busy schedule, still finds time to coach both the 1st XI and 2A’s alongside myself. N.N.

The 2BXI had a mixed season of results. This included strong wins against Bloomfield (5-1), Starthearn (2-1), Wallace (3-1) and Grosvenor (3-0) and some closely contested losses against Larne (12) and Ballyclare High School (1-0).

2B XI Played 16

Won 5

Drew 5

Lost 6

Player of the Year: Chloe Dawson Top Goal Scorer: Sarah Cowden Most Improved Player: Melissa Moffett Captain: Kate Taggart Vice-Captain: Mykila Donaldson Squad: Katie Wallace, Kate Taggart, Melissa Moffett, Naomi Martin Mykila Donaldson Chloe Dawson, Hannah Booth, Rebecca Rowan, Helen Diamond, Sarah McGuckin, Sarah Cowden, Laura Fleck, Charlotte Nicholl, Jenna McMurtry. Captain’s Report We had a mixed team this year ranging from Form IV to Middle Sixth, but we all got on well from the start

Every season the girls compete in the 3rd XI Cup which begins in October. Unfortunately, we were unable to progress from the group stage, losing to Sullivan in our final match. Despite some tough games team morale and effort remained high throughout the season. The girls worked hard throughout the year and there was a marked improvement in the standard of their play. As ever, there is much work that needs to be done to improve upon this standard for next season. It was a great pleasure to work with such an energetic

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schools that we did play provided us with tough competition. The results of the season really do not showcase the hard-work and effort that went into the 3rd XI training and the work of our coach Miss Brady. As a team, this season provided a lot of fun and strengthened our hockey skills. I know that next season, the team will continue to progress and the results will only get better - if the weather is on our side at least! group of girls. Special thanks must go to Kate Taggart who made an excellent captain, motivating and encouraging her team. Her organisational and leadership skills have been second to none. K.E.B.

3rd XI

R. Burns (Captain) The 3rd XI had a disappointing season, given such a dedicated and hard-working group of girls. Unfortunately, even with an emphasis on improving skills, the team still found it difficult to score goals. However, many matches were extremely closely contested and the team always worked hard until the final whistle. I would like to make special mention of our captain, Rebecca Burns, who led by example with her helpful, organised and pleasant manner in which she performed her duties throughout the season. Many thanks go to the girls for their effort this season. The team members worked very hard to produce their best in games. With continued effort and determination many of the 3rd XI will be representing higher teams next year. I therefore wish them every success at these levels.

Played 10

Won 1

Drew 2

Player of the Year: Rebecca Burns Top Goal Scorer: Holly Sharpe/Kellie McLean Most Improved Player: Lauren Turner 194

K.E.B.

Lost 7

Captain: Rebecca Burns Vice Captain: Lauren Turner Squad: Chloe McAllister, Rebecca Burns, Rachel Gault, Kayleigh Martin, Lauren Turner, Holly Sharpe, Anna McCrory, Kellie McLean, Jayne Bassett, Emma MacDougall, Caitlyn Kevan, Brooke McCombe, Ciara Patterson, Shanagh McAllister, Vivienne Walsh, Rachel Atkinson. Captain’s Report Due to bad weather conditions during this year’s hockey season, seven out of the seventeen arranged matches had to be cancelled. The remaining ten

U14A Played 18

Won 11

Drew 4

Lost 3

Captain – Charlotte Anderson Player of the Year – Alice Reid Top Goal Scorer – Katie Ritchie Most Promising Player – Ellen Dalzell Total goals scored - 31 The Under 14’s began with great enthusiasm and motivation to achieve the best results possible throughout the season. They got off to a great start with wins against Glenlola, Bloomfield and Methody which highlighted the potential and talent within the team. However, a tough draw against Killicomaine Junior High School saw the girls knocked out of the

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Representative Honours Congratulations to Alice Reid who was selected for the Ulster U16 team. Alice travelled to Largs in Scotland to play against Scotland and a Dutch side at the end of June. They played six games in total over the weekend.

Junior Schools’ Cup, but after refocusing the girls set their sights on the Plate trophy. After Christmas the girls set out with a ‘will to win’ attitude to their first Plate match against Cambridge House at Mossley H.C. The team had an excellent 4-0 win with Charlotte Poh scoring all four goals. This led the team on to quarter-final on the 13th February which was played at Comber L.C. against Down High School. The girls won 2-1 in horrendous weather conditions. Katie McConnaughie scored the winning goal in the last two minutes of the game. The team now set their sights on winning the semifinal against Ballyclare High School. They trained extremely hard during lunch time, after school and on Saturday mornings for this all-important match. On Thursday 6th March they played against Ballyclare at Mossley H.C. It was a very close, exciting game. The girls worked tirelessly throughout and never gave up. Unfortunately, the girls very narrowly lost 1-0 in the last minute of the game when a Ballyclare player came one on one with our keeper. It was a disappointing end to the match, however, the experience will be invaluable and hopefully the girls will be involved in Schools’ Cup matches in the future. 196

The season finished on the 8th March with a 0-0 draw at Larne Grammar. The girls played well but were unable to score, spirits possibly dampened from their previous semi-final match. South Antrim League Results Drew 0-0 against Ballyclare High School Drew 0-0 against Belfast High School Won 1-0 against Carrick Grammar Won 3-0 against Antrim Grammar Drew 1-1 against Larne Grammar

Belfast U15 Team Congratulations to Charlotte Anderson, Trinity Geddis and Alice Reid who were selected for the Belfast U15 team. The team came fourth in the Area Board Tournament held at Lisnagarvey Hockey Club in March. The season ended with a very enjoyable team awards night at Zozo in Jordanstown. There was a great turn out from both teams. Our favourite bit of the night was the yummy chocolate cake Irish’s mum had kindly made for us. Many thanks go to the girls for their commitment and effort this season. Thanks must go to captain Charlotte Anderson who led by example, both at training and during matches. The team members worked very hard to produce their best in games. Team morale and spirit remained high throughout the season. It was a great pleasure to work with such a dedicated and enthusiastic group of girls. I wish them continued success in hockey as they move into the Senior club. Squad: Irish Alvarado, Eileen Donaldson, Ellen Dalzell, Kaytlin Bruce, Molly Brown, Trinity Geddis, Charlotte Anderson, Alice Reid, Katie Ritchie, Maria Del Castillo, Charlotte Poh, Katie McConnaughie. J.R.S./B.E.B. U14 A Captain’s Report I have been proud and honoured to be the captain of the under 14 A’s in the season of 2013/14. It has been a very successful year for the team having reached the semi-finals of the Plate and being narrowly beaten. Every player on the team put 100% into every match they played. Thank you to Alice Reid for being vice-captain this year and thank you to Mrs Shaw and Miss Brittan for their coaching in the past season. I hope everyone is able to continue and enjoy the incoming season. Well done everyone and thank you for being such a great team. Charlotte Anderson (Captain)

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U14B Played 13

Won 8

Drew 2

Lost 3

Captain – Megan McAlmont Player of the Year – Beth Magill Top Goal Scorer – Brooklyn Jamison Most Promising Player – Hannah Marshall Total goals scored – 22 The Under 14B team had a fantastic season this year, with several players pushing for places on the ‘A’ team. The girls not only showed determination and hard work within matches, but also managed to keep their enthusiasm throughout training. The team, led by Captain Megan McAlmont, had several successful performances including wins against Ballyclare High, Belfast High and Victoria College. The team finished off the season with a great away win against Larne Grammar. I would like to thank Megan, Beth and Rachel for stepping up to play on the A’s when asked. They all made valuable contributions on many occasions.

Thompson, Anna McClurg, Amber Vic, Brooklyn Jamison, Lauren Hamilton J.R.S./B.E.B. U14B Captain’s Report The U14B team had a very successful year winning the majority of our games. The players showed great commitment and enthusiasm both during the matches and in training. It was noticeable to see how the standard of play improved as the season went on. A number of the players played regularly for the ‘A’ team and contributed greatly to their success throughout the season. As captain, I would like to thank all the players for their participation throughout the season, but I would particularly like to thank Mrs Shaw and Miss Brittain for their continual support, encouragement and expertise. I know that we have all improved as players as a result of their excellent coaching. Megan McAlmont (Captain)

U13A Played 14

Won 6

Drew 3

Lost 5

Players of the Year: Ellie Bradley, Naomi McGuckin Captain: Naomi McGuckin Squad: Ellie Bradley, Cara Carson, Chloe Joyce, Naomi McGuckin, Thomasa Kennedy, Samantha McGrath, Harriet Dougan, Darcy Collins, Anna Whiteside, Clara Walker, Laurel Kennedy, Orla O’Kane, Amie Bradley, Lucy May Jamison, Aimme Lyttle. The season ended with a very enjoyable team awards night at Zozo in Jordanstown. There was a great turn out from both teams. I would like to make special mention of our captain, Megan McAlmont, who led by example with her helpful, organised and pleasant manner as she performed her duties throughout the season. Many thanks to all the team for their dedication and enthusiasm to improve their skills and fitness. I hope they will continue to enjoy their hockey as they move into the Senior club next season.

The U13A team started the season well with four wins. Unfortunately, injury to several players, meant players changing positions, so we lost a bit of stability, losing several matches in a row.

Squad: Jasmine Ross, Erin Moffett, Dannie Wilson, Beth Magill, Aoibh Moorehead, Rachel Baillie, Hannah Marshall, Megan McAlmont, Katy

B.M.C.

Towards the end of the season the defence, was better at man-to-man marking. The forwards tried hard to score, but just didn’t make enough shots count. In spite of this the girls maintained a high level of enthusiasm. I know that they will practise their skills and enjoy success in the years ahead.

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U13B Played 11

Won 4

Drew 1

Lost 6

Player of the Year: Aimee Lyttle Captain: Jessica Jackson Squad: Jessica Jackson, Abbie McGowan, Cora Lamb, Sasha Peters, Jane Monahan, Ellie Moffett, Amy Lyttle, Molly O’Donnell, Lucy May Jamison, Billie Stringer, Fionnuala Mclean, Bethany Paul, Olivia McConnel, Lorna Maguinnes, Kirsty Duffy, Emma Griffin, Sian Chinamora. The U13B team had a mixed season. The girls worked hard at improving their skills, particularly spacing, passing and tackling. There was much enthusiasm within the squad and fortunately most of the players were able to get match experience. Our biggest problem during the season was scoring goals. However, the girls enjoyed their hockey and remained positive throughout the season. B.M.C.

gemma_davis@talk21.com Miss Brady P.E Dept.

MINI HOCKEY Owl’s Ladies Mini section had another successful season in 2013/14, catering for and developing both the hockey and social skills of girls aged 7-11. Remaining at BRA playing fields our girls experienced hockey through a range of progressive and enjoyable drills and games led by four experienced coaches. Owl’s Minis took part in a number of fun events which included a ‘Spooky Halloween Dribble’, a ‘Sponsored Walk’, and a hugely enjoyable ‘Onesie Party’. Minis Training will remain at BRA Playing Fields on Saturday mornings, 10.20 am - 11.30 am on the gravel pitches. We hope the 2014/15 season will bring great success as we open up our age range to 6-11 year olds and plan to make use of the Astroturf pitch as much as possible, with the aim to move training to this facility once the floodlights are installed.

Owls Ladies Hockey Club Owls Ladies Hockey Club is part of Academy Sports Club. It is a friendly, locally-based club, open to girls from age 6 years and up and of all abilities. We have two teams playing regularly in Ulster Hockey leagues and an Under 15 team taking part in various matches throughout the season.

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Mini Hockey is on Saturday mornings at Roughfort from 10.20am-11.30am and our U15 girls train on a Wednesday evening at Mossley Hockey Club from 7.30 - 8.30pm. Senior ladies also train at Mossley twice a week: Monday evenings from 8.15pm9.45pm and Wednesdays from 7.00pm-8.30pm. Home matches on Saturdays are played on the Astroturf at Roughfort. It is hoped that if floodlights are fitted at Roughfort all training sessions will take place there. In addition social activities for all ages take place throughout the year, some examples being a family fun day, film night, quiz night and Christmas party. All new players of all ages and abilities are most welcome. For further information contact: Ashleigh Beattie (Juniors): ashleigh_b13@hotmail.com Gemma Menaul (Seniors):

K.E.B.

CRICKET 1st XI Played 9

Won 7

Lost 2

Captain: Ross Bryans The 2014 season, as with the 2013 season, was ultimately one of frustration as the 1st XI again fell in the Schools’ Cup to the eventual winners RBAI, one of only two defeats during the season. It was an anti-climactic end to the competitive season for a group who showed a great deal of promise throughout the year. The season started in April, before the Easter break, with Down High and Bangor Grammar visitors to Roughfort. The Down High game was our season’s bow, as our bowling strength came to the fore as the visitors were bowled out for only 55. Jack Burton’s figures were the pick of the bunch as he took 3 wickets for 6 runs. Ross Bryans and Samuel Osborne picked up 2 wickets each, but all the bowlers contributed to a fine performance. In reply Wilson and Collins fell early, before Palmer steadied the ship. Jack Burton continued a fine individual performance with some

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clean hitting as he raced to 29, falling with a few runs required, before Ross Bryans hit his second ball for 4 to ensure a six-wicket victory. Bangor Grammar was also defeated. Batting first, BRA posted 147-5 in 25 overs. Francis Collins scored 30 to steady the ship after the loss of Tirupati and Burton early on. Ross Bryans led the way 59 not out after Jordi Fettis’s quick fire 32 gave the innings impetus. Bangor never looked like threatening our total as Forbes bowled 5 very tight overs at the top of the innings. Fettis, Collins and Palmer picked up 2 wickets apiece as Bangor was reduced to 104-7. After the Easter break Ballyclare High was entertained at the Castle Grounds in our first McCullough Cup game and a fine bowling display; three wickets each for Forbes and Bryans along with two apiece for Fettis and Tirupati saw them reduced to 52 all out. A quick fire 28 from Fettis ensured an 8 wicket victory. In the 1st round of the Schools’ Cup Antrim Grammar were our opponents. A very solid all round bowling and fielding performance ensured a comfortable 8 wicket victory. Our next McCullough Cup game was a visit to Friends’ School. Wallace was our next opponent. Having won the toss we elected to bat. After a slow start Tirupati’s 30 laid the foundation for a total of 104 in our 20 overs, which felt below par. A few batsmen got starts, but no-one pushed on to set up a big total. In reply, Wallace started well and at 55-2 after 11 overs looked well placed for victory. However, Michael Wilson struck to remove Moore and picked up two more wickets to end with 3-17. He was supported well by the other bowlers to ensure a 4-run victory. The following Saturday we made the short trip to Osbourne Park to take on RBAI in the Schools’ Cup. RBAI won the toss and elected to bat first. Our bowling and fielding were disciplined. Ross Bryans (4-16) and Michael Wilson (3-23) provided the cutting edge, while Andrew Forbes was bowling his 7 overs for 8 runs. RBAI having been 59-2 and 80-4 was reduced to 88-9. However, Mairs and Magee put on 20 for the last wicket to give them just a little momentum going into the break. Our response was very disappointing. Our inability to apply ourselves to the task on a slow turning wicket against decent spin bowling ensured a much earlier than anticipated exit from the competition. Only Bryans (17) of our top order put up any resistance

as we slumped to 45-8. For a fleeting moment a partnership of 25 between Forbes and Wilson for the 9th wicket had us daring to believe, but as we fell further behind the rate Wilson was run out and when McLarnon was adjudged LBW to McCaughan a 30 run defeat was confirmed. The defeat exposed our batting as our weaker suit. On this occasion, playing on a slow grass wicket, the temptation of our top order to try and hit through the line, a strategy much more rarely exposed on the artificial wickets so often played on early in the season, was found out. I hope that for next year lessons might be learnt, especially in the Schools’ Cup, when the longer nature of the game allows for an innings to be built. We only required a fraction over 3 and over for victory. An away trip to Coleraine Inst followed our Cup defeat. A slightly under-strength side struggled against the all-round abilities of the Chopra brothers. We suffered a narrow defeat. Our final game of the season saw Campbell College entertained at the Castle Grounds. Having won the toss we elected to bat. Our top 5 of Reid, Collins, Bryans, Fettis and Burton all got starts, but no-one pushed on to get a big score, with Fettis’s 24 the best. Our total of 113 felt below par, but even without Forbes in our attack Campbell never took advantage of the wickets they had in hand and were held to 995. All our bowlers showed good discipline, with the skipper’s effort particularly impressive. Several of our players gained representative honours during the course of the summer. Jack Burton gained selection for the NCU U15 XI. Jack is a very talented all-rounder. His betting is very powerful and particularly in the games on the mats he hits the ball powerfully through the line. At times he looked less comfortable on the slower pitches against the turning ball. Andrew Forbes was selected for the NCU U17 XI, the Irish U17 XI and went on the Ulster Schools’ U19 tour. Andrew has an excellent, fluid bowling action. Ross also gained selection for the Ulster Schools’ Interpro team and the Irish Schools’ XI. Ross and Jordi will both be sorely missed next year. Ross captained the side well, and was a calming influence on the side. Jordi and he were two of our top bowling options, our best fielders, but it will be in the batting that their loss will be felt most acutely. David Reid’s wicket keeping has improved significantly over the past couple of seasons and

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his batting is improving steadily. He along with others like Suraj Tirupati need to complement their attacking instincts with a buzz and intensity at the crease in order relieve scoreboard pressure. Suraj is a very useful member of the team. He is a talented batsman and a more than useful bowling option. However, he must concentrate more in the field and learn to enjoy his fielding more if he is to be of greater use next season. Francis Collins has the safest pair of hands on the side. His batting shows potential, but he was less productive at the top of the order than he would have liked. I would be very keen, if he is to regain full fitness, to get him to do more bowling. The variety his leg breaks would offer would be a great asset to our bowling attack next season. Michael Wilson’s bowling was very effective on various occasions during the season. He is another whose batting will have to become more productive next season if the side is going to feature in the later stages of the Schools’ Cup. Conor Boyd and David McLarnon will get many more opportunities with both ball and bat next season as the side seeks to replace Ross and Jordi. Neither let the side down with the ball at any stage and could be relied upon to bowl disciplined spells. They are both technically sound batsmen and have a better ability than most in the team at keeping the scoreboard ticking over and rotating the strike. Andrew Palmer carried a shoulder injury through much of the season, which rendered him unable to bowl. When he returns to fitness next year he will certainly strengthen our bowling unit. Andrew has become a technically very sound batsman, but he is another whose statistics this season do not do him full credit.

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I would like to thank David Campbell and Samuel Osborne who filled in on a number of occasions. Samuel bowled well on the few occasions he got the opportunity and he will certainly provide another option next season. David was always enthusiastic and committed in the field and will no doubt relish any opportunities he gets next season. Finally, I would like to extend thanks to Messers McGonigle, Shields and Atkins for their umpiring on various occasions and to Anton Gaw for the excellent state in which he has the Castle Grounds. M.G.H.

2nd XI The 2nd XI had a limited number of games during the season. Many schools unfortunately were unable to field 2nd XI teams, meaning several fixtures were cancelled. This however did not deter the team from playing with enthusiasm and vigour when called upon. David O’Donnell Anderson captained the team and proved to be an excellent leader. He was an inspiration to his team mates throughout the season both on and off the field. The season started with a fixture against Ballyclare High School. This proved to be a close game however the team was beaten narrowly with Ballyclare batting well towards the tail end. There were some great bowling performances from Johnny Mooney, Sam Millar and James McClarnon, whilst David Campbell, and David O’Donnell Anderson showed great promise in their batting. Our next fixture was to play a strong Campbell College 2nd XI. Campbell opened the batting well, scoring some great runs leaving us with much work to do with the bat. We struggled to get momentum losing some early wickets quickly. Admirably David O’Donnell Anderson came to the crease scoring some wonderful runs. He went on to score 50 runs showing great maturity and shot selection throughout his innings. This game was an excellent dress rehearsal for our Cup game against Foyle. Unfortunately this Cup game was postponed several times, meaning that when the time came to play the fixture we had several players unavailable due to examination commitments. In the end Foyle proved to be too strong for us, however the boys played very well with stand-out performances from Samuel Osborne and Rory Godfrey. Valuable contributions were made throughout the season from, David Campbell, David McCullough, Ryan Corry, Scott McAuley, Johnny Mooney, Sam Milar, Jason Fleming, Benjamin Irvine, James McClarnon and Timothy Robinson. Their commitment and enthusiasm proved to be invaluable. I would like to thank Mr McGonigle for his continued support throughout the season. D.J.C.

COLTS XI The U15 team had a promising start to the season with good early wins against tough opposition. They performed really well in poor weather

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conditions. Stand out performances early on were Jack Burton, who took us to victory against Ballyclare with a magnificent 49. Another good win was our second away game against Friends’ showed signs of what was to come. In the Cup we faced a strong Inst. team where Jason Roe’s 54no gave us a competitive total of 90 in our twenty overs, which sadly didn’t prove to be enough. The last game of the season we finished on a high beating Campbell away, to cap off Jason Roe’s season he top scored again with 28, which put us into a good position. A top bowling performance by Brandon Doyle and Samuel Osborne proved too much for the Campbell batsmen. The U15 team impressed all season with a talented line-up. I am looking forward to seeing these players progress in their cricketing careers. M.A.

JUNIOR COLTS XI

The Junior Colts proved to be more challenging than first expected for us as coaches. We knew their history was of a team that showed potential, but due to inconsistent performances from key players they often failed to reach such lofty heights.

as wicket-keeper, while Ben Greenlees, Oliver Lapworth and Tom Kendall all took important wickets. The team showed tremendous character with the bat, with Ben Greenlees scoring a powerful and commanding 39 and Oliver Lapworth and Aaron Lyons both scoring quick runs. However, in the end the team fell 31 runs short of the Campbell total but we were encouraged by what we had seen. The Junior Colts during the course of the season showed much potential and with hard work and determination have the makings of a competitive team. Apart from the boys mentioned previously the team could not have succeeded without the support from other players, who turned up to practice every week and were enthusiastic in their approach. These included: Nathan McDonald, Daniel Simpson, Andrew Meeke, Euan Carroll, Daniel McDonald, Owen Minford, Thomas Greer and Ryan Dodds. Not to forget Max Burton, Harry Warke, Tom Stewart and Robbie Moffett, all Form II boys, who strengthened the team in Cup competitions. Overall, this was a disappointing season for the Junior Colts. The squad has a few talented players, but all too often the team was let down with poor judgement and a lack of batting technique.

The season began with defeats against Grosvenor, Friends’ and Wallace. This was to be a flavour of what was to come throughout the campaign. It was only towards the end of the season that the boys began to shows flashes of what they might have been capable of.

The season was one of highs and lows but the commitment, enthusiasm and dedication of the players was never in question. It was a pleasure and privilege to be part of this squad and if they continue to work hard they have the potential to compete and maybe win future games.

In the Cup match against Carrick Grammar, there were a number of notable performances. Max Burton opened the batting, scoring a quick-fire 28, but unfortunately gave his wicket away cheaply. We then stumbled to a score of 68 all out which we still believed would be enough to record our first victory. Our bowling attack was inconsistent and proved more costly than expected. However, we managed, against all odds, to bowl Carrick Grammar out for 68 with Robbie Moffett bowling a wicket maiden over in the final over. This resulted in a tied match, leading to a ‘bowl-off’.

T.H. / P.M.

After both teams had missed the stumps 12 times each, Carrick Grammar’s 3rd strike bowler took the bails off the stumps to win the match. The season finished with an encouraging display against Campbell College. The bowlers bowled an excellent ‘line and length’ to restrict Campbell to 121 from their 20 overs. Zak Mills was very good

JUNIOR XI In future years, the U13 cricket team of 2014 will look back on a disappointing season, characterised by poor performances with the bat. The year started with a comprehensive 110 run win over Ballyclare High, with a quick-fire 54 from Robbie Moffett. It also finished strongly with a 21 run win over Campbell, due in large part to 74 from Max Burton. In the middle of the season, between the showers of rain, they will rue missed opportunities such as bowling Wallace, Sullivan and Inst. out for under 60 and failing to win those games as a result of poor batting. As coach, I hope that they learn from these experiences and go on to win such tight games in the coming years. The cornerstone of the side was the strong bowling unit of Harry Warke, Robbie Moffett and

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Oran Corry, supplemented by Max Burton, who occasionally dropped the wicket keeping pads for some right arm fast medium, Tom Stewart, Luca Johnston and Ethan Thompson. Contributions to batting were most usual from Max Burton, Harry Warke and Robbie Moffett. In addition to the above Joshua Ritchie, Peter Watt, Ben Hopkins, Oliver Allen, Ethan Dawson, Andrew Dorman, Alen Jain and Myles Ingram made telling contributions and added to an excellent team environment.

FORM I

M.R.S. / A.H.

The Form One cricket season was shaping up to be very promising with over twenty boys turning up to pre-season trainings every week. Although we struggled to switch on early in the season with the cold weather turning up every Saturday morning, the boys showed courage and commitment to get through some tough games. Outstanding leadership from both Andrew Greer and Nik Kane helped the team develop and learn the game of cricket. The highlight of the season came on a beautiful day in Coleraine. Although being on the losing side, the game went right to the last over with Coleraine snatching victory from what should have been a comfortable run chase for the opposition. This game proved how far we had come along as a team and how much we had improved from the start of the season. Our goal over the course of the season wasn’t to win every game, it was to learn and enjoy the game.

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I believe that every pupil who participated in Form One cricket this season has developed and learned new skills to take to the next level, whether it has been representing their local club or even pushing for higher honours within Ulster.

GIRLS’ U15

A.H.

U15 Squad: C. Warke, I. Alvarado, M. Brown, R. Osgood, M. Del Castillo, C. Anderson, A. Reid, A. Vick, K. McConnaughie, T. Geddis, R. Baillie, M. McCalmont. Cricket was introduced for third form girls this year as an extra-curricular option. Twenty five girls took

part each week in training and matches. The team won against Ballyclare High School in their section to reach the final of the U15 Girls’ Cup. We finished runners-up against a strong Strabane Academy side. This was a fantastic achievement for our first U15 competition. I would like to congratulate Megan McCalmont, Rachel Baillie and Irish Alvarado who were invited to the NCU U17 Girls’ Regional Development Squad Training for 2014. Well done to all of the girls involved they have worked hard this year to develop new skills and show great potential for the future. It was a great pleasure to work with such a dedicated, exuberant group of girls. I look forward to working with them all next season. K.E.B

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BOYS’ ATHLETICS

The season got under way with the traditional fixture with Coleraine Academical Institution and Ballyclare High School at the Antrim Forum and a new fixture with Campbell College and Bangor Grammar School on the gravel at Campbell College. Both friendlies were a great opportunity for athletes to fine-tune their skills before the pressure of a competitive school season. The District Championships took place at the Antrim Forum on Tuesday 6th and Saturday 10th May. There were many fine performances which resulted in the Intermediate team finishing first overall, the Senior team finishing second and the Junior team finishing third. Athletes who finished in the top 3 in their event qualified to compete at the Ulster Championships at the Antrim Forum. Special congratulations to the following boys who became District Champions: Ruairi Brogan in the Senior 400m Hurdles, David O’Donnell Anderson in the Senior High Jump, Stewart Martin in the Senior Discus, Roy Chia in the Intermediate 100m, Jay McCrum in the Intermediate Triple Jump, Matthew Dalton in the Intermediate Shot Putt, Gareth McAdams in the Intermediate Javelin, Stephen McCorry in the Intermediate Hammer, Stewart Martin in the Intermediate Pole Vault and Triple Jump and Jack Agnew in the T54 100m and 200m.

The Ulster Schools’ Athletics Championships took place on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th May. There were numerous outstanding performances with many athletes recording personal bests. Special congratulations to those athletes who became Ulster Champions, Jack Agnew in the T54 100m and 200m, Shane Martin in the Junior Pole Vault, Stephen McCorry in the Intermediate Hammer, Matthew Dalton in the Intermediate Shot Putt, Ruairi Brogan in the Senior 400m Hurdles and Stewart Martin in the senior Discus. The Academy teams at Junior, Intermediate and Senior levels finished second in the overall points competition, which resulted in the School finishing second overall. The Irish Schools’ Championships took place in Tullamore on Saturday 31st May. Once again, there were many fine performances in near perfect conditions. Special congratulations must go to Scott McMurtry who became Irish Champion in the Senior Hammer, Matthew Dalton who won the Intermediate Discus and Shane Martin who won the Junior Pole Vault, a fantastic achievement by all three boys. The Aviva Irish Schools’ Inter-provincial Championship was held in Santry Stadium, Dublin on Saturday 21st June. Five boys from Belfast Royal Academy represented the Ulster team: Stephen McCorry – Hammer , Matthew Dalton – Discus, Shane Martin – Pole Vault, Conor Foster – Pole Vault and Callum Dalzell in the Steeple Chase. Special congratulations to Shane Martin (Form III) who finished 2nd in the Pole Vault and Matthew Dalton (Form IV) who finished 3rd in both the Discus and Shot Putt. To cap off a fantastic summer of competition Matthew Dalton (Shot Putt), Stephen McCorry (Hammer) and Shane Martin (Pole Vault) were selected to represent Northern Ireland at the UK School Games in Manchester in September. A huge thank you must go out to all staff involved, Mr Carolan, Mr Patterson, Mr Moffett, Mr Creighton and Mr Roberts. Mr Moffett in particular deserves extra credit for his enthusiasm, commitment and expertise. His knowledge and enthusiasm are endless. C.M.C.

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District Championships Senior Boys – 2nd Team Competition 73 points Ruairi Brogan 1st 400m Hurdles 64.10 secs and 2nd 110m Hurdles 19.3 secs David McCullough 3rd 400m 57.3 secs David O’Donnell 1st High Jump 1.66m and Anderson 4th Javelin 37.57 m James Carey 2nd Long Jump 5.73m and 2nd Triple Jump 11.97m Stewart Martin 1st Discus 34.69m and 2nd Shot 9.89m David Campbell 3rd Shot 9.42m and 3rd Discus 27.16m Ben Cave 2nd Javelin 41.50m Scott McMurtry 2nd Hammer 42.25 and 4th 400m 63.0

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Intermediate Boys - 1st Team Competition 93 points Roy Chia 1st 100m 11.8 secs Tim Robinson 1st 200m 25.2 secs and 4th 100m 12.2 secs Jonathan Dickson 3rd 200m 25.6 secs Ryan Davison 3rd 800m 2.15.7 secs Daniel Davison 4th 1500m 4.52.5 Callum Dalzell 2nd 1500m Steeple Chase 5.35.2 Chris McLauglin 3rd High Jump 1.60m Jay McCrum 1st Triple Jump 11.95m Thomas Carey 2nd Triple Jump 11.89M and 4th Long Jump 5.51m Matthew Dalton 1st Shot 13.52m and 2nd Discus 41.40m Rakeem Marica 3rd Shot 10.24m and 4th Hammer 30.24m Gareth McAdams 1st Javelin 36.42m and 4th Discus 33.92m Stephen McCorry 1st Hammer 51.36m and 5th Javelin 28.67m Junior Boys - 3rd Team Competition 48 points Shane Martin 1st triple Jump 10.89m and 1st Pole Vault 3.00m Jack Agnew 1st T54 100m 22.5 secs and 1st T54 200m 33.7secs Connor Foster 2nd Pole Vault 2.40m 4 x100m relay team 3rd 50.3 secs Tom McAlister 2nd Long Jump 4.82m Jack MacNeill 2nd Javelin 28.02m

Jason Poots James Lavery Brandon Hassan

2nd Discus 27.94m and 3rd Hammer 27.09m 4th Shot 9.55m and 4th Hammer 22.1m 6th Triple Jump 9.81m and 6th Long Jump 4.67m

Ulster Schools’ Athletics Championships Junior- 2nd overall in the team competition Jack Agnew 1st T54 100m 18.96secs and 1st T54 200m 33.74 secs Arron Campbell, Shane Martin, Josh Hegarty and Jack Plackett 3rd 4 x 100m relay 48.70 secs Shane Martin 1st Pole Vault 2.45m and 3rd Triple Jump 10.76m Conor Foster 2nd Pole Vault 1.90m Jason Poots 6th Hammer 23.10m Intermediate- 2nd overall in the team competition Stephen McCorry 1st Hammer 49.55m Matthew Dalton 1st Shot 13.50m and 2nd Discus 42.62m Roy Chia 4th 100m 12.23 secs Callum Dalzell 5th Steeple chase 5.00.9 Lewis McCoubrey, Tim Robinson, Roy Chia and Jonathan Dickson 5th 4 x 100m 47.86 secs Jay McCrum 4th Triple jump 12.25m Thomas Carey 5th Triple Jump 11.88m Senior- 2nd overall in the team competition Ruairi Brogan 1st 400m Hlds 62.8secs and 3rd 110 Hdls 17.55 secs Stewart Martin 1st Discus 37.45m and 4th Shot 10.79m Scott McMurtry 3rd Hammer 42.66m David O’Donnell 5th High Jump 1.55m Anderson James Carey 3rd Triple Jump 12.14m David Campbell 6th Shot 8.97m and 5th Discus 26.10m Ben Cave 4th Javelin 40.45m Irish Schools’ Championships Junior 3rd in the team competition Shane Martin 1st Pole Vault 3.10m and 4th Triple Jump 10.69m Conor Foster 5th Pole Vault 2.45m Intermediate Matthew Dalton 1st Discus 46.34m and 4th Shot Putt 12.89m

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Stephen McCorry Senior Scott McMurtry Shane Martin James Carey

4th Hammer 45.87 m 1st Hammer 47.70m 5th Discus 34.13m 9th Triple Jump 11.93m

Irish Schools’ Interprovincial • • • • •

Stephen McCorry – Hammer (4th) Matthew Dalton – Discus (3rd) & Shot Putt (3rd) Shane Martin – Pole Vault (2nd) Conor Foster – Pole Vault (6th) Callum Dalzell – Steeple Chase (6th) C.M.C.

GIRLS’ ATHLETICS CLUB Athletics Cups – Summer 2014 A.R. Foster Cup – Best performance by a Minor girl - Hannah Hill/Maria McDaid Air Formations Signals Cup – Best performance by a Junior girl – Katie Ritchie Glanville Cup – Best performance by an Intermediate girl – Victoria Beattie Girdwood Cup – Best performance by a Senior girl – Melissa Moffett

The athletics season began with the traditional InterSchools’ Meeting between Bloomfield, Glenlola and Strathearn. This was the first opportunity for athletes to prepare themselves for the season ahead. On Saturday the 5th April the team participated in a friendly meeting with Ballyclare High School at Antrim Forum. Both events were very competitive and successful and proved to be great preparation for the forthcoming District Championships. Enthusiasm and commitment to train were evident with large numbers turning out to games and extra

practice. Many girls also trained in the evening with Club athletics. This laid the foundations for a successful season to come, at District, Ulster and Irish level. I congratulate all of the girls on a successful and enjoyable season. Their dedication and hard work have been rewarded. I would encourage all girls to continue to work hard and build upon their personal targets in preparation for next season. I would like to thank Mr Moffett for his continued enthusiasm and expertise. Much of the success of the athletes would not be possible without him. I would also like to thank Miss Brady and Mrs McCaughran for their hard work and support throughout the year. It is very much appreciated. I have noted the highlights of the 2014 season below. J.R.S. District Championships 58 girls were entered for the District Championships held at the Antrim Forum at the start of May. 22 girls qualified for the Ulster Championships, some qualifying for two events. In total 10 Gold medals, 8 Silver and 6 Bronze medals were won. Senior Overall team position – 1st Rachel Millar 1st 80mH Q Rachel Millar 1st 400mH Q Melissa Moffett 1st Pole Vault Q Melissa Moffett 1st Hammer Q Mykila Donaldson 1st Shot Q Rachel Andrews 1st Discus Q Robyn Geddis 2nd 200m Q Robyn Geddis 3rd 400m Q Yasmin Anderson 2nd Triple Jump Q Yasmin Anderson 3rd Long Jump Q Anna Hutchinson 3rd Triple Jump Q Holly Reid 3rd 400m Q Relay 2nd Q Intermediate Overall team position – 3rd Victoria Beattie 1st Pole Vault Q Kellie McLean 2nd Pole Vault Q Laura Fleck 3rd 80mH Q Laura Fleck 3rd 300mH Q Rebecca Harbinson 3rd High Jump Q Naomi Martin 4th Discus Natalie Watson 4th 1500m

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Alex Beattie Lucy Stewart Rebecca Harbinson

5th High Jump 6th Long Jump 6th Triple Jump Relay 5th

Junior Overall team position – 2nd Trinity Geddis 1st 75mH Qualifies for Ulster Championships Katie Ritchie 1st Pole Vault Q Erin Moffett 1st Hammer Q Beth Magill 2nd 100m Q Aimee Bradley 2nd 200m Q Ellie Bradley 3rd Javelin Q Aimee Bradley 4th 75mH Charlotte Anderson 4th Long Jump Harriet Dougan 4th Pole Vault Alice Reid 5th Triple Jump Katie McConnaughie 5th Javelin Katy Thompson 6th 800m Relay 2nd Q Minor Overall team position – 9th Maria McDaid 6th Long Jump Hannah Hill 6th Shot Relay 6th Ulster Schools’ Athletics Championships Saturday 17th May Antrim Forum 9 girls qualified for the Irish Championships

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Junior Girls – 2nd Overall Katie Ritchie 2nd Pole Vault Qualifies for Irish Championships Erin Moffett 3rd Hammer Q Junior relay 2nd (Amie Bradley, Beth Magill, Alice Reid, Trinity Geddis) Q Trinity Geddis 4th 75mH Beth Magill 8th 100m Amie Bradley 6th 200m Ellie Bradley 7th Javelin Intermediate Girls Victoria Beattie Kellie McLean Laura Fleck Rebecca Harbinson Rioghnagh Catney

1st Pole Vault Q 3rd Pole Vault Q 7th 80mH 8th High Jump 10th 1500m

Senior Girls – 5th Overall Melissa Moffett 1st Pole Vault & 1st Hammer Q Rachel Millar 4th 100mH & 4th 400mH

Mykila Donaldson Yasmin Anderson Rachel Andrews

4th Hammer 6th Long Jump & 8th Triple Jump 6th Discus

Form 2 Athletics Competition U14 District Final Boys’ Model 22nd May The Form 2 girls competed against Methody, Friends’, Victoria, Hunterhouse and Girls’ Model Overall team place – 4th Amie Bradley 1st 100m Harriett Dougan 3rd 800m Naomi McGuckin 5th Long Jump Bethany Paul 5th High Jump Chloe Joyce 3rd Shot Ellie Bradley 7th Javelin Amie Bradley, Harriett Dougan, Aimee Lyttle, Naomi McGuckin – Relay 4th Irish Schools’ Championships Tullamore Saturday 31st May Junior Relay Team (Amie Bradley, Beth Magill, Alice Reid and Trinity Geddis) - 4th Melissa Moffett - 3rd Pole Vault 2.35m and 7th in Hammer Katie Ritchie - 5th Pole Vault 2.20m Erin Moffett - 5th Hammer 35.84m Vicky Beattie - 6th Pole Vault 2.35m Kellie McLean - 8th Pole Vault 2.10m

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September. Victoria was 7th in the pole vault (2.40m). Well done on a such fantastic achievement. J.R.S.

BADMINTON Badminton ran once (sometimes twice) a week in the Sports Hall. The Senior team consisted of Bonnie Li (MVI), Yasmin Anderson (LVI), Jenna Todd (MVI), Megan Bingham (MVI) and Rachel Millar (LVI). They competed in the Senior Girls’ League and the Senior Girls’ Cup. A.M.M./ S.C.S.

CROSS COUNTRY RUNNING

Form II Inter-District Competition Thursday 12th June Antrim Forum Congratulations to Amie Bradley and Harriett Dougan Form II who were selected to represent District B in the U14 Inter-District Athletics Final on Thursday 12th June at Antrim Forum. Amie was 1st in the 100m and Harriett 1st in the 75mH. Sports Day Monday 16th June Sports day was held at Roughfort on Monday 16th June. Thankfully the sun shone and approximately 200 girls were able to take part. There were many good performances and a good time was had by all. The House Cup was won by Shaw. Inter-Provincial Saturday 21st June Santry, Dublin Well done to pole vaulters Katie Ritchie Form III and Victoria Beattie Form V who were selected as a result of their performances to represent Ulster in the Schools’ Inter-Provincial at Santry on Saturday 21st June. Katie was 5th with a PB of 2.55m and Victoria was 8th. UK School Games Congratulations to Victoria Beattie who was selected to represent Northern Ireland in the UK School Games in Manchester from the 4th to 7th

A consistent theme of the Cross Country Club is that hope springs eternal. While last season’s achievements might well have fallen short of those of previous years, there was, nevertheless, considerable cause for optimism. Towards the end of the year, a number of middle-school boys expressed an interest in running. Some showed a fair degree of talent. If that enthusiasm can be maintained and if ability can be allied to a period of sustained training, the boys could prove to be valuable assets to the Club, joining existing members like Callum Dalzell. Callum’s talents are already much in evidence as witnessed in his 9th position in the District Championships and 26th in the Ulsters, both at Intermediate level. The younger girls too provide grounds for believing that the future of the Club lies in good hands. At Minor level, Harriet Dougan (14th in the Districts and 28th in the Ulsters) and Aimee Bradley (8th and 30th) showed considerable promise. Not to be outdone, at Junior level Rioghnach Catney, who finished in 5th place in the District Championships and Ellen Dalzell (8th), went on to compete with credit in the Ulster Championships. Here, Rioghnach

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crossed the finishing line in 19th place, with Ellen not far behind in 26th. Mr. Patterson has been involved with the Club on Wednesday afternoons for many years, providing invaluable help and support both to our runners and myself. Unfortunately, timetabling considerations preclude him from taking part this season. He has the thanks of the Club for his considerable input to its wellbeing. J.H.C.

GOLF Golf (Girls) Judithe Allen and Amy O’Donnell represented the School at the Ulster Schools’ Championship on a fine but overcast day in March at Portrush Golf Club. The format required teams of three to compete with the two best scores counting. Judithe and Amy played as a team of two, impressively coming second in the Ulster Senior Cup. This unfortunately was not enough to see them through to the Irish Schools’ Championship as it was the first placed team that was the only qualifier. Golf (Boys) Unfortunately this year’s golfing season failed to live up to the success of last year. We lost 2 players from the Senior team that competed in last year’s Ulster final. However, the boys who replaced our leavers were up against more experienced players from other schools.

FOOTBALL CLUB In the 2013/14 season the football team competed in the Belfast Cup and Northern Ireland Cup. The squad contained a good mix of L6th and M6th pupils. Our Belfast Cup 1st round game was at home to Laurelhill, who reached the final of the competition in the 12/13 season. The team started brightly and took an early lead through Conor Magee. However, shortly after this the visitors put the Academy defence under a lengthy period of intense pressure, which paid off with two goals towards the end of the half. This pressure continued in the second period and resulted in two further goals. 208

In the Northern Ireland Cup we faced a strong Ashfield Boys’ team. The game was played on their 3G pitch. Facing a side that included several Irish League players, it was always going to be difficult. The opposition dominated the game and limited the Academy to a few long range efforts. It finished 5 – 0 to Ashfield, although the score line does not reflect the efforts of the visiting players. Despite these defeats there were some encouraging performances. Alan Campbell and Ryan Gaffikin were strong in defence, and Kyle McClelland and Aaron Gorman worked well in midfield. R.B.

We competed in the Irish Schools’ Senior Championship Qualifying Competition at Royal Belfast Golf Course on Thurs 19th Sept 2013. Kyle Higginson, Stuart McCombe, Conor Magee and Pearce Clements played with the top three scores counting. It was a disappointing performance played in very blustery conditions and the boys underperformed finishing well outside the qualifying positions. In the Winter League competition, we fared slightly better, losing a quarter-final match on a count-back to St.Killian’s College. On that occasion Stuart McCombe, Conor Magee and Pearce Clements were accompanied by Rhys Goodhall of Form II (our youngest ever competitor in a Senior Boys’ competition). The boys, again played very well but came up short against superior opposition on the day. P.M.

KARTING To say that 2014 has been a successful year is an understatement. We began our season with three practice sessions at Doagh in November which all ran very smoothly, and we then went outdoors at Nutts Corner in wet conditions which proved to be trickier for some drivers. Using the time sheets from these sessions we were able to allocate drivers to teams. We

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made four teams of three which then competed for the School in the British Schools’ Karting Championships. The indoor final was a breeze for the A team (Michael Woods, Stephen Rea and Oliver Vick), who were able to let our B team drivers overtake us to push them ahead of Bangor on points. Our A and B teams finished 1st & 2nd respectively with the C team not far behind. The A and B teams along with Bangor’s A and B team qualified for the Regional Final at Nutts Corner. The Regional Final took place on Friday 2nd May at Nutts Corner. Unlike last year, it was bone dry on track, which suited our teams well. We came to Nutts Corner knowing that we couldn’t have a repeat of last year and we had to win to get to England. The top nine teams from NI were there and we knew that Bangor were our main opponents. Strategy was critical as Oliver and myself allocated our drivers to their races, with Michael taking the races that we started at the back of the grid. He did extremely well to go from 9th to 2nd in his first race and then to win his next race from 7th position. This incredible team consistency saw our A team progress to England in our first year racing together, and our B team doing a brilliant job at finishing second.

The National Final was the last step, with the top teams out of the 419 that entered the UK-wide racing us; we knew that we were up against it. On Friday Michael and I were very close on the timesheets, just 0.002 seconds keeping me on top. On the race day it was pouring, making the karts a nightmare to drive. Michael was able to finish 6th (our best result) in one of his races, I was able to seal 8th in both my races (one of these involving spinning off and recovering from 15th) and Oliver finished 11th and 15th in his extremely wet races.

These results were enough to see us finish 20th in the UK, making us Northern Ireland’s most successful school team. This was a year we won’t forget. I would like to encourage more people to get involved in karting, regardless of experience or gender, it is a sport for all. Stephen Rea (Form V)

FORM I We had over forty five girls who played netball this year in Form One. Training was on a Tuesday after school and during lunch times, with four teams playing competitive matches against other schools. Two teams played in the Belfast Area League and experienced good success against a number of teams including Aquinas, Dominican College and St. Dominic’s. We also took part in the annual U13 tournament at Rockport. We finished second in our

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Luckily we got through to the quarter-finals of the Plate competition, but unfortunately lost to a strong Lagan College side. Even though we lost, we picked ourselves up and tried to correct our mistakes. Niamh Gutermann, Jaimie Eaglen, Olivia McConnell, Thea Reddington and I were players of the match at different times within the season. Big thanks to them for all their hard work. section which was a great achievement for the girls as they were playing both year eight and year nine teams. I would like to thank the girls for their hard work, commitment and determination at training. The level of participation and enthusiasm was fantastic and I thoroughly enjoyed working with them this season. I hope we continue to build upon the skills and promise shown next season. K.E.B.

MINOR NETBALL Minor ‘A’ Team Captain: Caitlin Joyce Squad: Caitlin Joyce, Lucy Jamison, Amber McCalmont, Darcey Collins, Carly McComb, Olivia McConnell, Jaimie Eaglan, Niamh Getermann, Chloe Sayers. Captain’s Report The team did not have the most successful season we could have hoped for. We faced tough opponents such as Sullivan and Lagan College but we have played well and worked hard all year. The team has been dedicated and has always tried its best.

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We meet after school on a Tuesday for training and have always been enthusiastic about learning new techniques and skills. We won our first match of the season against Rockport (6-2). We also beat Aquinas in a very competitive match (9-8). Sadly, we lost to Sullivan (17-5) and then lost narrowly in our Cup match to Dromore (5-6).

I would also like to give a big thank you to Dr Currie, Miss Brady and Mrs Winning for all of their help this year. We will continue to work hard to reach our full potential. We appreciate everyone’s commitment this year and hopefully we will come back next season and win more matches for BRA. Caitlin Joyce (Form II) Minor ‘B’ Team Captain: Jessica Jackson Squad: Elizabeth McCauley, Lucy Jamison, Daniella McCourt, Lauren Young, Lauren O’Donnell, Thea Reddington, Anna Clingen, Emily McFarland, Jennifer McCorry, Jessica Jackson. Commitment from the Minor Netball squad was excellent this year and we had over thirty girls attending training each week. The Minor ‘A’ team had mixed results in the Belfast Area League against a very strong group. We were defeated by Lagan College and Sullivan, but won against both Rockport and Aquinas in two very close matches. The Minor ‘B’ team also had mixed results winning against Girls’ Model and Rockport ‘B’ and losing against Bloomfield. The players trained hard each week to improve their skills and were always very enthusiastic and competitive. I would like to thank the girls for their effort and look forward to training with them in the coming season. K.E.B.

JUNIOR NETBALL Junior ‘A’ Team Captain: Eilish McEwan Squad: Jenny Fekkes, Eilish McEwan, Amber Vick, Ellen Dalzell, Caitlin Hoey, Charlotte Poh, Eileen Donaldson, Alix McKee. The Junior ‘A’ Netball team had a fantastic season this year. We trained every Monday after school to practise and improve our skills. Our hard-work and commitment paid off when we won the majority of our matches. We won matches against Girls’ Model

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INTERMEDIATE NETBALL Intermediate ‘A’ Team Captain: Kellie McLean Squad: Abbie Brown, Emer Gribbon, Kellie McLean, Hannah Torrens, Emma MacDougall, Holly Sharpe, Courtney Duncan, Lucy Miller, Mimi Joffroy.

(13-1) and Lagan College (13-2). Unfortunately, we were defeated by Rathmore (17-5) who are a very good team, but it was an enjoyable match. We will continue to develop and we hope to have another great season next year. Eilish McEwan (Form III) Junior ‘B’ Team Captain: Chloe Watt Squad: Lucy Hamilton, Chloe Watt, Lucia McCorry, Lucy Clements, Lauren Hamilton, Laura Laboda, Lucy Gaston, Masha Holmes, Louise Doherty, Tia Parker. The Junior ‘B’ Netball team had a very enjoyable year. We trained and worked very hard each week. Unfortunately, we were narrowly defeated in our three league matches against Wellington, Aquinas and Hunterhouse. We weren’t able to play against Ashfield as they couldn’t fix a date, but we would most certainly like to play against them in the future. We really have enjoyed the netball season and will hopefully be more successful next year. Chloe Watt (Form III)

The Junior netball squads trained on Monday afternoons and improved their skill set and match play greatly. I would like to thank the girls for their effort and teamwork. They stayed positive and motivated throughout a tough season. It was great to see so many girls in Form Three taking part and I hope they continue playing netball next year. K.E.B.

This year our Intermediate ‘A’ team has been successful. Our first match of the season was played against Sullivan Upper School who we defeated with a score of 22-8. This was a very strong game played by all but particularly Mimi Joffroy who was named player of the match. We then played against Victoria College who we also defeated comfortably. This was a good start to the Belfast League: however we were narrowly beaten by St Dominic’s 22-23 in our final match. Our player of the match was Kellie McLean. This was a very close game throughout and unfortunately we were beaten in the last few seconds. This meant we did not get a chance to go to the league finals. Unfortunately, in our Cup we came up against a very strong side in the first round and were defeated by Sacred Heart Newry 32-21. This put us into the Plate competition, where in the first round we came up against Rathmore. This was a surprisingly close match throughout each quarter against a very strong team. Unfortunately, the match finished with a score of 22-19 putting us out of the Plate. Kellie McLean (Form V) Intermediate ‘B’ Team Captain: Holly Sharpe Squad: Rachel O’Mullan, Molly Gould, Holly Sharpe, Emily McMahon, Kirstyn Smith, Mary Cousins, Clodagh Poots, Jordanna Park, Hannah Edgar, Erin Getty, Naomi Martin, Ciara Patterson. Overall, this year the Intermediate ‘B’ squad had a very successful season. With a great deal of hard work and determination we reached our goals as a team and played our matches to the best of our ability. We focused on strengthening our defence and attack during training by doing specific drills to improve our play. With our first match of the season against Rathmore we had a deserved win with a score of 16-4. The player of the match was Clodagh Poots. Next we played Lagan, which resulted in a win with a score of 15-10, this was a tough match but in the end we pushed through and brought home a victory. Finally, we played our toughest match of the season against St. Dominic’s, with the score

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being level for most of the game, but unfortunately in the last few seconds they scored a final shot resulting in an irritating loss of 11-10! The player of the match was awarded to Kirstyn Smith. Despite the final loss, over the netball season I felt our play improved after some exhausting but enjoyable training sessions and I could see our progression. We developed into a strong team over the season that worked well together. Holly Sharpe (Form V) The Intermediate Netball squads are a very talented and committed group of players. I would like to thank them all for their hard-work at training and matches. I would also like to congratulate Abbie Brown, Emer Gribbon and Kellie McLean who were selected for the Belfast Area, Podium U19 Netball Squad. I look forward to seeing the girls improve further over the coming seasons. K.E.B.

SENIOR NETBALL Captain: Lauren McCullough Squad: Lauren McCullough, Melissa Moffett, Anna Hutchinson, Rachel Miller, Hannah McCalmont, Naomh McGuigan, Lori Turkington, Sophie Porter, Ling Chung, Jade Anderson-Flaherty, Claire Hughes. The Senior Netball team met every Thursday after school to train. We spent the year working on our skills, fitness and working as a team in order to improve our match play. The team was very enthusiastic and showed great commitment to improving. However, having not played as a team together before this year made it challenging to beat teams that had been playing together for many seasons. Unfortunately, we lost against Rathmore in our first match of the league. We did fight until the end in this match and tried our best against one of the top teams in school netball. After more training

as a team we did appear to be improving which was shown when we won our matches against Grosvenor and Glengormley comfortably. With the change in teams from the previous year we found it tough in the Cup. We unfortunately lost to Cookstown in the first round in a close match when we were drawing going into the last quarter, but at full-time the score was 19-11. After losing in this early stage, we were entered for the Plate competition but were beaten by a very strong Methody squad. We would all like to thank Mrs Winning and Miss Brady for their commitment as excellent coaches and making this year of netball very enjoyable. We are looking forward to winning more matches and trying to bring the Cup home next year when the talented Form V join the Senior team. Lauren McCullough (LVI) This was a tough season for the Senior team who were a very committed, hard working group of girls. I thank them for their continued motivation and efforts throughout the year. I would especially like to express my appreciation to the girls who played up into the Senior squad. Thanks to Kellie McLean, Abbie Brown, Emer Gribbon, Courtney Duncan, Emma MacDougall and Holly Sharpe who frequently substituted and often out of preferred

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Greenisland. In the Novice team event: Amber Vick FIII, Justine Harding FIII, Victoria Minford FV. The team finished in sixth place. In the Open team event we had two teams competing in this event for BRA: Pottinger Amy Wilson MVI, Beth Moss MVI, Jessica Johnston FV, Justine Harding FIII; Shaw Ana Desmond FV, Victoria Beattie FV, Jessica Johnston FV, Amber Vick FIII.

position. Their versatility proved to be very important for the squad and assisted many good performances. I would also like to congratulate Lauren McCullough, who was an excellent captain and led by example throughout the year. Lauren was also selected for the Belfast Area, Podium U19 Netball Squad. After several weeks of training with new teammates from different schools she competed against five other areas and did very well coming second in the tournament. Many of this season’s Senior players are in MVI and sadly we must say farewell. I would like to thank each girl for her commitment and determination throughout many years of netball and I hope they continue playing in the future.

BRA’s Shaw team finished on four faults after the first round and finished in fourth place. Pottinger team finished on a zero score and had to jump off against 2 other teams. Jessica Johnston and Justine Harding were selected to jump off for the team. They had a fence down and finished in second behind Ballyclare High School. The Meadows Equestrian Centre On Saturday 12th October the Show-Jumping team competed at second leg of The MEC’s Inter Schools’ Show Jumping Championships. The Novice team finished on a zero score and finished in sixth place. The team consisted of Amber Vick FIII, Justine Harding FIII and Victoria Minford FV. In the Open competition we had 2 teams taking part. Team Pottinger put up an excellent performance to finish in third place with Shaw finishing in sixth. Pottinger: Amy Wilson MVI, Beth Moss MVI, Jessica Johnston FV, Justine Harding FIII. Shaw: Kelly McDonald FV, Victoria Beattie FV, Jessica Johnston FV, Amber Vick FIII.

K.E.B.

SHOW JUMPING

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USSJ Round 1 Saturday 5th October was the first round of the Ulster Schools’ Show-Jumping Championships which took place at Knockagh View Equestrian Centre,

On Saturday 19th October the Show-Jumping team took part at the Annual Inter-Schools’ Team ShowJumping Competition at Balmoral Park, Maze. In the Senior team event, we had 2 teams competing in this event for BRA Pottinger: Amy Wilson MVI, Beth Moss MVI, Jessica Johnston FV, Justine Harding FIII.

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The team produced four excellent double clear rounds to make it through to the jump off. We unfortunately finished with 8 faults in the jump off which put us in sixth place. The Meadows Equestrian Centre On Saturday 9th November the Show-Jumping team competed at third leg of The MEC’s Inter Schools’ Show-Jumping Championships. The Novice team finished on a zero score and finished in a very well deserved second place. The team consisted of: Amber Vick FIII, Justine Harding FIII, Mimi Joffroy FV, Victoria Minford FV. In the Open competition again we put up an excellent performance to finish in second place. Pottinger: Amy Wilson MVI, Jessica Johnston FV, Justine Harding FIII, Amber Vick FIII.

Open team event we had 2 teams competing in this event for BRA: Pottinger: Amy Wilson MVI, Beth Moss MVI, Justine Harding FIII, Jessica Johnston FV. Cairns: Justine Harding FIII, Jessica Johnston FV, Amber Vick FIII. Both teams finished the first round on zero faults and made it through to the jump off. Pottinger team members Amy Wilson and Jessica Johnston jumped off for the team and produced 2 very fast times to win the competition, ahead of their team mates Amber Vick and Justine Harding. This result put Belfast Royal Academy’s Open teams in 1st and 3rd in the league. USSJ Round 3 Saturday 7th December was the third round of the Ulster Schools’ Show-Jumping Championships which took place at Knockagh View Equestrian Centre, Greenisland. In the Novice team event were Amber Vick FIII, Justine Harding FIII, Victoria Minford FV. The Novice team produced three excellent clear rounds to win the competition ahead of a very strong field. This great result put them 215

Belfast Royal Academy Show-Jumping Team back on Top Form Sunday 17th November was the second round of the Ulster Schools’ Show-Jumping Championships which took place at Knockagh View Equestrian Centre, Greenisland. In the Novice team event were Amber Vick FIII, Justine Harding FIII, Mimi Joffroy FV; Victoria Minford F5. The team put up a good performance to finish in fourth place. In the

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second in the league. In the Open team event we had 2 teams competing in this event for BRA Pottinger: Amy Wilson MVI, Beth Moss MVI, Jessica Johnston FV, Justine Harding FIII. Cairns: Jessica Johnston FV, Amber Vick FIII, Justine Harding FIII. BRA’s Cairns and Pottinger teams finished on faults after the first round and finished in fifth and sixth place. The Meadows Equestrian Centre The fourth round of the Inter-schools Show-Jumping League took place at the Meadows Equestrian Centre on the 14th December 2013. As expected, competitors were to dress as festively as possible whilst maintaining appropriate standards of tack and turnout. The Novice team consisted of Amber Vick FIII, Justine Harding FIII, Mimi Joffroy FV and Victoria Minford FV. The team finished in 5th position after a tough competition, leaving the girls in 2nd place in the League overall behind Ballyclare Secondary. Once again we had two teams in the Open competition. The Pottinger team consisted of Amy Wilson MVI, Beth Moss MVI, Jessica Johnston FV and Justine Harding FIII.This team snatched up a 2nd place in the fourth round, leaving them comfortably in first position overall. Our second team, the “Shaw” team comprised Justine Harding (FIII) competing ably on two ponies and Jessica Johnston on another horse, finished 4th on that day but were placed in 2nd place overall.

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The Final of the Meadows League The final of the Inter-schools’ League at the Meadows Equestrian Centre took place on the 11th January 2014. Our Novice team achieved a brilliant 2nd placing and after all of the tallying of the points took place, finished 4th in the League overall. For the final, only one Open team was sent and of course the decision was made to put forward the “Pottinger” team. Amy Wilson, Beth Moss, Jessica Johnston and Justine Harding strung together an excellent performance to finish 2nd and held a strong 2nd in the overall League table, missing out on the win by just 1 point to Royal School Armagh. As expected, the Inter-schools’ league was hugely enjoyable for all those participating and we look forward as a team to competing at the Meadows for another season in 2014 and 2015. The USSJ Final The final of the Ulster Schools’ Show-Jumping League took place at Knockaghview Equestrian Centre on the 15th February 2014. Tensions were certainly running high when the Novice team’s main competitor for the title, Ballymena Academy,

suffered a bad day’s competing and the opportunity to win the League became a tangible dream. The girls finished on a zero score, meaning that the only thing to stand between them and victory was a jump-off course. To great disappointment, one of the riders knocked down the last fence in the jumpoff to just miss out on the overall win of the league but finished 2nd instead by one point. We sent two open teams to the USSJ final in 2014, coining them the “Pottinger” and “Cairns” teams for an exciting change. The Pottinger team consisted of Justine Harding FIII, Jessica Johnston FV, Beth Moss MVI and Amy Wilson MVI. The Cairns team was made up of Amber Vick FIII, Justine Harding FIII and Jessica Johnston FV. Both teams jumped excellent rounds in the final to finish in 3rd and 4th place overall respectively. The Open Team league this year was exceptionally close and could have gone any way possible. Unfortunately, the Ulster Schools’ Show-Jumping will not be running this year, although we await its return impatiently. The awards night, which took place on the 22nd March 2014, was a brilliant night out and a fantastic opportunity to wear something other than jodhpurs. Thank you very much to Mr. Stuart Murphy for running yet another fabulous league and acting as such an inspirational chef d’équipe. The season was exceptional and I cannot wait to spend my last two years at BRA as a member of the Senior team. Mimi Joffroy (LVI)

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SWIMMING

The School team won 121 Ulster Schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; medals and 10 Irish Schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; medals. We are the most successful grammar school for the sixth year in a row. Conor Ferguson (Form IV) won individual Irish, British and Canadian national medals. He also represented the School and Northern Ireland at the UK School Games. E.A.

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WATERPOLO The Senior boys finished 2nd in the Canada Trophy and the U19 league. We won both the U16 and U14 leagues. Maeve Gallagher (Form V) was Selected for the Irish U15 squad and David Speers was selected for the U17 team. David, Tom Donnelly, Ruairi Hurson, Tomas O’Callaghan and Tom Loane were selected for the Ulster Schools’ U19 team, who competed in Scotland in October. E.A.

LIFESAVING Three pupils were selected for the NI Commonwealth Games team and represented NI in Canberra in Australia from where they came home with 5 Bronze medals. Five pupils were selected for the GB performance squad. Ruairi Hurson and Eorann O’Neill will be competing in the German Cup in November, and Sinead Gourley and Finn Purdy will be competing in Holland early that month in the Bene Cup. At the British Championships we won 33 medals. At the Ulster Championships we won 8 medals. E.A.

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‘A’ teams won all their matches and therefore progressed to the knock-out stages of their Cup. The Intermediate ‘A’ team consisted of Lucy Milller, Kelly McClean, Hannah Torrens and Judithe Allen. They lost their quarter-final match to a very strong Methody team. The Intermediate ‘B’ team had excellent wins against Rockport, Sullivan Upper and Ballymena Academy and only lost narrowly to Sullivan Upper to prevent them from progressing to the knock-out stages. These were excellent results considering the team was made up of young students who will have another year at this level. The team consisted of Anna Wilson, Chloe Dawson, Mary Cousins and Lucy Stewart. The Senior team consisting of Anna Hutchinson, Elizabeth Sinclair, Emma McAllister and Faye Kidd reached the semi-final stage of the Cup beating Coleraine Girls’ High, Larne Grammar and Ballymena Academy. Similar to last year, in their final they came up against a very talented Victoria College team. We played some hard fought games against Victoria winning 3 of the 6 matches but unfortunately lost on the games count and Victoria progressed to the final. N.N.

GIRLS’ TAG RUGBY

JUNIOR TENNIS

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The School Junior Tennis team had a very good season failing narrowly to qualify from their group. They had two wins and one defeat in the campaign to eventual group winners Bangor Grammar. Matthew Saunders played extremely well losing only one of his singles matches throughout the group stage. The team defeated both RBAI and Wellington College with all four boys performing well. The team consisted of Jonathan Evans, Mathew Saunders, Kristiyan Hristov and Lorcan Gourley. I.M.G.

GIRLS’ TENNIS In Girls’ tennis, one Junior, two Intermediate and one Senior team were entered into the Schools’ competition. Both the Senior team and Intermediate

Tag rugby continues to be very popular with Form IV – MVI girls during games. There are many girls who have joined a rugby club outside of school as a result of this. The team had the opportunity to play in two tournaments this season. In December the girls were able to take part in the first tournament of the season at Wellington College. After a shy start the team soon lost their nerves and began displaying their newly learnt skills. With two wins and a loss the girls narrowly missed out on winning the tournament, but showed great potential for the future. In February, the team played in the Schools’ Cup qualifying tournament, again at Wellington College. The tournament was organised and officiated by Ulster Rugby. The girls had some excellent play beating Mercy College 6-0 and St Roses 4-1. Unfortunately, they lost to last years Schools’ Cup finalists Grosvenor. They came second in their pool narrowly behind Grosvenor and unfortunately

School Games

couldn’t progress to the quarter finals of the competition. Well done to all involved. I hope that girls’ rugby will continue to be as popular and successful next year. J.R.S. TAG RUGBY COACHING AT CEDAR LODGE

For the second year in a row twenty pupils contributed to the running of the Special Olympics Development Aquatics Event, held at Bangor Aurora. The event was to support athletes who were attending the All-Ireland games in Limerick in June 2014. During races, pupils were responsible for many pool-side activities, including time-keeping.

Throughout the school year sixteen pupils volunteered to coach tag rugby on a weekly basis at Cedar Lodge School. Pupils from Cedar Lodge went on to compete in the Wooden Spoon International Tag Rugby Festival at the Kingspan Stadium. The players had a fantastic day and won 2

Following the development day, pupils from BRA raised £319.00 which was donated to the Sixmile Sharks Swimming Club where some of our pupils volunteer on a weekly basis. The money raised helped support athletes who were travelling to the All-Ireland Games. I would like to thank all of the pupils for dedicating their time and expertise to assist in the running of these events. I would also like to thank Mrs Alexander for assisting in the organisation of this programme. K.E.B. matches and drew in 3. This was a huge success as it was represented first competitive matches played this year. Coaches gained valuable skills and attained their Level One Tag Rugby coaching qualification. We hope this programme continues to develop next year. I would like to thank all of the pupils involved who committed their spare time each week to assist with this initiative. K.E.B. VOLUNTEERING WITH SPECIAL OLYMPICS ULSTER

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SPORTS COLOURS AWARDS OF TROPHIES HOUSE TROPHIES Rugby Form I Form II Form III & IV Overall

Shaw - Jude McCracken Cairns - Tom Stewart Cairns - Shane Martin Cairns TEAM AWARDS

Girls’ Hockey Owls Cup (Most successful Hockey team)

U 14 A XI - Captain - Charlotte Anderson

Rugby FP Cup (Most successful rugby team)

3rd XV – Captain - Eric Macauley

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS Netball Outstanding contribution to Netball - Junior Netball Award -

Abbie Brown and Kellie McLean Caitlin Hoey

Girls’ Hockey Carroll Cup (Most promising Erin Getty middle-school player) - Davis Shield Faye Kidd Stewart Leadership Award - Anna Hutchinson Boys’ Hockey Best player during the year - Most improved player - Young Player of the Year -

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Swimming Bicentenary Cup – Best performance by a boy swimmer - Bicentenary Cup – Best performance by a girl swimmer - Commonwealth Cup Most improved girl swimmer - Rugby Patterson Shield Most promising young Senior player - Dalzell Silver Most promising Junior player -

Christopher Roe Christopher Jones Barra Patterson

Conor Ferguson Eorann O’Neill Sinead Gourley

Gareth McAdams Lewis Davidson HONOURS CAPS

Rugby - Ulster Schools’ U18 - Hockey -

Jordan Hylton/David Campbell Faye Kidd (Irish U18), Anna Hutchinson (100 games for 1st XI)

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SCHOOL PLAQUES For playing over 50 1st XV or 75 1st XI matches: Rugby - Stewart Martin Hockey - Faye Kidd, Anna Hutchinson, Holly Reid COLOURS AWARDS - EASTER 2014 Hockey (Boys) Major Re- date:- Major New Colours:- Minor Colours:-

James Carey, James Johnston, Ryan McAllister, Chris Roe, Danny Worsell Ben Irvine, Mark Johnston, Alan Jones, Chris Jones, Daryn McMeekin, John Miller, Jason Roe Thomas Carey, Ryan Lightowler, David McClements, Oliver McGowan, Richard Ware

Hockey (Girls) Major Re-Dates:- Major New Colours:- Minor Colours:-

Judithe Allen, Abbie Brown, Lauren Crothers, Robyn Geddis, Anna Hutchinson, Faye Kidd, Lucy Miller, Taylor McCombe, Holly Reid Megan Geddis, Erin Getty, Lucy Stewart, Savannah Thompson, Anna Wilson Lucy Browne, Leah Bailey, Rebecca Curtis, Emma Gray, Rebecca Harbinson, Anna Hogg, Hannah Lau, Yasmin McClean, Clara Montgomery, Jessica North, Amy O’Donnell

Rugby Major Re-Dates:- Major New Colours:- Minor Colours:-

Ross Bryans, David Campbell, Jordan Hylton, Stewart Martin, Chris Torrens Ben Cave, Gareth McAdams, David McCullough, Scott McMurtry, David O’Donnell-Anderson, James Reid, Robbie Shaw, Alex Steenson, Dylan Tinsley, Michael Wilson Kyle Auterson, Conor Benson, Ben Campbell, Roy Chia, Francis Collins, Lewis Donaldson, Gavin Gilfillan, Michael Kane, Calvin Lawrence, Scott Macaulay, Stuart McCombe, David McCullough, Josh McCullough, Jay McCrum, John Mooney, Gary Nelson, Ben Nixon, Justin Queripel, David Reid, Nathan Rooney, Drew Willis

Medallion XV Daniel Bingham, Matthew Borne, Karl Buick, Jack Burton, Matthew Cairns, Niall Carson, Matthew Dalton, Lewis Davidson, Rorie Godfrey, Rakeem Marica, Connor McAuley, Cameron McGaughey, Cormac McCracken, Stephen McCorry, Samuel Osborne, Ethan Purcell, Harry Russell, Cormac Saunders, Jason Stubbs Cross Country (Boys) Minor Colours:-

Callum Dalzell

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Badminton Major New Colours:- Minor Colours:-

Yasmin Anderson, Bonnie Li, Jenna Todd Megan Bingham

Netball Major New Colours:- Minor Colours:-

Hannah McCalmont, Lauren McCullough, Rachel Miller, Melissa Moffett, Sophie Porter, Lori Turkington Jade Anderson-Flaherty, Abbie Brown, Ling Chung, Courtney Duncan, Emer Gribbon, Emma MacDougall, Naomh McGuigan, Kellie McLean, Hollie Sharpe

Swimming Major Re-Date:- Major New Colours:- Minor Colours:- New Minor Colours:-

Mykila Donaldson, Alice Kavanagh, Clara Montgomery, Eorann O’Neill, Lori Turkington, Ruairi Hurson Robbie Shaw Conor Ferguson, Lui Hurson, Maeve Gallagher, Kirsty Miller, Thomas O’Callaghan, Christian O’Connor Maria Del Castillo, Sinead Gourley, Ashley Johnston, Zoe Parkes, Finn Purdy

Waterpolo (Boys) Major Re-date:- Minor Re-Date:- New Minor:-

Tom Donnelly, Ruairi Hurson, David Speers Adam McQuoid, Gary Nelson, Thomas O’Callaghan, Christian O’Connor David Bannon

Waterpolo (Girls) Major Re-date:- New Minor:-

Maeve Gallagher Ashley Johnston

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Major Re-date:- Major New:- Minor Re-date:- New Minor:-

Alan Curtis, Ruairi Hurson, Eorann O’Neill, Lori Turkington David Speers Maeve Gallagher, Ashley Johnston Sinead Gourley, Lui Hurson, Thomas O’Callaghan, Christian O’Connor, Finn Purdy

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SPORTS COLOURS AWARDS AND TROPHIES - SUMMER 2014 TROPHIES Boys’ Athletics A.R. Foster Cup Best performance by a Minor boy - Aaron Gooderham R.A.F. Cup Best performance by a Junior boy - Jack Agnew Junior Athletics Cup - Best Junior Athlete - Shane Martin G.B.Taylor Athletics Cup Best performance by an intermediate boy - Matthew Dalton Girdwood Cup Best performance by a Senior boy – Scott McMurtry Sir Ronald Baskett Cup Best Intermediate 1500 metre performance - Callum Dalzell Ft. Lt. Stanley Gray Cup Best Senior 800 metre performance - N/A Girls’ Athletics A.R. Foster Cup Best performance by a Minor girl - Air Formations Signal Cups Best performance by a Junior girl – Glanville Cup Best performance by an Intermediate girl – Girdwood Cup Best performance by a Senior girl- Tweedie Cup – Best overall contribution to Girls’ games -

Hannah Hill/Maria McDaid Katie Ritchie Melissa Moffett Victoria Beattie Anna Hutchinson

Cricket R.U.C. Cricket Shield Most promising Junior cricketer - John Shaw Cricket Cup -

Jack Burton The most successful team - 1st XI 225

Girls’ Tennis Minor - Form II - Junior Cup - Intermediate - Senior -

Emma Kirk Anna Whiteside Sinead Gourley N/A N/A

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COLOURS AWARDS - SUMMER 2014 Boys’ Athletics Major Re-Dates:- Major New Colours:- Minor Colours:-

Ruairi Brogan, Stewart Martin, Scott McMurtry James Carey, Ben Cave, Roy Chia, Matthew Dalton, Callum Dalzell, Shane Martin, Stephen McCorry, Jay McCrum, David O’Donnell Anderson, Tim Robinson Thomas Carey, David Campbell, Jonathan Dickson, Lewis McCoubrey, David McCullough

Girls’ Athletics Major Re-Dates:- Major New Colours:- Minor Colours:-

Melissa Moffett, Victoria Beattie Yasmin Anderson, Mykila Donaldson, Rachel Millar, Kellie McLean Rachel Andrews, Hannah Booth, Lauren Crothers, Robyn Geddis, Rebecca Harbinson, Anna Hutchinson, Clara Montgomery, Holly Reid

Bridge Major Re-Dates:- Major New Colours:- Minor Re-Dates:- Minor Colours:-

Melissa Antonio, Victoria Frame, Ryan Lightowler, Pooja Sridhar Jason Roe Erin Getty, Cameron McCaughey, Andrew Milligan, Roma Mulholland, Emma Mills James Walker

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Major Re-Dates:- Major New Colours:- Minor New Colours:-

Ross Bryans, Jordi Fettis, Andrew Forbes, Andrew Palmer, David Reid Connor Boyd, Jack Burton, Francis Collins, David McLarnon, Michael Wilson David Campbell, Christian O’Connor, Suraj Tirupati

Golf Major Re-Dates:-

Judithe Allen, Pierce Clements, Amy O’Donnell

Rifle Shooting Major Re-Dates:- Major New Colours:- Minor Colours:-

Peter Gilleece, Alexander Leslie Macauley, Jake Magill Max Magill Matthew Blair

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Showjumping Major Re-Dates:- Minor Re-Dates:- Minor New Colours:-

Jessica Johnston, Beth Moss, Amy Wilson Mimi Joffroy, Victoria Minford Justine Harding, Amber Vick

Tennis Major Re-Dates:- Major New Colours Minor Re-Dates:-

Anna Hutchinson, Elizabeth Sinclair Emma McAllister Judith Allen, Kellie McClean, Lucy Miller, Hannah Torrens.

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Ben Madigan Preparatory School ARCHAEOLOGY TRIP The intrepid team of Prep 6 archaeologists, accompanied by Mrs Handley and Mr Wilson, excavated some remains at Carnmoney Hill and were given two interesting talks by the Belfast Hills’ Partnership.

Support. In January we helped the DEC Philippines Typhoon Appeal by donating £507.59. The Primary Schools’ Action Cancer Roadshow came to the KG and performed for the Pre-Prep and Preps. 1 and 2. We donated £55. Unicef was the recipient of a cheque for £660.42. Pre-Prep, Preps 1, 2 and 3 planted bulbs for The Daffodil Appeal and watched their daffodils growing and sent £215. In November, we were able to send 120 shoe boxes to the Samaritan’s Purse shoe box appeal as well as donations of over £100 towards the shipping costs to Eastern Europe. As many of these donations were made online and Gift Aid added, much more was actually contributed. I shall continue to do the shoe box appeal next year. I shall no longer be teaching in Ben Madigan. I hope that parents and friends will continue to support these children in need. Again, many thanks for the continued support parents have given to our various appeals over the year. Many lives have been helped by the generosity of friends, family and pupils of the school. Mrs. B. Marshall COOKERY REPORT

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CHARITY NEWS We have been able to help various charities this school year thanks to the continued support and generosity of many individuals. We raised £296.19 for Children in Need by having a non-uniform day in November. Staff raised £111.50 through a staff lunch with proceeds going to Macmillan Cancer

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 20 years since I started the Cookery Club. Over the years, around 700 children have made enthusiastically a variety of sweet and savoury recipes. It would be wonderful if one of these young cooks were to appear on Master Chef or the Great British Bake-off. It is encouraging to see the children sampling different foods they make which they may not have tried before. There is nothing quite like tasting something you have made yourself. Mrs Marshall and I have enjoyed the opportunity to share our

Ben Madigan Preparatory School

experience and joy of cooking with our young chefs. We hope they will use their recipe books to continue cooking at home. Thank you to all our parents who have freely given up their time to help with our Cookery Club. This year our thanks to Mrs George, Mrs Murtagh, Mrs Simpson, Mrs Hollywood, Mrs Cowden, Ms Doyle, Mrs Cassidy and Mr Meekin. Mrs S. Sherrard DIARY DATE 2013

19th December

Pre-Prep Nativity Play Prep 1 – 3 outing to Yorkgate Cinema to see Disney’s “Frozen”

2014 22nd January Pre-Prep staff attend level 1 Fire Awareness training 25th January

Ski Trip

4th February

Health Action Heroes visit Pre-Prep Prep 5 visit Castle Espie Preps 6 & 7 visit to the University of Ulster, Jordanstown to see “Dr James’s Magical Science and Engineering Show”

28th August

Term starts for Pre-Prep and Prep 1

29th August

Term Begins

12th February

18th September – 20th September 30th September

ETI Inspection

3rd March

Book Fair

18th – 20th March

School Nurse to Prep 1

20th March

Prep 4 visit Tesco Abbey Centre – “Farm to Fork”

21st March

Prep 4 – 7 Zoo Lab

25th March

Prep 7 visit Tesco

26th March

Prep 5 visit Tesco

27th March

Prep 3 visit Tesco

28th March

Pre-Prep Inspection

31st March

Assessment Week

15th November Pre-Prep visit the Ulster Museum 11th December Carol Service at Whitehouse Presbyterian Church

2nd April

Prep 2 visit Tesco

4th April

Prep 7 to BeSafe Pre Prep visit Streamvale Farm

13th December

Pre-Prep to Cinderella, Theatre at the Mill

9th April

Prep 7 visit Bank of Ireland

18th December

Prep 4 – 7 outing to Odyssey, Pizza Hut & Bowling Prep 1 – 3 Nativity Play

11th April

Prep 1 visit Tesco Open Afternoon

14th April

Prep 6 visit Tesco

School Photographs

2nd October Prep 4 visit to Chichester Library 9th October

Pantomime – Peter Pan Librarian visits Pre-Prep

21st October 25th October

Fire Brigade visit Pre-Prep. Wee Care joined them. Pre-Prep Halloween Party

11th November Photographer for school calendar

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15th April

Prep 6 to Whitehouse Presbyterian Church Easter Experience

20th June

Pre Prep Teddy Bears’ Picnic with Angels & Wee Care Day Nurse-ries

16th April

Pre-Prep Easter Egg Hunt

8th May 15th May

Anti Bullying Workshop talk to Prep 6 Anti Bullying Workshop talk to Prep 7 Prep 3 to Balmoral Show

23rd June

Pre Prep Teddy Bears’ Picnic at Belfast Castle with Prep 6 “bud-dies”.

16th May

Prep 1 Induction

20th May Prep 6 & 7 talk from Childline 21st May

Fire & Rescue Safety Team to Prep 5 PSNI to Prep 7

22nd May

Pre-Prep Induction

23rd May Prep 7 to Titanic Prep 6 to Carnmoney Hill Pre-Prep Family Day to Folk & Transport Museum 27th May

Childline to Preps 6 & 7

29th May Pre-Prep Teddy Bears’ Picnic

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31st May

Fun Day

2nd June

Prep 1 & Prep 2 visit the Zoo

4th June Prep 6 Big Day of Science at B. R. A. 6th June Sports Day Pre-Prep Parents’ Breakfast & leaving celebrations 10th June

Thrift Shop sale of Second Hand Uniform

17th June

Prep 4 visit Tayto Castle

18th June/19th June

Preps 3-7 performance “The Wizard of Oz”

25th June Preps 6 & 7 C. S. Lewis Trip Prep 5 visit Crawfordsburn Country Park Pre Prep – Prep 2 Summer Concert 27th June

Term Ends

MUSIC AT BEN MADIGAN Music continues to flourish at Ben Madigan with a healthy interest being shown in musical tuition on piano and violin, as well as membership of our school choir. During the year we were delighted to engage the services of Mr Kyle McDowell, who now offers drum tuition. This has proved to be very popular. Our choir performed at the Carol Service in Whitehouse Presbyterian Church and at the Open Afternoon in April. Miss Jane McCartney and Mrs Ruth Wilson come in each week to teach violin, piano and class music respectively. Mr W. T. Wilson SPORT AT BEN MADIGAN CROSS COUNTRY The Cross Country Club for Preps 6 and 7 met every Tuesday afternoon. In all weather conditions, the members braved the elements to run circuits of our beautiful school grounds in an effort to improve fitness and, for some, to test this fitness in competition. Indeed, this year our club enjoyed some success with our girls’ team coming 2nd in the North Belfast Area Primary Schools’ competi-tion which was held at Grove Park on the 27th February 2014. Bryanna Catney and Olivia Crowe produced excellent individual performances finishing 2nd and 7th respectively. Having gained the position of runners-up of the North Belfast District, the girls’ team qualified for the Belfast Schools’ finals. This

Ben Madigan Preparatory School

event took place at Ormeau Park on 3rd April 2014. On this rather damp and muddy occasion, the girls achieved a highly commendable 4th place. As a result of this performance, the team was invited to represent Belfast District in the Inter-Area Cross Country final. The best runners from all regions of Northern Ireland met at Ormeau Park on 29th May 2014. The Ben Madigan girls were not deterred by the high calibre of the competition and each girl gave their best effort and the team was duly rewarded with 7th place overall. Well done, girls!

Thanks must also go to classroom assistant Miss Reid for the expertise which she offered. Also thanks for the ever-dependable parental support. Team: Caitlin Hennessy, Nadia Scanlon, Monica Del Castillo, Kerry Uprichard, Rebekah Lennon, Emma Dobbin, Ella Harvey, Erin McQuiston, Carla Sloan, Emma Uprichard, Bryanna Catney and Olivia Crowe.

The Ben Madigan Cross Country Club wishes to thank all the parents for their support throughout the season, and in particular, Mrs McKibbin, Mr and Mrs Del Castillo and Ms Sykes for providing transport and words of encouragement to our competitors. The Club would like to thank Ms Sharron Sykes for coming loyally every Tuesday to help with the weekly running of the Club. Mrs E. Wilson

GIRLSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; FOOTBALL TEAM The newly formed girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; football team experienced success in their first competitive outing by winning the Plate competition at Waringstown Primary School. The girls were unbeaten and were the only team not to concede a single goal all day. Special mention must go to goalkeeper, Caitlin Hennessy, who kept five clean sheets with an outstanding performance between the sticks! Special mention must also go to the ice cool Carla Sloan, who slotted a penalty in the semi-final and Rebekah Lennon, for scoring the winner in the final. The tournament took place on an extremely hot day and the girls all deserved their ice cream on the road home.

KICK BOXING Travis Lavery, Prep 7, came first in his weight category at the Northern Ireland Open Martial Arts Championships 2014. This continued on from his success earlier in the year when he won the WKC Northern Ireland and received a bronze in The All Ireland Championships (Top Ulster finisher). 231

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Travis qualified for the World Championship in which he came 4th. No doubt a Star of the Future. HOCKEY After the success of last year, the Ben Madigan hockey girls had big boots to fill. Having lost a large number of the team from the previous season, it wasn’t going to be easy to emulate what had happened the year before. After several training sessions, confidence remained at a high in the run -up to the qualifying tournament at Mossley Hockey Club on 5th March. The girls had every right to be optimistic as they breezed through the qualifying stages with significant wins against Ballyclare and Eden. They then faced local rivals and friends ‘Fairview’ in the semi-finals. The girls ran out three-nil winners and faced a strong Templepatrick team in the final and were unlucky to lose. The hard work had been done however, and again for successive seasons the Ben Madigan girls reached the Northern Ireland finals. A tremendous feat for such a small school. After making it to the Ulster finals they stormed through the group stages with a series of remarkable wins against tough opposition! Finishing second in the group meant they then qualified for the top competition, ‘The Ulster Primary Schools’ Cup!’ Things didn’t go their way in the Cup when they were beaten again for the second year running by the eventual finalists. Both Mrs Lennon and Mr Patterson can’t speak highly enough of the attitude and commitment of all the girls over the past month in both competition and training! Once again for a small school of our size we are punching well above our weight and don’t look out of our depth.

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Thanks also to our ever-faithful group of parents who cheered the girls on.

Ben Madigan Preparatory School

GOLF After yet more success in America this year, congratulations must go to Tom McKibbin, who has won the Newtownabbey Borough Council Junior Sports Person of the Year! Fully deserved and a credit to our school. No doubt, great things await him in the coming years at BRA. He could make our â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hall of Fameâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; yet!

SPORTS DAY For the second year, we were fortunate to have beautiful weather for our Sports Day which showed off the picturesque grounds at Ben Madigan. As we were only a few weeks from the Football World Cup, each class took the opportunity to dress up in colourful clothing and represent a designated country. This created a party atmosphere right from the beginning of the day when Pre-Prep, Prep 1 and Prep 2 got proceedings underway. With an array of events, the parents were certainly enjoying the atmosphere as children displayed their sporting talents. With Mr Wilson again responsible for the sound system, all parents were kept well informed of the events and winners throughout the Senior Sports Day. Preps 4-7 battled it out in many disciplines from Sprint races to Obstacle races with closely contested races across the board. Following the success of the whole-school Cross Country race last year, it was run again and gave pupils a chance to take in the beautiful surroundings of the castle grounds before being met by rapturous applause from the parents who lined the finishing straight. Again, it was another successful Sports Day with plenty of silverware on show for the efforts of all those who took part.

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BEN MADIGAN CUP WINNERS Name of Cup Cricket Cup (McClay) Athletics Cup (Ryan Moore) Athletics Cup (McCoubrey) Cross Country Swimming (Jacobs) Swimming (Girls) Mini Rugby (School) Most Improved Rugby McCoubrey (Most Improved) Hockey Physical Education Peter Thompson Cup Gymnastics Cup (Warke) Cycling Proficiency Creative Writing Art Violin Music Music Theatre Boys’ Football

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Winner 1 Ben Jackson/Jonathan Forbes Eliot Donaldson Erin McQuiston Bryanna Catney Eliot Donaldson Monica Del Castillo Ryan Simpson Louis Adams Emma Dobbin Rebekah Lennon Tom McKibbin/Monica Del Castillo Hannah O’Kane/Jack Montgomery Olivia Crowe Jonathan Forbes/Nadia Scanlon Ella Harvey Nadia Scanlon Emma Dobbin Ella Harvey Kerry Uprichard Steven Walker

SCHOOL COUNCIL The newly formed Ben Madigan School Council had an extremely successful first year where they raised £1130. They hosted many in-school themed days as well as other functions most memorably, the Halloween Disco. With smoke machines, lasers, bat caves and spooky witches decorating the hall, it was sure to be a successful night. A super year’s work and a huge ‘Well Done’ must go out to all members of the School Council who organised so many successful events!

SKI TRIP Once again the Ben Madigan parents and pupils enjoyed a fantastic week skiing in Ehrwald, Aus-tria. The conditions were spectacular. Here is an ode to ‘Ehrwald 2014’ written by Mr Patterson: So we have come to the end of our Ski Trip, 2014 And on reflection, what a super time it has been! It’s hard to believe in 12 hours we’ll be gone! But before we leave let’s reminisce on all that’s gone on! It was an early start last Saturday as we planned to meet at 7. The boys thought it madness as the flight didn’t leave to 11. There was drama from the start as Roz was checked in with the wrong name, This wasn’t her fault though, Topflight were to blame! We boarded the plane and the flight was real smooth, And to quote Mr Swann ‘and that is the truth’ When collecting the bags Mrs. Taylor’s heart sank, But luckily it was only Ben Jackson playing a prank!

Ben Madigan Preparatory School

A long bus journey followed and the adults started to fade. However sleeping wasn’t on the agenda for the iPad brigade! A stop off at McDonalds soon brought us all back to life, Some food in the bellies helped us avoid any strife! We were finally in Ehrwald and excitement started to mount, As we got off the bus Mr Ingram did a quick head count! Everyone present, the first journey done Now it was time to go and have fun! Compared to outside, our hotel was real hot! Mr and Mrs Forbes got an upgrade to a more luxurious spot! We then got our boots and skies fitted by Struin! Thank goodness he was there as we hadn’t a clue what we were doin’! Day number one and it was time to hit the slopes! The instructors were on hand to show us the ropes! For many this was their first day to ski But Alex, Ella and Jude made it look real easy!

The snow was perfect and the weather was hot! Charlie got a lesson on the mountain, one to one, He took off from the top and didn’t stop until it was done! Later that night the kids headed for a dip at the pool, When they saw the feast ahead they started to drool! The slide had been opened and this was lots of fun, We showed two local lads how it should be done Day 4 was perfect for skiing it was our fastest day Well that was until a little old lady got in Mr Craig’s way She came out of nowhere, she shouldn’t have been on the slope, When she skied into Paul she didn’t stand a hope He did the moral thing though and stayed by her side Even though everyone advised him to ski off and hide This provided the entertainment for the après ski Justice prevailed though and he got off scot-free

The adults however made harder work of it all, Russell McLaughlin got the bib for most dramatic fall! No harm was caused though as he didn’t hit into anyone He has however lost the use of his left thumb!

Although the talent show wasn’t until Thursday night, It was Wednesday when the biggest talent came to light Around the pool table Rocket Ray Forbes did glide Arousing suspicions that he spent some years inside

Day two was snowy but confidence began to increase, Mr Montgomery looked at the red slope and thought ‘I want a piece’ So against the wishes of Matteaus He dismounted the chairlift then took off like a pro He shouted forget snowplough, parallel’s the way to go

Day 5 started as normal with Ryan putting on the wrong boot! And Mrs Ingram giving the children a selection of fruit! The main drama today happened on the two-man chair When Alison spent longer than she was supposed to in the air

That night Mr Patterson got the bib, his crash was a spectacular sight It wasn’t his fault though, Mr Taylor kept him up snoring the previous night! The next time Eve looks tired and her attention starts to roam I’ll be more sympathetic as I know what she has to put up with at home!

Other adults took it easy on day 5 With the big race the next day they just wanted to get down alive! That evening our entertainment came in the form of a talent show, There were jokes, singing and magic and the P. 7 threw Olivia Crowe!

We woke up on day three and headed over to a different spot,

Day 6 came quick and it was the day of the big race! Some were going so fast that they fell on their face!

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The parents’ turn came and they nervously ascended the top! The butterflies were mounting, they just wouldn’t stop The backpacks were taken off and Lycra was out in force But as they approached the starting line something awful happened.....no course A build-up of sledging over the previous 6 days And now there would be no winner to soak up the praise! With reflection however we all knew who the winner would be It would clearly be the favourite...Mr P Day 6 came to a close and there wasn’t as much as a broken nail The only thing broken is the bank after paying for Mr Craig’s bail Again another Ben Madigan ski trip has been a success Thanks Mr Ingram it was worth all the stress However most of our thanks goes to all of you, Your banter has contributed to how quick the week flew Your support for the ski trip and support for our school Is something which makes Ben Madigan cool This is definitely one of the best trips there has been Anyone in favour of Ehrwald 2016?

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FUN DAY 31ST MAY 2014 For the first time we decided to hold a ‘Fun Day’ at Ben Madigan, open to the public. A great deal of work went into planning and preparation for the Fun Day. We were blessed with a glorious sunny day which really contributed to the enjoyment and it was a wonderful sight to see parents and children enjoying our beautiful grounds as well as the various activities. Thanks are due to FOTA for organising the barbeque, to many parents who manned various stalls, to Mr and Mrs Del Castillo for providing and manning the very popular “dunk tank” and to all of the staff, both teaching and non-teaching who ran stalls and organised activities. Thanks also to everyone who contributed to the hampers and to Mrs Lyle who made them look so professional. While our primary aims were to raise awareness of Ben Madigan and have a good time, we also raised £1000 for school funds.

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Whilst this may not become an annual event, we certainly hope to repeat it in the future as we have had incredibly positive feedback. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the perfect weather for next time! Mrs V. McCaig

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A LETTER TO MY FRIEND

MY MAGIC PENNY

Dear Sarah, Toby the dog is going hyper. Amie is listening to her music and Ellie is in her bedroom on her phone. My mum is mixing my cake and my dad is watching TV and I have to go swimming Bye, Bye. Phoebe Bradley, Prep.2

If I had a magic penny I would go to Florida and go on lots of rides and go in the swimming pool. I would buy lots of caramel and strawberry ice cream and I would share it with my big brother. We would visit the water park if it was hot and sunny. Jacob McLaughlin, Prep. 2

MY MAGIC PENNY I would go to Barry’s with Blake and my mummy and daddy if I had a magic penny. We would have fun and play. I like to play on the Bumper Cars and the Ghost Train in the summer with Flynn. Then we would go to an Ice Cream shop in Portrush and I would get a strawberry ice cream with marshmallows on top and a flake too. Henry O’Connor, Prep. 2

Prep. 3 Work

THE WOOLLY RUG I am the wool off a black sheep’s back. One morning I woke up to a frightening noise, zzzzzz. I was getting sheared off my sheep. The shearing machine was a big, metal, circular machine with lots of sharp blades. Then I was thrown on a massive truck, and taken to a factory in Bangor. I went to the sorting room in the factory and was placed with the strong wool. A man pulled me apart to check I was really strong. Next, I got put into a huge, round washing machine. I was spinning round and round and round, I was so dizzy. All I saw was soapy suds. Then I got taken out of the machine and placed in an enormous hairdryer. I looked like candy loss. I smelt very fresh. Next, I was pulled and twisted into yarn, ouch! An nice, old lady knitted me into an enormous woolly rug. I got dyed the colours purple, yellow, orange, pink, and sparkly gold. My tassels were coloured purple and pink. I was taken to a huge warehouse. I had to wait a year until I was sold. Then a lady called Gillian ordered me online through Amazon. I was picked up by a delivery man and taken on an airplane to Gillian’s house. I was nervous to meet Gillian but very excited to go to my new home. When I arrived at my new home Gillian felt my tassels, showed me to her husband, then set me on the living room floor. I was on the floor, when suddenly visitors came to the house and they stamped all over me. I was a bit dirty and a bit miserable. Next, Gillian carried a chair into the living room and sat on me, ouch! I thought it couldn’t get any worse! Gillian then lifted the chair up set it in the kitchen. Suddenly, Gillian lifted me up and carried me upstairs and tossed me onto the bed and used me as a blanket. I looked around the bedroom it looked really big. I was much happier on Gillian’s bed than being stamped on in the living room. Emily Wilson Prep 3

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Prep 3 at The Balmoral Show

INSIDE THE EGG My name is Cheepy the chick. I am not out of my egg yet. I’m in an incubator with other eggs. I wonder if they are my brothers and sisters? I am lovely and warm in my incubator but I am a bit cramped. I’m really looking forward to cracking out of my egg and running about like crazy. I can feel my feet touching my head. I am all curled up as I am growing in my egg and getting a bit too big. I can not see anything. I can only see pitch black, it is a bit scary in here. Also, I can hear lots of cheeping noises. I don’t know where the cheeping noises are coming from, but they might be my brothers and sisters. I wish I would hurry up and get out! I have eaten all my yolk from my egg and I’m starting to get hungry again. Hurry up and get me out of here! Grace Cowden HATCHING I have been stuck in my egg for ages. All I want is to crack out of this dark egg shell. I think I will start to try and peck my shell. I can see a little crack, a stream of light shining through my shell. I am so excited but a little bit scared. I’ll keep pecking with my egg tooth, the crack is getting bigger and bigger. Then suddenly, CRACK! The shell broke in two, my shell crashed onto one of the other eggs. I am free! I’m a bit wet and soggy. It’s a bit cramped in the incubator, I cant wait to get of here. Suddenly a giant hand opened the incubator and lifted me out. Next, the hand put me into a big cardboard box with my brothers and sisters. Cheep, cheep, hello, cheep, cheep, its nice to meet you! Daniel George AFTER HATCHING

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Now that I am out of my egg I can do extraordinary things. A human hand lifted me and placed me in a box. It was very big, a lot bigger than my incubator. I can run around and play with my brothers and sisters. A bright light is shining down on me; it’s very, very hot. It’s my heat lamp. My feathers and turning a bright yellow and fluffy under the hear lamp, that’s better! Suddenly, the human hand reached into the box again and grabbed out my brothers and sisters. I am all alone in the box; I’m starting to feel a little scared. Then the human hand reached in and grabbed me and put me onto his lap. I saw my brothers and sisters having fun with the giants. I tried to squirm out of the giants’ arm. The kind giants’ gave me water and chick meal, yum, yum! I started to chirp and run about because I am free, I can run fast. I want to fly but I can’t, maybe I’ll learn, cheep, cheep. I am one happy chick! Lily Behzadi

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IF I WAS SANTA It was a dark and stormy morning on Christmas Eve. All the elves were busy working morning to night. The elves were busy wrapping all the children’s presents. “Most of the children were good this year,” I said. I went outside to feed the reindeers for their big ride tonight. The reindeers were so excited to go flying so when Christmas Eve night came all the elves were putting all the boys’ and girls’ presents in the sleigh, so when they wake up in the morning they will see all their presents.

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We were getting ready to go but we still needed to attach one more reindeer on and that was Rudolph. When Rudolph was attached on we were lifted off into the air. I waved goodbye to all of my elves and my wife and wished them all a Merry Christmas and we whizzed off to deliver some presents. Our first stop was a little girl’s house called Hannah. She has a brother and a sister. Her sis-ter is called Orla and Hannah’s brother is called Oliver. I know they had a kitten called Muffin so when I went down the chimney I saw their kitten. I got my magic dust out and sprinkled some of it over their cat so it wouldn’t get scared of me. I started taking out all their presents and put them under

Ben Madigan Preparatory School

their Christmas tree. They had a lot of Christmas decorations. They had left out for me cookies and milk and carrots and reindeer food. I drank my milk and ate some of the cookies. I brought out the carrots. The reindeers loved them but I was still hungry so I went into their kitchen and had more. I got on my sleigh and went to deliver more of the children’s presents. When I was finished I went home to my grotto to have a big night in. Hannah O’Kane, Prep. 4 IF I WAS SANTA One snowy night I was checking on the list and there were loads of children who were good but some were naughty. So I finished some more toys. Then I checked on the flying reindeer and Rudolph. I gave them carrots and patted them and went back. I made sure that some toys were not left out and I looked at the Christmas lists. One of them said, ‘Dear Santa, I wish that I just get a DS and I hope you don’t work too hard. Love from Diana.’ So I let the elves make the DS and the oth-er toys and fill the sack up. Diana’s mum wants some shoes and her dad wants wine for Christmas. I lift up the sack and I climbed on the sleigh and off I went. It was Christmas Eve and children were in bed. I went to Diana’s house first and inside there was a Christmas tree and loads of decorations on it and lights inside and outside. I put the DS below the Christmas tree and the other presents. I ate all the biscuits and mince pies. I went home and slept. The next morning Diana looked under the Christmas tree and there was her new DS. Diana Zhou, Prep. 4 IF I WAS SANTA It was a cold, frosty night and people were getting ready for Christmas. My time had come, Christmas Eve. First I need to check on my elves I thought. After that I went to get my reindeer ready. Then the clock struck twelve and I got my sleigh loaded and away. I went flying through the air. The first house had carrots for my reindeer and pudding for me. Then the next house had no food laid out so I stole some from the cupboard. When you’re Santa it is very hard work so I stopped for a break. Then I set off again to the last house. I slid down the chimney to the last house and…it was beautiful and extraordinary. So I tiptoed up

the stairs. There were lovely stockings on the end of each child’s bed. But one of them moved and gave me a fright. Looking at the sleeping children I popped a present in each stocking. Tiptoeing down stairs I got the main presents out for Dervla and Blanaid. The presents are a guitar and kindle cover. Then I put them onto the sofa and other presents too. When it was time to get out of the house I waved goodbye to the Chestnut town and set off into the air saying Merry Christmas to everybody. When I got home and the sleigh was landed, I nestled down into a chair eating Mrs Claus’s cookies, then fell asleep. Blanaid Craig, Prep. 4 EVIL EVA WITH HER VERY LONG HAIR Once upon a time there was a princess who only cared about her hair and herself. She lived with her Mother, Queen Emma and Father, King Travis on the Cave Hill. It was one morning that her father had a heart attack. But she didn’t care one bit. A year later it was her 17th Birthday and she had invited everyone in Belfast to her Grand Ball. She was so excited that she wore her mother’s wedding dress, but her mother told her to wait to her wedding. Not that she would have one. It was nine o’clock and the bells started to ring. It was time. She walked down the grand staircase waiting to greet all her guests. But there was no-one there. She screamed. She ripped her mother’s dress in half. Queen Emma screamed, “NO!” Ben, the royal cat, was sitting on the stairs playing with his Ben action figure that sings, “My name is Ben, it rhymes with ten and I am awesome, awesome.” It stopped playing and Ben ran up to King Travis in the gym. “What time is it? Are the guests here yet?” said Travis. Ben sat there and purred. Travis wiped his brow and sighed. He went into his bathroom and had a shower. While downstairs Eva was throwing the wedding dress in the chocolate fountain. Her mother Queen Emma was sitting in the corner in her best white and grey dress crying. Eva was a bit like her father admiring herself in the mirrors. So upstairs he was admiring himself in a mirror. He came down the stairs and saw Eva cutting up her mother’s chocolate wedding dress and Emma sitting in the corner crying. Just then the knocking on the door came. The royal guard answered the door. It was wise old Alex.

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King Travis came to the door and said, “Wise old Alex, what are you doing here?” “We heard someone scream and my family said to go up and see what happened. I came up and I heard music. So I accidentally fell asleep. I woke by the sound of crying so I came and knocked on the door.” “Can I come in please?” said Alex. “Yes,” said Travis. “Now why was there screaming?” “You see it was my daughter’s 17th Birthday Ball tonight and no one turned up. I remember inviting you, why didn’t you come?” “No one likes Eva. Tell her to come to my house tomorrow afternoon.” “Goodnight and goodbye see you tomorrow”, said Alex. The next morning Eva got ready for going down to the village. She ate her breakfast and away she went. While she was walking down she met her old best friend Carla. Carla walked away and ignored her. Eva was outside Alex’s door. Just then Jay walked past and started staring at her and shaking his head. Alex came to the door and let her take a seat; he put the kettle on and sat down. He started to talk and said, “I’m going to make you ugly and cut off all your hair if you don’t start being nice.” And Eva replied, “Don’t tell me what to do old man!” And there was silence. Suddenly Alex screamed, “GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, YOU CHEEKY BRAT!” He pulled Eva’s hair as hard as he could and SNAP, Eva had no hair!

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She ran outside crying and stood against the wall thinking about what revenge she would get. Final-ly, she thought what she would do. She knocked on the door and Alex answered. But with a snap of Alex’s fingers she was ugly. She ran up the Cave Hill to her castle but it wasn’t there! She looked around and saw a bright light, Asha, the goddess of pretty hair and Caitlin the goddess of curly hair came floating down from the sky. Caitlin landed on top of Eva! They both got back up and Caitlin started laughing at Eva. “HAHA!” Caitlin turned around. “Where’s your hair?”

“I’m prettier than Eva, I’m prettier than Eva!” Eva tried to push Caitlin over but missed and fell into a muddy puddle. “AH!” “Caitlin, you’re getting as bad as that Eva!” “Eva, you need to start behaving and if you do your hair will start growing and your house will come back. But if not you will live like this for the rest of your life!” Then Caitlin added, “Plus you will be pretty, but not as pretty as me!” They both said at the same time, “Only if your attitude improves.” Suddenly they both disappeared into the sky. Eva learned her lesson and she lived happily ever after! Georgia Harvey, Prep. 6 THE MAGIC PAINT There was once a little girl called Ellie, she liked to draw. One day her mum and dad went out to get her new paints. When they came home she ran down the stairs to look at her paints, she said to her mum, “Can I go upstairs to paint now?” “Ok.” said her mum. So she ran upstairs to start painting. She was so excited she tripped over a doll. When she got into her room, she said to herself, “What should I draw? I know! I will draw a turtle!” So Ellie drew her turtle and left it to dry. She went downstairs to have her dinner. When she came upstairs again she saw a turtle in her room! She said, “This paint is magic!” Later on she played with the turtle. Then her mum shouted, “Time to go to bed, Ellie!” So Ellie fed her turtle and went to bed. When Ellie woke up she couldn’t find the turtle, but then she saw it on the canvas. She thought she had dreamed of the turtle being there. When Ellie went down the stairs, her sister, Jessica, went into Ellie’s room. She painted a scary doll onto the canvas because she thought that it would scare Ellie. What she didn’t know is that that doll was going to come alive! When Ellie came into her room, there was a strange girl sitting on her bed. Ellie saw that she was made out of plastic. She ran down the stairs screaming. Jessica laughed. Then her mum said, “What’s wrong Ellie?”

Ben Madigan Preparatory School

Ellie said, “There’s a strange girl in my room!” Her mum said, “Don’t be silly! Anyway, girls I’m going out now with my friends and so is Dad.” Ellie said to Jessica, “Did you draw something on the canvas?” Jessica laughed, saying, “Yeah! Just as a prank!” “Then if you think you’re so funny come up to my room and see for yourself!” Jessica walked into Ellie’s room and said, “Where did the painting go?” Ellie said, “Look on the bed!” Jessica turned around and saw the doll. “How do we get rid of it?” she said “We have to wait until the morning!” Jessica realised that she needed a drink so Jessica and Ellie went to the shop. While they were at the shop the doll got up and drew a chainsaw. Then suddenly there was a chainsaw on the bed. The doll picked it up and then went out of the bedroom and sat on the stairs. Ellie and Jessica came back and the doll walked down the stairs. She ran after Jessica and Ellie. The next day, Mum and Dad came home at 2 o’clock in the morning and found their kids on the floor. The mum went upstairs and saw a picture of her kids and a doll. Bryanna Catney, Prep. 7 BRING AND BUY SALE Today was the Bring and Buy Sale. I was selling all the 75p things and half way through I swapped with Casey so I was also doing “Guess the Number of Sweets”. My 75p stall was taking up three tables! On the 75p stall I was working with Ben and Asha. I bought a lovely bracelet for my mum and a biscuit! At the 75p stall there were toys, books and teddy bears. Most of the Prep 1s and Prep 2s just gave you their purse when you told them how much the toy, book or bear was! We didn’t know how much we raised until we had sold the remaining stock but found out that we had raised £600.42. I really, really, really want to replay this day over just one more time! All the money raised has gone to my team’s charity UNICEF. Eva Bannon Mutlu, Prep. 6 THE LAST GIANT Long ago there was a beautiful princess called Emma the Great. Her mother, Carla the Wise, decided it was time for her to get married. So Carla and her

husband, Jay, searched far and wide to find the perfect man. They found a man each. Carla found Sir Trevor and Jay found Sir Ben. They decided on Sir Trevor and brought him back home to Cavehill Castle. When Princess Emma saw him she cried out in disgust. “NO! I will not marry him! Never!” Then she stormed up to her room, locked herself in, and refused to come out all day. Carla the Wise started to get worried. She heard one of her servants say something about a witch. “Asha, the good witch, that is where I shall go!” So she began the fifteen minute journey with a basket and a book. “What do you want dear?” asked Asha when Carla arrived. “Two love potions please,” replied Carla. “Of course. They will be ready in half an hour. Meanwhile make yourself at home.” So Carla poured herself some tea and sat down on one of the chairs. An hour later she was back at the Cavehill about to enter the castle. She told one of her servants, who was called Casey, what to do. She said, “You give Sir Trevor the tea, blindfold him, lead him into the room in the basement then give him the injection. Got it?” “Yes,” Casey replied. So Casey did as he was told and Queen Carla did the same to Emma. Then when Emma and Trevor woke up they fell in love because the love potion was in the tea. Emma asked if they could get married and Carla said, “Yes.” On the day before the wedding some gods and goddesses were having a talk. “Oh no, Emma and Trevor are getting married tomorrow! Can any of you do anything?” Lewis, the god of metal and love, said, “I know! Can you do anything Caitlin?” asked Alexis, god of hamsters. Caitlin, the goddess of curls, replied, “No, I can’t do anything. How about you, Elizabeth?” Elizabeth, the goddess of Pandas, said, “No can do. Zara, you’re our final chance.” Zara, the goddess of war, thought for a while then said, “Actually I can do something. Lewis, because you are the god of love. You can make the potion wear off tomorrow then make Emma hate Trevor. I will take care of the rest after that.” The day of the wedding came but when Princess Emma woke up and saw the wedding dress she thought to herself, “No!! I am not getting married to that idiotic, filthy, disgusting and stupid boy! I don’t know what came over me! I’ll kill him!”

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So she got dressed and went down to the kitchen and got a knife. Magically a goddess appeared. “W-wwhat do y-y-you w-w-want?” Emma stammered nervously. “Don’t be scared for my sake. Now, go up to Trevor’s room with the knife. He will not see me for he is a different religion. I will tell you what to do when you get there.” Zara, the goddess said. So Emma went up to Trevor’s room. “Is this the right thing to do?” Emma asked. “Yes it is.” Zara said to her. So Emma entered the room. It turned out that Trevor was awake! “Emma, just the person I wanted to see. Now I know you love me so I will tell you one of my secrets. I am just marrying you so I can be king.” He paused for a moment, “Discombobulated? I knew it. Aww, you don’t even know what discombobulated means, do you? It means confused so you now know something. You will find out soon enough.” Later on at the wedding Sir Trevor was saying, “I do.” Then the priest said, “Emma Boyd, do you take Sir Trevor Lavatory...” then he was cut off by Sir Trevor whispering, “Lavery,” “Oh, Sir Trevor Lavery as your lawfully wedded husband?” the priest asked. Emma thought then said, “No, I don’t.” *GASP* the queen and king were shocked! “I know your filthy little secret…” then she was interrupted by Trevor shouting, “NO!!!! THIS IS NOT WHAT I PLANNED!!!! YOU WILL BE SEEN NO MORE!!!...” Then Zara turned into human form. She had long red hair down to her waist and was wearing army uniform. She was holding a gun in her left hand, “No Trevor, it shall be you who will be seen no more…” Then she was interrupted by men running in shooting the peo-ple watching the drama.

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Zara turned around and shot them all then said to Emma, “Silly humans, come on, let’s go!” So Emma and Zara ran out of the church with Trevor chasing them. “Caitlin, now!!” Zara shouted. Suddenly two long curly ropes came falling down from the sky. “What on earth is this?” Emma asked Zara. “My friend’s hair, now hold on to it tight!” Zara replied. So they both grabbed the hair. The hair stared to go up and up and up then they saw the entrance to a castle in front of them, “Wow, where are we?” Emma asked. “Asgard.” Zara said proudly. They ran into the castle. “We should see how your home is. Come this way.” Zara said. So Zara and Emma went into a grand room. In the room there were lots of windows. “Which one, which one?” Zara muttered, “Ah, here we are.” Then she went

over to one. Emma looked through the window. She saw a giant crushing her home then she said she was going back to her home. When she got home she saw a big chunk of the hill was crushed. She decided to build a new castle. She called it ‘Belfast Castle.’ Then Carla asked Sir Ben to come over for the celebration of the new castle. Em-ma and Ben fell in love and after a while they got married then they lived happily ever after. But it wasn’t really; the giant who destroyed the old castle was still around. He was storming round Belfast. One servant came up to the queen and said, “The army has been sent out to kill the giant.” “Good,” said the queen. So the army went into the centre of town and killed the giant. He fell and it turned out he was the last giant. That is why there are no giants to this day. Zara Handley, Prep.6 THE ADVENTURES OF PERCY THE PENGUIN AND SAMMY THE SEAL Sammy and Percy were best friends even though seals and penguins hate each other. Percy was a Southern Rockhopper penguin. He was black and white and a bit yellow (like most penguins are) and he was very fast. Sammy the seal was very strong and he had a silvery grey colour of skin. They lived in an igloo together and the igloo had a secret base beneath it. They had this space to check where their arch enemy, Nadia the Narwhal, was in case she attacked. She had this invention which allowed her to live on land. Sammy and Percy were both orphans because Nadia killed their parents. So that’s why they hated Nadia; they wanted revenge! So one day, Sammy and Percy went on this walk on the edge of the ice and all they could see in the water was half of a horn from a narwhal (they knew it was Nadia because when Nadia killed their parents, they fought back and broke her horn in half.) So they decided to end this now. So they ran back as fast as they could but Sammy couldn’t keep up so Percy gave her a piggy back all the way home. When they got back, they got one weapon each. Sammy got the harpoon because it was very heavy

Ben Madigan Preparatory School

and Percy got the trident. So their plan was to shoot Nadia with harpoon and then…but that’s all they got to because Nadia had destroyed their house. So they ran outside, shot Nadia with the har-poon and it didn’t hurt her because she only has one weak spot (under her flipper) so Percy destroyed Nadia while Sammy aimed under his flipper and Sammy shot Nadia, then Nadia fell to the ice and Sammy lifted Nadia up and Percy stabbed her with his trident and they killed Nadia and everyone was happy and they lived with another friend, and Sammy and Percy went back to living a normal life. Jude Moorehead, Prep. 7 CAVE GIRL We drove down to Portbay yesterday. It’s really hot. Mum and Dad started to unpack as soon as we got there. Summer ran off to the beach with some friends, but I just sat in the car. I love Portbay. I love the sun and the sea. I love walking down the pier. I hate the dogs. That’s about the only thing I hate. I can stand spiders and snakes, but not dogs. Not even tiny little ones. “Ocean!” Mum’s calling me. “Will you come and unpack? I would ask your sister but she’s already at the beach.” I ran in and began unpacking. Dad started making up the beds in our box rooms, while I put food in the fridge. “Pass that ice-cream over,” says Mum, “the Baby’s kicking again!” ‘The Baby’ is my little sister, Sandy. She’s not even born yet. We hadn’t finished unpacking until after 10p.m. That’s when Summer came home. She was all hyper and acting like a 5-year-old even though she’s 16. I went to bed quite late but woke up really early. I decided to go down to the caves. I had a shower, put on sun-cream and got dressed. Summer was still in bed after last night’s drama. I ran along the beach and into the caves. Someone once told me that if the sea covered White Rock you couldn’t get out and you would drown. (White Rock is a big white rock just outside the caves). But I didn’t believe it. It was just a rumour. I spent a pleasant hour in the caves, paddling in the water and look-ing at the writing on the walls. There were big letters that read “HAPPY BIRTHDAY OCEAN!” That was from my 13th birthday, last year. I left the caves and went back to the caravan for some lunch. I spent the rest of the day at the beach with Summer, then went home to toast marshmallows on the fire.

I went back to the caves and did the same thing every day. The caves were my favourite place in the world. It was the last day of summer in Portbay. I decided to make the most of it. I didn’t go down to the caves that day, instead I had a picnic lunch on the beach with Summer. We had a great time, running about in the water. It was only then I saw the ferocious Rottweiler behind me. I sprinted down the beach, dog chasing after me, trying to think of where to hide. The Rottweiler was catching up with me. I ran straight into the caves, just where the dog couldn’t get me! I stayed there for a few hours, wondering if there was a search party looking for me. The water started to rise up, coming over my knees. I looked out. The White Rock as covered. I realised I was going to drown. The water came up over my head. I was gone. Gone forever. Ella Harvey, Prep. 7 BEN MADIGAN VALETE MRS BARBARA MARSHALL Mrs Barbara Marshall was appointed as a member of staff to the Preparatory Department of Belfast Royal Academy in September 1994. Initially she taught Preps 3, 4, and 5 before eventually moving to the Kindergarten Building to teach Prep 2. In addition to her teaching duties, Barbara also coordinated Religious Education throughout the school and was the Special Needs coordinator, a role which she carried out with the utmost care and sensitivity. Barbara was also the teacher who was relied upon to look after the school’s Charity Fund and the Ben Madigan Staff Fund which included buying gifts for members of staff who were leaving the employ of the School as well as “thank you” presents for ancillary staff at Christmas time. Christmas time and wrapping parcels is always a busy time for everyone but for Barbara the season of goodwill and annual wrapping of presents always began early. For the last ten years Barbara or-ganised the Operation Christmas Child Appeal. This involved encouraging the children to think of others and prepare a shoe box wrapped in festive paper containing a mixture of fun items as well as

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essential needs. To promote the appeal Barbara wrapped many of the shoe boxes herself and gave them to anyone who was willing to fill them with “goodies”. She then checked the contents and transported them to the collection depot. In total since Barbara began coordination of this appeal in excess of 1500 Christmas boxes have left Ben Madigan. Barbara hopes to continue this voluntary work next year. Barbara was also generous with her time and energy as she ran the “Cookery Club” in partnership with Sandra Sherrard on Thursday afternoons. Every week Sandra and Barbara purchased and prepared the ingredients for the little cooks to create their culinary delights. Many different appetising aromas filled the air as each mouth-watering dish left the school sealed in tins to be devoured later that evening by the hungry chefs. In the classroom Barbara was a conscientious, creative and innovative teacher. She was thorough and meticulous in her planning and daily lesson preparation. At the centre of everything which Barbara did were the individual children before her. She sought always for each child in her care to achieve their full potential and be the best that they could be. Outside school Barbara’s life is her family. She is a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. The Marshall family has grown significantly this year with the addition of three grandchildren all arriving in 2014. Retirement couldn’t have come at a better time for Barbara. Barbara happily joins her husband Phil in retirement. Together they are a dynamic and active couple who have many hobbies and interests. They are dedicated Ulster Rugby fans and can often be seen in the stands in all weathers cheering on the “Ulster Men”. They are particularly focused on the number 9 shirt, which is often worn by their son, Paul.

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Barbara is also interested in things horticultural and produced lots of little plants for her stall at the Ben Madigan Fun Day and so this short verse is an appropriate tribute to Barbara the teacher: The tiny seed that grows into a tree Its roots so strong and secure The seeds that you’ve planted

In each young mind Will prosper and endure Barbara will be sorely missed as a colleague, teacher and friend at Ben Madigan. We wish her well for the future and good health to enjoy her retirement. Mrs E. Wilson MRS SANDRA SHERRARD Sandra Sherrard joined the teaching staff of Ben Madigan in 1993 having taught at Victoria Primary School in Carrickfergus for 18 years. A former pupil of Woodburn Primary School and the Academy, she suffered the sad loss of her father when she was fourteen years of age, after which her family relocated to North Belfast. After her time at the Academy, she trained as a teacher at St. Mary’s College, Bangor, in North Wales. Her first job was at Victoria Primary School and shortly after that she married Ed, whom she had met at the Academy. Interestingly, Mrs McCaig was a student teacher assigned to Mrs Sherrard during her time at Victoria. She has three children, Caroline, Claire and James. Claire and James have followed Sandra into teaching, at Mullaghdubh Primary School and Calderstones and like their mother have proved to be highly successful teachers. Sandra will be remembered for her considerable teaching skills and kindness to several generations of pupils as well as those extra-curricular activities which she embraced with enthusiasm. The Cookery Club was always oversubscribed with eager pupils and who can forget the beautiful, freshly made sausage rolls and cheese twirls! They were worth waiting for on a Thursday afternoon! Both staff and pupils valued her friendship and those “Sandraisms” which conveyed truths, sometimes in relatively blunt terms. As a colleague I appreciated her diligence and ability to assimilate new teaching concepts right to

Ben Madigan Preparatory School

the end of her teaching career. No coasting towards retirement here!

and we pray that he makes a speedy recovery and that they enjoy many happy years together.

We wish her well and realise that the last few months have not been easy since the onset of Edâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s illness

W. T. Wilson

Barbara Marshall (left), Sandra Sherrard (right)

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Former Pupils’ News OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION

OLD GIRLS’ NEWS

The Old Girls’ Association has been in existence for more than 50 years. Mary Hyndman was one of the founders of the Old Girls’ Association and the first President. She was a member of the Academy teaching staff and served the School devotedly for over forty years, during which time she had been Domestic Science Mistress and Senior Mistress.

Laura Harper Laura Harper (Laura Bigger at the Academy) has been appointed Buying Director for Aldi Stores (Ireland) Ltd. In this post she will be responsible for the strategic management of several million Euros worth of food and nonfood categories for Aldi Stores. In addition to sourcing, product development and packaging design, she will also be an IT and Administration Manager.

From September 1900, girls who had hitherto attended the Preparatory Department continued their education through the higher classes of the Academy. In 1923 it was the decision of the Headmaster, Mr Foster, to make the Academy a co-educational school. This important development would not have been accomplished as smoothly as it was had not Miss Hyndman supervised the practical details of the change. Mary Hyndman remained a Patron of the Old Girls’ Association until her death in 1958.

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The Constitution states that the aim of our Association was to unite former pupils of the Academy and to engage in social, philanthropic and educational enterprises. Membership came under the headings of ‘Ordinary’ and ‘Magazine’. Ordinary membership included former pupils and members of staff who had been connected with the School for at least one year. Magazine membership was for former pupils residing in Great Britain or abroad, who would not receive any notices or invitations connected with the Association, but would receive ‘The Owl’. Today we have Life Members from as far away as South Africa, Hong Kong and New Zealand. If you are not a member, and would like to be, please contact the School.

Laura graduated from Queen’s in Law and Accounting in 2009. However, even during her undergraduate years she showed her drive and determination in a number of temporary positions with Tesco, HBOS – and, most arduously perhaps, as a post woman! Aldi, which she joined in 2009, quickly realised her potential as a high achieving professional and her ascent of the corporate hierarchy has been spectacular. She mastered a number of important disciplines in the fields of training, personnel and merchandising, meeting and exceeding expectations to reach her present eminence in the company. **** Emma Louise Johnston Emma Louise Johnston also returned to the Academy in September to participate in the Alumni Shared Experience Programme. After graduation from Queen’s with a BA in Politics, Emma Louise took a Master’s degree in European Law at the University of Ulster. She then

Former Pupils’ News

and compassionate care using arts based methods”. Olwen is delighted to receive this award and looks forward to learning from innovative practitioners in both countries. **** Former pupil Lauren McKay is studying Spanish and International Business at the University of Northumbria. Lauren, who is spending a year in Gijon in North West Spain, met the Academy’s student exchange group in September 2014. She is photographed with Scott McMurtry of Middle VI. **** Joanne Gallagher (nee Thompson) Since leaving the Academy Joanne has had a diverse career in both the private and public sectors of the local economy. The skills she acquired have helped her to succeed in two distinct working environments.

worked for Reuters as a broadcast journalist at ITN before quickly progressing to the position of Ireland correspondent for GMTV. Thereafter she worked on a variety of programmes both in Northern Ireland and in Great Britain. Whether interviewing local politicians or international stars such as Tom Hanks, reporting on the consequences of civil unrest in Belfast, or presenting renowned holiday programmes, she has brought her characteristic qualities of intelligence and charm to her work. Emma Louise spoke to a group of sixth-formers about the challenges and the rewards of careers in the media, and of the personal qualities which are essential for success in this demanding industry, as well as in so many other areas of post-school life. Emma Louise Crawford, as she now is, has two children and lives in Northern Ireland. Her sister and two brothers also attended the Academy.

Joanne began her career in the management training programme of a local supermarket which prepared her for the challenges of becoming an IT supervisor, a position she held for two years. She then accepted the responsibility of managing stock control for Gilbeys (NI) which thereafter became part of the multi-national corporation, Diageo. United Wine Merchants was her next posting where again she was involved in sales and credit control. In 1995 Joanne changed course by moving to a new position with National Museums Northern Ireland. Today’s visitors to the prize-winning new building on the Stranmillis Road will enjoy an experience that, with her colleagues, Joanne has help shape in her career as a documentation assistant, visitors’ services administrator, and, more recently, retail supervisor. Joanne is happy to acknowledge that her work is enhanced by daily exposure to the diversity and richness of the Ulster Museum’s collections. ****

****

OLD BOYS’ ASSOCIATION

Olwen Minford Olwen Minford (BRA, 1969-76) was awarded a prestigious Winston Churchill Travel Fellowship in 2014. Olwen, who works as an Integrative Arts Psychotherapist and End of Life Care Facilitator in London, will travel to USA and Australia to carry out research on “improving communication training

The main event in the Association’s calendar is the Annual Dinner. This was held in the Wellington Park Hotel on Saturday 30th November 2013. The President, Mr David Haslett, welcomed a total of around 220 members and their guests. The speakers at the dinner were the Headmaster, the President and Mr Niall Crozier. Mr Crozier entertained the

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members and guests with stories from his long career as a sports journalist with the Belfast Telegraph covering rugby at all levels on the island of Ireland. The success of the dinner was again due, in no small measure, to the Dinner Secretary, Iain Knox, who worked extremely hard to encourage a large number of members to attend. However, the President is also to be congratulated for encouraging rugby captains from Schools’ Cup final teams to bring along team members.

Hon. Secretary Louis Campbell Hon. Treasurer Nik Simon Hon. Membership Secretary Michael Bennett Dinner Secretary Iain Knox Hon. Auditor Drew Wilkinson

The annual Table Quiz was held in Greenisland Golf Club on Tuesday 25th February 2014. The event was organised by Adrian Brown and Mark Cooper with Question Master Mark Shields, challenging the teams with a new blend of pictures, anagrams, sports and general knowledge questions; all who attended had a good night’s entertainment. Why not plan to attend the next quiz which will be held in February 2015? [The date will be posted on the Old Boys’ website.]

The Committee for 2014/2015 was also elected. It is again worth noting that several key positions on the Committee are now held by Old Boys who left School relatively recently. The future of the Association depends upon Old Boys becoming involved and I would again appeal to anyone who has an interest in joining the Committee to speak to the Hon. Secretary or any member of the Committee.

For the first time in many years, the Old Boys’ Association organised a dinner in London which was open to all former pupils of the Academy who lived in the Greater London Area and, indeed, beyond! This ‘new’ initiative was the brainchild of the President, David Haslett and he deserves much credit for masterminding and coordinating the event which proved to be an enormous success; 71 Former Pupils attended the dinner which was held at the Oxford and Cambridge Club, Pall Mall. The main speakers at the dinner were the President, Mr Ian Woods, the Headmaster and the Vice-President, Mr Adrian Brown. Plans are already in place for another London Dinner; this will be held on Friday 27th February 2015 at the RAF Club, Piccadilly. Former pupils who wish to attend should contact the Hon. Secretary at honorarysec@bra-oldboys.com. The Old Boys’ website – www. belfastroyalacademyoldboysassociation.com – continues to attract a lot of interest from younger and older members alike. The Association is in the debt of Iain Knox and Michael Bennett for keeping this internet site up-to-date. 252

The Annual General Meeting of the Association was held on 14th April 2014 and the following officials were elected for 2014/2015: President Adrian Brown Vice President Tony Cole

For the first time in three years, the annual cricket match of the Old Boys’ XI against the School XI was played out to the customary draw; this time in the sunshine. The Golf Society, under the leadership of Ken Knox, continues to attract good numbers of golfers for the two main competitions normally held in June and September. The results this year were: Picken Cup at Malone G.C. Thursday 19th June 2014 Winner: Ken Knox Stewart Beattie’s Captains Day at Royal Belfast G.C. Friday 12th September 2014 Winner: James Beattie Ferguson Cup for best aggregate score over two outings Winner: Peter Smith Throughout the year, Robin Reid again masterminded, with the assistance of others, a series of monthly lunches which are normally held in golf clubs around the greater Belfast area. These continue to be very popular with around 50 or more, mainly retired, members attending. Each year, the Old Boys’ Association tries to make a financial contribution to School to support particular projects. Last year, the Association, with the guidance of the Headmaster, supported the purchase of two lecterns for use in the Assembly Hall and the

Former Pupils’ News

Library; the Association hopes that they will be an asset to the School for use at Assemblies and public meetings. At the time of writing these notes, the President’s letter is about to be sent to all members; a copy of the School’s Academy Newsletter will also sent with the letter. Also included in this mailing will be the third edition of the Old Boys’ Newsletter which highlights the activities of some of our Old Boys. If you would like to contribute an article for a future edition of this Newsletter please contact the Hon. Secretary. Inevitably, many of these President’s letters are returned to School as members have moved away from the address kept by the Membership Secretary. I would appeal to all members who have moved in recent months or years to contact Michael Bennett at membershipsec@bra-oldboys.com Again, I appeal to those Old Boys of School who are reading these notes but who are not members of the Association, to think about joining and thereby restoring links to the School. L. Campbell Hon. Secretary OLD BOYS’ NEWS Arthur Lees Ben Madigan and Wingfield My life at the Academy started at Ben Madigan under the expert tutelage of Miss Bass and her somewhat intimidating second in command Miss McVea. As a 5 or 6 year old at the time I have few specific memories of primary school. However, two stand out to this day. The first involved a fellow student arriving at class with what was purported to be one of the first bananas imported into Belfast after the war. He was placed on a stool in front of the class to then peel and eat the fruit in front of the rest of us! The second involved being dismissed from Miss McVea’s class, for being overly exuberant, to sit alone in the cloakroom. After what I thought was an hour or so, probably more likely 10 minutes, I decided to leave and walk home which was approximately ¾ of a mile to the Ben Madigan Park area. On arrival my mother promptly returned me to school. The accompanying embarrassment probably helped me escape further punishment. I am quite certain that if I ever need psychiatric help these two events will come to the fore!

Passing on through Wingfield was pretty uneventful. Primarily because we were all extremely well prepared by Miss Elliott and her staff, including setting up to pass the infamous eleven plus. Miss Elliott on occasion would play a trick with us that I later realised was a lesson on life. If, at the end of her math class there was time, she would set us a problem to be solved by each student in writing. She would then leave the room for a short time. Not unexpectedly many in the class shared, or cogged their results and more than often followed the several “brains” in the group. For whatever reason, I generally took a more independent approach and did my own thing. Miss Elliott of course knew that most everyone was copying. The only comment she ever made was to complement those who showed initiative. A lesson in life well learned! The Main School Entering the “big school” in 1950 was a major milestone for Ben Madigan and Wingfield students. We were now exposed to classmates we had not met before but also the sheer size of the place was somewhat intimidating to an eleven year old. Being born in June I was always one of the younger students in a class. My brother, Lowry, was also a BRA man and was 4 years ahead of me so I saw him occasionally in the school yard. On the instruction side of things and with hindsight, I think we were incredibly fortunate to have had teachers such as Messrs. Moore and Clements in the sciences; Miss Savage and Geordie Taylor in Mathematics along with Ethel Gray, Ken Perrins and Miss Poots in languages. With respect to other activities I played rugby for the 2’s and 3’s and also played chess for the School. In 1952 my brother won the Ulster Schools’ Senior chess championship while I managed to win the Junior title in the same year. He won a cup and I was

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awarded a 1/2 guinea and I was never quite sure if this made me a professional! I can clearly remember Mr. Darbyshire announcing our double win at the morning assembly and wondering if Mr. Taylor would be able to set suitable difficult problems for us in maths! Another event I remember with fondness at that time was a cycling trip around Northern France that fellow classmate Victor Turkington and I took in 1954. I was fourteen when we took off and I am not sure if in this day and age that would be a good thing to do. However, we had a great time and even discovered vin du pays at the trucker’s wayside cafés. After three weeks on our own we picked up a little bit of extra French. As well as making French senior exams and orals a breeze it also helped place us in the good books of Miss Gray, which was not necessarily an easy accomplishment. I still have the bicycle frame that I rode on that trip. It was recently rebuilt and I still use it when the weather is good. I lost contact with Victor at the end of our time at BRA and wonder where he now is? Another thing I got up to at BRA, along with Harry Hutchman, (I believe), was playing rugby on Saturday mornings for the School and then turning out for the Old Boys’ 3B team in the afternoon. They were often short. This was all OK until Mr. Darbyshire found out and the practice was instantly stopped. We did not personally suffer the wrath of the Head, but I suspect that the Old Boys got a severe dressing down. To be fair to the Old Boys, we were always put out on the wing where the ball rarely got to and tackles to be made were few and far between.

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Another teacher at BRA who left a long lasting impression on me was Miss Savage. In her Sixth form maths class she would cruise the classroom and sit down at your desk, body checking you to make space, and review whatever one was doing. The body checking came easy to her as she had a substantial frame. In addition to being very personally involved in one’s work she also demonstrated a quality that is rare. If a problem could not be solved by oneself, or Miss Savage, she would happily pop next door to Geordie Taylor’s class to solicit an answer. The moral seemed to be: If you don’t know - ask someone who does. At the end of my time at the Academy Mr. Darbyshire called both my father and me in for a meeting to decide on what my next step in life should be, the intent being to go to Queen’s and study for a degree

in civil engineering, thus following in my father’s and older brother’s footsteps. The Headmaster suggested that because of my age I should seriously consider returning to school to go for a scholarship. To my eternal gratitude my father pointed out that the choice was either spend another year at BRA, or go straight to Queen’s and even if I spent an additional year there I would still be on the same timetable. I chose the latter and have had no regrets whatsoever. Queen’s University and Rowing Academically Queen’s was not a big issue other than the fact that the Academy had taught us so well in Sixth form that we were able to pass through the first year at University with little or no work. This made second year much more challenging. On the sporting side of things I decided that as there was a preponderance of top Campbell, Inst. and Methody rugby players, that I would be lucky to get a game on the 5B’s. So looking for an alternative I joined the Boat Club. This turned out to be one of the better decisions in my life. Rowing in an eight results in lifetime friendships being formed and during our time on the water I managed to be on the first Queen’s crew to win the Irish Junior Championships and win a major regatta in England. In 1959 we followed a series of successful QUB crews to first win the University Senior Championship’s followed by the Irish Senior Open Championships, resulting in the award of rowing blues. North America After graduating in Civil Engineering and working for a short time in Belfast I decided to head to Canada along with a lifelong rowing friend, Hugh Porter of Portora. We had no real plan other than to have a “look see” and take in as much as possible. One of the advantages of travelling to different parts in the world and having an engineering degree is that the same design formulas apply in almost all corners of the earth. In Canada and the USA I managed to move around quite a bit living for a year each in Toronto, Vancouver, San Francisco and finally New Mexico. I also managed a brief visit back to Carrickfergus, NI, in 1964 to marry Margaret my long term, long suffering girlfriend, sailor, soul mate and advisor. Having arrived in North America without a job I discovered several interesting things. In Toronto when looking for a job the fact that one was a QUB graduate was a very good thing and BRA was also

Former Pupils’ News

known in quite a few quarters. In Vancouver QUB was less known but the fact that one had rowed seem to tip the scale, all other things being equal. By the time we got to San Francisco and New Mexico neither Queen’s nor BRA were known to the people interviewing me but rowing still was a clincher. It’s a funny old world! Most of my working life at that time in Western North America was involved in mining and heavy industrial plant design. Vancouver in those days was a bit of a boom or bust town; while San Francisco was just getting going with “Flower Power”. In New Mexico we lived in a small town called Taos which was truly “Out West”. Geronimo held out in the area and the legendary Kit Carson actually lived and fought there. Like many places it now has a Holiday Inn and the associated amenities. We were incredibly fortunate to be there before it was “Discovered”. While in New Mexico I ended up working onsite, on the construction of a new molybdenum mine in the north of the State. What I did not know was that by total default I missed out on being called up for national service in Viet Nam. Because molybdenum is used in the manufacture of high strength steels it was considered very important to the US military industries. Unknown to myself I was given exemption. Fate is a wonderful thing, at times. After a brief return to Northern Ireland for family reasons in the mid-sixties we decided to return to North America and after re-emigrating to the US ended up back in Vancouver. We have lived here ever since. It is a beautiful part of the world with year round sailing, skiing within a 1/2 hour of the city and a myriad of other seasonal activities. A short time later I formed my own engineering company providing engineering services, primarily to the forest products industry. Through this we managed to provide overall process, mechanical, civil and structural design to most of the major North American forest products companies. This involved projects mostly in the United States but also in Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, the Caribbean, Germany and Ireland. The Masonite plant located just outside Carrick-on-Shannon was one of our projects. It included a 500,000 sq. ft. one level production building, which was supposed to the biggest in the Republic at that time. I never did check this but took the word of the Dublin powers that be.

About ten years ago I more or less retired, passing our company onto the next generation. At this time I was very honoured to receive a distinguished service award from Washington State University for “Significant Scientific Contributions in the Field of Wood Composite Materials”. During the award ceremony and after the usual nice things were said the presenter noted that I had a strong reputation for being an up front and independent thinker. This to me seems in some way to complete the circle right back to Misses Elliott and Savage, et al. Since then I have kept busy travelling, sailing and as an instructor at two local performance driving clubs. Closing Thoughts In closing this epistle out I can honestly say that I have few regrets about my life overall and particularly about my time at BRA and QUB. A lot of things have come relatively easily because of the excellent education I received and the influences certain teachers had on me. In June of 2013 I had the chance to visit the old school for the first time since 1956 and had a pleasant meeting, tea/coffee and strawberry scones with the Headmaster, Mr. Dickson, Louis Campbell and some of the staff. Jim Finlay and Ken Morrow were also present and among other things we discussed the possibility of the Academy getting involved in rowing. Ken rowed about the same time that I did and represented Ireland in a sprint regatta at London’s Hyde Park in the 1960’s. The idea of setting up BRA to row out of one of the Lagan commercial clubs was discussed and hopefully will be investigated further. This would not be an easy challenge but as I can attest, the indirect rewards can be considerable. The meeting also gave us the opportunity of meeting BRA Senior Miss Emily Taggart who is heading to Michigan State University on a rowing scholarship. Although I have not visited this particular University I can confirm that the facilities that she will be training in are absolutely world class and would put many an Olympic Centre to shame. We all wish her well. As a final comment, a number of people have asked about my brother, Lowry. I can report he is alive and well and living in Thunder Bay Ontario, formerly Fort William/Port Arthur. He spent most of his working career with the Ontario government and ended up as Assistant Deputy Minister for Northern Affairs, which is as far up as one can go in Ontario

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without being an elected official. At close to 80 he still plays squash and is still far smarter than myself. Arthur Lees **** David Cameron

Stanford University magazine features, ‘A Day in the Life of James Flanagan’, which makes it clear that James effectively combines his research with teaching undergraduates.

David Cameron, who is currently studying for the Foundation Degree in Horticulture at Greenmount College, has been named as the first ever winner of a new scholarship which will offer him the opportunity to contribute to the design of a new restaurant owned by one of Europe’s top chefs. David will be involved in the design, building and planning of the new Heritage Garden at Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir Quat’ Saisons Restaurant in Oxford. The Heritage Garden competition is organised in conjunction with Le Manoir, Garden Organic, Hartley Botanic and the Society of Garden Designers. David’s application was singled out for particular praise by Raymond Blanc. **** James Flanagan After graduation from Queen’s, James moved to Stanford, one of the most prestigious universities in the United States, to embark on research for a PhD in Chemistry. 256

Stanford is not far from San Francisco and with its own world class facilities for the arts, science and sport on campus is, in some respects, like a small town. James is now in third year of doctoral study. His research is concerned with developing ways to polymerize molecules. An article in this year’s

This year James, who is already a CMAD graduate Fellow of the university, was honoured with the Stanford Centennial Teaching Assistant Award. However, recognition of his inspirational teaching has not detracted from James’s research. This also has featured in Stanford’s alumni publications which have a global reach, and his research project was the basis of a lecture he delivered to an international scientific conference in the summer of 2014. https://chemistry.stanford.edu/events/chemistryyear-review ****

Former Pupils’ News

Neil Kerr On leaving the Academy Neil was determined to fulfil his ambition to develop his fascination with, and his skill in, skiing. After acquiring the appropriate experience at Chamonix Neil moved to New Zealand where in a very short time he was granted Residency. Contrary to widespread misconception the skiing season in New Zealand is relatively short and the amount of snow available to enthusiasts is, by European standards, relatively sparse. Despite this, Neil points out that the Winter Olympics at Sochi were New Zealand’s most successful competition to date with five top-ten finishers.

company he also acted as a mentor on a legal launch pad scheme for ethnic minority students. Currently Patrick is an associate in the major corporate law company, Dentons. His experience includes a broad range of corporate transactions with a particular focus on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, and private equity. He has acted for institutional investors, international corporates and management teams. After a number of years working in the City of London, Patrick is now based in Dubai. **** Michael Semple

In addition to his direct involvement with the sport, Neil and a friend took over an ailing ski magazine and transformed it into a glamorous and hugely professional publication of which Neil is the editor. New Zealand Skier, in its new and impressively glossy format, is linked to its own website. **** Patrick Tweedale Patrick Tweedale graduated in Law from the University of Manchester where he was awarded the RG Lawson Prize for Legal History and the Horwich Farrelly Prize for Law, Business and Management. In 2001 he graduated from the College of Law, Chester. In 2013 Patrick was named as a Rising Star in that year’s Super Lawyers list for the UK. After university Patrick was admitted as a Solicitor for the Senior Courts of England and Wales, and since then has worked for the Corporate law Departments of Speechly Bircham, and DLA Piper. In the latter

Former pupil, Michael Semple, visited the Academy in September. Michael left School in 1979, and after graduation from Sussex and Oxford universities, he accepted a posting with Oxfam. Shortly afterwards he became a political officer with the United Nations in Afghanistan, and successively, an adviser on human rights to the British government, and to the European Union. In all, he has lived and worked in Asia for over twenty years, and is acknowledged to be one of the most experienced and knowledgeable western officials to have worked in Afghanistan. In a much-praised memoir of his time in Afghanistan, Cables from Kabul, Britain’s former ambassador to the country, Sherard Cowper-Coles, writes with particular regard of Michael Semple’s commitment to securing a lasting settlement for the people of the country. Michael has been a visiting professor at Harvard University, and he currently holds a similar position

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at Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. A familiar face on television news programmes, he has also published a number of scholarly works on a part of the world which is known to most of us only in terms of war and tragedy. His wife and their two children live in Dublin.

David Dalzell was elected to the post of Worshipful Master of Royal York 145, Loyal Orange Lodge, District Three, Clifton Street Belfast.

****

**** E. McCamley Alumni Officer

Belfast Royal Academy 1st XV 1963-64: Joint Winners Schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Cup. Standing L to R; Mr Arthur Thompson, Roy Connolly, David Best, John Millar, Billy Baird, John Hopper, David Haslett, Rodney Johnston, Billy McConnell, David Martin, Sean Beamish, Mr George Spotswood. Sitting L to R; Henry Halliday, Randal Herron, Robert Pollin, Harry Rea (Capt.), Mr J W Darbyshire (Headmaster), Roger Davies, Jimmy Marks

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lost a marathon five-setter to Yugoslavia’s Zeljko Franulovic, who was ranked in the world’s top 10 at the time. He also had a memorable battle in the Ulster grasscourt championships at the Boat Club with rising Dutch star Tom Okker who went on to become the World No.3. However his career ended in acrimony when he was ordered to play in a trial match for his Davis Cup place in 1973. OBITUARY PETER JACKSON Peter Jackson, President of the Old Boys’ Association in 1979/80 died on the 10th October 2014. The following obituary appeared in the Belfast Telegraph on 13th October 2014: Peter Jackson, Ulster’s stand out tennis player of the 1950s and 1960s, has died aged 80. A former Ulster and Ireland No.1, he initially played for the Cavehill club but also joined Windsor at a time when they made up a large part of the Irish Davis Cup team with players like Vivian Gotto, Tommy Crooks and Derek Arthurs. From north Belfast and a former pupil of Belfast Royal Academy, Peter played at a high level during the amateur era of tennis, working initially in the linen trade before becoming a Dunlop sports equipment representative, later opening his own sports shop. He also played Junior rugby for Ulster. In a career which spanned over 20 years, he won numerous tournaments throughout Ulster and Ireland including the Ulster hard-court championships as well as the Co Antrim, Co Armagh and North Down tournaments. For nine successive years he was Irish No.1 and was also one of the few Ulster players to have played at Wimbledon and in the US Open. But it was in the Davis Cup where he excelled, playing for Ireland in a then record 19 matches, often alongside his fiery fellow Ulsterman Arthurs, who later emigrated to Australia and passed away in 2008. For all his victories, however, it was a defeat he remembered most of all, a match in which he

He was injured at the time and asked for dispensation which was refused. He decided to retire and never played competitive tennis again. Although Peter had little contact with Ulster tennis in recent years, just two weeks ago he attended the 100th anniversary of the Fitzwilliam Irish Junior Open, a tournament in which he reached the final in the early 1950s. Peter, whose wife Margery died a number of years ago, is survived by his two sons Andrew and Peter jnr. Sammy Hamill Alumni Newsletter Belfast Royal Academy has recently invested in a communications and alumni relationship management system, The Raiser’s Edge, which will enhance our ability to communicate and therefore strengthen links with our alumni and others who have an interest in the School. As we reach the end of each academic term, we distribute via email an Alumni Newsletter, sharing a selection of current school news and alumni events such as reunions and interesting updates on former pupils’ activities. We seek your help to ensure that your contact details are up-to-date and to encourage actively friends, colleagues, siblings and other family members who were pupils at Belfast Royal Academy to join the alumni family. For more information, please contact the Alumni Office on 028 9074 0423 or send an e-mail to Andrea Kerns, who is responsible for the new alumni management system (akerns246@ c2kni.net). We look forward to hearing from you.

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Former Pupils’ News

BY THE WAYS OF WISDOM A fuzzy feeling fills my heart, when I think of BRA. And when I’m there my face depicts, the words I cannot say. I’ve always loved its ancient build, our history, so unique; Where every individual counts, each voice allowed to speak. Opportunities in school, as I have learned are like pennies on the ground; If you pick them up, with a bit of luck, good things will come around. In Roughfort where I spent my days, training, competing and grinning. Sport seems synonymous with life itself; the losing and the winning. School music and drama, I have to admit, are where my fondest memories lie. Each cast so different but full of laughs, concerts left me on a high.

I’ll never forget athletics, cross country or netball, the excitement of tennis and hockey Cup runs, SU weekends, Paris or Edinburgh, BRA’s world’s biggest scrum! How my teachers they inspired me. How I was amazed by my peers. I cherish every single friendship, that was made these 7 years. For now this owl must spread her wings, into skies that are unknown. Moulded by the other owls, into an adult she has grown. So as my Academy chapter closes, and I continue to chase my dreams, With a curiosity inside me, almost bursting at the seams. I now embark on new beginnings, and though I may be far away, I will always speak with pride, of how I went to BRA. Faye Kidd (Leaver June 2014)

To sing on stage, discuss my faith and debate with those in power; It’s clubs like these I truly believe, that make us who we are. To the Academy I gave my all, yet you gave me more so in return; A respect for people of all religions and races a thirst to do and learn. I’ve skied Austrian slopes, scored in Spanish goals, and with the Malawi trip - where do I start? Of all experiences of BRA, it clings most tightly to my heart. Hearing the Obama’s speech, performing at the Royal Albert Hall. These memories will never leave my mind, but it’s the politics classes and traditional group practices, that I’m sad to leave behind. I remember Chamber Choir winning the Ballymena Festival Before the final of the Rugby Schools’ Cup, “Academy till I die” we chanted with glee, as School flags were lifted up.

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A POEM ABOUT FORMER HEADMASTER ALEX FOSTER BY GEORGE HETHERINGTON We laid him among the stones at Tahilla In a place that might have been Grianan, round, on the top of a hill Looking over the Kenmare river, studded with islands; And mourned that we would never hear him praising The rough gold of the hillside, the warmth of mountain people.

Perhaps. But when he weighed the richer growth of Kerry Against the oaks of Derry or the Birdstown Glenn Who knows what, great or small, was in the balance; Only the pull was always to the men Who tilled the fields or pulled the oars or, later, Lifted their voices on the tide of song.

One day when we had threaded Leitrim On the string of his travels, leaving its laketorn landscape, Shimmering through reeds, its green meadows, He sighed for Kerry, hoped he might live to see it: He saw Kerry.

His songs were manic music, duck or sash, Rebel or Rabelaisian, loyal or true, Or hymn or metric psalm, he knew them all---Always it was the poetry intrigued him: Homer and Virgil taught him all he knew. Teaching above all he loved and honoured, Infinite patience with the dull or slow, And the swift flight that cut the line asunder---The Foster try----was part of that technique: An even mind, in bad times and in good.

Kerry enthralled him, its rich luxuriance An Ireland he had not known: He unravelled Tracks over the rocks or through the woods, Dallied like a child, gathering flowers; Later they said, he would not go the road. He would not go the road. For him the scramble Over a ditch or knee deep through the grasses, The richer perfumes of the whins and heather, A startled hare, a heron on the wing: Adventure lay beyond the beaten track. Constantinople, Bagdad and Jerusalem-----This verse is his, not mine----Great names beyond a doubt, But, I like the Saint, would give them all, if they were mine, For my own house in Derry, There in the trees, looking down upon the Foyle, As it slips past green, wooded banks To the sea at Magilligan.

Simon Tracey McConnell Daly Hylton Li Jones McCreesh 262

Murphy Maglanoc Bingham McNeill Waite

And there were bad times, too, that drew him downward To deeper chasms, where the darkness loomed So that no song or story brought him comfort; Only a stiff endurance paved the road Till music sounded and the dry returned. Leaving him now in Kerry’s kind embraces We leave the greater portion of our lives Derelict here where the long winds of winter Will comb Rosdohan’s grasses; here, beside People he loved and who, with others, loved him. August 1972

UNIVERSITY DESTINATIONS Philip Belfast Metropolitan University Shannen Mary Jane Belfast Metropolitan University Connor Bible College Terri Louise Bristol University of West England Jordan Cardiff Metropolitan University Zitong City University London Luke Heriot-Watt University Jonathan Leeds Metropolitan University Caitlan Liverpool Metropolitan University Florence Mae London Art College Megan Northumbria Chloe Northumbria Reema Northumbria

Art and Design Health and Social Care HND Theology Criminology and Law Sport Management Actuarial Science (3 years) Accountancy and Finance International Business International Business Art and Design Early Primary Education Advertising International Business Management

Former Pupilsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; News

Armstrong Bingham Boal Britten Cambell Crooks Curtis Devine Frame Gaffikin

Jack Conor Sarah Naomi Ashleigh Louise Samuel Robert Ben Bethany Alan Holly Victoria Ryan Saul

Hamilton Ryan Henry Conor Hughes Claire Hutchinson Johnston Johnston Joyce McClurkin

Anna Jack Mark Lorna University of Cambridgeeron McCullough Joshua James McLoughlin Shannan McMillan Anna McMurray Scott Minford Sarah Alexandra Moss Murphy Ogilby Peters Porte Queripel Roe Simpson

Elizabeth Charlotte Kate Alastair Peter Rachel Marcus Thomas Justin Christopher William Nicole

QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB

Stewart Maeve Bridget Tinsley Dylan Torrens Christopher

QUB QUB QUB

Wallace Wasson Yeates Allen

QUB QUB QUB QUB

Ryan Benjamin Ronald Dylan Rachael Bethany

Law with Politics Geography Environmental Biology Theoretical Physics Mathematics Biological Sciences Chemistry History Psychology Politics, Philosophy and Economics Electrical and Electronic Engineering History Mathematics and Computer Science Accounting Medicine Theology English and French Economics English Finance (with a Year in Industry) History Theology and History Common & Civil Law with French Medicine Business Management French and Spanish Economics Music Environmental Biology Business Management Food Quality, Safety and Nutrition Psychology Business Management Finance (with a Year in Industry) Dentistry Geography Economics with Finance Medicine

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Brown Bethany Curtis Andrew Dewar Grant Keenan Laverty Rogers Smyth Wylie Dadulla

Holly Paula Katie Susan Paul Eoin Sorcha Mark Gillene Inchoco

McAtamney Aoife Louise Clements Holly Doreen Jeffrey Chloe Rea Grace Blair Darrah Young Laura Margaret Martin Patricia Sarah Robinson Hannah Sinclair Elizabeth Denise dos Santos Melissa Cristina Antonio Griffiths Nesta Susan Olivia Linden Katy McCullough Erin Shaw Robert David Dunlop Dara Elizabeth Fettis Jordi Ramm Georgia Eibhlin 264

Kavanagh Kidd Dass Reid Sridhar

Alice Mary Faye Daniel Robert Holly Deborah Pooja Devi

Allen Jessica

QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB QUB Queen Mary University of London St Andrews University Stranmillis University College Belfast Stranmillis University College Belfast Stranmillis University College Belfast Stranmillis University College Belfast Strathclyde University College Dublin University College London University College London University of Aberdeen University of Aberdeen University of Bath University of Bath University of Bath University of Birmingham University of Bradford University of Brighton University of Cambridge University of Cambridge University of Cambridge University of Cardiff University of Central Lancashire University of Derby

Pharmacy Mathematics and Computer Science Nursing (Adult) (September) Drama and English Criminology and Sociology Geography Nursing (Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) Medicine Dentistry Arabic, French and Russian Primary Early Childhood Studies Early Childhood Studies Mathematics & Science with Education Management Veterinary Medicine Mathematics Medicine (6 years) Mechanical and Electrical Engineering History Accounting and Finance (with professional placement) Economics Economics (with placement) Environmental Science with Professional Placement Abroad (4 years) Archaeology (4 years) History, Literature and Culture Engineering (4 years) History Economics Optometry Computing Mathematics

Former Pupilsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; News

Anderson Rachael Brice Kathryn Victoria Kyle Alexandra Lawrence McBride Walker Tucker Auterson MacDougall McGovern Ware

Calvin Hannah Bethany Kate Chloe Stefan Kurt Kyle David Elizabeth Alexandra Rosalind

Gilfillan Gavin Magee Conor Browne Calvin Alistair McDaid Daniels Shiels McKenna Reynolds

Fionnuala Catherine Sophie Niall Daniel Michael

University of Dundee University of Dundee University of Dundee University of Dundee University of Dundee University of Dundee University of Dundee University of Durham University of Durham University of Durham University of Durham University of Edinburgh University of Edinburgh University of Exeter University of Leicester University of Liverpool University of Liverpool University of Manchester University of Manchester

Baillie Leah Ruth

University of Newcastle

Foster Sophie Alice

University of Newcastle

Gray Emma Hannah Torrens Jonathan Bradley Niall Patrick James

Corry Clodagh Mary Meighan Jordan

University of Newcastle University of Newcastle University of Plymouth University of Reading University of Reading

Nixon Benjamin Wilson Amy Charlotte McFadden Daniel

University of Reading University of Reading University of Reading

Jones McKeown MacRae Alexander Baxter Blair

University of Sheffield University of Stirling University of Sunderland University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster

Chelsey Amy Morgan Alexandra Lauren Matthew Iain Samuel Alexandra Erin

Bryans Ross Carragher Finn Micheal

University of Ulster University of Ulster

Adult Nursing Medicine Law (Scots and English) Dual Qualifying Accountancy Education Dentistry Medicine Physics (4 years) Primary Teaching (General) Modern Languages Mathematics (European Studies) Chemistry Chemical Engineering Physics with Study in New Zealand Natural Sciences Dental Surgery Law Music Modern Language and Business & Management Medicine Marine Technology with Naval Architecture Dentistry Marketing and Management Dental Surgery Accounting and Business Finance and Investment Banking Accounting and Finance Accounting and Business Finance and Investment Banking Psychology Nursing (Adult) Business and Management Computing Engineering Science Media Studies with Photo-Imaging Business Studies Geography

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Carrigan Christine Diane Clark Jacob Ashley

University of Ulster University of Ulster

Cole Natalie Cooper Rebecca Anne

University of Ulster University of Ulster

Flaherty Jade Amber Foy Ashleigh Gillespie Rachel Goodall Joshua James

University of Ulster

Gourley Hamilton Higginson Jones

Darren Gareth David Kyle Alan

University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster

Jones Kane King Marsh McAlister

Christopher Luke Michael-Joseph Zara Elizabeth Hilda Ruth Ryan John

University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster

McGowan McMinn Nicholl Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill

Oliver Daniel Courteney Eorann

University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster

Rawe Nadia Rawe Yasmin Rooney Nathaniel Jack Rowan Rebecca Anne

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University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster

Semple Shaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ath Simms Tavakoli Thompson Todd Wilson

Emily Rebecca Ali Saeb Chris Mahdi Katie Helena Jenna Jonathan Andrew

Worsell Danny Flynn Aine Noble Charlotte Louise Blythe Rachel

University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Ulster University of Warwick University of York

Journalism with English Computer Games Development Animation Geography with International Development Architecture Business Studies Business Studies with Psychology Environmental Health with DPP Business Management Sociology with Criminology Computing Science International Hospitality Management Mechanical Engineering Accounting Business Studies Geography Human Resource Management with DPP History Software Engineering Law Management and Leadership Development Biomedical Sciences with DPP/DIAS Business Management Pharmacy Biomedical Sciences with DPP/DIAS Radiotherapy and Oncology Computer Engineering Psychology with DPP/DIAS Biomedical Engineering Business with Marketing Art and Design Business Economics with Marketing Sport Theory & Practice Interactive Multimedia Design BA in Modern Languages English/Linguistics (Equal)

Degrees and Diplomas

Degrees and Diplomas QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY BELFAST BA Finlay, Jonathan Lyttle, Rebecca McCullins, Darren McCullough, Gillian Mitchell, Emma O’Donnell Anderson, Bevin Palmer, Matthew BSc Barnes, Stuart Blair, Evan Buchanan, Jessica Cartmill, David Corey, Rebecca Cummings, Adam Donnelly, Mark Gibson, Simon Hutchinson, Connor Martin, Deanna McDonnell, Amy McNair, Rebekah Montgomery, Nathan Murphy, Carolyn Murphy, Courtney Nicholl, Rachael, O’Neill, Niall Philips, Rosie Shiels, Jenna Walsh, Rachel LLB Bryans, Stephen Campbell, Rachel Nevin, Peter Thompson, Rosheen

BEng

MPharm

BSc

Gibson, Myles McIlroy, Damian McMaster, Luke

Bingham, Rachael

BTh

Boyd, Jayne Reid, Louise

Bigger, Rachel Cinnamond, Jordan Devlin, Eoin Fitzpatrick, James Geehan, Clare Gray, Dylan Henderson, Richard Kelso, Ben Marshall, Darryl McCormick, Andrew McCreary, Laura McMinn, Karl Reynolds, Amy Todd, Christopher Wallace, Samantha Wilson, Patrick

Welsh, Emma BDS Holland, Nicola MA Blair, Matthew Cummings, David Rogers, Matthew MB Darrah, Sian Devlin, Katie Devlin, Orla Huddleston, Robert Kelly, Hannah McCue, Allan Shute, Claire Louise Spence, David Surgeoner, Matthew Taylor, Sherrie MSc Best, Thomas Drysdale, Orla Kingston, Leeanne Lennox, Rachael Yap, Connor MEng Scott, Martin

PGCE

Cert (HET) Cooper, Janine DASE Bain, Evangeline Dip (Research) Kenny, Christina Leckey, Jonathan Dip (MH) Carson, Darran McMorran, Michael PhD Houston, Rebecca

BEng Baillie, Jordan Miskelly, Philip BMus McCartney, Joel

UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER

BDes

Robb, Jordan

Klein, Thomas McIntyre, Simon McKee, Megan Quin, Kieran Young, Connor

Dip Art and Design Crossan, Rose Prenter, Grace

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Births, Marriages and Deaths BIRTHS BOYLE, 12th April 2014 to Sean and Claire (nee McFerran), a son, Oisin BROMPTON, 8th May 2014 to Constance (nee Smyth), twins, Brody and Conall COWAN, 21st September 2014 to Peter and Laura, a daughter, Chloe FLETCHER, 10th January 2014 to David and Sarah (nee Cole), a son, Tom GRAY, 10th January 2014 to Gareth and Suzy (nee Woods), a son, Alfie HUGHES, 16th May 2014 to Trevor and Caroline, a son, Alfie George MCCREARY, 22nd January 2014 to Matthew and Orla, a son, Patrick MCMENAMIN, 15th July 2014 to Iain and Alex (nee Kyle), a son, Felix PATTERSON, 16th February 2014 to Adrian and Louise, a daughter, Maisie PORTER, 11th Feburary 2014 to Paul and Joanne, a son, Tom Paul SMYTH, 30th July 2014 to Barry and Judith, a daughter, Peggy-Joan TONGE, November 2013 to Jonathan and Julie (nee Trimble), a daughter, Orlaith TWEEDALE, 24th November 2013 to Nicholas (Nico) and Anna, a son, Oliver DEATHS ALEXANDER: 5th January 2014, Robert Cyril BILLINGSLEY: 27th October 2014, in Hamburg, Germany, Eric HALL: 18th September 2014, Emily LITTLE: 4th September 2013, Adeline Agnes MACBETH: August 2014, Margaret Elizabeth McNAMARA: 17th March 2014, John Ronald Allen (Ronnie) JACKSON: 10th October 2014, Peter H. Jackson 268

STANLEY: 10th November 2014, Perry TAYLOR: in New Zealand, David

The Owl Team 2014

Cover design by Kieran McKenna L6