The Academy Newsletter 2014

The Academy Newsletter Belfast Royal Academy June 2014

Headmaster’s Notes In the course of the year our pupils have travelled across the world, quizzed politicians, scientists and novelists, competed in a startling variety of sports and performed before appreciative audiences at the Ulster Hall and the Royal Albert Hall, all the while working to fulfil their potential in the public examinations.

They have found their feet in Form I, played in school colours, practised their first solo for the concert and set aside distractions to revise for their examinations with varying degrees of enthusiasm. They have absorbed the lessons of experience in a large, busy and diverse community, a community of contrasting interests and a variety of academic talents, and of different religious and social backgrounds. But a community bound together by shared objectives; by the ambition to fulfil the potential of individuals, to foster within them a respect for themselves and for others, enthusiasm for life and the confidence to grasp opportunities.

The year began well with the publication of results in August. The results attained by last year‟s MVI improved upon those of the year before, which had been our best. Out of 585 subject entries, 88% were passed at grades A* to C. Only 3 were failed. Tom Hanna achieved 5 passes at A* and, as a result of his success, was awarded a prestigious All Ireland Scholarship.

Connor Brogan was awarded a place at Merton College Oxford, to read Chemistry. Ben O‟Donnell was placed joint 1st in Northern Ireland in Art and Design at Advanced level, Oriana Firgau-Marcano was joint 3rd in the same subject, while Matthew Smith was placed 3rd in the Province in English Literature.

The GCSE results were also the cause of much satisfaction. Of 2067 subject entries, 47% were passed at A* or A. Indeed, 36 pupils achieved A* or A grades in 10 or 11 subjects. Special mention should be made of Ruairi Brogan and Ruth McConnell, who gained 11 A* passes, and of Angela Cao, who achieved 11 passes at A* and 1 at grade A, while achieving a grade A in AS Mandarin Chinese in her spare time. 94% of the Form achieved grades A* - C in 5 or more subjects including English, Mathematics and at least 2 sciences. Ruth McConnell achieved 1st place in Northern Ireland in GCSE Spanish, and David Speers was joint 1st in German. Rachel Millar was joint 2nd in French and Florence Maguire was placed joint 3rd in Physics. Ruairi Brogan and Angela Cao achieved full marks in GCSE Art and Design.

It has been an excellent year for Ben Madigan. In the Autumn an ETI Inspection rated the school as „Very Good‟ and resulted in a very pleasing Inspection Report which commended many aspects of school life. I congratulate Mrs McCaig and her staff on their success and for creating such a rewarding experience of school for the young children in their care. Fortunately, the inspection was over before the escape of six monkeys from the nearby Zoo, some of whom took up residence in our trees – they would have proved a distraction, to our pupils if not to our visitors. It is particularly pleas-

ing to report that Mr Timothy Wilson, who teaches P6, was chosen by readers of The Primary Times magazine for a Family Start Award as Best Primary School Teacher in Northern Ireland. An exceptional accolade!

Our pupils are certainly enterprising. In the summer, Georgia Sloan took part in a five week British Exploring Society Arctic expedition in which she had the opportunity to trek to an ice cap, learn more about marine biology and carry out river sampling in a glacier. This summer Sapphira Ling Chung will travel to Nicaragua to work with a team from the Christian charity, Latin Link – she came through a testing application and interview process to secure the place.

Closer to home, Nikita McCoubrey completed her time as the Lord Lieutenant‟s Cadet for 2013, in which capacity she accompanied Dame Mary Peters at many public events throughout the year.

In the course of the year pupils travelled far and wide. Juniors continued the school tradition of visiting Paris, skiers went to Niederan in Austria, rugby teams competed at festivals in England, groups travelled to Spain and Sweden, and hosted pupils in return; Model United Nations delegates travelled to Dublin and Edinburgh to participate in conferences – Kuda Kunaka and Lucy Kinnear won „Highly Commended Delegate‟ Awards; as part of their Habitat for Humanity project a team spent part of the summer in Romania, Sixth Formers travelled to Rome in October for the RE and Classics visit, juniors explored Hadrian‟s Wall, musicians performed in Dublin, Birmingham and London and Senior pupils travelled to Malawi for work experience. Horizons were widened in many ways.

Our scientists have had a busy and stimulating year. In October more than fifty Sixth Formers attended a lecture given by Geraldine O‟Hare, a Chartered Forensic Psychologist; the Young Einstein Club made windmills in October and experimented with chemical reactions later in the month, seemingly to turn water into wine and wine into milkshake; later in the year they built their own hovercrafts, using balloons to provide the cushion of air and investigated whether the colour of a jelly bean influences our sense of its taste. The Senior Science Society invited guest speakers to lead seminars on a variety of topics.

Speakers included Dr David Costley (QUB) on „Antibiotic Resistance‟, Dr Roy Sterritt (UUJ), who gave a talk on „SPAAACE: Self-Properties, Autonomous, Autonomic, Apoptotic Computing Environments‟ and Mr Philip McBride, who entertained the group with an illuminating presentation on recent developments in the field of LASER technology. The Junior Maths team won the UKMT (UK Mathematics Trust) regional final and will represent Northern Ireland in London for the second year in a row. Our Senior Maths team came second in a field of 27 schools in the QUB Mathematics competition – they enjoyed having to analyse and solve complex mathematics questions. Our biologists went one better, winning the Bioscience Olympiad at QUB. They were presented with the Champion Cup at an awards ceremony in the Medical Biology Centre in December. Sixth Formers attended the Belfast Technology Conference at the Europa Hotel in April, where the Minister for Education gave a speech and the leaders of nine of Northern Ireland‟s foremost creative

“The sky’s the limit for fundraising at the Academy”

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The Academy Newsletter 2014

and technology-based industries gave presentations. All of these activities and many other careers evenings give pupils an insight into opportunities and current thinking in the world beyond school.

Not to be outdone, pupils with an interest in literature wrote stories and poetry for events such as the Halloween Short Story Competition and gave readings on National Book Day and National Poetry Day. 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 Junior Book Club travelled to Bangor Castle Walled Garden to hear Eoin Colfer, author of the Artemis Fowl series, read, and went to meet Colin Bateman at the Aspects of Irish Literature Festival in September. In November, Book Club members attended the launch of the NI Book Award, when they met storyteller Niall de Burca. In March they travelled to Stormont to meet award-winning author, Malorie Blackman, and several pupils took part in the Belfast Speech and Drama Festival in the same month.

Their busy 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.

Having attended the launch of the NI Book Award, where the shortlisted books were named in November, members of the Book Club attended the „Grand Finale‟ of the competition in the Lyric Theatre in April, where the winner – „Russian Roulette‟ by Anthony Horowitz – was announced. The Reading Group of Senior pupils and members of staff met throughout the year to discuss their reading and it enjoyed an outing of its own, to the Ulster Hall, to hear Jo Baker reading from and talking about her new novel, „Longbourn‟ – a fresh take on „Pride and Prejudice‟ which was one of The Guardian‟s „Best Books for summer 2013.‟ Tom Spence‟s “An App Story” was chosen from over 100,000 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 celebrity faces including Chris Evans, the author Frank Cottrell Boyce, the new Children‟s Laureate Malorie Blackman and Top Gear‟s Richard Hammond. Tom was invited to a special Radio 2 Breakfast Show, broadcasting live from the Hay Festival at the end of May. While much in a school year falls into a familiar cycle of events, two new activities have given much pleasure and provided new opportunities this year. Miss Herron, inspired no doubt by the popular TV series, launched a „B.R.A. Bake-Off‟ competition at the start of the year. Through a series of themed heats, it quickly became evident that there was much interest in the competition and that the standard was very high. Mr Creighton, selflessly, led the tasting panel, and what they left after due deliberation was cut into portions and sold at breaktime for charity. Celebrity Chef Jenny Bristow came in to school to judge entries in the final. Impressed by the standard of baking, she gave much encouragement and advice. The competition was won by Anna Hogg. The other new activity – or perhaps an old one revived – which generated much interest this year was the Politics Society, established by Miss Barnett when she joined our staff in September. Members met to discuss political issues, had an outing to the cinema to watch „The Butler‟, a view of life in the White House through the time of the civil rights movement. The Society organised the visit of Margaret Ritchie MP, who spoke about her life in politics and answered questions on a wide range of topics. Noel Thompson, BBC presenter and journalist, also came in to school and spoke about his work here and in countries such as Rwanda. In March, the Society hosted an „Alumni Debate‟ in which three pupils who left school in 2010 and who were standing in the local council elections in May – Ben Kelso (UUP), Philip Brett (DUP) and Chris Bailie (Workers‟ Party) - outlined their positions on a wide range of issues and answered questions from the floor. Later that month, a large audience attended the Politics Society Big Debate on same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland. The speakers

were Paula Bradley (DUP), Fidelma Carolan, (NI Equality Commission), Nuala McAllister (Alliance Party NI) and David Smyth (Evangelical Alliance). The debate was chaired by BBC journalist, Mark Simpson, who reported on the event on Radio Ulster. Other events in the course of the year have given pupils an insight into the political process. Nigel Dodds MP visited school to speak to pupils in Parliament Week, two pupils took part in a BBC Northern Ireland Spotlight Special, two others attended a carol service at Stormont hosted by Basil McCrea MLA, who had been our Guest Speaker at Prize Day, and Andrew Robathan MP, the Minister of State for Northern Ireland, visited school in February to meet with Senior pupils and members of staff at a reception in the Library.

Dr Scully chaired the Wellbeing Committee. In September, for the first time a „Wellbeing Week‟ was held in order to develop among pupils a better understanding of the importance of looking after themselves physically and mentally. The main theme chosen for the week was „Think Water‟ and pupils were encouraged to choose to drink water instead of alternatives with a high sugar content. Some staff took to their bicycles in the playground whilst talking to pupils about the importance of exercise.

The Duncairn Health Partnership came in to school to work with MVI pupils. Amongst other events, Form III boys in Cairns House organised a „Healthy Breakfast‟ morning and the „Healthy Bakes‟ theme of Heat 2 of the „B.R.A. Bake Off‟ inspired recipes including fruit, vegetables, wholemeal flour and bran. Pupils‟ welfare was also in mind when they were encouraged to think about their „digital footprint‟ in Assembly presentations on Safer Internet Day in February.

Central to the ethos of our school is a concern for the welfare of others also. It is a recurring theme of Assemblies and it is evident in our Mentoring and Classroom Assistant schemes. Thousands of pounds were raised for charities through the Sponsored Walk and weekly collections in Registration. Our pupils worked in partnership with La Salle Boys‟ College on the Habitat for Humanity „Good Relations and Citizenship Programme‟ and set about raising £1235, the cost of building a Habitat home in the developing world. The activities of our Malawi team ran throughout the year; the MVI held a „Charity Break‟ in which their home-made cakes and pastries raised £404.75 for Marie Curie Cancer. £3500, raised from events such as B.R.A.‟s GOT TALENT and a barbeque at the Sponsored Walk, was donated to Save the Children. A staff „Christmas Jumper Day‟ raised almost £200, also for Save the Children, while the rather more challenging parachute jump, involving seven members of staff in April, raised hundreds more; the Community Service Group continued its work with the elderly and disabled; some 40 LVI pupils attended local primary schools on a weekly basis; a cheque for £2550 was presented by the School Council to Jordan Dunbar from the NI Hospice for the „Wall of Hope‟ appeal – he told Assembly that the money will go towards the construction of a new family and recreation area; £3271.76 was raised through the Form I and II „Read-On‟ organised by the English Department. Each year the money raised through this event is donated to The NI Cancer Fund for Children and a number of pupils visited „Narnia‟, the respite centre for families with children suffering from cancer, to see how it is used; Charlotte Nicholl raised more than £800 for the Children‟s Hospice by inspiring other pupils to join her in filling Smartie tubes with 20p pieces, while the „Copper Wars‟ in December raised £288 for the same cause. Eorann O‟Neill was awarded her Millennium Volunteer certificate for 100 hours of voluntary service with groups such as Woodlands Physi-

Jack Kyle visited school with Mr David Haslett, President of the Old Boys‟ Association, before being shown the life-size photograph of himself as a young rugby player which is the centrepiece of the refurbished pavilion at Roughfort.

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Jay McCrum Ulster Motocross Champion

cal and Sensory Day Centre, the Special Olympics and RNLI. She is well on her way to achieving her 200 hours certificate.

The year in sport is summarised elsewhere in this magazine, and will be dealt with at length in The Owl, so I will confine myself to highlighting the achievements of several individuals only. In sports in which they compete outside school, Jenny Fekkes was selected to represent Northern Ireland in sailing at the RYA Home Nations Cup, Jay McCrum became Ulster Motocross Champion in his age group and Niamh Rogan and Carla Heatley competed in the World Irish Dancing Championships, having enjoyed much success in local competitions. Jessica Johnston, a leading member of our Showjumping team for a number of years, was selected by the National Governing Body of Equestrian Sport in Ireland for the elite talent Development Squad. In recognition of his sustained success in Judo, James Reid was named „Young Sportsperson of the Year‟ at a ceremony at Belfast City Hall in March. Conor Ferguson and Jack Agnew‟s outstanding sporting achievements are detailed later in The Academy.

Before travelling to Scotland in April with the Ireland U16 Hockey Squad, Erin Getty represented Northern Ireland U16 at a UEFA international development football tournament: the team won all their matches against the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Wales. Rebecca Marno, Cathryn Morrissey, Ryan Corbett and Ryan Jameson won Gold medals at the Scottish Open Poomsae (Taekwondo) Championships in October. Rebecca, Cathryn and Ryan Jameson went on to win Gold at the British National Championships. Pooja Sridhar, Victoria Frame, Melissa Antonio and Ryan Lightowler were selected for The Northern Ireland Under 20 Bridge Team which competed in the Home Nations Peggy Bayer Trophy.

The Academy community extends far beyond school, and one of the most pleasing aspects of this year has been the involvement of parents and former pupils. Our parents‟ group, FOTA (Friends Of The Academy) has been indefatigable in organising events such as the Supper Dance – the „Spring Fling‟ – the second hand uniform sales and the table quiz at Fortwilliam Golf Club, to raise funds for good causes in school. They provide refreshments at all school events and, in a local echo of the Duke of Edinburgh‟s Award „Mournes‟ Clean Up‟, they organise a „Cavehill Clean-up‟ every September. Their energy and positivity are rejuvenating! The interest and support of our former pupils were evident at events throughout the year. I enjoyed welcoming two reunions – the „classes‟ of 1982 and 1993 – back to school. The „Networking Breakfast‟ organised by the Old Boys‟ Association in November was a great success, allowing former pupils and Sixth Formers to meet and discuss career paths and opportunities informally. On the 50th anniversary of the third of our consecutive Schools‟ Cup Final draws in the early 1960s, members of that team visited school and shared a Dinner at Royal Belfast Golf Club with their Campbell College counterparts. Our Captain in the Final, Ireland rugby international Harry Rea, travelled from New Zealand to attend the reunion. The Old Boys‟ Association organised a London Dinner which was attended by more than seventy former pupils. It was a great evening, notable, among other things, for the fact that the guests transcended the segregated male/female playgrounds of their schooldays and sat down to eat together! Kate Hoey MP, who attended the dinner, visited school in November. Later in the month Steven Jaffe brought two students from Jerusalem to visit his old school and speak to A Level RE students about current issues in Israel. I will not soon forget the moment Ireland rugby internationals of a more recent vintage, Stuart Olding and Iain Henderson, spoke to the boys and awarded prizes – team player of the season, etc. – at an end of season „Hog Roast‟ for all members of our rugby club. Iain had helped to publicise our sponsorship by Bruces Hill earlier in the season, and Stuart, shortly after his injury, made a first trip to Ravenhill memorable for a number of Form I

pupils when he met them before the Ulster v Edinburgh match. The support of former pupils enriches the experience of current pupils: so it was when Michael Herbert, Jayne Olorunda and Judge Donna McColgan came in to school to lead Shared Experience Seminars on entrepreneurship, opposing prejudice and the law, and when Francis McCrory led a workshop in the Art Department.

It has been a year of stirring memories: the Medallion team, shorn of 10 or 11 regulars who were on the Ski Trip, which beat a strong Regent side in their Plate competition – if they work as hard on their Physics as they worked on their defence they will prosper; the Girls‟ 1st XI and 2nd XI who lost their finals by a goal in extra time; „Footloose‟ and the concert in the Ulster Hall, which not only shone with talent, but seemed filled with good humour and delight in the achievements of others; I didn‟t see the Traditional Group perform at the Music for Youth National Festival in Birmingham, or in the Belfast Harbour Commissioner‟s Office when they played for Prince Edward, or at the Schools Prom in the Royal Albert Hall (a member of the audience wrote to me – “Their whole performance was just magical: it had the audience in the Great Hall on the edge of their seats, and was very obviously the best and most creative performance of the evening. It was both inspiring and transformative”), but I was present when their brief performance astonished and delighted guests at our Christmas Reception.

To select is to neglect, and I am conscious that I have made no mention of many individual achievements and have said nothing of activities which are central to the identity of our school, such as the Duke of Edinburgh‟s Award, the Scripture Union, Bridge, Showjumping, aquatic sports (Swimming, Waterpolo and Lifesaving), the ATC and Shooting or a plethora of Careers events, or indeed of relatively new phenomena such as the increasing interest in Karting and the excellent Rock Challenge. I value them no less for that. As with everything in this report, these things depend upon an exceptional degree of commitment from our members of staff.

At the heart of what we do is learning: teachers teach, cajole, inspire; pupils work, hard or otherwise, and are sometimes brilliant. But around this something else happens. Teachers provide opportunities and pupils discover themselves by grasping them.

It is appropriate at this juncture to speak of two former members of staff who embodied the ethos of our school and who passed away in recent months. Rosemary McIlroy spent most of her working life in the Academy; a Deputy Principal of the highest quality, she was astute, wise and sure-footed in all areas of her responsibilities. She was also an outstanding teacher of Physics: when Professor James Stirling, one of the leading theoretical physicists working on the CERN project, was invited to give a lecture to mark our 225th anniversary in 2010, he asked if Miss McIlroy would be present, noting that it was she who had inspired his love of the subject. She greatly enjoyed his lecture.

Shaun Rankin, also a long-standing member of staff, added much to the conviviality of the staffroom and more to the educational experience of his pupils in the English Department. He made challenging texts accessible, relevant and appealing. As Head of Careers, he provided insight for many into the world of work.

Trenchant and insightful, little escaped his eye.

As I stood on the stage of the Ulster Hall at the end of the concert, I tried to find words with which to express something which had become clear to me in the course of the evening: the occasion exemplified things which go to the heart of our school – high standards certainly, but high standards achieved in an environment characterised by good humour, mutual appreciation and aspiration. Excellence without elitism. From this environment pupils emerge who are able to meet challenges with equanimity and enthusiasm, who respect and seek to contribute to the wellbeing of others; for the most part, they are confident, well informed, selfmotivated, ambitious and resourceful, able to use their initiative and to work effectively with other people. They are ready for the world beyond school: they are educated.

J.M.G. Dickson

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The Academy Newsletter 2014

Drama Notes - Snared

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!

were all standing backstage, taking deep breaths and getting ready to burst into the opening number for real. „Footloose‟ tells the story of streetwise Chicago-born 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).

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 This was the second BurchRev. Shaw Moore (Harry Rob- crew, of which there are too Tinman production to come to inson) is responsible for keep- many to name here. These fruition, and Miss Tinman and ing the town dance-free, due to pupils, along with lighting-guru I were so excited to be tacka personal anguish he and his Ruairi Linden and sound-man ling this musical. It seemed wife Vi (Erin McCullough) extraordinaire Morgan Cassidy an appropriate choice for our faced previously. Ren and his -Henderson, were led by the Senior students in terms of its classmates want to do away ever-dedicated Mr Jamison, lively and challenging music, with this ordinance, especially whose expertise and advice fast-paced drama and youthful since the Senior Prom is were sought after on many spirit. around the corner, but only occasions. Dr Springer, with Ren has the courage to initiate his props team, again mana battle to abolish the outaged to find all kinds of weird After a rigorous audition proc- moded ban and revitalise the and wonderful objects reess, our diverse and talented spirit of the repressed townsquired! The set design and cast started rehearsals in mid- people. The major characters execution were simply incrediSeptember. Opening night on have one trait in common: they ble. The Art Department and 25th November seemed a are all survivors. Their circum- students, led by Mrs Kerr, conlong-way off, but rehearsing stances – no matter how tragic tinue to excel themselves in the music every lunch-time – have not defeated them, and, every venture. A wonderful and the dancing and dialogue as a consequence, the audiband, under the guidance of after school made the time fly, ence find them likeable, symMs McMullan gave such enand before we knew it, we pathetic and humane. ergy 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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GOING FOR GOLD… Experiencing the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

I recently completed my Gold Duke of Edinburgh‟s Award which, going by my experience, can only be described as an adventure. The best part of the whole Award was the fact I did it with a great team of people and I owe it to them for getting me through the very challenging Expedition section. My final expedition in the Scottish Highlands was truly amazing and, even though it rained constantly for the entire four days, we managed to maintain a positive attitude throughout. Prior to my participation in The D. of E., a compass and hill-walking were completely alien to me and now I can successfully navigate in wild country, take bearings and climb stiles carrying a very heavy rucksack.

The Duke of Edinburgh‟s Award is one of the most diverse activities to be a part of. For example, I have gained many new

skills from the activities I undertook to complete the other four sections, i.e. Volunteering, Skills, Physical and Residential. I have developed a sense of determination, as well as an ability to take on long-term commitments and I can work well as part of a team.

The satisfaction and sense of achievement that come with completing the Award are fantastic, including the feeling of relief of having survived the expedition! A famous poet once said, "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." I feel that this quotation perfectly sums up my experience of The Duke of Edinburgh‟s Award at Belfast Royal Academy.

Elizabeth Sinclair (MVI)

Ben Madigan Notes This has been another busy and enjoyable year for Ben Madigan. We were delighted to achieve the “Very Good” standard in our inspection by DENI.

Our new School‟s Council has been very active in organising a disco, Christmas and Easter “fun days” as well as raising money for charities and resources.

Our new website is excellent and news is updated regularly.

The calendar can be synced to smart phones so that parents can easily access dates.

There are also links to our Facebook and Twitter accounts for even more information about what we do at Ben Madigan. The new prospectus is also most impressive.

The Hockey, Rugby and Cross Country teams have all performed with distinction on a number of occasions.

A highlight of the year was our Fun Day on a sunny Saturday at the end of May. V. McCaig

“The May Fun Day”

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The Academy Newsletter 2014

Music Notes T

he musical year began with a ‘singing bootcamp’ for the Chamber Choir. The group was preparing during the summer holidays for the All-Island School Choir Competition. Having submitted a recording of their two competition pieces – ‘Wade in de Water’ and ‘Lady Madonna’ – the choir was selected to compete as one of the top five Northern Irish schools in the televised heats in October.

At the School‟s Annual Prize Day in UUJ the orchestra performed „Dambusters‟ spectacularly, and the Chamber Choir sang „Wade in de Water‟. In November, Burch-Tinman Productions clocked up another success with „Footloose‟ – a Senior school musical. New talents were unearthed and others refined!

At the Senior Carol Service solos were performed by Jenny Coates and Rebecca Rowan, „The Wexford Carol‟, Jessica McVeigh „Once in Royal David‟s City‟, Christian O‟Connor and Erin McCullough „In the Bleak Mid-Winter‟, Faye Kidd, Sarah Minford and Fiona McIlroy „O Holy Night‟. Special acknowledgement must go to the Orchestra who accompanied the carols, along with Mr Stephen Hamill.

The Junior Carol Service took place in St. Ignatius of Antioch Church on the Cliftonville Road on the last day of term. The Junior Choir, accompanied by Ruari McGowan playing the or-

gan, performed some lovely carols, one with a solo by Tara McBride, and another featuring Ruth McConnell and Rebecca McKinstry on flute. The pupils were also treated to a Boys‟ Choir Christmas Spectacular outside Mr Reilly‟s room! Miss Carson, and her ever-masculine vocal group, performed to great acclaim festive classics such as „Merry Christmas Everyone‟ and „Jingle Bells‟.

After the Christmas break, the Music Department began preparing for the visit of the Gonzaga College musicians. This time the concert was in aid of the Malawi project. Ably assisted by the free-style hosting skills of Suraj Tirupati and Sarah Tulloch, Mr Jamison did a great job transforming the Assembly Hall so that the audience felt they were in an intimate jazz club setting! The Gonzaga orchestra played some popular classics, and the Chamber Choir, Big Band and Senior Traditional Group also performed before joining forces with special guest stars Go Wolf.

The Academy Newsletter 2014

The Annual Spring Concert comprised thirteen different ensembles and over two hundred pupils performing to an enthusiastic Ulster Hall audience. The programme ranged from arrangements of Lady Gaga and Fun to music by Holst, Todd and Debussy. Highlights included the male vocalists performing „Feeling Good‟ with the Big Band to hysterical screams from various female members of the audience and the Senior Choir‟s success with the „Kyrie‟ from Todd‟s Mass in Blue. Special mention must be made of the two MVI soloists: Dan McKenna and Marcus Porte whose performances showcased the astonishing versatility of many members of the Music Department. The Music Department is very sorry to lose an excellent MVI year group. It has been a pleasure to work with these pupils, and Ms McMullan, Mr Briggs, Mrs Prior and I greatly valued their commitment and support during their time with us. A special mention should go to Faye Kidd, who has been awarded a choral scholarship at Homerton College, Cambridge, commencing in September 2014.

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The Music Department would like to take this opportunity to thank the various members of teaching staff and peripatetic staff who sing, conduct, accompany and take part in so many instrumental and choral groups. Special mention must go to Miss Carson, who has promoted boys‟ singing in the School beyond belief.

Thanks must also go to Niall and Damien McIlroy who have led the Traditional Groups to dizzying heights of success, inspiring and challenging their students constantly.

E. Burch

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Boys’ Sport

Academy swimmer Conor Ferguson struck gold not once, but three times during the British Gas National Age-Group Championships in Sheffield, winning the Boys‟ 13 Yrs 100m Backstroke, 200m Backstroke and 200m Individual Medley.

The 13 year old, fresh from picking up 7 Golds and 1 Silver medal at the Irish Age-Group Championships earlier in July, showed his class by topping the podium on Day 1 of the event with a time of 1:00.97, over 1 second ahead of his nearest rival and recording the 3rd fastest U13 time in British history to win the Boys‟ 13 Yrs 100m Backstroke final. Day 2 saw Conor set a two second PB in the 200m Individual Medley heats before leading the field home in the final with a 2:14.88 – nearly two seconds faster than anyone else in the race and recording a terrific Breaststroke split.

In the 200m Backstroke final on the 3rd day of competition, Conor not only won his 3rd British title and set a PB during the race, he also added an Ulster Junior Record to his list of achievements with a time of 2:11.22. His performances earned him a Mary Peters Trust Award for excellence.

Conor‟s stellar year continues - he will represent Ireland at the Canadian Age Group Championships in July and has achieved the qualification standard for the World Youth Olympics in China.

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 sevens tournament at Ballyclare High School. 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. Very good and memorable performances in the Cup saw our team beat convincingly a strong Armagh Royal School team, Bangor Grammar and Omagh Academy.

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 C.A.I. in the Quarter-finals.

The Medallion XV made sterling progress this season. They had a slow start to the season, struggling to defeat teams while having had the lion‟s share of both territory and possession. Their hard

work in training was soon rewarded and performances improved immeasurably.

Junior Rugby has continued to progress in the Academy. The U14 A team continued to develop and was a very competitive side during the season. They enjoyed many great victories and rounded off the year with the annual trip to Cambridge which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. 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 U13 A team had a successful year. The highlight was a win against Catholic University School from Dublin and the trip to the Aviva Stadium to watch Brian O‟Driscoll‟s last home game for Ireland. The U13 B team experienced 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.

light being their participation in the Taylor Cup. The boys had convincing wins against Lurgan College, Newry High and Nendrum College.

Congratulations to the Athletics Club and 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.

At the Irish Championships Shane and Matthew went on to win Gold in their respective events, along with Scott McMurtry in the Senior Hammer. The Junior team finished 3rd overall in the team competition.

It was a very promising season for the Form I Rugby team. Throughout the year there were a number of very tight and exciting games, especially against Sullivan Upper, Ballymena Academy, Coleraine Inst., Ballyclare High and Dalriada.

In Hockey, the Boys‟ Colts team enjoyed a relatively successful season, the high-

C. McCarey

The Academy Newsletter 2014

Girls’ Sport Overall, it was a very successful season for the Girls‟ Hockey Club with the 1st XI reaching the Final of the Shield, the 2A XI reaching the Final of the 2nd XI Plate and the U14 A team reaching the SemiFinal of the U14 Plate.

The 1st XI Hockey team finished their season on a high by beating Lomond School 5-1. Anna Hutchinson, captain of the 1st XI, ended her B.R.A. Hockey career with a fine goal with her last ever strike as an Academy player. The match also marked the final game for stalwarts Holly Reid and Faye Kidd, and we wish all three players the best of luck in their future endeavours.

The U12 XI had a very successful first season, winning against strong opposition such as Ballymena. They took part in The Lindsey Waller Memorial Tournament at Carrickfergus, winning against Bloomfield and Grosvenor and coming runners-up to Larne Grammar in the final match. This is a very encouraging start for a developing team and we hope the girls are excited about next season.

Representative honours were awarded to Faye Kidd (Ireland U18), Erin Getty (Ireland U16), Alice Reid (Ulster U16), Judithe Allen, Lucy Miller, Abbie Brown (Belfast U17) and Charlotte Anderson,

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Trinity Geddis, Alice Reid, Savannah Thompson (Belfast U15).

There were encouraging signs throughout the season for the Cross Country Club.

Harriet Dougan and Aimee Bradley, at Minor level and Rioghnach Catney and Ellen Dalzell in the Juniors represented the School with great credit in both the District and Ulster Schools‟ Championships.

Representative Honours for Netball were awarded for the U19 Podium Squad – Kellie McLean, Abbie Brown, Emer Gribbon and Lauren McCullough. This year nine teams played in the Belfast Schools‟ Area League. Netball in school has continued to grow with talented and committed players emerging throughout the Club.

Judithe Allen (Form V) and Amy O‟Donnell (Form V) competed in the Ulster Schools‟ Golf Championships at Royal Portrush Golf Club. Playing in fine but blustery conditions, the girls finished in a very impressive second place, behind the current Irish Senior Girls‟ champions St. Michael‟s Grammar School, Lurgan. We wish to congratulate Judithe and Amy on this fantastic achievement, especially as this is the first year they competed in the Senior category.

The Girls‟ Tag Rugby team played in the Schools‟ Cup qualifying tournament at Wellington College. The girls had some

“Faye Kidd - Ireland U18 Hockey” excellent play beating Mercy College 6-0 and St. Rose‟s 4-1 where they finished second in their pool. Well done and thank you to all involved.

Eorann O‟Neill, and Lori Turkington, along with Ruairi Hurson, travelled to Canberra, Australia to compete for Northern Ireland in the Royal Life Saving Society‟s Commonwealth Lifesaving Championships, winning 5 medals.

The Ulster Athletics Championships saw Victoria Beattie (Intermediate Pole Vault) and Melissa Moffett (Senior Pole Vault & Hammer) win Gold, with 7 other athletes qualifying for the Irish Championships.

Melissa Moffett took home Bronze in the Senior Pole Vault.

J. Shaw & K. Brady

You’re Hired!

Tom Donnelly, Sean Hickland, Suraj Tirupati and Kyle McClelland took part in an Apprentice-style competition 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. Each team was awarded £500 pounds to enhance the value of their chosen used car with a view to making a profit for their school once the vehicle sold at auction. The teams then went head-to-head in a live auction at Wilson‟s Auctions, Mallusk.

After coming out on top in the competition, which tested their entrepreneurial talent, wits and skill, one pupil from each school was selected for a summer work placement with Charles Hurst. Congratulations to Tom Donnelly on achieving this placement.

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The Academy Newsletter 2014

When in Rome...

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 all.

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!

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 place I have ever laid my eyes on. We were surrounded by people, art and I doubt we have ever slept as culture. Our visit to the city soundly as we did that night. began in the Vatican MuseHowever, it was bittersweet as ums, where we saw the Sistine our alarms disturbed our glori- Chapel and Michelangelo‟s ous sleep at 6.30am. After we famous painted ceiling before had spoilt ourselves on a con- reaching St. Peter‟s Basilica tinental breakfast, we were let where we all stood in awe of loose on a walking tour of the the vast surroundings.

Our 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).

If you‟re considering A Level RE, I would highly recommend treating yourself to the trip to Rome.

Chelsey Jones (MVI)

The Children’s Laureates

Academy pupils and Miss McAtamney were delighted to have the opportunity to meet the award-winning author and current Waterstone‟s Children‟s Laureate, Malorie Blackman and Laureate na nÓg, Niamh Sharkey at The Long Gallery, Stormont. The event was chaired by Marie-Louise Muir and our pupils were selected to ask the Laureates a question during the Q&A section.

The Academy Newsletter 2014

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Trad at the Youth Proms

After putting together a video application, we were selected to attend the Regional Festival in Birmingham Conservatoire in July 2013. Further to our successful performance at the festival, we were awestruck to find we had been selected to play at the Schools Prom in the Royal Albert Hall. It was something we were extraordinarily proud of and it highlighted how all our hard work, practice and patience had been worthwhile.

Under the musical direction of past pupil Niall McIlroy and the management of Dr Scully, we began to revise our music sets.

The group met every Sunday evening in September and October. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we endeavoured to enjoy it. To subsidise our costs for the trip we sold cakes at bun sales, organised a ceili and busked in the centre of town. Soon enough, we were packed, ready and on our way to the Albert Hall.

On the big day, we walked through Hyde Park in our bright green B.R.A. hoodies, with all our instruments, to spend the day in the Royal Albert Hall. During the course of the morning, Georgia Ramm and others were interviewed about Irish traditional music by Classic FM. Georgia‟s piece was used as a link between groups during the concert.

Finally our moment arrived. Standing in the auditorium of the

Royal Albert Hall was truly special and it is something that will stay with each of the members of “Tred” forever. To have 5000 people clapping along to an arrangement of a piece that we all helped create was unforgettable. It was also special to see the B.R.A. flag draped over one of the famous balconies. Lauren Magee led us to a great finish, playing a drumming „call and reply‟ set on her bodhrán with the next group‟s snare drum. The whole experience was a team effort and sincere thanks go to the “Tred” mums and dads for hosting the Sunday evening practices (the catering got quite competitive!). Special mention must go to Mrs Louisa McKenna, who gave us the idea and who came to Birmingham to support the Group. Also much appreciated is the support of Mr Carolan who became an honorary “Tred” member by accompanying us to both Birmingham and London.

Our trip to the Royal Albert Hall was unforgettable and we are exceptionally proud to have represented our school and our love for music on one of the most prized stages in the world.

The Trad Group has now recorded a CD, sponsored by Bruces Hill Farm Shop. The CD is available from the General Office for £5, with proceeds going to both the Group and Lighthouse Counselling Services.

Stefan Tucker

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The Academy Newsletter 2014

Aiming High...

Jack Agnew (Form III) was crowned British Athletics 3 mile Road Champion when he won the London Junior Wheelchair Marathon in his first attempt. It was an exciting moment for this young man as he passed Buckingham Palace and raced up the Mall, breaking through the finish line with the London crowd cheering him on.

This dedicated boy is growing into a formidable force, competing at National and International level. Jack has already represented Great Britain Under 18 Wheelchair Basketball team at the Paralympic Youth Festival in Utrecht, Holland. This was a fantastic achievement as he was the youngest athlete in the GB team and in the competition.

Jack is now training with the Knights Wheelchair Basketball Senior squad. After making his senior debut in the GB League back in November, he is now pushing for a regular place on the squad, putting pressure on more experienced Senior basketball players for a starting position.

In March this year, Jack led the Northern Ireland Wheelchair Basketball U15 team to an impressive victory to win the GB Junior League at the Copper Box, Olympic Village, London, securing a place in the Junior Finals in Sheffield in April. It was at the Finals where Jack produced strong performances against the best teams across the UK. He pushed the young Northern Ireland team all the way to the final, beating an impressive Coventry team 22-21 to be crowned British Champions.

In athletics, Jack trains regularly for wheelchair racing at the Mary Peters Track and competed recently at the England Athletics Age-Group Championships in Bedford International Stadium. Jack headed the field in his age category with a clean sweep, taking all 3 Gold Championship Medals and recording personal best times in the 100m, 200m and 400m, stripping a staggering five seconds off his 200m time.

“Jack won the London Junior Wheelchair Marathon in his first attempt�