The Owl 2017

The Owl Team 2017

Cover Design by: Kieran McKenna Printed by Peninsula Print & Design

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 BRA 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: Dr C. Scully

Chairperson: Mrs Nikki Johns

Vice Chairperson: Ms Caroline Dillon

Hon. Secretary: Mrs Claire McGovern

Hon. Treasurer: Miss Johanna Richardson

We would welcome all school leavers to join the Association, please email BRAoldgirls@outlook.com to request a membership form.

Registered Charity Number: NIC104739

OLD BOYS’ ASSOCIATION

President: Mr M. Blake

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

BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Mrs. J. Weir, B.Sc., C.Math., M.I.M.A. (Warden)

Mr. K.A. Knox, M.Sc. (Hon. Treasurer & Senior Vice-Warden)

Mr. N. W. Beggs

Ms. S. A. Beattie, B.A., M.Sc., F.C.I.P.D., C.Psychol., C.Sci., A.F.B.Ps.S.

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.

Mrs. A. Clements, B.A. (Hon. Secretary)

Mr. R. Connolly, B.Sc.

Ms. C. R. Dillon, B.A.

Mr. P. G. Dorman, B.Th.

Prof. E. E. Douglas-Cowie, B.A., D.Phil.

Dr. J. A. Hill, F.R.Eng., B.Sc., Hon. D.Sc., C.Eng., F.I.C.E., F.I.StructE., F.C.I.H.T.

Mr. P. S. McBride, B.Sc., B.Sc.Psych., C.Phys., FRAeS., M.Inst.P., M.B.Ps.S.

Mr. B. W. McCormack, B.Sc. (Econ), F.C.A.

Mrs. G. E. McGaughey, LL.B., Cert in Professional Legal Studies

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. A. Scoffield, Q.C., M.A., LL.M.

Mr. G. R. Simon, F.R.I.C.S.

Mr. J. D. Twinem, B.A., D.I.S., Pg.Cert., Pg.Dip., M.Sc., M.Inst.L.M., M.C.G.I.

Mr. D. G. Walsh, B.Sc., M.B.A., C.Eng., M.I.M.E.

Mr. S. J. S. Warke, A.C.I.I., Dip. P.F.S., T.E.P.

Mr. G. W. Watt, M.A.

Mrs. H. Woods, B.Sc., P.Q.H. (N.I.) (Principal - Non-voting member)

Miss E. Hull, B.Sc., Dip(Acc), F.C.A. (Head of Finance and Corporate Services - Acts as Clerk to the Board of Governors)

MEMBERS OF STAFF

Principal

Deputy Principal Vice Principals

Senior Teachers

Deputy Senior Teacher

Mrs. H. Woods, B.Sc., B.Ed., P.Q.H. (N.I.)

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

Mr. G. J. N. Brown, B.A., Ph.D.

Mr. M. T. Wilson, B.Sc., P.Q.H. (N.I.)

Ms. W. E. Graham, B.A., M.A., P.Q.H. (N.I.)

Mr. M. C. W. Harte, B.A.

Mr. M. R. Shields, M.A.

Mr. J. R. Jamison, B.Sc.

HEADS OF DEPARTMENT

ART

BUSINESS STUDIES

BIOLOGY

CAREERS

CHEMISTRY

ENGLISH

GEOGRAPHY

HISTORY

I. C. T.

MATHEMATICS

MODERN AND CLASSICAL 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.

Mr. A. A. W. Bell, B.Sc., B.Agr.Sc., Ph.D.

Ms. J. R. Adams, B.Ed.

Mr. B. T. McMurray, B.Sc., Ph.D.

Mr. W. J. W. Spence, B.Ed., M.A.

Mr. C. A. Stewart, B.Sc.

Mr. J. A. McCombe, B.A., Ph.D.

Mr. J. Carolan, M.A. (acting)

Mrs. K. L. Stuart, B.Sc.

Mr. S. W. Graham, M.A.

Mr. P. C. Porter, B.A., B.D., H.Dip. Past. Theol., P.Q.H (N.I.)

Ms. M. McMullan, M.A., Mus.B., L.T.C.L., A.L.C.M.

Mr. C. R. McCarey, B.Sc. (acting)

Mr. R. Budden, M.Sc.

Mr. P. Dorman, B.Th.

Mr. K. Lunn, B.Ed.

SENIOR SUBJECT TEACHERS

CLASSICS

DRAMA AND THEATRE STUDIES

ECONOMICS

GERMAN

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

HOME ECONOMICS

LEARNING FOR LIFE AND WORK

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

SOCIOLOGY

SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Mrs. J. McGowan, M.A.

Miss S. Tinman, B.A.

Mr. 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. J. Robb, B.Sc.

Mrs. N. S. Nicholl, B.A.

Mrs. J. Robb, B.Sc.

Ms. D. Keenan, M.Sc.

KEY STAGE 3

KEY STAGE 4

SIXTH FORM

KEY STAGE LEADERS

Ms. S. R. Ardis, B.Sc.

Mr. T. Hughes, M.Sc.

Mr. N. Irwin, B.Ed.

HEADS OF YEAR

Form I

Form II

Form III

Form IV

Form V

Form LVI

Form MVI

Ms. J. R. Adams, B.Ed.

Mr. S. B. Murphy, B.Ed.

Miss K. E. Brady, B.Sc.

Miss K. S. Barnett, M.A.

Ms. L. Craig, B.A.

Mrs. H. Tate, B.A. (acting)

Mr. G. J. Forde, B.Mus.

Mrs. R. Morrison, B.A.

Mr D. J. Creighton, B.Sc.

Mrs. L. I. Nicholl, B.Sc.

Mr. D. D. Morrison, M.Sc.

Mrs. G. C. Morris, B.Ed.

Mrs. S. Graydon, B.Ed. (acting)

Mr. P. T. Stretton, B.Ed.

Mrs. K. McIntyre, B.Sc.

Mr. J. F. Buchan, B.E.M., M.A.

Mrs. C. J. Adair, B.A., Ph.D.

Mr. M. J. Neill, M.Sc.

Mr. P. J. Martin, B.Ed. (acting)

CAREERS ADVISERS

Mr. J. M. Patterson, B.Sc.(Econ.), M.S.Sc., D.C.G.

GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Mr. T. M. A. Baldwin, B.Sc., C.Biol., M.R.S.B. Miss K. McLarnon, B.A.

Mrs. J. C. Bell, B.Sc.

Mrs. K. A. Black, B.A.

Mrs. C. Burns, B.Sc., Ph.D., M.R.S.C.

Mrs. D. Cain, B.A.

Miss V. Carson, M.A., A.L.C.M.

Miss R. Christie, B.A.

Mrs. J. M. Cleland, B.Sc.

Ms. A. McMillen, M.Sci.

Mrs. H. Miller, B.A.

Mr. A. K. Moles, B.Sc.

Mr. 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.

Mr. A. R. Creighton, B.Ed., P.Q.H. (N.I.)

Mr. J. F. Creighton, B.Sc.

Mrs. D. Currie, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.

Mrs. F. A. Gilmore, B.Sc.

Mrs. N. Henry, B.Sc.

Miss J. Herron, M.A.

Mrs. C. A. Hughes, B.Sc.

Miss L. Hunter, B.Sc.

Miss K. M. Kyle, B.Ed.

Ms. T. McBeth, M.A.

Mrs. G. McCadden, Dip. A.D., A.T.D.

Mrs. S. B. McCoy, B.A.

Mrs. R. E. McCormick, B.Sc

Ms. S. M. McIlhatton, B.Eng.

Mr. A. McKillen, B.Sc.

Mrs. C. Prior, B.Mus.

Mrs. A. M. Reynolds, B.Sc.

Miss R. E. Robinson, B.A.

Mr. P. Rowntree, B.Ed.

Mrs. J. Shaw, B.Sc.

Mrs. M. C. Sheeran, B.A

Mrs. J. Smyth, B.A.

Mr. C. Spence, B.Sc.

Mr. S. C. Springer, M.Sci., Ph.D.

Mrs. A. P. Terek, B.Sc.

Mr. M. Vance, B.Sc.

Miss R. C. Wallace, B.A.

Miss H. E. Watson, B.A.

Miss K. L. Williams, B.A.

Mrs. M. N. Wilson, B.A.

PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT

Principal Deputy Principal

Mrs. Sarah Bell, B.A., P.G.C.E.

Mr. P. J. Ingram, B.Ed., M.Sc.

Mrs. P. Lennon, B.Ed.

Mr. W. T. Wilson, B.Ed., L.T.C.L.

Mr. J. R. A. Millar, B.Ed.

Mr. D. Warwick, B.Th. P.G.C.E.

Mrs. E. Wilson, B.Ed.

Mrs. R. McCormick, B.Sc.

GRAMMAR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

Head of Finance & Corporate Services

Finance Supervisor

Part-time Principal's Secretary/P.A.

Part-time Principal’s Secretary/P.A.

Senior Administrator/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

Part-time General Office Administrator

Part-time General Office Administrator

Senior Administrator

Miss E. Hull, B.Sc., Dip. (Acc.), F.C.A.

Mrs. H. McClean, B.A., F.C.A.

Ms. P. McClintock

Ms. J. Morton

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. PG.Dip. L.I.M., M.Sc.

Mr. J. R. Cleland, B.Sc.

Ms. P. Ferguson

Mrs. A. Foy

Mrs. L. Oliver

Mrs. G. Kerr, B.A.

Ms. A. Kerns, B.A.

ANCILLARY STAFF

Laboratory Assistants

Technology & Design Technician

Art & Crafts Technician

School Matron

Part-time Study Supervisor

Study Supervisor

Part-time Study Supervisor

Estates Manager

Grounds Maintenance Supervisor

Swimming Pool Manager/Instructor

Maintenance Officer

Bus Driver

Bus Driver/Assistant Janitor

Janitor

General Assistants

Supervisory Assistant

Modern Languages Assistants

Mrs. H. Blair

Mr. D. R. J. Calvert

Mrs. D. Beattie

Miss A. Caroux

Miss E. McAtamney, B.A. PG.Dip. L.I.M., M.Sc.

Mr. M. McCreight

Mrs. L. Atkins

Mrs. N. Loughran, R.S.C.N.

Mrs. C. Clyde

Miss P. Maxwell

Mrs. L. Tucker

Mr. W. Thompson

Mr. M. A. Gaw, B.Tech.

Mrs. E. Alexander, B.A.

Mr. P. McCartney

Mr. W. Dunn

Mr. F. McCluskey

Mr. K. Hogg

Mr. D. McKee

Mr. S. Beard

Mr. J. Lennox

Mrs. A. Thompson

Ms. M. Serrano

Miss S. Astl

Miss J. Philippo

CLASSROOM ASSISTANTS

Mrs. O. Purcell

Mrs. A. Rea, B.A., P.G.C.E., B.A.

Ms. C. Colwell, B.A., P.G. Dip., P.G.C.E.

Mrs. S. Davis, B.Mus.

Mrs. H. Ferris, B.Sc., P.G.C.E.

Mr. D. R. D. Graham, B.A.

Mrs. G. Hanna, B.A., P.G.C.E.

Mrs. C. Henderson

Mrs. P. Hill

Mrs. E. Leinster, B.A., P.G.C.E.

Mrs. J. Reid

Miss C. Sirbu, M.A.

Mrs. K. Tepe

Mrs. D. Townsend

Ms. J. Treanor, B.A., P.G.C.E.

Mrs. H. Watson, B. Sc.

Mrs. N. Watson

PREPARATORY DEPARTMENT, PRE-PREPARATORY AND DAYCARE

ANCILLARY STAFF

Secretary

Classroom/After School Club Assistant

Pre-Preparatory Group Assistant

Building Supervisor Cook

Part-time Catering Assistant

Lunch Supervisor/PT Classroom Assistant

General Assistant

Part-time Classroom Assistant

Part-time Classroom Assistant

Part-time Nursery/After Schools Assistant

Mrs. F. Gouk, M.A.

Miss H.E. Crossen, B.A., M.A., P.G.C.E.

Mrs. L. Kyle

Mr. R. Crawford

Mrs. L. Johnston

Mrs. M. McEwan

Miss L. Mitchell

Mrs. I. Campbell

Mrs. A. Millar

Miss Z. Haire

Mrs. K. Millin

Diary of the School Year

SEPTEMBER 2016

Kerrie Johnson (LVI) was selected to fence for Northern Ireland at the UK School Games in Loughborough. Emily Johnson (V) was initially selected as reserve, before being promoted as a full team member. Both girls competed in the South of Ireland Open at Cork as a warm up. Kerrie won Gold and Emily was placed 7th.

Girls’ Hockey results were as follows:

1st XI lost 3-2 against Royal School, Armagh.

Seniors v Portadown

1st XI lost 1-0

2B lost 2-1

2A won 2-0

U15 won 1-0.

Juniors v Killicomaine JHS

U14A won 2-1

U14B drew 2-2

U13A lost 3-0

U13B won 2-0.

Gabriel Bador (Form V) was awarded 3rd Place in the Patrick Kavanagh Student Poetry Awards 2016.

Erin Getty (MVI, 1st XI Captain & Deputy Head Girl) represented Ulster U21s and was selected to train with the Ireland Senior panel. Harriet Dougan (Form V) and Niamh McIvor (Form III) were both selected to represent Ulster U16s at the Inter-provincial tournament in Dublin.

The Senior Golf team competed in the Irish Schools’ Senior Championship at Malone Golf Club and qualified for the semi-final stage.

Former pupil Laura Farrington spoke to Form II Technology pupils about opportunities in Engineering.

Education Minister, Peter Weir, visited school to open our new £4million facilities, provided through the School Enhancement Programme.

The Malawi be* the change team for 2016 held their Family and Friends night in the School Assembly Hall.

School Year

The Headmaster spoke on behalf of NBALC at the opening of the ALC Art Exhibition which was held in the University of Ulster.

Girls’ Hockey Results v Belfast High School:

1st XI won 3-0

2A XI drew 0-0

2B XI won 3-0

U15 XI won 3-0

U14A XI won 6-0

U14B XI drew 1-1

U13A XI won 5-0

U13B XI won 1-0.

eye4education came to school to deliver a full day of Form 1 team-building activities.

The Academy was open to the public on European Heritage Open Day.

This year’s Spanish Exchange to Asturias took place.

Fifteen of our LVI pupils attended the Q.U.B. Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences A–Level Event at W5.

The following Art & Design students had their artwork displayed at the recent North Belfast Area Learning Community Art Exhibition:

Juanita O’Kane M6 (A2 Level)

Kieran McKenna (A2 Level)

Anna McClurg (GCSE)

Molly McShane (AS Level)

Beth Murphy Morrison (AS Level).

The ninth exchange between Academy students and pupils from the town of Pola del Siero took place.

Over 60 pupils entered the The Great BRA Bake Off this year.

Girls' Hockey Results v Strathearn were as follows:

1st XI won 3-1

2As lost 2-0

2Bs lost 1-0

U15s drew 0-0

U13A lost 2-1

U13B won 2-0.

PwC Back to Schools Tour came into school to give an interactive presentation, designed to inform pupils about their School Leaver Programme.

The Boys' Hockey Club had a fixture against RBAI: 1st XI beat Inst. 2XI 4-0.

Ten Lower Sixth pupils were joined by our partner school De La Salle College in the Academy Library for the first of the Habitat ‘Change Makers’ programme workshops.

Boys’ Hockey results against Kilkeel High School were as follows:

1st XI won 5-2 Colts won 1-0 Juniors lost 2-0.

A NI Hospice ‘All for Onesie’ fundraising event was held in the school grounds.

The annual Scripture Union Weekend to Castlewellan Castle took place. ****

Tom McKibben (Form III) won several awards, including the John Dickson Trophy (of which Rory McIlroy is a past winner) and Medal Winner of the Playoffs. Tom was also declared Player of the Year and is the youngest ever recipient of this award.

Local television station NVTV came into school to follow the teaching of Arabic.

A party of eleven pupils had the opportunity to visit ‘Narnia’, at Bryansford, County Down, the respite home run by the Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children.

Girls’ Hockey results v Antrim GS were as follows:

1st XI won 3-0

2As won 2-0

2Bs won 4-0

U13As won 2-1.

Netball results were as follows:

Senior B v Hunterhouse A drew 20-20

Minor Cup v Loreto Omagh won 19-8

Inter Cup v Lagan College lost 16-10.

Young Einstein Club had great fun tricking brains into seeing one image when really there were two!

Junior pupils took part in a Maths Day at W5.

Girls’ Hockey results against Ballyclare High School were as follows: 1st XI won 2-1

2A XI lost 3-0

2B XI lost 2-0

U15 XI drew 1-1

U14A XI won 1-0

U14B XI won 2-0

U13A XI won 3-1

U13B XI won 2-0

U13C XI drew 0-0.

The Boys’ Hockey 1st XI continued their unbeaten run against Regent House.

The first House Pumpkin Carving competition was won by Ronan Poots for Cairns.

The inaugural Old Girls’ Trophy was won by the 1st XI after an entertaining victory against the Old Girls’ XI under the floodlights at Roughfort.

Keaton Morrison was presented with an award for being the Province’s Best Fundraiser 2016 in the annual ‘Read On’ charity event.

Conor Callaghan and Rian Mullan got through to the semi-final of Poetry Aloud.

The entire school was invited to vote in the House Mock Presidential Election.

Congratulations went to the following Form II girls who were successful at the U13 Belfast Regional Academy Squad Netball trials: Kristie Monroe, Nada Hawela, Catelyn Burns, Rebecca Dwyer, Ruth Davis, Siobhan Baine.

The Headmaster, Head Boy and Head Girl attended an event at Somerton House to celebrate the conclusion of the NI Hospice’s recent fundraising campaign. They presented a cheque for £3,200 raised by the ‘All for Onesie’ party.

The Headmaster held a farewell lunch for Hazel Mackintosh to mark her retirement from the ATC after many years of dedicated service.

Prize Day was held in the beautiful surrounds of The Assembly Buildings, Belfast. The guest speaker was TV presenter and former Academy pupil, Claire McCollum.

The Boys’ Hockey 1st XI travelled to Campbell College to continue their Prior Shield campaign winning the match 5-1.

NOVEMBER 2016

Girls’ Hockey results against Methodist College Belfast were as follows:

1st XI drew 1-1

2A XI lost 1-0

2B XI won 1-0

U15 XI won 1-0

U14A XI drew 1-1

U14B XI lost 3-0

U13A XI won 1-0

U13B XI drew 1-1.

Ten pupils from school took part in a Multi Mini Interview Simulation Event in school.

Four Academy swimmers – Lorcan Gourley, Ollie Parkes, Lui Hurson and Finn Purdy – were selected to represent the UK at the Lifesaving Orange Cup in Eindhoven, Holland at the Pieter Van Den Hoogenband Stadium.

The Old Boys’ Dinner was held in the Wellington Park Hotel.

The Headmaster attended an event at the Northern Ireland Hospice.

Mr Jonny Johnston, Trinity College Dublin’s Northern Ireland Engagement Programme Coordinator and a former pupil of the Academy, came into school to speak to our MVI pupils.

The Senior Maths team won the Northern Ireland round of the UKMT and will represent NI at the UK final in London next year.

DofE had a full programme of events.

Nia McVicker, Form IV, made a short film called “The Birth of a Penny Board”. Having built the penny board from a recycled skateboard deck before shooting the film, she entered the film into Cinemagic Young Film Festival 2016. Having been among hundreds of entries from the UK and Ireland, Nia’s film was shortlisted in the top 10.“The Birth of a Penny Board” was announced as a winner of Young Filmmaker 2016 (12-15 age category).

Congratulations went to the following pupils who were successful at the Belfast U15 Regional Development Academy Netball trials: Form III - Megan Warke, Ellie Collins, Leah Doran. Form IV - Fabienne Cochrane, Lois Sharpe, Hannah Hill, Julia Forbes.

The Old Boys’ Dinner was held in the Wellington Park Hotel.

successful Academy

The Headmaster attended an event at the Northern Ireland Hospice.

The Swimming Club produced excellent results at the Ulster Grammar Schools’ Championships.

Mr Jonny Johnston, Trinity College Dublin’s Northern Ireland Engagement Programme Coordinator and a former pupil of the Academy, came into school to speak to our MVI pupils.

The Senior Maths team won the Northern Ireland round of the UKMT and will represent NI at the UK final in London next year.

ofE had a full programme of events.

Nia McVicker, Form IV, made a short film called “The Birth of a Penny Board”. Having built the penny board from a recycled skateboard deck before shooting the film, she entered the film into Cinemagic Young Film Festival 2016. Having been among hundreds of entries from the UK and Ireland, Nia’s film was shortlisted in the top 10.“The Birth of a Penny Board” was announced as a winner of Young Filmmaker 2016 (12-15 age category).

Conor Callaghan competed in the final of Poetry Aloud 2016 at the National Library of Ireland, Dublin. From over 1,600 entries across Ireland, Conor was among only 10 senior students selected to compete in the final – a tremendous achievement.

Scarlett Armstrong, Sinead Gourley and Lorcan Gourley competed in the Irish Short Course Swimming Championships.

The 1st XI Boys’ Hockey team beat Wallace 3-0.

D

Collins, Lois Sharpe,

The Swimming Ulster

The 1st Conor 2016 at over 1,600 only 10 – a tremendous

Scarlett Gourley Championships.

DECEMBER 2016

The Senior Carol Service was held in St Peter’s.

The Boys’ Hockey 1st XI won the Prior Shield at Lisnagarvey against Friends’ School, Lisburn.

The Ben Madigan (Pre-Prep) Nativity was held.

Rhys McKendry achieved first place in Economics A level in Northern Ireland.

The Ben Madigan Carol Service was held at Whitehouse Presbyterian Church.

BRA staff members surprised the pupils by taking part in a Christmas Jumper Day in aid of Save The Children and over £100 was raised.

The Junior Carol Service took place in St James’s church.

Girls’ Hockey results against Down High were as follows:

1st XI won 7-1

2A won 2-1

2B won 3-0

U15 won 5-0

U14A drew 2-2

U14B drew 0-0

U13A drew 2-2

U13B won 1-0.

JANUARY 2017

Congratulations went to the Minor B Netball team, who beat Methodist College to join the Minor A, Junior A, Junior B and Inter C teams in the Belfast Area Finals for Netball.

The 1st XV defeated Portadown College 41-8 in the 2nd round of the Schools' Cup.

Girls’ Hockey results against Carrick G.S. were as follows:

1st XI won 1-0

2As lost 1-0

2Bs won 1-0

U15s won 1-0.

Rioghnach Catney (LVI) represented Ulster U20 at the 2017 Celtic Cross Country International in Cardiff, hosted by Welsh Athletics.

The Headmaster attended the District Netball Finals which were held in the Lisburn Racquets Club. Three of our five competing teams won their finals.

We welcomed Mr Antoine Ginioux, a journalist from Radio France, and Mr Philippe Bernard, UK and Ireland Correspondent from Le Monde, Paris, to hear opinions about future relations between Northern Ireland, Westminster, Europe and France in light of the forthcoming Brexit plans as outlined by the Prime Minister.

The Inter-House Cross Country Championship took place at Roughfort.

A team of KS3 and KS4 pupils competed in the regional heat for the Royal Society of Chemistry ‘Top of the Bench’ competition.

The North Belfast Education Partnership and the North Belfast Area Learning Partnership organised a Careers Convention at the Valley Leisure Centre. One hundred of our Form III and V pupils attended.

On behalf of the North Belfast ALC, BRA and Dominican College organised a Multi Mini Simulation for Nursing and Midwifery applicants.

Eight Form I students took part in the Newington Branch of the Credit Unions of Ireland Annual Quiz, held at Little Flower Girls’ School.

The U14A Hockey team won 5-1 against Ballyclare HS in the quarter-finals of the Junior Shield.

The LVI Drama class attended A Day with Bruiser Theatre Company at The Mac, Belfast.

FEBRUARY 2017

Two teams of pupils competed in the Belfast heat of STEMQUEST.

The 2017 Malawi team went on their residential to the north coast.

Two Form I classes from the Academy spent an afternoon at St. Malachy’s College for a Colour Run.

The 1st XV defeated Rainey Endowed 44-7 in the 4th round of the Schools’ Cup.

eye4education came into school to deliver a STEM Carousel event.

Talented problem solvers from Belfast Royal Academy tested their minds against the world’s toughest puzzles in logic, language and linguistics during the qualifying round of the ADAPT All-Ireland Linguistics Olympiad.

The 2nd Senior House Hockey tournament was played at Roughfort.

The Old Boys’ and Girls’ Associations held a Business Networking Breakfast for all former pupils at the Ten Square Hotel.

A very successful Wine Tasting event (organised by FOTA) was held in the Jackson Suite.

A full programme of DofE events took place.

Congratulations went to the 1st XI on their excellent 5-1 victory over Down High in the Senior Shield.

The Ulster Schools’ Cross Country Championships took place. Two Academy runners – Aoife Corry (Junior Girls) and Rioghnach Catney (Senior Girls) –competed to a particularly high standard.

The Debating team, consisting of Jack Golden and Conor Callaghan (LVI), defeated a team from Armagh Royal in the quarter-final of the Northern Ireland Schools' Debating Competition.

The Headmaster and several members of the Board of Governors attended a Former Pupils’ Dinner in the RAF Club, London.

As part of the shared education programme between Belfast Royal Academy and St. Malachy’s College, a group of LVI girls took part in training to assist in leading a ‘Mental Health Matters’ session.

The school’s Lifesaving team travelled to Sheffield to compete at the 2017 British Lifesaving Championships.

To celebrate World Book Day, students at the Academy hunted for quotations around the school from ten famous novels.

Pupils from the Senior Strings and Chamber Choir competed in a number of classes at Ballymena Festival.

Tom McKibben, Form III, won Junior Sportsperson of the Year at the Newtownabbey and Antrim Sport Awards.

The Irish Schools’ Bridge Teams’ Competition took place in Galway.

Congratulations went to the Girls’ Tag Rugby team on qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Schools’ Cup with some excellent performances.

MARCH 2017

Congratulations went to the U14 Hockey team, who defeated Royal School Dungannon 3- 0 in the Final of the U14 Shield.

The North Belfast Area Learning Community ran a symposium on the theme of Equality in the Assembly Hall.

Forty pupils attended the Senior Scripture Union weekend in Kilkeel.

Three Academy students who took part in the AllIreland Linguistics Olympiad were placed in the top 100 in the whole of Ireland for their linguistic and problem-solving skills.

of the School Year

The literary knowledge of Junior Book Club members was put to the test during World Book Day.

Form I pupils from St. Malachy’s and Belfast Royal Academy participated in the Shared Education Programme at St. Malachy’s College, Belfast.

The school library hosted a Scholastic Book Fair to help celebrate World Book Day 2017.

Congratulations went to Lui Hurson and Sinead Gourley, who were selected for the G.B. Lifesaving team.

The Belfast Royal Academy Dance team competed in NICMAC 2017.

Three B.R.A. Karting teams competed at the semi-final of the British Schools’ Karting Championships at Eddie Irvine’s racing circuit in Bangor.

The Irish Schools’ Cross Country Championships took place at Mallusk. The Academy had 2 athletes competing – Aoife Corry (Junior Girls) and Rioghnach Catney (Senior Girls).

Seven LVI girls visited the Titanic Belfast, which celebrated its fourth Inspire conference marking International Women’s Day.

Seven Academy students travelled to Edinburgh to take part in the Model United Nations Conference at George Watson’s College.

The 1st XI travelled to England to play as a guest of former pupil Faye Kidd, Captain of Cambridge Girls’ Hockey, against the team of the Oxford Girls’ Captain’s former school, in the Varsity Schools' Cup.

The Debating team of Jack Golden and Conor Callaghan competed in the semi-final of the Northern Ireland Schools’ Debating Competition against a team from St Louis’ Grammar School, Ballymena.

Congratulations went to the U19 Girls’ Waterpolo team on winning the Irish Senior Schools’ Waterpolo Championships, held in the National Aquatic Centre, Dublin.

On St Patrick’s Day 1997 the 1st XV won the Schools’ Cup outright, the first time an Academy team had achieved this distinction. As one of a number of events to mark the occasion, members of the team, led by captain Michael Haslett, visited the school and were given a tour of the buildings and facilities which have been developed over the past 20 years.

Mr Porter and Miss McAtamney took a group of 28 pupils to Lisburn Omniplex cinema to see ‘Beauty and the Beast’. The group consisted of members of the Junior Book Club and pupils chosen by the Modern Languages Department to attend the screening.

Congratulations went to the U13 A XV who won the Blitz at Roughfort defeating Campbell College, Ballyclare High School and Ballymena Academy.

Congratulations went to the Girls’ 1st XI, and their coaches Mrs Nicholl and Mr Dorman, who defeated Methody 2-1 to win the Belfast League.

Congratulations went to Jessica Jackson (Form V) and Erin McQuiston (Form III) on selection for NCU Knights U15 and U17 Ladies’ Cricket teams. ****

The Gold Foot Practice expedition took place with 19 LVI participants.

Congratulations to Shaw House who won the House Rugby 7s competition at Roughfort.

The School was delighted to welcome former pupil Dr James Flanagan back to speak to a group of Sixth Form science specialists about the rewards of careers in science, and the opportunities of study in a great American university.

LVI English Literature students experienced an enjoyable and enlightening visit to HomePlace Arts Centre in Bellaghy to celebrate the life and work of Seamus Heaney.

Academy student, Chloe McCrory was honoured at a formal ceremony at Hillsborough Castle, appointed to the role of Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet for the County Borough of Belfast. ****

Lower Sixth Politics students enjoyed two morning visits to Parliament Buildings, Stormont as part of their AS Level course.

Two Sixth Form students, Laura Fleck (MVI) and Jacob Brady (LVI) took part in the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Lessons From Auschwitz programme.

APRIL 2017

The Rugby Awards Evening was held.

The University Roadshow visited school to speak to all LVI pupils.

Congratulations went to Erin Getty on winning her first full international cap for Ireland in a match against Germany, and also to Niamh McIvor who played for Ireland U16 against USA.

Harry Robinson (Form V) signed for League One club Oldham Athletic as a ‘youth scholar’.

1st XI 207-2 (Jack Burton 117no, Sam Osborne 60) beat RBAI 1st XI 193-7 (Robbie Moffett 4-29) by 14 runs.

The Newlodge Duncairn Health Partnership facilitated an information workshop for Middle Sixth pupils.

MAY 2017

The Annual Culloden Ball was held for MVI pupils and their teachers.

Keaton Morrison (Form III) and Tom McKibben (Form III) played in the Munster and Ulster Under 16 Amateur Open Championships.

The AS and A Level Drama classes put on a showcase for pupils, parents and friends in Wingfield.

Former pupil Iain Henderson was selected in the British & Irish Lions squad to tour New Zealand.

Congratulations went to Matthew Saunders (Form IV) who participated in the Ten-Pro Global Junior Tennis Tour at the Rafa Nadal Academy, Mallorca.

Dr Scully, the Head Girl and the Head Boy attended a Cycle Against Suicide reception in the City Hall.

The AGM of the Old Boy’s Association was held in school.

The Headmaster spoke at a Former Pupils’ Dinner in Edinburgh.

Congratulations went to Sam Brown, Anna Whiteside and Cara Carson on their selection for the Irish U17 Waterpolo team, which competed at the Junior European Championships in Prague.

Bronze and 2 Relay Gold medals. She also recorded 2 Ulster Junior records with her relay team.

A group of pupils attended a Girls’ Football festival at Seaview football ground. The event was organised by

The Headmaster attended a Former Pupils’ Business

Scarlett Armstrong (Form III) raced in the Ulster AgeGroup Swimming Championships, held at Bangor Aurora and became Ulster U13 Champion in 4 events (100m & 200m Freestyle and 100m & 200m Backstroke), as well as picking up 1 Silver and 1

The Academy’s top swimmers travelled to the National Aquatics Centre, Dublin to compete in the Irish Schools’ Relay Gala, and returned having won medals in 3 events.

Congratulations went to the Senior Boys’ Waterpolo team, who won the Ulster Schools’ Cup (Canada Trophy).

The MVI leavers’ lunch was held in the Assembly Hall.

The annual FOTA Annual Dinner Dance was held in the Dunadry Hotel.

Kim Mawhinney, Head of Art, National Museums Northern Ireland (and a former pupil) came in to school to discuss the framing of the Sir Henry Pottinger portrait with the Headmaster.

Congratulations went to Form II pupil and footballer, Abbie McHenry, who was selected to compete in the Lennart Johansson Academy Trophy in Sweden, as part of the Northern Ireland Development squad.

An Open Morning for P6 pupils and their parents was held.

The Junior Swim team went to Ballymena to compete in the annual Ulster Minor Schools’ Swimming Championships.

Congratulations went to Form V pupils Anna Sullivan and Lorna Maginnes, who won Gold and Silver and two Silvers respectively at the Northern Ireland Kickboxing Qualifiers for Semi-Contact and Light Contact.

Prep 6 at Ben Madigan took part in a round-robin Tag Rugby ‘Blitz’ tournament at the Castle Grounds.

The Junior Tennis team beat Antrim Grammar winning

The School’s Rugby coaches held a lunch to mark the Headmaster’s retirement in the new P.E. office and presented him with a framed Ireland jersey belonging

There were very strong performances in athletics at

Congratulations went to Megan Warke and Niamh McIvor on representing Ulster U14 in Rotterdam, winning their first match against Amsterdam.

Eighty-one pupils from two primary schools – Seaview and Carr’s Glen – attended the Big Day of Science.

Former pupil, Jack Agnew was awarded the Sporting Achievement accolade at the Greater Shankill Best Awards for ‘effort and sporting achievement by an individual’.

****

Results from the House Swimming Gala were as follows:

1st place Currie 310

2nd place Shaw 246

3rd place Cairns 206

4th place Pottinger 184

The Ben Madigan Sports Day was held. ****

A 1967 Cricket Reunion lunch was held in the Library. ****

The U13 Girls’ 7-a-side Football team took part in the annual IFA tournament at Mallusk. The girls won 5 matches to win their group, before narrowly losing out to Bangor 1-0 in the Semi-Final.

****

The Summer Serenade was held.

Laura Brown (Form III) achieved 4 x 1sts; 4 x 2nds; 2 x 3rds and 2 x 4ths at the NI Open Invitational Dance Festival last week, and won a cup for the highest mark in Classical Ballet Trio. ****

Sports Day took place.

Valete

J.M.G. DICKSON

Moore Dickson would readily concede that his entry into the teaching profession was not the ultimate outcome of a carefully considered career path. As an undergraduate studying English Literature at Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he was awarded the highly prestigious T.R. Henn prize for poetry, he was much attracted to the life of the romantic bohemian and entertained vague ambitions of becoming a poet. He was subsequently to express a sneaking admiration for those of an idiosyncratic disposition and independent spirit, who lived their lives unencumbered by the mores and restrictions of societal expectations, but who were instead intent on pursuing their dreams.

Nevertheless, while he was indeed to become a published poet, Moore’s early experiences, imperceptibly perhaps, laid the foundations for a career as an educationalist. Educated at Campbell College, Belfast, he was greatly inspired in his developing love of literature by his English teacher, David Young, a man whose wisdom as a teacher and whose sympathetic common sense in the exercise of his pastoral responsibilities were much

admired by Moore and were to distinguish his career in years to come.

Moore Dickson became a member of staff in Belfast Royal Academy in August 1980. He was rapidly to acquire a reputation as an innovative teacher of English, measured in his dealings with pupils and not readily given to displays of anger or frustration even with the most recalcitrant or truculent of pupils. It was not by coincidence that he was often charged with the care of those in the middle school who were not by instinct positive in their approach to their studies or in their attitude towards those in authority. Invariably, his calm selfassurance, attention to detail and obvious enthusiasm for his subject saw his pupils obtain grades in the public examinations which were at least satisfactory and which, not infrequently, were of a much higher standard. His instincts were much in keeping with the ethos and traditions of the school which recognised that young people mature in different ways at different rates and should not readily be dismissed as beyond redemption. As his career progressed, he was to be particularly suited to those roles which involved a heavy pastoral responsibility. His patience and unshakeable probity earned him the trust and respect of pupils who knew that he was on their side and that he sympathised with the conflicting demands often faced by adolescents in seeking to establish their identity.

While not overtly ambitious, Moore’s qualities were quickly recognised and he was to hold many important positions in the school hierarchy: Form Master, Senior Teacher, Vice Principal and Deputy Headmaster, culminating in his appointment as the thirteenth Headmaster of the Academy in January 2009.

Having worked closely with his predecessor W.F.S. Young, he was very much aware that the responsibilities that went along with the headship were enormous. It is not fanciful to suggest that education in Northern Ireland was in a state of financial meltdown. Throughout

Moore’s tenure, there was to be no perceptible improvement. Difficult decisions had to be taken in an effort to move the school forward during a period of great pressure and unremitting and sometimes unrealistic expectations emanating from the educational establishment. Uncomfortable compromises had to be made and Moore’s political instincts were finely honed and much in evidence in deciding when best to give way and when to hold firm. It was much to his credit that, as a headmaster, he was able to meet the challenges which presented themselves while at the same time maintaining his emotional equilibrium.

His energy was unflagging, and not only as an educational administrator of distinction. He was determined to maintain the vibrancy of the school and to remain in contact with the needs of its pupils, staff and parents and in so-doing, he was to secure their loyalty. His self-deprecating charm and innate reserve masked an adept leader, well able to respond quickly and appropriately even to the most daunting of challenges. He was helped by his great knowledge of literature which gave him an invaluable insight into and a sympathetic appreciation of the fears and uncertainties that are a part of the human condition. At staff meetings, he had an enviable capacity to distil the essence of a matter, however complicated and knew how to steer a meeting gently, when to lighten proceedings and when to press for consensus. He was a reassuring presence, always available to members of staff, who were often to depart his study much comforted when his wisdom and experience contributed to the resolution of a seemingly intractable dilemma.

Befitting the son of an historian, Moore Dickson was keen that the history of Belfast’s oldest school be celebrated and it was appropriate that one of his final acts as Headmaster was the conception and development of a small heritage centre in the Crombie Building, in which the lives of prominent alumni could be acknowledged and items from the school archives displayed to staff, pupils and visitors.

While recognising the value of the school’s history and traditions, a vision of the future was central to his headship. He was keen to confirm Belfast Royal

Academy as a school very much to the fore in educational developments and his leadership was to see the construction of a state of the art music suite to enhance the already burgeoning reputation of the school as a centre of musical excellence. A modern home economics department, a learning support unit and additional dining facilities were important in ensuring that the Academy was more than equipped to meet the needs of pupils in the twenty-first century, while work was carried out to improve the safety and appearance of the Crombie Building’s exterior stonework.

As a headmaster who was fully cognisant of the value of physical activity in the development of young people, sport was not neglected. A much needed Astroturf hockey pitch added to the already impressive facilities on offer at the Roughfort Playing Fields and improvements were made to the drainage of the rugby pitches and to the facilities at the J.C. Picken Pavilion. Finally, a new fitness suite cum administrative unit was added to the school’s sports hall.

Moore Dickson’s interest in school games was not confined to enhancing the provision available. Following the progress of the First XV in the depths of a Roughfort winter was never the fulfilment of a headmasterial obligation, but was rather a source of enduring pleasure, if occasional frustration, while one of his proudest achievements as a schoolmaster came in 2008 when he, in tandem with A.R. Creighton, coached the Third XV, one of whose members was the future British and Irish Lion, Iain Henderson, to victory in their cup competition.

Moore’s enthusiasm for sport extended beyond school and relief from the pressures of leadership was to be found in his commitment to the fortunes of the Ulster Rugby team and, from afar, the vicissitudes of Liverpool Football Club. He retained his passion for literature and for music and developed an interest in art. His strong family ties were a source of considerable comfort. He took great pride in the achievements of his children, Andrew and Katie, while his wife Elizabeth, as Principal of Friends’ School, Lisburn, was able to provide a knowledgeable but fresh perspective on the problems that went hand in hand with the leadership of a large co-educational grammar school. She was also his

companion on long, often strenuous walks in the North Down countryside and along its coastal pathways.

It is a truism that a head teacher defines the nature of a school and Belfast Royal Academy at the time of Moore Dickson’s retirement was in keeping with his own vision of a humane, liberal establishment, central to which was the well-being of its pupils. In that, his was an immensely fulfilling career. His qualities and achievements were recognised beyond the confines of the school and in 2013 the schools’ inspectorate noted the confidence and vitality of our pupils and adjudged his leadership to be “outstanding”. Those who worked alongside him were not surprised. Few doubt that his retirement will be as rich, varied and fulfilling as his career. In that he takes with him the best wishes of all connected with the Academy.

J.H.C.

CATHERINE CURRIE

A former pupil of Ashleigh House and Queen’s University, Belfast, Catherine Currie joined Belfast Royal Academy in September 1981. Prior to Catherine’s farewell speech, the Headmaster outlined Mrs Currie’s exemplary career as a classroom teacher, Form Mistress (1985-1996) and later as a member of the SEN team. Students respected Mrs Currie for the ease with which she carried her academic authority, high standards and expectations, excellent classroom management and unstinting commitment to their well-being. Mr Dickson singled out Catherine’s meticulous marking of written work and her pupils’ outstanding results in examinations. On a personal note, the Headmaster described Mrs Currie as a good-humoured colleague with incisive opinions, a person to whom he listened and from whom a great deal was to be learned about the teaching of English and the personal care of individual pupils.

On my arrival at BRA, Catherine shared her experiences and memories of the School helping me to connect with its educational ethos and values. I often drew upon her many strengths, from discussing the tone of an email to the nuances of questions set in public examinations. Regularly, Mrs Currie came to my rescue

by gathering pupils for Open Evenings, clarifying details related to internal examinations and offering words of encouragement amid the flux of daily teaching. At departmental meetings, Catherine’s sense of perspective and her balanced comments were always welcomed. Colleagues knew that a document proofed, or a discussion led by Mrs Currie, was going to be right.

Day-in, day-out, Catherine would be seen in the Department with an unwavering sense of purpose to educate and enthuse pupils. She possessed a quiet determination from which her colleagues drew strength. I saw, too, how Catherine’s passion for English as a school subject, particularly its Literature, proved transformational for pupils privileged to be in her classroom.

Catherine Currie will be greatly missed for her calm presence around the English Department. Her warmth, kindness and sensitivity towards colleagues never faltered. We wish Catherine a long and happy retirement.

W.S.

GORDON GOODFELLOW

Mr Gordon Goodfellow was appointed as Estates Manager in October 2016. He had significant experience in building services and was involved in reviewing and upgrading some of the services in the school during his short time with us. He is taking on a self-employed role. We wish him well in his new venture.

E.H.

ALAN HERMON

Mr Alan Hermon joined the school in August 2004 as Bus Driver / Janitor, and worked at the school for over 12 years. During that time, Alan got involved in many different duties, including the annual stationery order, and was meticulous in his approach to this duty. He was always willing to assist throughout the school, when not undertaking driving duties. His friendly and approachable manner will be missed by staff and pupils alike.

Alan retired early, owing mainly to his wife’s illness. We wish Alan and his wife well in the future.

E.H.

Literary Contributions

SWEET SONG

I was the girl who owned a broken violin. As it snapped, I snapped. As the music faded, I faded. I tried to bind it together with hope, with love, But the cracks

Continued to appear, like scars Marring the skin.

I dropped it and ran Never stopping, until I reached The edge of the earth And jumped, without looking back At the blurry face of sound.

Or, did I wait

Until the flower crown Crept around my neck slowly silenced me? And then all that could be heard was The sad, sweet song of the birds, Drifting from the tree in the meadow, Crying the melodies, I used to play.

Maya Reilly-Stewart (II)

THE ECHOES OF WAR

I am the boy who lied. Who aged himself by years, Through the words of his mouth. Who came from the East End of London And left his family for his country.

I am the boy who left to fight, Fight in the Somme. Only then did I realise, What I signed up for. What was basically a death sentence.

Each night became more of a struggle, The pain of trench foot, The cold in the thick night air.

The explosions of land mines, The only thing to keep us awake.

I am the boy who was confronted, By two German men. The bullets once in my rifle, Were soon embedded in their necks. It seems that I have suffered their pain.

I am the man who has returned, Returned to the East End of London. Though nothing seemed the same, I returned to a never ending street of darkness. Not what I remembered.

Each day and night, I find painful, I often think about the soldiers.

The soldiers put in front of the firing squad, Just because they didn’t come out The same as they went in.

The screams. The shouts.

The bitter sound of my pistol ends it all.

Lest we forget.

Thomas Crowe (II)

IVORY PIANO

I am the girl with the ivory piano Crafted so beautifully, long ago. Its keys so white yet also black as night. I wonder how it is still so perfect.

I think back in time To what someone did –What must have happened, To create my piano.

A crossbow was shot. A mighty elephant fell down, And my piano crafted From the tusks.

Decades old, Many people May have played it But for now, it is my piano.

I play it now. The sound rings out –The sound of a gentle elephant. My own ivory piano.

SUNSETS WITH PHYLLIS

I am the man who lives in a house At the end of the end of the lane.

I am the man who dreams of my son, Living in the city of skyscrapers.

I am the man who watches sunsets with Phyllis.

I am the man living normally with Fabio, Feeding him grains for a living.

I am the man who can soar up high in Dubai. Hopefully with Phyllis, I don’t know.

Katie Craig (II)

NO TURNING BACK

I am the boy who has killed, Who has seen a man’s head Detached from his body.

I have travelled across Syria, Vietnam, Iran and North Korea, Each one as terrifying as the last.

Once you go there’s no turning back. The power of war can change you, Make you a different person.

I never came back the same.

STARTING NEW

I am the colours of Autumn, The sounds of the wind and trees, The girl that spends time playing in the leaves.

I am the girl, who dreams about Christmas, The girl that loves hot chocolate, The girl that lives in the snow.

I am the girl that loves the baby animals, The girl that starts new.

I am the girl that plays in the meadow.

I am the girl that loves my mum, The one that’s lonely. Tipp-ex, swipe, out.

Christina Warnock (II)

Ella McMahon (II)

Hannah Beattie (II)

AMONG THE STARS

I am the boy who dreams about Being a famous astronaut. As I lie Awake, with my three-eyed fish Swimming in his bowl, I stare up at The moon and stars and think about Everybody who has gone before me. Dogs, Russians, monkeys, Americans, Celebrities. Hopefully I`ll be next…

I was the boy who dreamed About being a famous astronaut. Every time I saw the moon and stars, I`d go wide-eyed and say to myself, “I`ll be up there someday…” I worked hard at school and now you`ll see I`ve turned my dreams into reality.

MORE

I am the girl with the diamond watch, The girl with the designer clothes, The girl everybody loves. I want more.

I am the boy who doesn't have much, The boy not much people notice, The boy that has no friends. I want more.

I am the girl who is good at everything, The girl with the best car, The girl that is spoilt. I want more.

I am the boy that wants more friends, The boy that wants a big house, The boy that wants everything. I want more.

DREAMS

I am the girl who dreams about what could be, What is and what was, The past, present and future, Who hides her pain with a smile.

I am the girl who is whisked into a reality, Where life is no more than an illusion. Who doesn’t have to carry the bag, The bag that wears her down.

It’s morning, it’s gone. My reality, my happiness, it’s gone. I am the girl who wakes up every morning, Who puts on her bag, The bag that weighs her down.

I am the girl who lives on the green hill, in the castle. I am the girl who gets all I desire.

I am the girl who plays in the fields.

I am the girl who loves summer. I am the girl who plays with her friends.

I am the girl who dreams of soaring high to live in Dubai, To be at home with Phyllis.

Adam Finnegan (II)

Katie Keed (II)

Alex Simpson (II)

Chealsey Ann Roxas, Form MVI MY POEM

Erin Murphy (II)

THE SUBMARINE

I am the boy who lives in a submarine In Lough Neagh. I have a purple dog. I live a life free from rules.

No parents to order me around. I love my life of freedom, But all I truly want is A family to love and care.

I am the boy who lives in a box Out in a rainy street. I have a stray dog. I live a life I make myself.

No family to love me or to help. This is all I know. I am the boy who wishes For a better life.

CRUNCH, CRUNCH

I am the girl who hates loud eaters. ‘Crunch, crunch.’ Even if they are eating brunch. When people eat loud I just want to give them a punch!

If you chew loud on your lunch You annoy me. Do you chew loud On a pea?

If you eat quietly, I love you! Do you eat cheese from a cow? Moo.

When people eat loudly, I want to bang my head on the wall, I just want to fall.

POSITIVITY IS KEY

I am the girl who owns a talent. That no one else has, And no one else will ever have.

I have the power of hope, Courage and love. I am the power of negativity.

My deepest enemy, I will never love. They are the power of negativity.

I am the key to opportunities. I am friendly. People love me.

Everyone wishes they could have my power. Many try, but never succeed.

I am the only one with positivity.

Bethan McDonnell, Form MVI

Ethan Duffy (II)

Nikita Malcolmson (II)

Zoe Garvin (II)

FUTURE

I’m the girl who dreams, Who wonders what I’ll be.

I dream of living in a big city Where I look up to the stars.

I will watch the beautiful sunset Go down, as I watch with a smile.

I hope to travel around the world To see numerous places.

Will things be very different? I’ll have to wait and see.

I AM ME

I am the boy, who lives in the old brick house That sits on the end of the street.

I am the boy who has a caring, loving family And spends most of his time playing football On a regular basis.

I dream about school not existing. The same applies for maths, As it is far from my strong point. I am a member of Belfast Royal Academy.

I am funny. My height is 5”3. I am caring and happy.

And I am called Matthew Scott.

I am the boy Who loves football. The smell of fresh grass As I enter the pitch. The cheer from the crowd Makes me feel really great. The feel of the ball As it glides across my boot. The feeling of great joy When the ball flies threw the air, Straight into the back of the net! The roar of the crowd Makes me feel Like king of the pitch.

Jaana Tharun (I)

Matthew Scott (II) KING OF THE PITCH

Jordan O’Boyle (II)

Alexis Payot, Form LVI

BULLIES

He is the boy who goes to the school Where the bullies who bully dwell. They push him in the hall And punch him in PE.

And when he goes home, Their attacks do not stop. They bombard him using their PCs, But he never dared to fight back.

When he goes to sleep, He dreams about a world Completely free of bullies. And where he never gets punched But even then, the bullies invade In the form of a nightmare.

Until one day, he decides He will not take it any longer And that he will fight back against the bullies’ vicious ways.

He logs off all the platforms That he is bullied on.

He ignores them when they call him names. He tells the teachers when he is punched. Until one day the bullies are sent to the Headmaster And berated, then expelled.

DESTRUCTION

I am the boy, who dreams of a world Where me as a peculiar is accepted. I am the colour of the red fiery flame Of that bomb that landed three feet away.

I am the boy that hears the Luftwaffe Soaring through the sky. Their bombs smashing against The now broken ground.

SECRET LIVES

I am the girl who walks on the clouds, But I live on the earth And I like to see snow covered trees.

I am the girl with hair the colour of autumn, And I sound like a tiger in the bushes, But I am the size of a mouse.

I am the girl that lives in your head, But you ignore me. So, I am the girl that remains a secret.

I am the girl that has eyes the colour of emeralds And dreams of space, But I live in a small country village.

Joy McAdam (II)

I am part of the Ulster Riffles On a mission to help my country. I look down at the bomb holes In the gravelled ground now not to be seen.

I go down the never ending streets Filled with scrapped metal shelters. I hear the howl of the alarm And the thunderous roar of planes.

I see everyone running, Running to save their life.

I am the size of that Spitfire’s door That has just been shot down.

I see the bullet flying, About to take someone’s life. Ducking, diving and jerking, Skills to save your life.

The vehicles of doom Going through the sandy dunes. Making a sandstorm gradually, Forming a great barrier between each.

Was it worth it?

Alex Rodgers (II)

Beth Murphy-Morrison, Form MVI

Layla Jackson (II)

BIG MOUTH, NO TEETH

Getting out of bed

Where the grass is green. Small drops where the snow has gone. Frost still covers the green blades.

The enormous puddle has thawed. Can’t wait for the sweets, Licking my lips in anticipation. Hopping to work.

Just in for a quick swim. Jelly underwater. The warts on my back. My croaky voice does not help my reputation.

I am known for having A big mouth and no teeth, For being fat and wide eyed. The rain always falls on me.

TWO SIDES

When the last sound sounds Hardly a person moves, Even the person, Nearly lost of hope. Terror slowly fades. Heroes are remembered. I know what has happened Shall leave a scar.

Why, everyone asks, Are we still fighting? Really, should we not Save another life?

One side in defeat, Very angry at their decisions. Even on the winning side, Rage still burns.

THE LIFE ALONE

I am the child who dreams About a life with my parents, Who lives alone up in a tree And doesn’t know where to go.

I will never have any friends. How can I live this life? People will call me a failure. I’m trapped in this lonely place!

And, in the light of the moon, I hustle through the trees, Abandoning my loneliness To find a new home.

Now I am free.

THE BOY IN THE BLUE BOX

I am the boy who lives in a blue box. I am the boy that spends his time playing football. I am the size of 6”2.

I am the boy who loves Adidas trainers. I am the colours of red and blue. I am the boy who dreams about sports.

ATTENTION, LINCOLN, ATTENTION

You’re next for your speech, Lincoln. Hundreds are watching you. You will never be a good talker.

Politics? Ha! You will never make it. No one wants to know you. Having second thoughts, are you?

Your republican views will not last in this democratic society.

You of all people will never become the president of the United States.

(This poem is about how Abraham Lincoln struggled with anxiety problems.)

James Strutt (II)

Ethan Carter (II)

Jamie Clokey (II)

Molly Kirkpatrick (II)

Jamie Sloan, Form LVI

James Hannigan (II)

Lorna Maginnes, Form V

THE BOY

I am the boy who lives in his own world, When the real one overcomes him. The boy who owns his nightmares, Crafted in the deepest pits of his mind.

I am the boy who spends time in his room. The crippling words of bullies confine him. Dreaming of his hopelessness, Trapped in an endless void of despair.

I am the boy who loves his art, yet in fear he hides it. Only his bright drawings bring him joy, in sadness. He doesn’t like his confinement; few friends bring him joy, His one true love, a beacon, in the night.

I am a member of the BB, something meant for joy, But in reality, just brings waves of anger. I am the colours of a bright rainbow, but colours are dripping, As all the light of the world, leaves him.

I am the sound of rolling thunder, of pounding feet, As he retreats to the safety of his own mind. I am the size of a booming army, however His much needed captain is wounded.

I exist only because the world is a dull place

And needs some spontaneity. And I am called by many names, Many of which are filled with hate.

Football is my favourite game. I love to watch them play.

How quickly and skilfully They play across the field.

Such amazing players play. The best I've ever seen.

Some people think I'm crazy The way I love the game.

But I'd rather be watching football Than anything I can name.

Richard Waring (II)

MY LOVE FOR FOOTBALL

Lucas Morrison (II)

RANDOM RHYMES

I am the boy who lives ín House 24’s wheelie bin. I like Tesco special offers. I also blow up helicopters. Lucas said I’m as fat as the moon. Michael called me a big fat spoon. I’m in love with pot noodles. My neighbour has a stupid poodle. It’s very hard to make more rhymes. It takes up a lot of time. I know this poem makes no sense. It actually was quite intense.

AN ODE TO ABO

Donnelly

Whenever I need you you’re always there for me, Even though you’re not really related to me I feel a special bond.

You’re my second sister no matter what anybody says. You always make me laugh even when time gets tough, I know I can always depend on you. I love you forever and always Shannon!

Naomi Todd (I)

ODE TO MY LAPTOP

It sits there on my desk every day, Waiting to be used and ready to play. I got it for Christmas, two years ago. There are games on it to do with toys, such as Lego. The storage is minimizing every day, Getting games and programs, some needing pay. I can mod it, fix it and do even more, It’s all I could ever ask for. I can play online or play with bots. On leader boards, I have to get to the top.

ODE TO MY FOOTBALL

Ripped, Misshapen and bright, It sits outside, Awaiting my boot. Bought in Scotland, Brought to Belfast, It has bounced about, Adidas sign torn, inside filled with water, Rolling in my garden. It has been kicked in France, It has been kicked in Spain, My Ball does love a game! It could never leave me, I guess this is a lesson: If you hurt your friends, They’ll be ripped too.

ODE TO MY XBOX ONE

It sits there quiet and still, Waiting to be turned on. Told not to go on it, The fan inside blowing away the dust, It looks good as new, Munching up my discs. The parents don’t understand, The children are addicted to it, It’s the children’s weekend, Sitting hot and tired, It sleeps while the kids are away.

Joshua

(II)

Joshua Mack (I)

Matthew McCord (I)

Conor Duffy (I)

Vincent Custodio, Form V

NATURE’S REVENGE

It is 21st Century Plymouth. The world has just been ravaged by a solar wave, killing one billion people throughout the world. The ice caps are melting, and the world is falling into anarchy. It is up to 16-year-old Felix and 15- year- old Azalea to find a remedy to this catastrophe. It’s beat the clock, or die!

Azalea is sitting in the street, listening to music. She hears footsteps and turns to see her friend Felix.

“Hey Azalea, how are you doing?”

“Not too badly. I’m scared Felix. I don’t want to die yet.”

“Hey, we need to do something about this. Come to my place and we’ll dig up some facts.” She rises, and they trudge off down the deserted pavement, chatting in hushed tones.

“Xand, is that you?” queries Ilkat, Felix’s mum.

“No mum. C’mon, let’s go.

They scurry up the stairs and enter a small room, tidied almost obsessively. Felix turns on his JO318, a holographic Geotech computer. He types in a few keywords, clicks and...

“I’m in the world scientist forum. Let’s see, ah, well, okay then.”

“What does it say?”

“Oh, we have to get to Inverness Factory, decode the B2’s cryptic message, and save the world. Just the usual thing. We could take the E-Train.”

“Superb. Meet in the park in 30 minutes.”

A girl is standing in the park, soaking up the sun’s rays by herself. She stands peacefully, and she makes for a bench.

“AZALEA!”

“Oh my goodness, don’t do that!”

“Sorry,” Felix replies sheepishly,” Let’s go.”

They are about to board the E-Train when they realise they forgot to tell their parents. No-one’s perfect. They stride to an empty booth and relax. The E-Train is an electromagnetic hyper speed vehicle with a capacity of 400 because it has 2 floors. It travels 600 mile in one hour, and is the fastest public vehicle.

BEEP!” On behalf of ADTECH, I would like to announce we are coming in fast to Inverness.” BEEP!

They alight from the train, walk purposefully out of Inverness Station and run the two miles to the factory. They crawl through a nook in the dilapidated fence, and they roll under the nearly closed industrial size entrance. They make camp in a doorway and split up to scour the East and West quadrants.

Azalea is searching West. She has chosen an easy sector, as it is empty apart from one office and a machine. She finds no evidence on the machine but finds a letter pinned to a noticeboard in the office. It is written in runes. She makes no more discoveries and so heads back to camp.

Felix takes East. His corner is covered in machines in one half, and debris in the other. The debris is just food wrappers and bottles that the scientists left. He spots a book, with his peripheral vision, and looks at it. The book is on a machine ten metres tall. He finds a ledge and leaps. He pulls himself up and scans the rest of the machine. Aha! He soars over a 10-foot ravine but sadly, Felix misjudges. He hits the other ledge with his shoulder and crashes down onto his spine. He curses emphatically, strides round the other side of the machine and sees a ladder. He scales this in little to no time, retrieves the book, which is a dictionary, and runs back to their encampment.

Before any words are uttered, each teen consumes one apple, a pint of water, a ham sandwich and a bag of crisps. Felix also has a tin of corned beef, which he gobbles up swiftly. They then peruse both items and decipher the enigmatic letter. It says: 102457.

Rachel Gault, Form MVI

“Well that’s a shame.”

“You don’t say.”

“Felix, chill out.”

“Heck no! You think you are some model to be looked up to, but actually you’re just an incompetent dunce.”

“Well, I think you are a spoiled brat!”

“Shut your mouth, you presumptuous liar. My father and my mother both work 10 hours a day and I work eight. You just lie on your couch all day, texting.”

Azalea storms off ten metres huffing. Felix rolls over and sleep engulfs him.

He wakes up to his scented alarm system. Today it is cinnamon. Whilst he is munching on some granola, he finds a solution to their little riddle.

“Azalea. Sorry about last night, but I figured the riddle out. It is a grid reference!”

“Great. Where’s the map?”

“I saw it on a machine in the middle of this compound. I am going right away. Are you coming?”

She nods, and so the team sets off on their escapade. They navigate to the map and realise the grid reference guides them to a machine, aptly named Titania. They literally teleport to Titania, but are mildly daunted by its colossal size. It is 10 metres wide and long, and is 50 metres tall. Suddenly Felix loses his grip and falls in five metre intervals. He hits the floor and does not move. Fighting back tears, Azalea presses on. She reaches the peak of Titania and descends via a pole. She lifts a scroll of a wooden table, shimmies back up the pole, and leaps down rashly. She finds the floor safely and turns to Felix. His forehead is stained with blood, which is dried and is crusty to feel.

“Are you ok?”

“N…n…no.”

“Read out the solution, Felix. Please.”

She starts to weep bitterly. He shakily takes the clue, unfurls the scroll and stammers weakly, “Ha ha, you just got pranked hard by the B2 boys. This is all a dream. You will awake safe and sound. Also, congrats on figuring out our puzzle.”

They wake up in their respective beds, and realise school started one hour ago. They both moan in unison.

Theo Hayward (I)

ODE TO MY XBOX

Call of Duty, FIFA, any game. Even with bad Wi-Fi they’re still the same: Faster than ever, not slow at all, When I play it, I have a ball!

The controller with those clicky clacky buttons, You meet people from Montreal to Sutton. The games run smoothly, they never freeze It translates messages in Japanese!

Talk to your friend who lives up the road, While both of you are in your humble abodes. The Xbox easily takes the crown, Oh wait! The servers are down!

ODE TO FOOD

There are many types of you, but I do not care, You give me energy to walk and talk, You help me build and repair cells when I hurt myself, You give me my vitamins and minerals. Rough, smooth, soft or hard, it still tastes good. You’re there when I’m stressed, hungry or upset. You make my day a bit better. You delay my suffering and bestow upon me life, But you sometimes nearly kill me, I just need to balance you on a daily basis, And I’ll be fine.

ODE TO MY PILLOW

Small, red and wrinkled, It waits for me in my bedroom, Protects me from evil nightmares, It gives me a warm feeling, Picks what dreams I have, Whether it’s good or bad, I still wake up happy, Feeling the sun shine on my face, Feeling the softness of my pillow, I could never have a better pillow.

LINES

He climbs each step, soft and purposeful, weighted as he clambers against the stained grey tiles. ‘Stay to the left and walk’ she berates. Four cheap, pressed company shirts

Jay Cooke (I)

EJ Nazareth (I)

Morgan Shields, Form V

Kalid Martin (I)

career and rush against the right rail, eventually finding themselves wedged into a mass of flowing commuters. Hurriedly, the air shivers as the rails throb and pulse from above. Blinded and beaconed by the light, he shifts his paper fingers to provide shade and hauls his burning feet up. The station was dyed a clinical white. Yellow signs suspended over their heads, directing and controlling the flow of people. Their feet cluttered, as they push and pull against the human tide. The soft tone of the announcer’s voice, barely audible compared to the low, rhythmic rumble of trains passing by. Vending machines and vibrant posters, lightened up and contrasted against the stretch of the platform, creating a blur of hues when viewed from afar. Bundled figures blot out the summer light and cast fumbled shadows on the suits who lean against the wall, acting as makeshift shade. He does the same, carefully wedging himself between a cool blue box and the shade of a wall.

Mother hates these kinds of places. ‘Mixed bags of little voices’ she calls them. Places, where the air is inhaled by scum and saints alike. Where snippets of dissonant conversation unfold and litter the air, dissipating into hazy swirls. A snide comment here. An insult there. All could be filtered against the buzz of the station, and all hardened and solidified the mask of disdain and disappointment, his mother so often wore in public. This particular station made reminiscing, very easy.

On most days, after school, he would be dragged here. Shuttled, to a place two stops down. There a sea of children, heads turned to each other, chattered against the dark canvas of a room, the boredom almost palpable. At the front, a tutor with dead, fish like eyes recited and deliberated, over the chalk etched into the blackboard. Each word spoken, bubbled over and paled. He hated that. The incessant chitter-chatter. The drone of the air conditioning. Each and every sound clashed against his thoughts, stealing a piece of mind every second that past.

And what was that time worth? A number on a page. At the end of the week, she would read it slowly, scanning through every question on the page. Each second drawn to an eternity. An error, made obvious by the harsh grinding of her teeth, and the biting of her lip. His heartbeat would quicken, his feet scream to move. But he knew he couldn’t. For if he did, the punishment would be worse than if he had stayed. He would wait. Wait for her hushed words to shatter the silence and the moment to be over. A minute would pass, her eyes hovering over the double digits which branded the page. His eyes tilted, stared passively at his feet. At last it came. A single sentence. ‘Go to your room.’ The harshness evident in her tone, like steel grinding against slate. He would turn, gaze held firm, muscles tensed, and walk away slowly. It was only when he reached the blackened doorway, that he took furtive glance back. His mother’s face was twisted, contorted into the mask he had so often seen. Lines of disappointment and anger were carved into her forehead and her jaw was clamped tightly shut, the pressure against her skull building and building. More than that her eyes blazed with something he did not recognize. Dismay and fury yes, but something swirled and sunk around her iris, staining it a scarlet tinge. And then he understood. It was hate.

The faint lull of the voices was marked in the mood. Low and high pitches mixed together, each voice pulling him step by step, closer to the station. It stopped in an instant. Then heaved for a final time drawing him over the edge. Everything snapped back to place. The little voices

returned. The announcer became clear and outspoken, and called for his train. Deliberately, he pulled back his left sleeve and took a glimpse into his platinum watch. He couldn’t be late for work. He was always like this, hollow and possessed by a borrowed motivation. His voice stolen by the wind and laid to rest, like a leaf in autumn. Just ahead, the yellow danger line seemed to call. It cried faintly, familiar, urging him to cross. It had read his thoughts, and knew what he wanted. To be free. The charged air howled, unnatural and constant, diverted as the train slowed to a halt. In that moment, he had lost his chance.

Instantly, the atmosphere came alive, the flood thrust forward, moving him to the far corner of the unused train doors. Resigned to his fate, he stared tentatively out the window. On the platform opposite, someone stared back. Their eyes met. And a shared melancholy was recognized.

Scott Wray (I)

Anna McClurg, Form LVI

Distribution of Prizes

The Annual Distribution of Prizes took place this year on Friday 27th October at The Spire’s Centre. The Warden, Mrs J. Weir, reflected on the retirement of Mr Dickson and wished him well for his future endeavours. She welcomed Mrs H. Woods to the Academy and introduced the Guest of Honour, Mr Chris Johnston J.P., B.Sc., Ph.D., M.B.B.S., M.R.C.S., M.R.C.P. to the prize-giving ceremony.

In his speech, Chris Johnston congratulated prize winners, the musicians who played at the ceremony and Mr Jamison for his DVD. He acknowledged the work of teachers present and past at the Academy.

The Guest of Honour outlined three factors that he felt are required for success in one’s chosen career. Firstly, he discussed the importance of choice. He mused over the many problems that one might face when deciding which subjects to study and, eventually, which career to pursue. Chris Johnston suggested that youthful ideas of the working world are, at times, unrealistic and that work experience can offer valuable insights to pupils. His original aim to work in investment banking was altered by work experience at a hospital.

Chris Johnston went on to suggest that biographies are, in their nature, based on achievements. They miss out all the hardships and failures that led up to the eventual success. He explained that often a certain amount of failure is, ironically, needed for success and that one should not be afraid to fail or alter their career path.

The second feature C. Johnston discussed was the need for confidence. He noted that Northern Irish people can be self-depreciative. He was told when he was at school that he was a “big fish in a small pond”. However, he fortunately discovered at University that, owing to the excellent education that he received at BRA, he felt confident amongst his peers. He extended his assurances to pupils that they too should feel this sense of confidence.

Thirdly, Chris Johnston explained the significance of support from family or friends throughout one’s life. He related a humorous account of buying his mother a puppy with his first pay cheque.

Chris Johnston reflected on the unique qualities of BRA and extended his sincere thanks and well wishes to Mr Dickson on his retirement. He

went on to reflect on the challenges faced by Mr Dickson during his time as Headmaster and discussed the legacy that he left behind: a thriving school.

In closing, the Guest of Honour suggested that the world is developing and changing rapidly. He hinted that there are many opportunities in life if one embraces positivity and rejects pessimism.

The Senior Orchestra gave an invigorating performance of ‘Can Can’ from Orpheus in The Underworld by J. Offenbach while the Chamber Choir gave a gripping performance of ‘Daemon Irrepit Callidus’ by G. Orban.

A DVD highlighting the diversity of countries that past pupils now live in was shown. It also revealed the wide spectrum of professions that past pupils have taken up careers in.

We are most grateful to Rev. Marlene E. Taylor, B.D., for opening the prize-giving ceremony.

The Principal’s Address

Warden, ladies and gentlemen, pupils of the Academy, staff and Governors

A very warm welcome to our annual Prize Day celebration, an opportunity for us to acknowledge the achievements of our pupils over the past academic year and to catch up with our M6 leavers who are taking a well-earned break from their university studies to be with us this afternoon.

It is a pleasure to welcome former pupil Mr Chris Johnston this afternoon. On such occasions, it is oft-times a tradition to share some scurrilous tale of past misdemeanours of the illustrious guest speaker in order to make the point to current pupils that even if you have been absent without leave for a lesson or had a scuffle in the playground or forgotten a homework, you can still reach the pinnacle of your chosen discipline. Alas, Chris’s record is squeaky clean – and, believe me, I have been through his file with a fine-toothed comb. The worst I could find was that he cut his finger on an evaporating dish whilst in Form 3 and had to be sent to Matron. Chris was an exemplary pupil – talented, hardworking and focused on

his future career from an early age. In addition, he is part of the wonderful group of alumni who are willing to give back to the school community and has been incredibly helpful to our Sixth Form pupils who are considering a career in medicine through mock interviews, email communication and advice re choice of medical school. Chris, we are delighted to welcome you back today and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to present the prizes this afternoon.

It is a pleasure to welcome Rev Marlene Taylor to our proceedings today and thank her for conducting the opening prayer. Rev Taylor has a long family connection with the school and I know will have sat through many of these ceremonies as a proud parent. We hope you will have many years to come in our audience, perhaps in the future as a proud grandparent!

This is the first Prize Day in 37 years in which Mr Dickson has not been a current member of staff and it is, therefore an appropriate opportunity to pay tribute to the huge role he has had in upholding the traditions of Belfast Royal Academy and helping shape the school into the first-class institution it is today. The words on the screen are his and reflect Mr Dickson’s vision that the Academy will provide a challenging and purposeful education which puts pupils on the path for future success. Mr Dickson was and is committed to an education in every sense – not just about examinations but about instilling the right values. Throughout his career, Mr Dickson’s expertise as a teacher of English and commitment to the academic rigour and pastoral welfare of pupils and staff have left a significant legacy. Most of the former pupils who are now current parents were taught by Mr Dickson at some stage and all are unanimous in their appreciation for his dedication in actively promoting and developing the attitudes, values and behaviours that enabled them and their children to become valuable and constructive members of society.

To devote one’s entire teaching career to one school is a remarkable show of loyalty and is a testament to the affection and pride that Mr Dickson has for the Academy. To serve the school community for 37 years and remain wedded to his core values of respect, service, compassion, aspiration and integrity is inspiring. On behalf of all the pupils, staff, parents and Governors of Belfast Royal Academy, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Mr Dickson for his immense contribution to the school and to wish him a long, healthy and happy retirement.

If one can guarantee any one thing about education, it’s the fact that the problems and issues making today’s headlines have been around – in one guise or another- since formal education began. What this relentless treadmill of issues tells us is that education endures but does not stand still. Every aspect of schooling in the Academy has changed remarkably since 1785 but at its core remains academic learning. It was especially pleasing that this year’s A level and GCSE results reflect the positive partnership between school, parents and pupils that is such an important facet of the school’s ethos.

At A level, 86.8% of the grades awarded were at A* - C and 15% of the cohort achieved at least 3 A grades. Head Boy, Thomas Carey has been awarded a place in Downing College, Cambridge to read Economics. Head Girl, Abby Wallace is reading History and Modern Languages at Homerton College, Cambridge. Aimee Cochrane is reading Psychology at Pembroke College, Oxford. A significant number of pupils have been successful in gaining places at the country’s leading Russell Group universities including Queen’s University.

At GCSE, pupils celebrated the best set of results in a long time. 100% of the pupils achieved 5 or more GCSEs at grades A* - C and 92.6% of pupils achieved 7 or more GCSEs at grades A* - C, including English and Mathematics. Twelve pupils achieved at least 10 A*/A grades and Jill Massey and Amber McCalmont scored an impressive 10 A* grades.

The GCSE, AS and A2 results represent a tremendous achievement for both pupils and staff who have worked incredibly hard to achieve this level of success. Huge thanks must go to our parents and guardians who have provided essential support to their children and continue to uphold the school’s ethos. I would also like to commend the efforts of all the pastoral staff, especially the Heads of Year, who have provided the individual care and attention that has enabled so many of our pupils to meet and, in many cases, exceed their personal targets. Special thanks must go to our fantastic Learning Support Team including all the teaching and classroom assistants who work so closely with pupils and teaching staff in order to maximise pupil outcomes.

Good teachers switch on light bulbs: they inspire and energise those in their care. This process is so vitally important in the primary years, when the pupils will build foundations from which to support all their subsequent learning. We are fortunate to belong to a local learning community with excellent feeder primary schools and none more so than the preparatory department, Ben Madigan. The preparatory department underwent a sustaining improvement inspection in May of this year with the inspecting team concluding that “Ben Madigan continues to demonstrate a high level of capacity for sustained improvement in the interest of all the learners.” This external validation of the high quality of education give parents reassurance that they made the right choice for their children’s education and I commend the hard work of Mr Wilson and his staff.Examination grades are the currency of progression down the academic journey but there is so much more to education than that little piece of paper. The certificates are a symbol of very well-deserved success but, like all symbols, they are merely representative. Belfast Royal Academy is quite rightly focussed on the bigger picture as you will hear in the remainder of my report.

The international dimension is a vitally important feature of school life allowing pupils to experience and develop a global perspective and understanding. Our pupils participated in the Model United Nations Conference in Edinburgh, hosted a visit from journalists from

Radio France and Le Monde and participated in a variety of trips at home and abroad. Arabic teaching is now in its third year in the Academy with the language and culture taught through the medium of Art. This is a result of interdepartment planning between the Art Department and the Modern and Classical Languages Team and the pupils’ beautiful work can be seen displayed on the walls in the school canteen and around the Art department.

Pupils participated in a number of visits and trips throughout the year including Geography fieldtrips, a Spanish exchange visit to Asturias, a ski trip to Austria and a joint Languages and History trip to Berlin and Poland. Laura Fleck and Jacob Brady later participated in the Holocaust Educational Trust project. A joint group of pupils from the Academy and St Malachy’s College travelled to Geneva to visit Cern. The Scripture Union had an active year, enjoying weekends at Castlewellan Castle and in Kilkeel and sending a team of senior pupils to Warsaw to work with the underprivileged.

At the end of June, a group of 38 L6 pupils, Governors and staff made the unforgettable annual trip to Malawi. Mahatmi Gandi said ““Be the change you want to see in the world” and it is these words that inspire our pupils and staff to make a sacrifice in terms of time and effort whilst undertaking international work placements and contributing to a building project. There is no doubt that the experience is life changing both in terms of the impact of their work on the Malawian people but also the impact on our pupils in terms of the maturity and understanding of global issues that they gain. The Malawi project epitomises all that is good within the Academy – team-work, community spirit and fun and I thank all those parents who support their children and the school in this venture and of course the adults who lead the trip and provide this opportunity year after year.

Cassandra Clare said: “Only the very weak- minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry.” Thankfully, through their exposure to literature and poetry, Academy pupils’ minds can be exercised and nurtured by the life-giving power of literature that underpins all other learning. The power of the spoken word was represented by the success of Gabriel Bador, Conor Callaghan and Rian Mullan in poetry, by Conor and Jack Golden in debating competitions and success in film making was achieved by Form 4 pupil, Nia McVicker.

This year the Girls’ Hockey Club completed arguably their best ever season, with 4 league titles and an Ulster Shield. Erin Getty (1st XI Captain & Deputy Head Girl) was selected for the Ireland Senior squad and received her first cap against Germany. There cannot be many school pupils who are awarded an international cap whilst carrying out the role of Deputy Head Girl and also studying for 4 A levels. Erin, we salute your impeccable sportsmanship alongside community service within school and wish you every success as you continue on your sporting and academic journey.

The girls’ 1st XI team had a fantastic season winning both their South Antrim and Belfast Schools’ leagues. The team then travelled to

England to play as a guest of former pupil Faye Kidd, Captain of Cambridge Girls’ Hockey, against the team of the Oxford Girls’ Captain’s former school, in what is billed as the Varsity Schools' Cup. The Academy girls also won this match.

There was a significant number of representative honours amongst all age groups. Harriet Dougan (Form V) and Niamh McIvor (Form III) were both selected to represent Ulster U16s and Irish U16s. Megan Warke (Form III) was selected alongside Niamh McIvor as members of the Ulster U14 squad. The girls’ U14 Hockey team, defeated Royal School Dungannon to win the U14 South Antrim League – winning all their matches en route. They also won the final of the Ulster Shield against Royal School, Dungannon.

In boys’ hockey, the 1st XI, won the Prior Shield against Friends’ School, Lisburn. In a thrilling match, the Academy team won in dramatic fashion by penalty strokes. There is no doubt that across some schools, boys’ hockey can be viewed as the Cinderella of school sport but the passion, determination and pride demonstrated by the team in realising their ambition to win the Final have left a lasting legacy and proved that in Belfast Royal Academy at least, hockey is an important and hugely successful element of our co-curricular provision.

The school’s golf team enjoyed a very successful year and there were also exceptional individual performances from Keaton Morrison and Tom McKibbin, both Form 3. Keaton and Tom played in the Munster and Ulster Under 16 Amateur Open Championships with Tom winning the championship by 3 shots. The Ulster Championship was held at Castlerock Golf Club. Keaton came 2nd in the tournament and Tom finished 1st. The Ulster Schools’ Junior Golf Championship was hosted by Fortwilliam Golf Club. In beautiful conditions, the boys scored an extremely competitive 109 points, and were declared Ulster Schools’ Junior champions.

We know how fortunate we are to have access to our own swimming pool and the strength of the Academy swimming, lifesaving and water polo teams is due, in no small part, to this excellent resource. The School’s Lifesaving team travelled to Sheffield to compete at the 2017 British Lifesaving Championships. The team performed very well and accumulated 45 medals in total, finishing 3rd overall in the medal table. Sinead Gourley became U18 Champion and, along with Lui Hurson and Lorcan Gourley, has been selected for the GB Lifesaving team, with nine others from the school team selected for the GB Performance squad. In addition, the lifesaving team were selected to represent the UK at the Lifesaving Orange Cup in Holland – a valuable experience for them to compete at an international level.

The Swimming Club produced some excellent results at the Ulster Grammar Schools’ Championships, held in Ballymena in November. The Senior Girls and Senior Boys won overall titles, with the school claiming the ‘Best Grammar School’ accolade, picking up 47

medals in total. In these championships, Scarlett Armstrong set a new Ulster Schools’ record whilst winning her two Gold medals. Scarlett had an outstanding season. During the Easter holidays, she raced in the Ulster Age-Group Swimming Championships, held at Bangor and became Ulster U13 Champion in 4 events, as well as picking up 1 Silver and 1 Bronze and 2 Relay Gold medals. She also recorded 2 Ulster Junior records with her relay team.

Sam Brown, Anna Whiteside and Cara Carson were selected for the Irish U17 Waterpolo team, which competed at the Junior European Championships in Prague in April. The Irish team performed well and ended the tournament in 5th place, with Sam finishing as top Irish goal-scorer. The Senior Boys’ Waterpolo team, won the Ulster Schools’ Cup (Canada Trophy). This is only the second time in the 80-year history of the competition that the Academy has won this prestigious award. The boys’ team had an outstanding season, winning all their league and cup matches in 2016/17.

The Ulster Schools’ Cross Country Championships took place in February resulting in two Academy runners – Aoife Corry (Junior Girls) and Rioghnach Catney (Senior Girls) –competing to a particularly high standard.

This year we had eleven teams playing competitive games in the Belfast Schools’ Area League. There was great enthusiasm amongst the girls who participated in extra-curricular netball resulting in five teams reaching the Belfast area finals with three teams victorious. The Junior A team won the Northern Ireland Shield, beating Methodist College. A number of pupils were selected for the U15 and U13 Regional Development Academy which bodes well for the future success of netball within the school.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme continues to provide opportunities for pupils to realise their talents and harness their abilities outside the classroom. During 2016-2017, our large membership remained steady at 401 pupils from Forms III to Middle VI: this means that the Academy has the largest school-based 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: 39 Bronze Awards, 16 Silver Awards and 9 Gold Awards.

The Music Department delighted audiences throughout the year with a fantastic array of performances including the Carol Service, the Spring Concert held in the Ulster Hall and the Summer Serenade. In the Spring Term pupils from the Senior Strings and Chamber Choir competed in a number of classes at Ballymena Festival. Ellen’s performance was of such a high standard that she was asked to perform at the Beggs and Partner Young Instrumentalist Award in February. This class comprised of the eight most talented instrumentalists throughout the whole festival. Ellen also won a bursary for the most promising string player at the Festival. The Rugby teams in school had a good season throughout the last academic year. The 1st XV began by winning the Ian Graham cup at Grosvenor. The team comfortably defeated

Portadown College and Rainey Endowed School in the early rounds of the Schools’ Cup competition to reach the quarter-finals against Friends’ School Lisburn. However, in what was a well-documented episode revolving around a half-term ski trip which the majority of the Friends’ 1st XV found themselves on, Friends were forced to concede the match against Academy. With high hopes and the enthusiastic backing of all of the Academy supporters, BRA progressed to the semi-final against Methodist College Belfast in the Kingspan Stadium. The team’s performance in the semi-final when they were defeated 37-21 was a credit to the school, the team and all of the coaches and was an experience that will live long in the memories of all who were there. The Medallion XV progressed to the Final of the Medallion Plate competition, losing out to Sullivan Upper School. The U13A team won the Blitz tournament and the girls’ tag ruby team reached the quarter final stage of the schools’ cup.

A number of players had representative honours. Matthew Dalton was selected for Ireland U19, Tom Gilpin Ulster U18, Tom Stewart, Brandon Hassan and Callum Davidson were all selected to play for Ulster U17 and finally Patrick George was selected for the Ulster U16 squad.

The desire to help others is typical of so many pupils of the Academy who strive to make a difference and it is wonderful to see the effort that pupils have invested both inside and outside school to raise additional money for our chosen charities. In addition to all of these figures, a further £3,000 was raised for a variety of collections in registration throughout the year.

In these challenging economic times, expert careers advice and guidance is more important than ever. The Careers Department within school has developed a high level of expertise over the years and constantly and consistently demonstrates their willingness to provide assistance and support to pupils at all stages of their decision-making progress through mock interviews, CAO and Oxbridge seminars and conferences, Law and Medicine conferences, attendance at open days and higher education and careers conventions along with invaluable one to one support.

The strong links that the alumni have with the school is a huge strength and it is heart-warming to observe the pride and affection these very important groups have for their alma mater. In addition to valuable fund-raising activities, alumni provide mentoring and coaching opportunities to pupils and encouraging them to consider other avenues and progression routes. The contribution that Friends of the Academy make to school life is also immeasurable. Willing volunteers who organise social activities, welcome events and the hugely popular uniform sale enrich the school community and I am very grateful for their enthusiasm and the commitment that they have for school improvement

Academy pupils also competed at a very high level in academic competitions. The Senior Maths team won the Northern Ireland round of the UKMT competition in November and represented Northern Ireland at the UK final in London. The team won the annual Queen’s

University Maths competition – one of only two teams to have won the competition more than once. This result affirms the school’s fine reputation in mathematical competitions. In January, a team of KS3 and KS4 pupils competed in the regional heat for the Royal Society of Chemistry ‘Top of the Bench’ competition. Three Academy students attended the final of the All-Ireland Linguistics Olympiad in Dublin. All students received commendation for their scores with Daniel Quigley selected to join the Ireland Linguistics Olympiad team. Pupils also participated in the annual Spanish debate, organised by Queen’s University. In the Irish Schools’ Bridge Teams’ Competition in Galway, one of the two BRA teams in the semi- final beat Bangor Grammar School to retain the title they won last year.

Matthew Saunders (Form IV) participated in the Ten-Pro Global Junior Tennis Tour at the Rafa Nadal Academy, Mallorca. Ten-Pro is an international tennis tournament which gives talented tennis players from all over the world the possibility to compete at the highest level. Matthew was placed 3rd in the U15 category, competing against boys from Cyprus, Canada, Latvia and Spain. The Junior Girls’ Tennis team beat Antrim Grammar in June and came top of their group.

Pupils of the Academy performed well in both Ulster and Irish Schools’ athletics competitions. In the Ulster competition, Erin Moffett was placed 1st in the hammer event, the senior boys’ team was placed first overall with Shane Martin placed first in the pole vault and Stephen McCorry first in the hammer event. In the Intermediate Section, Harriet Dougan and Callum Davidson were placed first in the pole vault and in the Junior Section, Leah Doran was placed first in the pole vault.

Form 2 pupil Abbie McHenry, was selected to compete in the Lennart Johansson Academy Trophy in Sweden, as part of the Northern Ireland Development squad. Harry Robinson, Form 5, signed for League One club Oldham Athletic as a youth scholar and will continue his education and training as a professional footballer with the club. Max Burton (LVI) and Harry Warke (Form5) were chosen to play for the NCU U17 cricket team. Jack Burton was selected for the Ireland U19 team. Jessica Jackson and Erin McQuiston were selected for the Northern Cricket Union Knights U17 and U15 Cricket Teams respectively. But of course, in a fine school such as BRA, pupils excel in an eclectic range of activities and sport including karting, fencing, kickboxing, classical ballet and hip hop dance.

The school community was delighted when Lower Sixth pupil, Chloe McCrory was honoured at a formal ceremony at Hillsborough Castle, appointed to the role of Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet for the County Borough of Belfast. Chloe has already had the opportunity to meet a number of dignitaries and members of the royal family whilst fulfilling her duties.

The house system enjoyed a massive resurgence over the past couple of years under the enthusiastic leadership of Mr Dorman and the energetic and passionate staff who are Heads of House. The Old Girls’ Association funded the

design and creation of the house flags and over the course of the year there were approximately 30 house competitions open to all ages ranging from the great BRA bake off, pumpkin carving, poetry competitions to the more traditional sports day. Once all of the points had been added up, Cairns house was declared victorious and their flag flown proudly from the top of the Crombie building. I can report that the rivalry between the houses is alive and well (especially between staff and Governors) and that members of each house are determined that it shall be their flag that is flown at the end of June 2018.

It is a huge honour and joy for me to present my first report as Principal of Belfast Royal Academy. I would like to thank Mr Roly Jamison and Mr James Cleland for preparing the videos and presentation that summarises the school year. Even after a relatively short space of time, I am so impressed by the can-do attitude and the openhearted creativity that is demonstrated by so many of our staff and pupils. I believe that the Academy is a school where pupils feel valued and respected for who they are and, consequently, a school where they are open to learning. School improvement requires a team approach and I am lucky to be surrounded by a fantastic team. I am indebted to all of my teaching and support colleagues for the work they do inside and outside the classroom in order to enrich the lives of our pupils and develop their interpersonal skills.

And I would also like to pay tribute to our parents without whose support I would be unable to present this very impressive report. Parents who encourage their children to always give their best, who bring them to and from training, matches and rehearsals, who support the school’s policies and who engage in a positive partnership with staff play a huge part in the whole educational experience and their contribution is much appreciated.

I would also like to thank the Warden, Mrs Jacqueline Weir, and all members of the Board of Governors for the invaluable advice and support provided me and to my colleagues in the school. I will finish my speech, with a quote from George Bernard Shaw:

Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.

Pupils, parents, staff and Governors, let us pledge to ensure that the torch of Belfast Royal Academy continues to burn brightly for future generations.

Warden – this concludes my report, the first for me as Principal of this wonderful school, for the 2016 – 17 academic year.

FORM I FORM II

Black, Eleanor P McIvor, Ellie F

Boyd, Jessica R McKnight, Abbie M

Coleman, Ross Nazareth, EJ J

Ferguson, Ryan C Raghuram, Riya

Greer, Regan Scott, Isabella C

Hayward, Theo P Scott, Katie

Hoogelander, Ebony M Scott, H Oliver

Johnston, Charlie L Shephard, Leah M

Loane, Ellen B Spence, Charlotte B

Mallon, Sophia M Thompson, Hannah E

Marshall, Helen S Toal, Kaitlyn H

McCarney, Sarah P R Wilson, Anna E

McGrath, Cara J

HONORABLE MENTION

Akmad, Miko Z Loane, Jude T

Balgos, Jericho A D Loat, Sarah C

Carroll, Rebecca H McIlwaine, Alex M

Coburn, Izzy E Morrison, C W Jude

Gilchrist, Noah J Newton, Natasha H

Glendinning, William R Snoddy, Jacob R W

Green, Eleanor E Todd, Naomi E

Jain, Aleena Willey Ethan J

Baine, Siobhan M C Kerr, Susie M

Briggs, Mark D Kirkpatrick, Molly E

Carleton, James Lough, Becky

Clarke, Eva J Martin, Darcy T

Craig, Katie M McBride, Shannon R

Crawford, Hannah J McCurley, Mia J

Dillon, Ethan C A McGuigan, Joseph P

Gillespie, Jack A Ramsey, Rachel A

Golden, Ben E Uprichard, Emma

Handcock, Lucy X Urbanczyk, Martyna N

Hawela, Nada Wallace, Finn J

Irvine, Emma G Warnock, Christina A

Kennedy, Jayne H

HONORABLE MENTION

Aquino, Julianne T Linton, Ella

Crowe, Thomas D McGoldrick Mathers, Eva

Dickinson, Jack A McIlroy, Grace J

Donaghy, Caitlin M Miszuk, Julia

Finnegan, Adam J Norton, Harry D

Gergett, Sabriel L Rooney, Martha-Rose D

Harvey, Georgia R Simpson, Alexandria C

Jones, Olivia H C Templeton, Ellie D V

Distribution of Prizes

DEPARTMENTAL PRIZES

FORM III

Adams, Louis T Computing

Browne, Laura C Drama, English, Religious Studies

Cheung, Sinead Y Technology and Design

Dobbin, Emma J Drama

Doran, Leah Home Economics

Dorman, Louise C Art and Design, German

Gossrau, Richard R German

Graham, Yolanda D Business Studies, History

Harpur, Amy C Home Economics, Spanish

Harvey, Ella J Business Studies, English, French, Geography, Latin, Mathematics, Music, Religious Studies, Spanish

Harvey, Michael A Biology, Physics, Technology and Design

Henderson, Eve Drama

Hetherington, Lauren German, Spanish

Hunter, Bethany J Chemistry

Massey, Katie-Rose Business Studies, Chemistry, French, History, Latin, Religious Studies

McClean, Nicole C Art and Design

McDowell, Amy Biology, English, French, History, Latin

McKee, Cameron J Computing, Physics

McQueen, Grace S Art and Design, Chemistry, Geography

Moorehead, Jude C Computing

O'Hagan, Aoife C Music

O'Kane, Anna E Physics, Technology and Design

Pavelkova, Kristyna Mathematics

Plackett, Rebecca E Geography, Music

Reid, Hermione K Home Economics

Snoddy, Olivia J Art and Design

Young, Rhia E Biology

Zhang, Mandy Y E Mathematics

HONORABLE MENTION

FORM III

Adams, Louis T History, Physics

Cassidy-Campbell, Samantha A Business Studies

Dalmeny, Olivia J Art and Design

Davidson, Nathan J Computing

Del Castillo, Monica Spanish

Dixon, Ciaran N Computing

Dougan, Cameron R Geography

Dougan, Ruby I French, Spanish

Gibson, John S W Mathematics

Graham, Yolanda D Drama, French

Harvey, Ella J Chemistry, Biology, History

Harvey, Michael A Geography, Mathematics, Music, Religious Studies

Hetherington, Lauren French

Hunter, Bethany J Art and Design

Lavery, Erin N Geography

Massey, Katie-Rose Biology, English, Spanish

McConnell, Sam G Physics

McCullough, Lauryn M Art and Design

McDowell, Amy Drama, French

McIlroy, Daniel J Computing, Latin

McKee, Cameron J Mathematics

McKnight, Chloe F Art and Design

McQueen, Grace S Home Economics

Meadows, Zara M A Drama, English

Moorehead, Jude C Chemistry

Murray, Ellie L Physics

Noble, Molly D Art and Design

O'Kane, Anna E Business Studies, History

Parkes, Rebecca S Chemistry

Pavelkova, Kristyna English, French, Latin

Plackett, Rebecca E Latin

Poots, Ronan D Music

Quinn, Ceri L Technology and Design

Seawright, Shannon R Music

Smallwood, Amber Technology and Design

Smith, Sophie E Home Economics

Snoddy, Olivia J German, Technology and Design,

Willey, Joshua R German

Worthington, Rees I German

Zhang, Mandy Y E Biology, Chemistry, Latin, Religious Studies,

FORM IV

Bingham, Jack E M Single Award Science

Bloomfield, Sophie A Drama

Campbell, Ellen N J Art and Design, Physics, Spanish

Carson, Jack B Chemistry, Computing

Cochrane, Fabienne G Physical Education

Connolly, Erin E Business Studies, Computing, Technology and Design

Convery, Aimee S German

Convery, Lorcan F Drama, English Literature, French

Creaney, Layla M History, Spanish

Del Castillo, Sophia Spanish

Donaldson, Olivia S Economics, History

Ferrin, Edward M Geography

Hamilton, Maia C Biology, Chemistry, French, German, Mathematics

Hayward, Eva J English Language, History, Latin, Music, Higgins, Emma C Business Communication Systems

Hughes, Luke Business Studies

Jellie, Conor D Information and Communications Technology

Kerr, Nathan C Information and Communications Technology

Kershaw, Roan A Information and Communications Technology

Lee, Kirsty French, Religious Studies

Martin, Neil Og B Music

McBride, Oliver E Music

McKeown, Conall C Business Communication Systems

McNeill, Morgan V C English Literature

McVicker, Nia Art and Design, Religious Studies

Meeke, Laura C Business Studies

Midgley, Anna Mia E Drama

Parker, Asha K Home Economics

Parkes, Ollie Biology, Chemistry, Economics, German, Mathematics, Physics

Peters, Varia A B English Language, Geography, Spanish, Salvatierra, Wrianne Mari English Literature, Geography

Sloan, Reece P Computing

Stephenson, Callisto J Biology, Latin, Physics

Sun, Jing Yi Art and Design

Szlachta, Magdalena O Latin, Religious Studies

Thabeth, Zakir S Mathematics, Technology and Design

Thompson, Joshua M English Literature

Watson, Rebecca J Technology and Design

Williamson, Lily I English Language

HONORABLE MENTION

FORM IV

Armstrong, Ellie J Art and Design

Bennett, Aoife C Music

Braiden, Emily A Drama

Campbell, Ellen N J Biology, Chemistry, English Language, Mathematics

Carson, Jack B Latin, Physics

Clarke, Joel J Business Studies

Convery, Lorcan F English Language, History

Cooke, Tori J Spanish

Crinion, Mairead B Drama, Physics

Cunningham, Erin Home Economics

Davidson, Erin Physical Education

Davison, Megan R Information and Communications Technology

Desmond, Joe C Business Studies

Donaldson, Olivia S English Literature, Spanish

Dougan, Charlotte M History

Enriquez, Cher Geography

Ferrin, Edward M German

Fisher, Becky B German

Gooderham, Aaron J Business Studies

Hall, Chloe W Art and Design, Drama

Hamilton, Jack P Business Communication Systems

Hayward, Eva J Chemistry

Hughes, Luke English Literature

Johnston, Vivienne T A Art and Design

Jones, Rose E History

Kershaw, Roan A Music

Lee, Kirsty Technology and Design

Magee, Brandon V T Business Communication Systems

Mateer, Sasha E Art and Design

McBride, Oliver E English Literature, French

McClements, Victoria A English Literature

McKeown, Conall C Information and Communications Technology

McNeill, Morgan V C English Language

Melville, Jason R Music

Mills, Sophie Spanish

Moore, Daniel T Mathematics

Murphy, Ethan S French

O’Kane, Michael J Single Award Science

Parkes, Ollie Religious Studies

Patterson, Rachel L Latin, Religious Studies

Peters, Varia A B French, Latin

Pina Semedo, Alex A Art and Design

Pollock, Christopher J Technology and Design

Purdy, Ewan Computing, Economics

Reid, Cara E L English Literature

Sloan, Reece P Technology and Design

Stephenson, Callisto J Geography

Storey, Charlotte M Home Economics

Sun, Jing Yi Biology, Chemistry, Latin, Physics

Szlachta, Magdalena O Biology

Thompson, Joshua M Economics

Uche, Emmanuel U Single Award Science

Wallace, Erin Mathematics

Whiteside, Joel Single Award Science

Williamson, Lily I Geography, German

Woloszyn, Sandra Spanish

Wright, Lauren M Computing

FORM V

Adams, Sarah E Home Economics

Agnew-Boyce, Molly Business Studies, Art and Design

Bador, Gabriel H K Business Communication Systems

Baird, Katie J Spanish

Bassett, Andrew C General Excellence

Carson, Cara C Biology, English Literature, Religious Studies, Spanish

Coleman, Ben History, Physical Education

Corry, Oran P General Excellence

Dorman, Andrew K Technology and Design

Dougan, Harriet A General Excellence

Eaglen, Jaimie Information and Communications Technology

George, Charlie R J Physical Education

Gutermann, Niamh C English Language, French, Geography

Hamilton, Meghan A History

Hamilton, Rachel Business Studies

Hawela, Malek M F German

Jamison, Jack General Excellence

Jamison, Lucy Drama, English Language, English Literature

Johnston, Erin R English Literature

Joyce, Caitlin Art and Design

Kane, Adam S General Excellence

Lundy, Zak J A Technology and Design

Martin, Aaron J Physics

Massey, Jill English Language, French, Geography, Latin, Religious Studies

McBride, Tara B Drama

McCalmont, Amber E Chemistry, English Language, Music, Physics, Religious Studies

McCauley, Elizabeth G Business Studies, Music

McConnell, Olivia C Physical Education

McFarland, Emily R General Excellence

McGowan, Cormac K Computing, Mathematics

McGrath, Samantha A English Literature

McGrotty, Dylan J German, Latin

McGuckin, Naomi C Economics

McKee, Tom N Information and Communications Technology

McKillen, Mark T Biology

McMillan, Beth L French

McQueen, Rosie C Latin, Mathematics

Moreland, Stephen S Mathematics

Mullally, Kirk Single Award Science

Mullan, Rian J Drama

O'Callaghan, Phillip J Economics

O'Donnell, Lauren E Music

O'Donnell, Molly A Home Economics

O'Kane, Lucy E Chemistry, English Literature

Parker, Elle Chemistry, Information and Communications Technology

Peters, Sasha E A General Excellence

Purvis, Katie Home Economics

Quinn, Ella G Art and Design

Reddington, Thea L General Excellence

Saied, Youcef Computing

Shaw, Madison S General Excellence

Smyth, Adam Spanish

Spence, Tom H Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Physics

Stewart, F Tom Technology and Design

Stringer, Billie J Business Communication Systems

Uche, Doris U General Excellence

Woloszyn, Jakub Computing, History

HONORABLE MENTION

FORM V

Armstrong, Reece Latin

Baird, Katie J Physical Education

Benson, Rebecca History

Burton, Max H Physical Education

Calderwood, Emma C Music

Carroll, James P Business Communication Systems

Carson, Cara C Spanish

Clingen, Anna R History

Coleman, Ben Geography

Colville, Lauren T Business Studies

Coulter, Tiernan P Computing

Fitzsimons, Eirinn R Art and Design

Flynn, Rory N Computing

Green, Jack C English Language

Gutermann, Niamh C Information and Communications Technology

Holmes, Rebecca Drama, History

Jamison, Jack Spanish

Johnston, Erin R Art and Design

Johnston, Lucy Single Award Science

Kane, Adam S Technology and Design, Mathematics, Physics

Lundy, Zak J A Geography

Martin, Aaron J Economics, Technology and Design

Massey, Jill Biology, Chemistry

McCalmont, Amber E Biology, Mathematics

McCammon, Courtney Latin

McCauley, Elizabeth G Technology and Design

McCorry, Jennifer M Music

McCullagh, Elisa French

McGowan, Cormac K Physics

McGrath, Samantha A Business Studies

McGuckin, Naomi C English Language

McKillen, Mark T Physics

McMillan, Beth L English Language, Religious Studies

McQueen, Rosie C Chemistry, English Literature, French

Moffett, Robbie T G Single Award Science

O'Kane, Lucy E Religious Studies

O'Neill, Jacob J Geography

Parker, Elle Biology

Paull, Bethany E A Single Award Science

Peters, Sasha E A Latin

Reddington, Thea L Art and Design, English Literature, German, Music

Robinson, Harry D Business Communication Systems

Sayers, Chloe Drama, Single Award Science

Shaiyanne, Malka Business Studies

Shaw, Madison S Latin

Spence, Tom H English Language, Religious Studies

Sullivan, Anna L Information and Communications Technology

Swann, Rachel S Drama

Warke, Harry S L Economics, Spanish

Watson, Alexander M Mathematics

White, Cameron W J Computing

Whiteside, Anna M German

FORM LVI

Adams, Douglas W Chemistry

Andrews, Joshua Software Systems Development

Borne, Tori English Language

Callaghan, Conor General Excellence

Carroll, Euan D Physics

Carson, Megan C E Software Systems Development

Caughey, Rachael A Business Studies

Cavan, Tara Spanish

Cole, Amber E Drama

Dalzell, Ellen K Geography, History

Donnelly, Patrick C Mathematics, Music

Ferguson, Adam J General Excellence

Foster, Conor M French, Latin, Spanish

Frazer, Charlotte E General Excellence

Gaston, Eva G Sociology

Gaston, Lucy C Art and Design

Geddis, Trinity E Biology

Gilleece, Grainne M Chemistry, Geography, Mathematics, Physics

Golden, Jack G Economics, Physics

Hoey, Caitlin A French

Hughes, Meaghan A G Religious Studies

Illyuk, Anna English Language

Knox, Naomi S General Excellence

Lavery, James S Technology and Design

Loudon, Daniel B A Software Systems Development

Loughrey, Madeleine E General Excellence

Martin, Shane M Biology, Physics

McClurg, Anna Art and Design, English Literature

McComiskey, Sarah J English Literature, Religious Studies

McEwan, Eilish General Excellence

McGarvey, Luke R General Excellence

McIlwaine, Rebecca L Economics

McKeown, Hannah E Sociology

McVeigh, Curtis J Digital Technology

Millar, Robyn E Government and Politics

Moffett, Erin E J Nutrition and Food Science

Moore, T Peter G Technology and Design

Moorehead, Aoibh G History

Murray, Aidan J History

O'Fril, Ellen F Geography

O'Mullan, Rachel L Nutrition and Food Science

Parker, Tia Drama

Payot, Alexis T Art and Design

Poh, Charlotte M W French

Quigley, Daniel G Mathematics, Music

Quinn, Ellen E Music

Reel, Becca M T General Excellence

Reid, V Alice Business Studies

Ross, Jasmine L Chemistry, Spanish

Roxas, Charles D Sociology

Ryan, Nikki S J W Government and Politics

Ryan, Zarah C Government and Politics

Shaw, Ally F English Language

Schlogel, Lena M German

Sloan, Jamie A Art and Design

Spence, Olivia G English Literature, Government and Politics, Religious Studies

Vick, Amber L Biology

Walker, Jordan M Business Studies, Drama, Sociology

Wallace, Leah Chemistry, Technology and Design

Waters, Philip J Digital Technology

HONORABLE MENTION

FORM LVI

Brown, Molly E Drama

Brown, Sam L Digital Technology

Callaghan, Conor History

Chancellor, David W R Music

Cherry, Sam A Geography

Clements, Lucy A Music

Dabrowska, Paulina W Sociology

Daly, Robert S Sociology

Dalzell, Ellen K English Literature

Donnelly, Owen J Biology

Donnelly, Patrick C Economics

Ferguson, Adam J Physics, Software Systems Development

Frazer, Charlotte E English Literature, Geography

Gamble, Alice J A Art and Design

Geddis, Trinity E Chemistry, History

Holmes, Masha H English Language

Knox, Naomi S Biology

Loane, Joe D Drama

Loudon, Daniel B A Mathematics

Loughrey, Madeleine E Digital Technology, Economics

Maguire, Aaron E Software Systems Development

Marshall, Katie R Geography

Martin, Shane M Chemistry

McAlister, Thomas G Government and Politics

McCalmont, Megan J S Religious Studies

McCandless, Adam J Spanish

McClean, Nathan R Religious Studies

McCullough, Victoria L Religious Studies

McEwan, Eilish Business Studies, Government and Politics

McGarvey, Luke R Software Systems Development

McGuinness-McCay, Rioghnach

Drama

McKittrick, Hannah D English Language

Parkes, Zoe S Biology

Patterson, Barra Mathematics

Poots, Jason C Music

Purdy, Finn Government and Politics

Quigley, Daniel G Spanish

Reel, Becca M T Art and Design, Technology and Design

Ross, Jasmine L Biology

Roxas, Charles D History

Scott, Kurtis S Mathematics

Spence, Kate Art and Design

Van Wel, Kevin P English Literature

Wallace, Leah Physics

Waters, Philip J English Language

Watt, Chloe L Sociology

Wilson, Sasha J Business Studies

Woods, Michael S Economics

FORM MVI

Allen, Daniel S General Excellence

Broughton, Maria Information and Communications Technology

Bryan, Lucy A E Sociology

Carey, Thomas P J Economics

Cochrane, Aimee C General Excellence

Cousins, Mary O English Literature, French

Crawford, Amy H Religious Studies

Cummings, Sarah J English Language

Currie, Rebecca A Business Studies

Dawson, Chloe A Economics, History, Religious Studies

Farrington, Chloe H Business Studies

Firgau, Carlos L Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics

Fleck, Laura General Excellence

Gilpin, Tom Mathematics, Physics

Grattan, Christy P M Government and Politics

Henderson, Hannah E Sociology

Johnston, Ashley General Excellence

Johnston, Kara L Government and Politics

Kelly, Natasha French

Loboda, Zuzanna A French

Magill, Max R Software Systems Development

McAllister, Shanagh M Business Studies, Government and Politics

McConnell, Christopher R Geography

McCorry, Stephen P B General Excellence

McCotter, Amy M Information and Communications Technology

McDermott, Cherie C Sociology

McDonald-Anakaa, Anna M I Art and Design

McDonnell, Bethan A Art and Design, Classical Civilisation, English Language

McDowell, Katie J Biology

McMahon, Emily A Biology, Chemistry

Millar, Sarah A Information and Communications Technology

Millard, Jack E Mathematics, Physics

Miller, Kirsty A Geography

Milligan, Andrew W G Chemistry, Physics

Murphy-Morrison, Beth K Art and Design, English Literature

Murray, Jamie E J General Excellence

Newton, Naomi J General Excellence

Patton, Morgan L Spanish

Rhodes, Oliver N Software Systems Development

Smallwood, Lee D General Excellence

Stewart, Victoria General Excellence

Szulgan, Seweryn D Software Systems Development

Waite, Megan A Biology, History

Walker, James J General Excellence

Wallace, Abby M English Literature, French, History

Waters, Philip J Software Systems Development

Wilson, Anna J Geography

HONORABLE MENTION

FORM MVI

Allen, Daniel S Business Studies, Geography

Armstrong, Lauren R Sociology

Bingham, Daniel N Information and Communications Technology

Dickson, Becky V Drama

Dougan, Courtney N History

Farrington, Chloe H Sociology

Fleck, Laura Government and Politics

Furusa, Johnson T Business Studies

Gallagher, Maeve A English Language

Gault, Rachel S E Art and Design

Gilpin, Tom Economics

Graham, Caitlin A English Literature

Grattan, Christy P M Music

Henderson, Hannah E Religious Studies

Ireland, Mathew T English Language

Irvine, Rebecca D Classical Civilisation

Johnston, Ashley Biology, Physics

Kelly, Natasha Chemistry

Lapworth, Morgan S Business Studies

Lawther, Sasha A Technology and Design

Li, Lily Art and Design

Loboda, Zuzanna A Chemistry

McAllister, Shanagh M Religious Studies

McCartney, Cameron L Physics

McCorry, Stephen P B Biology, Chemistry

McCotter, Amy M Drama

McCullough, Jemma Government and Politics

McDermott, Cherie C Classical Civilisation

McDowell, Katie J Mathematics

McLaughlin, Chloe A English Literature

McMahon, Emily A Mathematics

Millard, Jack E Chemistry

Mitchell, Harry O English Language

Murray, Jamie E J Economics, Geography, Mathematics

Newton, Naomi J English Literature, History

Rea, Stephen Software Systems Development

Reid, Kiah R T Sociology

Rolston, Michael V Information and Communications Technology

Roxas, Chealsey Ann Art and Design

Sloan, Jamie A Business Studies

Smallwood, Lee D Physics

Smith, Lauryn S Government and Politics

Stewart, Victoria Biology

Thabeth, Zaid K Geography

Walker, James J Classical Civilisation, Religious Studies

Wilson, Anna J History

SPECIAL PRIZES

ANNE BARRON PRIZE (Ben Madigan)

SIR SAMUEL FERGUSON PRIZE (English Literature)

FREDERICK WHITE MEMORIAL PRIZE (For the top performance at G.C.S.E.)

HAROLD RAINEY MEMORIAL PRIZE (English)

THE ANNE CAMPBELL HOME ECONOMICS CUP (Home Economics)

J. J. KANE MEMORIAL PRIZE (for contributions to 'The Owl')

T. R. COLLIER PRIZE (Mathematics)

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

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

ANTHONY TAYLOR MEMORIAL PRIZE (History)

J. N. SHEARMAN MEMORIAL PRIZE (Classics)

R. H. HARTE MEMORIAL PRIZE (Greek)

Matthew R E McLaughlin

Abby M Wallace

Jill Massey Amber E McCalmont

Jill Massey

Katie G Wallace

Lily I Williamson

Aimee C Cochrane

Anna J Wilson

Beth K Murphy-Morrison

Chloe A Dawson

Bethan A McDonnell

Bethan A McDonnell

G. B. TAYLOR MEMORIAL PRIZE (Mathematics)

Carlos L Firgau

Carlos L Firgau MEMORIAL (Mathematics)

TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN AWARD

Sponsored by H J Martin (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)

ALLISON HERON PRIZE (Biology)

AMY DICKSON TROPHY and PRIZE (Art and Design)

S. S. N. PIERCE MEMORIAL TROPHY (for outstanding endeavour at GCSE)

McCAUGHEY PRIZE (Science)

MERVYN SEMPLE PRIZE (Chemistry)

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

WALTER TATE PRIZES

Economics

Government and Politics

Physics

Chemistry

Religious Studies

Sociology

Tom Stewart

Ciara Patterson

Harry J G Russell

Cameron L McCartney

Laura Browne

Emily A McMahon

Anna M I McDonald-Anakaa

Max H Burton

Ashley Johnston

Emily A McMahon

Jill Massey

Chloe A Dawson

Christy P M Grattan

Carlos l Firgau

Zuzanna A Loboda

Chloe A Dawson

Cherie C McDermott

MARY A. HYNDMAN PRIZE (GCSE Home Economics)

MIDDLETON PRIZE (Music)

LEO FORTE PRIZE (Music)

CLYDE PRIZE (GCSE Religious Studies)

McCLAY PRIZE (Business Studies)

JACKSON PRIZE (GCSE Science)

OWL TROPHY

(Presented by W. H. and J. Gray) (for outstanding endeavour at Advanced Level)

HAROLD HUTCHINSON PRIZE (Religious Studies)

Molly A O'Donnell

Victoria Stewart

Hannah E M Edgar

Cara C Carson

Chloe H Farrington

Tom H Spence

Courtney R Burns

Sarah J McComiskey

SIR DONALD CURRIE SCHOLARSHIPS (for the top overall performance in the Form)

SIR DONALD CURRIE SCHOLARSHIPS (for the top overall performance in the Form)

Form I

Form I

Riya Raghuram

Riya Raghuram

Form II

Form II

Nada Hawela

Nada Hawela

Form III

Form III

Ella J Harvey

Ella J Harvey

Form IV

Form IV

Maia C Hamilton

Maia C Hamilton

Form V

Form V

SIR PAUL GIRVAN

J. M. CLEMENTS

SIR FRANCIS EVANS

WHITEHEAD

Jill Massey

Jill Massey

Amber E McCalmont

Amber E McCalmont

LEAVING SCHOLARSHIPS

Shanagh M McAllister

Carlos L Firgau

Tom Gilpin

Andrew W G Milligan

MAURICE JACKSON

HUGH GIRVAN

WALTER TATE

KNOX

ANTHONY TAYLOR

C. B. and A. M. MURRAY

DR L. H. CAMPBELL

Chloe A Dawson

Natasha Kelly

Zuzanna A Loboda

Aimee C Cochrane

Jason F Roe

Jamie E J Murray

Lee D Smallwood

Roma E Mulholland

McCLEERY Victoria Stewart

G. B. TAYLOR

PICKEN

ARCHIBALD

BRUCE and PIM PRIZE

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY BURSARY

Abby M Wallace

Thomas P J Carey

THE BEGGS FAMILY PRIZE

Anna J Wilson

Jack E Millard

Bethan A McDonnell

Katie J McDowell

Emily A McMahon

FRIENDS OF THE ACADEMY ATTENDANCE AWARD

Charlotte J Nicholl

W. A. RAW BURSARY (Modern Languages)

Abby M Wallace

MacDERMOTT TRAVELLING BURSARY (Modern Languages)

Morgan L Patton

SHEARMAN TRAVELLING BURSARY (Modern Languages)

Elisa McCullagh

GLORIA SIDWELL (née KINKEAD) MEMORIAL BURSARY (Art and Design)

Bethan A McDonnell

J. S. LOUGHRIDGE BURSARY Grainne(Geography) M Gilleece

TENNANT SALVER

(Chair of Sixth Form Centre Committee)

Rorie T Godfrey

WALTER TATE ROSE BOWL (Head Girl)

Abby M Wallace

MARTIN PRIZE (Deputy Head Girl)

Erin M P E Getty

Hannah E M Edgar

WHITEHEAD TROPHY (Head Boy)

Thomas P J Carey

ANNUAL PRIZE FOR BOYS

(Deputy Head Boy)

Stephen Rea

Mathew T Ireland

THE MONA McCONNELL CARES AWARD

(For work in the community)

Courtney R Burns

J. C. PICKEN BAT

(for overall contribution to Cricket in School, presented by the Old Boys' Association)

Jack P Burton

N. M. SAVAGE AWARD

(for the most impressive combination of academic attainment, prowess in organized games and sense of corporate responsibility)

Thomas P J Carey

THE EVANS TROPHY

Cairns

Captains: Trinity E Geddis and Thomas G McAlister

School Societies

BRIDGE CLUB

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 that allows friendships to develop in school and across Ireland with other pupils. New members are welcome and should speak to Mr Graham in M10 about joining or anyone wearing a red blazer for Bridge. The club meets at lunch most days in BG2 (Mr Harte’s room). The highlight of the year is the trip to Galway to compete in the Irish Schools Teams competition.

This year, the school finished 2nd and 4th in the Irish Pairs ‘Gold Final’ and 2nd in the ‘Silver Final’. In the Ulster Pairs, we finished 4th. The real successes of the year were in the teams’ events. We won the Ulster Teams at Senior and Intermediate level and came 2nd in the Novices. In the Irish teams, in Galway, Molly O’Donnell, Lucy O’Kane, Roma Mulholland and Cameron McGaughey came first and Josh Mills, Joshua Boyd, Conor Gallagher, Luke McGarvey came third. This was an excellent achievement for all. We hope our Junior pupils work hard in the following year to match this success.

A big thank you to Dr Lomas for her continued support for the club, and the time that is dedicated to teaching the game during the week in school and at the weekends away. She continues to be an inspiration to the students. The club could also not have functioned without the energy that Dr Springer has brought to the numerous events he has supported and the administration he completed to make the events happen. Thanks also to Mr Harte and Mr Martin for accompanying the trip to Galway. A final thanks to Mr Harte for allowing

the students to use his room at lunch throughout the year.

After the shocking news that Mr Graham was not yet returning from his adventures across the ocean, the Bridge Club did not have the best of starts to the season. In the first half of the year, we had two competitions, the only success was 2nd place (Molly O’Donnell LVI, Lucy O’Kane LVI) in the silver section of the Irish Pairs in Dublin. The biggest competition of the year was Irish Teams in Galway which is intense playing over two nights and three days. It came down to the final between us and Bangor Grammar School. It was close, but we came out on top placing first (Molly O’Donnell LVI and Lucy O’Kane LVI, Roma Mulholland MVI and Cameron McCaughey MVI). A matter of weeks later the same team won the final competition of the year which is the Inter Provincials under 20’s competition. I would like to thank Dr Lomas, Mr Harte, Dr Springer and Mr Martin for the help and support throughout the year. Most importantly, I want to say a massive thank you to everyone in the bridge club for making 2016-2017 the best year yet.

Molly O’Donnell (LVI)

Chess Club continues to meet two lunchtimes a week. The stalwarts of many a year have been joined, most recently, by an enthusiastic band of promising junior pupils (whom I hope will continue to attend and develop their game). The din of people chatting away and eating sandwiches, as they move knight to E4, continues

S.G.

CHESS CLUB

to provide a more raucous atmosphere than is perhaps traditional for the game, but this all adds to a unique atmosphere.

The now annual house competition ran from April for Form I to IV. Unfortunately, for a math teacher hoping for a power of 2 (to ease the administration of a knockout competition), seventy pupils signed up. Any disappointment at being stranded in a no man’s land between 2^6 and 2^7 was eclipsed by delight at such impressive enthusiasm for the competition. There were matches which spanned days and others that were ended swiftly with a deft deployment of Fool’s mate. After some months, the final took place between Thomas Mahood (FII Cairns) and Joe Desmond (FIV Shaw). Joe went on to win for the second year in a row. Matches went right up to the final date for the final house points result, so there was not time for a playoff for the other semi-finalists. Theo Hayward (FI Currie) and David Monahan (Form II Pottinger) shared third place.

This year, the club runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays (the original schedule that will only be remembered now by older club members). It is an informal club geared around playing a great game which is genuinely good fun once mastered! I would encourage anyone interested to call into M4 to try it out, whatever their current ability, they will be welcome to play or to learn the game.

S.C.S.

GAMERS CLUB

The Gamers Club must be one of the most eclectic, easy to manage groups in school. Anyone can come to BB2, on a Tuesday, at lunch time and play any game (within reason). This year, that has

included: darts, Lego, fantasy cards, PSPs, retro video games and even Spanish Patience. The age range is equally diverse, and I am pleased to say that each year more girls are joining the ranks.

R.J.

GUITAR CLUB

The Guitar Club continued to meet in the Technology and Design Department, during lunch time, every other week. The club takes an informal approach to learning where pupils are encouraged to pair up with those of a similar ability level. This year, we established a good core of FIV students who have ambitions of starting a band.

P.T.S.

JUNIOR DEBATING SOCIETY

This was a particularly lively year for the Junior Debating Society. The politics of the day were represented in many of the debates, especially the role of the European Union and our place in Europe. This led to some spirited debate and reflected the interest our young people take in the issues of the day. We kept a large proportion of our former members and welcomed many new to our ranks. Great fun was had by all.

Next year will see many of our stalwarts move up to the Senior Debating Society, where I hope they will use the skills learned at junior level to play a positive role in any of the debates. New faces are always welcome and I am sure the Junior Debating Society will be just as vibrant, and noisy, as this year. J.S.

JUNIOR SCRIPTURE UNION

Junior Scripture Union in the Academy is something special. It is somewhere where junior pupils can have fun, during a Wednesday lunch, learn about God and the Bible in a safe and relaxed environment. We are thankful to have such a high number of people, that attend our SU in school, that we can divide SU into juniors and seniors. This allows us to focus talks on issues that are relevant to our pupils’ experiences. It also allows Forms I-III to be in contact with senior committee members who often provide a natural mentor-like support.

This year, we decided to prepare talks on a range of topics which included ‘What is a Christian?’, ‘The Fruit of the Spirit’ and ‘Influences in the Bible’, ‘Exam Stress’, ‘Identity and Self Worth’, ‘Idols’, ‘Halloween’, ‘Christmas’ and ‘Easter’. Along with these messages, we placed pupils in which we had lively discussions about the subject of that day. This was a chance for pupils to think deeper, share ideas and ask questions in a more intimate setting. This year has been another undoubtedly enjoyable year which couldn’t have

happened without our continued support from Mr Morrison and Mrs Graydon. For the committee, it’s an honour to put in energy, time and effort and to serve beside one another for Jesus Christ.

At the end of the year, it was sad to have to see one of our Middle Sixth committee members leave and move on to the next chapter of their life. We wish Katie Wallace God’s richest blessing for the future.

Rebecca Carse (LVI)

LIBRARY CLUB

A new fortnightly Library Club was founded this year. At Library Club, pupils can train to become pupil librarians. Organising pupils to help with the library not only ensures the smooth day-to-day running of the library, but also helps develop a sense of responsibility, achievement and selfesteem in the pupils. Library Club also hosted fun book related quizzes and activities for its members throughout the year. The first year of the new club was a huge success and we look forward to continuing the club next year.

MODEL UNITED NATIONS

2016/2017 proved itself to be a successful and highly popular year for Model United Nations. The immense interest and enthusiasm expressed by

Form I and Form II pupils made Junior MUN a rewarding and enjoyable experience for both Junior and Senior pupils. While Junior pupils debated issues such as Global Warming and Nuclear proliferation, Senior pupils chaired the debate and moved from person to person, offering advice and encouragement. Great progress was shown by the Juniors who, over time, moved from silence to regular participation in debate, showing huge bravery and perseverance. Efforts were made to help everyone speak out and enjoy themselves, and under the supervision and guidance of Dr Adair, seniors found the experience every bit as rewarding as the Juniors.

In terms of competitive conferences, the annual conference at Wesley College Dublin, unfortunately, did not run this year, but a BRA delegation were lucky to be able to travel to George Watson's College, Edinburgh, to participate in their conference. BRA represented Iran and participated with schools hailing from the UK, America, Germany, Iran and even further afield. Pupils were allocated to a committee, representing a function of the UN, such as “Health” or “Political”. Issues were debated and resolutions were passed in an attempt to solve some of the world's problems. These committee sessions were hugely enjoyable and interesting. Isaac Jarman received a “Commended delegate” award. We hope that 2017/2018 will be as good a year.

Conor Callaghan (MVI)

POLITICS SOCIETY

With so much going on in the world of politics, Politics Society had plenty to talk about this year. Our lunchtime meetings focused on issues surrounding the stalemate at Stormont like RHI and the controversial Irish Language Act, the aftermath of the Brexit referendum, and the election of President Trump. More unusual topics were covered as well: from whether Team GB funding from the state is similar to state-sponsored doping in the Eastern Bloc in the 1980s to animal rights and post truth politics. With so many elections, it was fun to play our election prediction

E.M.

game, although not many successfully predicted the correct outcomes. We also watched Michael Moore’s movie, ‘Where to Invade Next?’ looking at some ideas from European countries, like Italy’s higher than usual paid holidays, Slovenia’s free university education and Finland’s policy of no homework. As you can imagine, lunchtimes in J6 were full of discussion and debate.

Our big event of the year was the House Mock Presidential Election in which every student had the opportunity to vote in. To make it more realistic, each Tutor Group was given a state to represent and so we were able to follow the Electoral College system that the real presidential election uses (the election is not decided on popular vote).

Voting took place before school, break time and lunch and the Assembly Hall was filled at times with students looking to exercise their (mock) democratic right. With just Hillary Clinton and

Donald Trump on the ballot, students could opt to spoil their ballot and still help their House win the House competition based on turnout.

The results were counted and it was Hillary Clinton which who was elected, winning 380 electoral votes to Trump’s 148. The popular vote revealed that, although she won convincingly, she only gained 50% of the popular vote, perhaps because of the relatively high figure of 20% in spoiled ballots. Our Mock Election matched the US polls prior to the election, which showed that Trump did appear to have a problem in gaining votes from female voters, as the overwhelming

majority of votes went to Clinton in female Tutor Groups.

In the House competition, which was based on turnout, Pottinger took the glory with 56.5% turnout. Cairns just managed to pip Shaw to second place (there was only 0.5% in it, which translated to 2 votes), with Currie bringing up the rear. It was a great event and through the House competition should serve to remind us again remind us that our votes do indeed matter.

K.S.B.

READING GROUP

The Reading Group is held by Ms Graham, in LL9, every other Monday, at lunchtime. This year, the group welcomed an ever-changing, but always eclectic, group of Lower Sixth pupils and served to ignite or rekindle each person’s love of literature. With peppermint teas in polystyrene cups, we shared opinions and recommendations of the books we had been reading since our last meeting and decided on a new genre for the next fortnight.

From Dystopian Fiction to the American Dream, we read books that would not only help the A2 Literature course next year, but also let us step outside our genre comfort zones and explore different types of fiction. The Reading Group afforded me the opportunity to read books that I never would have picked up and discover new favourites such as, ‘All The Light We Cannot See’ by Anthony Doerr (a really good book that should definitely be on everyone’s ‘to read’ list).

All in all, Reading Group is a relaxed and friendly space to share a love of books. It has been a privilege to read with other like-minded people. The group helps to tap in to pupils’ creativity by analysing others’ writing flair. It provides a reminder that there is no right or wrong way to view a text. The group steps away from looking at why an author used a technique, to how a moment made you feel. Reading Group opens its doors to English scholars and non-English scholars alike. If you wish you read more or want to share your opinions on books you love, Reading Group is definitely for you. In the words of J.K. Rowling, ‘If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.’

Lauren Hamilton (MVI)

SENIOR DEBATING SOCIETY

While there were a number of lunchtime debates at the start of the year on subjects including: ‘the role of sport in school’ and ‘immigration’, the main focus has been on preparing for debates for the Northern Ireland Schools Debating Competition.

Our team, consisting of Jack Golden and Conor Callaghan, demonstrated considerable talent as they progressed through the early stages of the competition. They defeated Foyle College and Abbey Grammar, on the way to the Quarter Final, in debates on fracking and Brexit. The team faced a team from Armagh Royal School at the Quarter Finals at which they proposed the motion: "This House believes that we over-promote the benefits of an 'academic' education at the expense of technical and vocational training." There followed a semi-final victory over St. Louis Grammar in a debate on the motion: "This House agrees with the populist view that our liberal elites have lost legitimacy by ignoring the fears and aspirations of ordinary people."

Regrettably, after such great success, our team lost to Bangor Grammar School in the final at which they proposed the motion: “This House would not worry if Stormont were not restored.” Nevertheless, as runners up, the team shared prize money of £250.

H.T./ J.M.P.

SENIOR SCRIPTURE UNION

Pupils from FIV to MVI met, on a weekly basis, in C4 for fellowship, prayer and Bible study. We also invited a number of guest speakers from a wide range of organisations such as Crown Jesus Ministries and Scripture Union Northern Ireland.

The weekend to Castlewellan Castle in October was well supported and was, in many ways, the highlight of the year. The speaker was Jimmy Warburton, Assistant Minister from Whiteabbey Presbyterian Church. As well as thought provoking

sessions, we also enjoyed a variety of activities such as quizzes, games, movie nights. The annual Barn Dance, introduced by Mr Young, was held (for the first time in its history) outside the Castle.

The Pizza Night in the Sixth Form Centre was an evening of fun and fellowship. The members of staff associated with Scripture Union were particularly impressed by the presentations conducted by the members of the Scripture Union Committee.

In addition, the Senior Weekend in March to Seaview House, Kilkeel was also a great success. The speaker was Bill Foy, Hope Church Hillsborough who delivered challenging sessions for both pupils and staff.

Senior SU meets every Friday, at lunchtime, in C4 and is led by its pupil committee. They meet to plan the events throughout the year. We thank them for all their dedication and hard work and particularly wish the MVI leavers God’s richest blessing for whatever the future holds.

M.T.W.

THE CLASSICS SOCIETY

During the year, the Classics Society and the Greek Club met at lunchtime, every Thursday, in S3. The meetings were attended by a very lively group of FIII to FV.

Those learning Greek progressed at their own pace. The decision to start the EMACT Classical Greek Certificate to give the pupils something definite to work towards, was postponed until the following year, by which time they should have attained a suitable level.

New members are very welcome, both to the Classics Society and to the Greek club.

J.M.G.

THE JUNIOR BOOK CLUB

The Junior Book Club met Thursday fortnightly at lunch-time in the school library. Throughout the year pupils read from many books including:

• ‘Listen to the Moon’ by Michael Morpurgo

• ‘Russian Roulette’ by Anthony Horowitz

• ‘Ministry of Pandemonium’ by Chris Westwood

• ‘The Boundless’ by Kenneth Oppel

• ‘The Blood Guard’ by Carter Roy

• ‘Osbert the Avenger’ by Christopher William Hill

• ‘Wonder’ by R.L Palacio

On Friday 24th March 2017, Junior Book Club members got treated to a visit to the Lisburn Omniplex Cinema to see ‘Beauty and the Beast’. Before the film, pupils were treated to a 45-minute music workshop with Nigel Ireland (violin) and Gareth Hopkins (double bass) from the Ulster Orchestra. Nigel and Gareth are part of the company ‘String-tastic’ whose aim is to provide award winning music education to all. Eleanor Black (FI) was chosen to meet and have her photo taken with ‘String-tastic’ at the end of the workshop.

E.M.

YOUNG EINSTEIN CLUB

The Young Einstein Club has, once again, experienced a year of exciting experiments and great enjoyment. Every Wednesday fortnight, at lunchtime, pupils from Forms I and II took part in activities to expand their intellectual capacity an interest in science. We regularly had a large turnout.

Throughout the year, we made a ‘splash’ with soap boat races, had a ‘fantatastic’ time making exploding orange juice, and couldn’t believe our eyes when we saw the optical illusions. All pupils took on the experiments with a great sense of eagerness and energy, and many found that they thoroughly enjoyed the activities that they had partaken in. We hope to see the return of the many first years who joined us this year!

The committee met every Wednesday and strove to create a welcoming and educational environment for the Junior pupils, which we feel we have achieved. The committee would like to thank all the teachers who have made The Young Einstein Club possible: Mrs Henry, Mrs Cleland and Mrs Bell. They have successfully aided younger students in becoming scientists of the future -the next big Einsteins.

YOUNG ENGINEERS

The Young Engineers club continued to meet in the Technology and Design Department during lunch times. Projects undertaken this year included Paper Planes' and ‘CAD Jitterbug’. The club was assisted this year by members offered 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./ K.M.K.

J.B.

The LVI Young Einstein Committee: Megan Carson, Jack Duffy, Catrina Henry, Naomi Knox and Eve Proctor.

Music in School

JUNIOR TRADITIONAL GROUP

It has been another tremendously successful year for the Junior Traditional Group. We welcomed many new members this year, reaching over thirty pupils, the biggest it has ever been. Many would dread the thought of having to take a rehearsal with over thirty enthusiastic but loud Junior pupils on a Friday lunch, but Mr Forde came to each rehearsal full of passion which he brought out in all members.

At the School’s annual Spring Concert in March the Ulster Hall was filled to the brim. As the lights went down, Junior Trad began to feel the pressure of maintaining last year’s high standard, however they pulled it off marvellously. The set began with a solo by Ronan Poots (III) on the concertina followed by a set beginning with a slip jig called The Countess Cathleen with Anna Quinn (IV) and Aoife Bennett (IV) on the fiddle. This piece was followed by The Sailor's Bonnett and Damian’s Reel, which went down a treat with the audience.

After the success of the spring concert, Junior Trad began to prepare for our annual summer serenade, a more relaxed but equally enjoyable concert. They tackled two new pieces; Sprightly Kitty, which began with a lovely solo from Anna Quinn (IV) and The Swallow’s Tail. Both went remarkably well given the short rehearsal time we had.

On behalf of everyone in Junior Trad, we would like to thank Mr Forde for putting up with us every Friday and always bringing fun and energy to rehearsals.

Aoife Bennett (IV)

SENIOR ORCHESTRA

This year has been a very exciting one for the Senior Orchestra. After having a great Spring Concert in 2016, all members were very keen to get back in September. We began preparing immediately for Prize Day in the Spires Centre in Belfast, where we were to perform Farandole from Bizet’s L'Arlesienne Suite. Despite the tight deadline to learn the piece of music, the orchestra stepped up to the bar and the piece went down very well with the audience.

The next performance on the list for the Senior Orchestra was the Christmas Carol Service in St. Peter’s Church; for this we dug out our Christmas folders and prepared well-known carols such as O Little Town of Bethlehem, Oh Come All Ye Faithful and Hark the Herald Angels Sing. As usual, the organ in St. Peter’s proved to be tuned very differently to the rest of the orchestra, but when everyone had readjusted their instruments up a few tones to match, the combination of full orchestra and church organ made for a spectacular sound and wonderful service.

The Christmas break came and went far too quickly and before we knew it we were back in our seats preparing for the most important musical event of the year - the Spring Concert. Returning to the Ulster Hall for this meant that we had to fill a much larger venue than a rather squashed rehearsal room, so Mr Forde had us practising every Friday for an hour after school.

Senior Orchestra opened the Spring Concert with the very dramatic Montagues and Capulets by Prokofiev. This year, we decided to have a more upbeat and modern piece of music in our repertoire so an arrangement by Mr Forde of dance classics from his youth was created. Popular pop songs like Right Here, Right Now by Fatboy Slim and Pjanoo by Eric Prydz were included in this arrangement giving the whole performance a very energetic atmosphere. Both pieces were very well received by the audience and many high compliments were paid after the concert, praising the orchestra’s exceptionally high standard of musicianship.

As always, the end of the Spring Concert brought the end of an era for the Middle 6th; for several members

of the orchestra, it was their last performance. Thanks are due to the exceptional leadership of Hannah Edgar, as well as the dedicated MVI players who helped make the orchestra so successful; Victoria Stewart, Ciara Patterson, Mary Cousins, Sasha Lawther, Abby Wallace (who also managed to fulfil her role as Head Girl while never missing a rehearsal), Jack Millard, Harry Russell, Naomi Martin, Lucy Bryan and Gemma O’Neill. We will miss you all next year on the stage of the Ulster Hall and hope that you have many happy memories of Friday afternoon rehearsals.

SENIOR CHOIR

When I first joined Senior Choir way back in Form Three, I didn’t quite realise how much of a family everyone becomes throughout the year. Led by the fabulous Ms McMullan, all sorts of people turned up for the rehearsals - rugby boys, hockey girls, and the people who just wanted to sing in the Spring Concert while their grannies cried in the audience.

First on the agenda was the Christmas Carol Service, which went like a dream. All the old favourites were there (Once in Royal and Oh Come all ye Faithful) as well as some new ones: accomplished soprano Hannah Edgar’s solo performance of Oh Holy Night was so beautiful it brought a tear to many an eye (including my own), as well as the Chamber Choir’s performance of the traditional Gaudete and Wexford Carol filling the church with Christmas spirit.

Ellen Quinn (LVI)

After such a triumphant Christmas, standards were high for the Spring Concert - set in the Ulster Hall, it is one of the most important school events in the year. Despite an early crisis with the sopranos (averted by lots of gentle persuasion from Ms McMullan) the whole choir performed excellently in Vivaldi’s Gloria, accompanied by the Senior Strings group. Then, fast-forwarding nearly 300 years, we performed Bella’s Finale (from the popular movie Pitch Perfect) to end the concert on a high.

This year Senior Choir went from strength to strength, which is all due to the hard work (and blinding charisma) of Ms McMullan, who wheedled, cajoled and downright forced people into the choir- we would never be as good as we are without her, and I am very much looking forward to next year’s experience in the choir.

Eva

Hayward (V)

CHAMBER CHOIR

Chamber Choir is by far one of the most prestigious musical groups at BRA, and I have the privilege of being one of the members. The choir enjoys several privileges during the year, including a registration group of our own, where we rehearse the songs and have all sorts of craic.

The Christmas Carol Service was a triumph for us, with Gaudete, sung in Latin, echoing around the church with that certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ producing the desired Christmassy vibe.

As good as Christmas was, my favourite thing about the Chamber Choir is the excursions we go on to perform in choir competitions. This year, we went to Ballymena Choral Festival and Derry/Londonderry Choral Festival. We performed admirably at Derry, but the real showcase of our talent was in Ballymena, where we came first and won the Ballymena Music Festival Shield, a major accomplishment. Despite extensive delays due to traffic trying to get home from Derry, the choral festival trips were great fun and strengthened our bond as a choir.

The Spring Concert was, in my opinion, one of the best showcases of talent in the school that I have ever seen and Chamber Choir was not exempt from this. As silence fell in the Ulster Hall, the Chamber choir Seal Lullaby by Eric Whitacre, and a rousing version of Elijah Rock by Moses Hogan. Quite frankly, we brought the house down.

Chamber Choir is one of my favourite musical groups in the school. Ms McMullan does more for the Music Department than we will ever know about, but huge thanks are due to her for being a pianist, conductor, and superstar to Chamber Choir. I am looking forward to what next year will bring, and sadly say a fond farewell to Harry Russell, Thomas Carey, Hannah Edgar, Charlotte Nicholl, Jessica McVeigh, Molly Bond, Cameron McCartney and Christy Gratten, as

Eva Hayward (V)

WIND BAND

2016/2017 was another successful year for Wind Band. With an ever expanding membership, Wind Band remains a mainstay extra curricular society. Its “everyone welcome” attitude has made it the most accessible club at BRA. According to Ms McMullan Wind Band is the “highlight of her week”, and it certainly is for all of its members.

Wind Band played Don’t Stop Me Now’ and ‘Instant Concert’, which under the baton of Ms McMullan was no problem.

Wind Band is always greeted with a thunderous applause from the audience at the Spring Concert. Though without Ms McMullan’s stern leadership the Band wouldn't be anywhere near the fantastic quality it reaches each year. The Spring Concert preparation must begin in the September beforehand to make sure that top quality is reached because, while the members of Wind Band are certainly an enthusiastic bunch, without Ms McMullan the Band wouldn't be the organised chaos it truly is.

While the band gained many members last year it also lost some of its most prominent members Abby Wallace, Jack Millard and Harry Russell. These stalwarts of the Wind Band will be dearly missed and Harry’s ability to play the trumpet whilst eating a sandwich will linger long in the memory of many pupils for years to come.

Ben O’Neill (IV)

BOYS’ CHOIR

Boys’ Choir: a true representation of the companionship which The Academy strives to instil among its pupils. The success of the choir has made it self-perpetuating, with the number of members increasing each year. This year the choir was made up of more than 70 devoted members, both pupils and staff. Unfortunately, the choir will lose 15 faithful

MVI pupils, a gap which many eager Form III pupils will undoubtedly fill as they come of age to join.

The choir performs at various times throughout the school year, most notably at Christmas and at the Spring Concert. In December, as temperatures began to plummet, rehearsals continued relentlessly in J9. Some MVI pupils even dared to leave the warmth of the Sixth Form Centre, braving the elements, to reach the rehearsal venue. The choir prepared a range of songs which were traditional, fun and reflective. At the special end of term assembly in December, the whole school was entertained by the choir in the main playground.

The highlight of the year for every boy in the choir is, unquestionably, the Spring Concert in the Ulster Hall. This year our repertoire consisted of A Welsh Medley and, the more lighthearted, High Hopes. The medley contained extracts of four well-known Welsh pieces: Land Of My Fathers, Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah, Calon Lân and Men Of Harlech. Singing in Welsh made the arrangement slightly more demanding, although this challenge was willingly embraced by all members of the choir. High Hopes is a piece which was originally made famous by the renowned Frank Sinatra in the 1959 film A Hole in the Head. The choir’s performance at the Spring Concert went exceedingly well and was very enjoyable for both choir and audience.

It goes without saying that Boys’ Choir would be nonexistent without the continued support of Miss Carson. On behalf of the entire choir, I would like to thank Miss Carson for her unwavering dedication. To finish, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage as many boys as possible to join Boys’ Choir, as it provides a great atmosphere for making friends and challenging one’s musical ability.

Stephen McCorry (MVI)

JUNIOR STRINGS

I am not always the best at jumping straight into new clubs, so I did not join Junior Strings until the start of this year. I was very nervous and apprehensive, as I was not the most skilled viola player, but I haven’t looked back since. Joining Junior Strings was one of the best decisions I have ever made. My nerves immediately ceased as I was greeted by Mrs. Prior, as she is one of the most lovely and caring teachers in the school. Without her immense dedication and affection for all the students who pass through the doors of the Music Department on a Monday lunchtime, Junior Strings would not be the same.

We practised extremely hard every week to prepare for our performance in the annual Spring Concert held in the Ulster Hall. Andante by Haydn was very popular with the audience for its bright, joyful melody, though thankfully it was easy enough for us all to play so we were not too challenged. We then concluded our performance with ‘The Show Must Go On’ by Freddie Mercury. This piece really proved the outstanding talent of all members and the Spring Concert was truly a marvellous night for everyone involved in Junior Strings.

I am now enjoying my last year of Junior Strings with great enthusiasm, as next year I will be moving up into Senior Strings. I only wish I had joined this group sooner. I would definitely encourage anyone who plays a stringed instrument to go ahead and join Junior Strings and not hesitate like I did. If you do, you will be missing out on one of the most rewarding and enjoyable clubs in school.

This past year has been yet another extremely successful year for Senior Strings. With a strong start to the year, Ms McMullan decided to enter us into Ballymena Music Festival. After a few months of rehearsing St. Paul’s Suite by Gustav Holst and Palladio by Karl Jenkins and we were ready.

On the day the pieces went very well and we played them the best we ever had, with an excellent solo by one of our leaving violins, Hannah Edgar (MVI), in ‘Palladio’ We were placed second in the String Orchestra class and we were extremely pleased with our result!

Other members of Senior Strings were entered into other sections of the festival and won the following classes:

• Jonathan Hayward (II): 2nd in Cello Solo 14 years and under and 1st in Double Bass solo

• Neil Og Martin (IV): 2nd in Cello Solo 15-17 years

• Anna Quinn (IV): 2nd in Violin solo 15-16 years

• Eva Hayward (IV) and Anna Quinn (IV): 2nd in Duet for Strings 15-16 years

• Jason Poots (LVI) & Ellen Quinn (LVI): 1st in Duet for Strings Open

• Ellen Quinn (LVI): 1st in Cello Solo Open

Ellen’s performance was of such a high standard that she was asked to perform at the Beggs and Partner Young Instrumentalist Award on Saturday 26th February. This class comprised of the eight most talented instrumentalist throughout the whole festival. Ellen also won a bursary for the most promising string player at the Festival. Everyone enjoyed listening to pupils perform from other schools, and we particularly enjoyed the cups of tea and coffee!

After such a successful festival our next big event was the annual Spring Concert. We played the same two pieces and we managed to play them even better than we had in February. Another task was trying to play Vivaldi’s Gloria with the very large Senior Choir.

Martha-Rose Rooney (II)

SENIOR STRINGS

Trying to match the sound of over 200 pupils was very challenging but we pulled it out of the bag after many hours of rehearsal!

Myself and the rest of the remaining Senior Strings would like to thank Hannah Edgar, Naomi Martin, Victoria Stewart, Sasha Lawther, Ciara Patterson, Mary Cousins, Lucy Bryan and Gemma O’Neill who contributed so much to Senior Strings. It won’t quite be the same without you.

Also the biggest thanks of all to Ms McMullan who managed to put up with us on Friday afternoons, being stuck in buses with us on drives to Ballymena and for overall being a star!

THE RAINBOW FACTORY PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL

This summer the Rainbow Factory Theatre put on the well known and loved musical Bugsy Malone. The cast of 30 which included myself and 3 more individuals from BRA, Lois Sharpe (V), Tia Parker (MVI) and Melissa Bright (III).

We spent four intense weeks perfecting various scenes, dances and many famous songs such as Fat Sam’s Grand Slam and My Name is Tallulah. We finished with a week of amazing shows performed in front of an audience who thoroughly enjoyed the musical. The show was extremely successful as it was a strong cast. I enjoyed working with a cast who were musically and dramatically talented.

Anna Midgley (V)

SENIOR TRADITIONAL MUSIC GROUP

Our year in “Trad” crescendoed, as always, to our Spring Concert performance in the Ulster Hall, which is always highly anticipated as one of the musical highlights of the year.

We, as a group, met every Wednesday after school under the care of the ever brilliant and conscientious Dr Scully in our wonderful new facilities. For yet another year, Deirdre Galway, a guitarist in the band Réalta was kind enough to come in and guide us practically with her instrumental and musical knowledge talent. She arranged trad sets for us to perform; the first composed of O’Neill’s March, Tommy Peoples and The Holly Bush Reel, the second; The Dusty Millar, The Oblique Jig and Ramnee Ceilidh

Fiddles, flutes, tin, whistles, guitars, a bodhron, a harp, a mandolin and a concertina came together to play these pieces with challenging changes in pace. During The Dusty Millar three junior girls (Laura Brown, Tianna Savage and Lucy White) performed an slip jig. The love for trad in BRA is undeniable and is due to the continued dedication and energy put in by

all involved; and as one year ends and members leave, it is encouraging to see a new generation join us.

Rebecca Carse (LVI)

BIG BAND

Big Band began another year confidently having a healthy mix of talented long term players and equally as capable new recruits. We began by reviewing our standard repertoire, but soon extended into newer and more challenging music.

As usual, Big Band opened the Open Evenings in January by playing the vast majority of our repertoire to prospective Form I pupils and parents. This concert proved very popular over both evenings, meriting encores on each occasion.

Unfortunately, this year we forewent our usual performance at the Ulster School’s Jazz festival; instead choosing to concentrate on perfecting our newer music, and especially Sir Duke, a difficult arrangement of a Stevie Wonder classic This proved a challenge for all involved, most especially the guitar soloist Owen Donnelly.

At the School’s Annual Spring Concert in March, the culmination of the year’s work was enjoyed by all who attended. Clare Njanina sang her heart out in an arrangement of Aretha Frankin’s Respect and had the audience clapping along with her - mostly in time to the music!

Sadly, however this year brought an end to the long serving musical school careers of a few individuals who, I’m sure, are wished the best of luck in their future learning and careers, by all who knew them.

David Russell (V)

JUNIOR CHOIR

This year was great fun and very successful. We started off with rehearsals for the Junior Carol service in December. We sang the traditional Christmas carols and added a song from Home Alone called Somewhere in My Memory. On the day of the Carol Service, our

Anna Quinn (IV)

soloist was off sick, but Eleanor Black from Form I sang Once in Royal David’s City admirably.

March heralded the annual spring concert and we started rehearsing frantically. We sang two piecesHow Far I’ll Go from Moana and J’entends le Moulin, a traditional French melody. The choir was accompanied by the talented Daniel Quigley in LVI.

Overall, this year was very successful and I encourage anyone who is thinking about it to join. It is a great experience and anyone would enjoy it.

Emma Connolly (II)

ULSTER YOUUTH ORCHESTRA

Set the in wonderful and picturesque grounds of CAFRE college, the 2017 annual Ulster Youth Orchestra residential rehearsal course this summer ran from 10th to 19th of August. Challenging and inspiring repertoire including Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, Prokofiev’s Cinderella Suite, Torke’s Bright Blue Music and Aaron Copland’s renowned and popular Fanfare for the Common Man provided substantial content for the daily 8 hours of rehearsal. Fun, camaraderie and esprit de corps grew palpably among the young musicians throughout the course - with meal times and evening enjoyments such as karaokes, quizzes, visit to the Antrim Forum and pizza nights providing much entertainment to all.

A fund-raising ad-hoc performance was given by a chamber orchestra from within the UYO on one afternoon in Rushmere shopping centre, Craigavon –with a programme of popular music from films and plays such as Les Misérables, Star Wars and James Bond. Great crowds of people listened to the music and a substantial amount of money was raised. These funds contribute to the running costs of the course and helps the orchestra to be able to recruit the highest calibre tutors from around the UK and beyond to help young aspiring musicians gain invaluable musical experience and insight – whether they be on their way to a career in music or simply enjoy playing with

other musicians and performing amazing repertoire under the best conductors. The orchestra of about 90

members included 3 students from BRA: Hannah Edgar (MVI)- violin, Patrick Donnelly (LVI)- trumpet and Jason Poots (LVI)- cello. After receiving an exacting preparation by very skilled rehearsal conductor, Frank Zielhorst, the orchestra’s playing was finessed by the renowned and flamboyant conductor Michael Seal, who currently is Associate Conductor of the prestigious Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Culminating in two highly acclaimed concerts in Derry/ Londonderry and the Ulster Hall on the 18th and 19th of August respectively – the orchestra’s collaboration with Michael Seal was a great success. Both concerts received thunderous applause and standing ovations. We were as always greatly heartened to spot some friendly faces of ever supportive BRA staff and pupils, past and present in the Ulster Hall audience.

Participation in Ulster Youth Orchestra is something I would strongly recommend to anyone who plays an orchestral instrument and has a keen interest in music. It provides brilliant experiences and times which will be remembered for ever.

Jason Poots (LVI)

ARTS HONOURS AWARDS

EASTER 2017

Major New Award

Emma Calderwood

Thomas Carey

Rebecca Carse

Amber McCalmont

Elizabeth McCauley

Jennifer McCorry

Jessica McVeigh

Craig Moore

Conor McBride

Lauren O’Donnell

Gemma O’Neill

Morgan Patton

Daniel Quigley

Thea Reddington

Major Re Award

Eoin Bradley

Lucy Bryan

Tara Cavan

Lucy Clements

Mary Cousins

Owen Donnelly

Patrick Donnelly

Hannah Edgar

Conor Foster

Naomi Martin

Cameron McCartney

Naomi Newton

Ciara Patterson

Jason Poots

Ellen Quinn

Harry Russell

Ethan Snoddy

Victoria Stewart

Jordan Walker

Minor New Award

Aoife Bennett

James Bryan

David Chancellor

Rachel Chapman

Mairead Crinion

Vincent Custodio

Jack Golden

Christy Grattan

Eva Hayward

Roan Kershaw

Maia Hamilton

Sasha Lawther

Katie Marshall

Neil Og Martin

Ollie McBride

Tara McBride

Adam McCleave

Stephen McCorry

Elisa McCullough

Samantha McGrath

Mark McKillen

Jason Melville

Katie Moore

Clare Njanina

Ben O’Neill

Rachel Patterson

Eve Proctor

Anna Quinn

Kia Reid

David Russell

Chloe Sayers

Tom Spence

Julia Uprichard

Jing Yi Sun

Minor Re Award

Molly Berry

Molly Bond

Matthew Cairns

Conor Callaghan

Lauryn Cotton

Lucy Gaston

Lorca Gourley

Meagan Hughes

Lui Hurson

Tom McAllister

Adam McCandless

Rebecca McIlwaine

Jack Millard

Beth Murphy Morrison

Charlotte Nicholl

Alexis Payot

Alice Reid

Katie Ritchie

Jasmine Ross

Charles Roxas

Ally Shaw

Olivia Spence

Yasmine Tandon

Peter Watt

Senior Choir

15 Minute Interval

Big Band Sir Duke (soloist: Owen Donnelly) Respect (soloists: Clare Njanina & Patrick Donnelly)

Junior Choir J’entends le Moulin

How Far I’ll Go (soloist: Ellie McIvor)

Senior Traditional Group O’Neill’s March, Tommy Peoples & The Holly Bush

The Dusty Millar, The Oblique Jig (Niall Vallelly) & Ramnee Ceilidh

Boys’ Choir A Welsh Medley High Hopes

Senior Choir Gloria ‘Gloria in excelsis Deo’ ‘Et in Terra Pax’ ‘Laudamus Te’ (soloists: Jessica McVeigh & Morgan Patton) ‘Domine, Fili Unigente’ ‘Quoniam tu solus sanctus’ A Gaelic Blessing Bellas’ Finale

Boys’ Choir

Big Band

Senior Traditional Group

Miscellany

ART AND DESIGN

Bethan McDonnell Form MVI gained full marks in the CCEA A2 Level Coursework and Externally Set Assignment.

Anna McClurg and Lucy Gaston Form LVI gained full marks in the CCEA AS Level new specification.

Chealsey Ann Roxas and Anna McDonald Anakaa Form MVI both gained full marks in the CCEA A2 Level coursework unit.

At AS and A2 Level all Art and Design pupils gained 100% pass rate A* - C grades.

The following work was requested by CCEA for possible inclusion in the 2017 - 2018 True Colours exhibition at the Ulster Museum:

• AS Level by Anna McClurg and Jamie Sloan.

• A2 Level coursework unit by Bethan McDonnell.

Mr Roy Donaldson, from John Bush Design, presented three Art and Design Students with a Student Art Pack award:

• Bethan McDonnell MVI who gained a place at the Ulster University to do a degree in Fashion Design.

• Anna McDonald Anaaka MVI who gained a place at Dundee University to do a degree in Fine Art.

• Beth Murphy Morrison MVI who gained a place at Newcastle University to do a degree in Fine Art.

This year Juanita O’Kane MVI was presented with a certificate of Excellence at Parliament Buildings, Stormont from the Education Minister.

Juanita received recognition for her full marks at A2 level Art and Design, one of Northern Ireland's highest achieving learners.

All Art and Design GCSE, AS and A2 Level pupils attended the 2017 True Colours exhibition at the Ulster Museum to view.

The MVI attended the 2017 Royal Ulster Academy Annual Exhibition at the Ulster Museum and a careers talk on aspects of museums.

The Department is used every week for Duke of Edinburgh Art and Design projects, as well as CCEA GCSE and ‘A’ Level units of work.

Two Departments, Modern Languages and Art and Design, were involved in teaching and learning aspects of the Arabic Culture.

Form III pupils expanded upon the Art and Design Arabic Project, now in its third year of educational development. Our aim this year was to further pupils’ knowledge of the Arabic language, alphabet and Arabic numeracy, with Ashgan Essa our Arabic Language teacher.

The pupils applied Islamic patterns inspired by their research through the internet, focusing on the David Collection, Copenhagen Museum, The Beatty Museum, Dublin and British Museum artefacts collections. Small teacher-led workshops allowed all Form III pupils to experiment with, and create, various samples based on their research into Arabic Culture and Islamic artwork. Each class had the opportunity to explore various mixed media e.g. printmaking, ceramics, felting, silk painting, weaving, foil embossing, Angelina fibres and Photoshop.

The final group workshop outcomes have been put together to create five large wall panels representing the Five Pillars of Islam (Faith, Prayer, Charity, Fasting and Pilgrimage). Our reason for selecting this theme this year was to connect it to Form III Religious Studies scheme of work. These panels will be appropriately displayed in the dining hall, on the architectural pillars leading into the annex area. We decided upon this exhibition space because it already showcases the Form II Arabic panels entitled “Welcome, Respect Collaboration and Diversity”. The dining hall is a communal meeting place for pupils and staff, and used for morning assemblies.

NVTV visited Belfast Royal Academy on Wednesday 28th September to interview the pupils and staff involved in the Arabic project, as well as filming during one of our Arabic lessons. This was aired on September 29th on Focal Point.

Community News to promote awareness of our Arabic Connected Learning Project throughout the community and give pupils positive recognition for their effort and involvement. On Saturday 24th June, the Annual Art Exhibition Charity morning showcased the project. We hope the success of the

project will provide us with a third year of funding.

The Department continues to develop staff and pupil training in the use of ICT software and Google Drive/Classroom and to provide pupils with an insight into Art and Design career routes. This was supported by guest speakers:

Oriana Firgau (Former BRA pupil) gave GCSE and A-Level students an insight into the Art & Design Foundation Course and Product Design Degree Course at the Ulster University Belfast. The June 2016-17 Annual Art Exhibition included an excellent variety of work from all forms. The sale of artwork this year totalled £690 and a further £124 was raised from the Staff Exhibition Preview.

The Department continues to support the BRA Photographic Society. Pupils from Form I to MVI are invited to take part. Finalists’ work will be displayed permanently in the new School buildings.

P.K.

CERN A Trip with St. Malachy’s College

Saturday: A group of 40 pupils from BRA and St. Malachy’s flew out very early on the 25th of February, from Belfast to Geneva. We arrived at around 10 o’clock Geneva time and went straight to our accommodation. After unpacking, we went to the Natural History Museum and it was really interesting, with bone replicas of prehistoric creatures. After that, we went on a tour around the old quarter of town, which was spectacular! We then returned to the Hostel where we were staying to have dinner and wind down for the night.

Sunday: On the Sunday morning, we went to the Science Museum, which sat not too far off the shore of Lac Lemain. They had old tools used in mapping the Alps and exhibited tools used in determining direction. After the museum, we went on a walking tour of Geneva with a tour guide. He showed around the business area and also took us up to the United Nations building, as well as the HQ for the Red Cross in Switzerland and all the embassies located in Geneva.

Monday: We left the hostel early, in order to get up to CERN (The Central European Nuclear Research Facility) in good time. We arrived at CERN and went straight to a talk held by Dr Myers, a former pupil of St. Malachy’s. He then showed us around the maintenance facility, where they monitor the particle accelerator constantly, and it’s also where they keep a lot of spare parts in case of a failure.

We then travelled across the French Border, because CERN is so large that it spreads into France, and got off the coach at the Control Centre. The number of monitors there, keeping track of all different types of information coming from the particle accelerator, was amazing! Afterwards, we crossed the border again back into Geneva and had some lunch. We got a final look around the visitor centre and we also had the chance to buy some souvenirs if we wanted to.

Then, sadly, it was time to head home. The coach dropped us off at the airport and we boarded our flight at around 4 o’clock Geneva time and we landed back in Belfast at around half past six, UK time. It was an amazing trip overall, very interesting and overall really good fun.

Matthew Gorman, Christopher Perry, Adam Ferguson and Jack Duffy (MVI)

CHARITY COLLECTIONS

Over the course of the year, £2658.73 was raised for charity during the weekly collections. Each house gained points for the most money collected weekly, the breakdown of which is shown below.

CAIRNS

CURRIE

Meet Crombie the Owl, our new School mascot! Pictured with Lucy McKnight and Ryan Armstrong, who choose the winning name ‘Crombie’ in tribute to Belfast Royal Academy founder, the Rev Dr James Crombie and the building which now bears his name. Crombie the Owl will be meeting and greeting our open event visitors, cheering on our sporting teams and getting involved in School life!

#MeetCrombieTheOwl

£529.78

£853.87 POTTINGER

£522.81 SHAW

£658.73

The tutor group which raised the most was 1CU2 at £196.83

In total, £21321.85 has been raised by the School through various fund-raising activities which include: a Bake Off; bake sales; staff coffee mornings; Smarties tubes full of twenty pence coins; non-uniform days; Read On; a Onesie day and BRA’S Got Talent.

The charities which benefited from our efforts were: RNLI, Habitat for Humanity, Darren Clarke Foundation, Parkinson’s Society, The Children’s Cancer Unit, Guide Dogs NI, Malawi project, Save the Children, Children’s Hospice, Macmillan cancer, mercy ships, compassion UK, Barnardo’s, Autism NI, Incartus Pony Foundation, Multiple Sclerosis NI & Assisi.

A.R.

Last year, we had three teams enter NICMAC, two of which were junior teams (dance and fitness) and one senior team (dance). The three teams were choreographed by senior pupils.

The year started in October when auditions were held, in order to decide upon the members of each team, which was a tough decision-making process. The teams were chosenI and we began to rehearse weekly until March, when the competition was held.

Each of the teams performed excellently on the day of the competition; however, the standard

CROMBIE THE OWL

A.K.

from other schools was very high. Unfortunately, none of the teams were placed. We hope to continue dance this year and to improve in order to obtain more positive results in our next competition.

Rachel Toane (FV)

EXTRA-CURRICULAR MATHEMATICS

The School’s representatives continue to excel in competitive, extracurricular mathematics and this was a particularly successful year for the senior teams.

The Senior Team, consisting of Carlos Firgau (MVI), Andrew Milligan (MVI), Daniel Quigley (LVI) and Richard Ware (MVI), won the annual Queen’s Mathematics competition and, as the organisers noted, this is the first time a team has won more than once. The questions at this event are very demanding and the competition was fierce. The UKMT Senior Team of Carlos Firgau (MVI), Jack Green (FV), Andrew Milligan (MVI) and Daniel Quigley (LVI) then won the UK Mathematics Trust Team Challenge, beating fifteen other teams and thus qualified to represent NI at the National Final in London. This two-day trip took place in February and was the first time that the Senior Team has represented NI at this

event (following three wins for the Junior Team).

The Junior Team this year was Siobhan Baine (FII), Lucy Handcock (FII), Amy McDowell (FIII) and Kristina Pavelkova (FIII). They came, a somewhat disappointing, ninth against tough competition in the NI regional final of the UKMT Junior Challenge, but it was a good experience which will stand them in good stead for further competitions at Junior and Senior level.

Hundreds of pupils once again took part in the UK Maths Trust’s individual challenges and the number of qualifiers for the elite further rounds continues to grow.

At Senior level, pupils achieved 6 Gold, 16 Silver and 15 Bronze awards. Michael Brady (MVI), Tom Gilpin (MVI), Andrew Milligan (MVI), Daniel Quigley (LVI) and Zaid Thabeth (MVI) qualified for the next round of the competition (called the Kangaroo).

At Intermediate level, pupils achieved 5 Gold, 13 Silver and 13 Bronze awards. Jack Green (FV), Zak Thabeth (FIV), Jack Whittely (FIV) and Nadia Wijayanti (FIV) qualified for the next round (the Pink Kangaroo), with Jack and Zak securing merits for their performance at that stage.

At Junior level, pupils achieved 1 Gold, 9 Silver and 13 Bronze awards with the Gold award going to Jayne Kennedy (FII).

The achievements of the pupils involved in these activities is impressive, but perhaps more impressive is the diligence with which they prepare and the good humour and charm with which our teams represent BRA at local and national events; they are a credit to themselves and the School. It has been a particular pleasure to have shared so many trips to regional heats and London finals with the outgoing MVI, who were amongst the first Junior teams, but I have no doubt the current and future teams will continue their legacy.

S.C.S.

PUPILS’ PERSPECTIVES

EXTRA-CURRICULAR MATHS

SENIOR TEAM

We, being myself Carlos, Andrew, Daniel and of course Dr Springer made our way to Queen’ bright and early, making sure to take a team photo while it remained clear outside. The first two rounds consisted of ten problems which we worked on as a four. After each of these rounds, we remained near the top but only grazing the top three.

In the final round, we were joined by Dr Springer to answer a few more problems but also some maths trivia questions. He proved to be very valuable as, after having a good go at these together, we were pleasantly surprised to have snagged first place. This made us the first school to have won the competition twice.

Then, after a flurry of handshakes and pictures, we headed back to School in the dark, glad we had taken our team photo several hours previously.

Richard Ware (MVI)

UKMT SENIOR TEAM

There I was. At the edge of civilisation, where only the most maths-like of mankind lurked. Algebra growled behind primitive weaves of

number-line and the alphabet. Who thought it was a good idea to mix letters and numbers?

In reality, it wasn’t as bad as that. The team had practised for weeks for this moment. And since BRA had been successful before… well, we wouldn't be too bothered by the maths set before us. It started off with a few refreshments and a bit of chat. However, cold calculations and tactics could be identified behind every word, so we had to be smart. “Me too, thanks!” I decisively thundered, in response to 90% of the comments directed towards me. Stellar conversational skills.

Then the competition began with one of our most despised games: the group round. Ten questions lay before us, carved into paper with inky swirls. It was long and arduous, but eventually, enough (read: about six) were answered, and the timer rang. Scores were counted. We weren’t in the top three, which was disappointing. Where had we messed up? But the next round was already before us. A twisted machination created by bloodthirsty mathematicians: the crossnumber. A dubious Frankenstein of crossword and numbers. It was algebra – but worse. All in all, this horrific, terrifying round was solved pretty quickly with 100% correctness. So, not as twisted as previously thought.

A quick lunch (mostly sugar and water in different forms), and we were off for the final round. The round that is hard to explain to people that haven’t done it before. All of this hard work had led to our conclusion – we were in trouble. So we accepted our fate, once our relatively sub-par answers had been taken in and ruthlessly attacked by the judges until they faltered. 3rd place goes to: something… something…Academy…2nd place goes to: something…something high school. 1st place goes to: Belfast Royal Academy. It took a while, but it sank in eventually. Dumbstruck, we stumbled up to the podium, and accepted our key rings and dog-eared certificates. Eyes wide, we listened to how we would be going to London. Skin tingling, we made our various ways home.

More practice. Preparation for a poster round. Procrastination. All in readiness for the most exciting event of the year.

We went to London. It was OK. We stayed in a youth hostel eating doughnuts. The beds were a tad bit uncomfortable, but we survived. We dragged our bags to the building where the maths would be done. I was feeling a bit hungry. They had refreshments. I was no longer hungry. The tension was palpable. Or maybe I was just sweaty.

Maths is intense, so they pulled us in gently with the poster round; or so we thought. Posters are difficult to make under a time limit, but we pulled ahead and crushed the competition under our collective boots. Until we didn’t. But the moral victory was ours!

Refreshments were had, and the competition went on, very similar to the original elimination round in our performance, albeit slightly less good overall due to harder questions. But the overlords of mathematics had prepared a surprise. Something we didn’t expect, as it wasn’t mentioned originally. The relay round had exited its cage.

What were we to do? The questions were hard and fast. Our fastest runners couldn’t keep up with bureaucracy. For those who don’t know, the relay round requires the team to split up to opposite sides of the hall to pass questions from the teacher to each other. They prevented running to stop accidents – but by doing so, they stopped our chances.

We didn’t do too well overall – I can’t remember the exact position – but we did, at least, get to the finals in the UK in the first place. To put that in perspective, there are about 3,997,000 fifteen to nineteen year olds in the United Kingdom, about the age range for the competition. There were, with a generous estimate, 100 teams in the final, of four people each. 400 out of 3,997,000? Maths tells me that BRA have mathematicians in the top 0.01% of the UK (or about that range) and we know that many budding pupils, most likely better than me, haven’t joined the maths team yet. Who knows why, but anyway, take this as an invitation!

And so the sun sets on this year’s maths championship. Like the majestic sloth sleeping in the jungle, or the jellyfish lying on the beach, slowly dehydrating, it’s time we lay the topic to rest for a bit. Thank you for reading, students of BRA.

Jack Green (FV)

FRIENDS OF THE ACADEMY

Friends of the Academy (FOTA) is a committee of parents, staff and other friends of Belfast Royal Academy. The aim of the group is to enhance the

School experience of pupils and parents through fundraising and supporting School events.

FOTA continued to support both Ben Madigan and the Grammar School during 2016 – 2017. Activities were organised, sometimes for fundraising purposes and sometimes to provide a service for the School community. A number of uniform sales were held throughout the year, for which we received positive feedback from a number of parents, and a successful Table Quiz was held in November which was hosted in the Jackson Suite.

A highlight was the annual dinner dance, which was held in the Dunadry Hotel. Refreshments were also provided at a range of School events in the course of the year, such as the Ben Madigan and Grammar School Carol Services, the two Open Evenings and the Open Morning in May.

The Welcome Breakfast for the parents of the new Form One pupils was another great success at the end of August.

GEOGRAPHY FIELDWORK

FORM I TEMPERATURE AND WIND SPEED IN BRA

During September 2017, the Geography classes were 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, the swimming pool and outside the Jackson.

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 temperature to stop fluctuating. To measure the wind speed, we held the thermometer in the air for 3 minutes and recorded the average

M.T.W.

speed. Then we went back to the classroom to find the average of all the results.

Geographers FI

FORM II GEOGRAPHY FIELDTRIP

HOLYWOOD COAST

Form II travelled to Holywood for their Coastal Defence fieldwork during May. We walked along the coastal path examining, photographing and sketching the main coastal defences on this part of the coast. All the pupils had time to examine the rock armour, gabions, riprap, straight sea wall and the curved sea wall. Teachers explained how each of the defence measures we visited did their job. Back at BRA this information was used to complete the project.

Geographers (II)

FORM IV GEOGRAPHY FIELD TRIP

Belfast to survey the public on their attitudes towards migration for their Controlled Assessment task. Over 50 pupils gathered in different areas of the City Centre and asked passers-by numerous questions on the topic.

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 evaluation. 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.

Geographers (IV)

LOWER VI GEOGRAPHY FIELD TRIP

On the 31st January the AS Geographers travelled from Roughfort to Carryduff to carry out field work for their Module 3 examination. We stopped 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 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 after was enjoyed by all.

Geographers (LVI)

On Thursday 15th June 2017, GCSE Geography pupils from Form IV went into the centre of

MVI FIELD TRIP

On 15th September 2017, 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 complete, with questions regarding their experiences of Newcastle as a tourist resort. When we finished, we were picked up in Newcastle and delivered back to School.

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.

Geographers (MVI)

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

CHANGE MAKERS PROGRAMME

Once again, ten Lower Sixth pupils participated in two School-based workshops which focused on local and global citizenship issues, team-building activities with our partner school (De La Salle College) and planning fund-raising activities.

The group’s volunteer day at a Habitat refurbishment project involved cleaning and decorating church halls on the Shankill Road, in preparation for a new debt counselling service being established on site.

The group raised £12500 for a Habitat project in a developing country through a variety of fundraising ventures, including bun sales, car boot sales and quizzes.

T.M.B.

Fascinatingly fun; two words that sum up my experience on the Hadrian’s Wall trip. I could dwell on describing how great it was by aimlessly listing off as many synonyms of fun I can find, but that would be me invoking my old friend ‘Tangent’ who seems to always distract me in some shape or form. Anyway, the experience wasn’t made great simply because I was getting away from school, there were many different factors: the glorious weather, our incredibly patient and friendly coach driver, the freedom we had to shop and explore, the different sites that allowed us to experience the history for ourselves and last but certainly not least, the dedicated teachers we had there with us.

I expected to feel a little daunted going on the trip, except to my surprise, I felt totally comfortable in my surroundings. Apart from the swaying of the boat, being on the Ferry was amusing enough. The trips in the coach, though long, I found to be very entertaining; from listening to music on my phone, chatting to my roommate, enjoying the scenery, to also laughing hysterically at the boys blasting music from the back. Sometimes they sang, if they sounded good or bad, I’ll leave that to your imagination. I thoroughly enjoyed the scenic routes we took, in England as well as parts of Scotland. It being summer, the country was bursting to life with vibrant flowers all over the place, I’ve taken some really great photos on the trip.

Relaying back what I learned, I would say it was incredibly interesting. That may be to do with my being somewhat of a shall I say, ‘Latin-learninglover,’ but I highly doubt someone else went home not having learned something. I loved the way I suddenly wasn’t learning about Rome but Roman Britain, it made it all the more interesting as the country was not so unfamiliar. The different sites we went to, obviously Hadrian’s wall for one, really put what I’d been reading from a textbook into real life. Seeing Corbridge Roman Town, for example, made it easier for me to visualise Latin translations back in the classroom. I remember seeing Roman artefacts, some intriguing me and others mildly shocking me; like the skull left with a chunk missing due to head trauma, or the entire wall of battered old shoes, including baby shoes, that had been left behind. If I remember correctly, the mud around the area acted like a cement, preserving them. Don’t let my turn of phrase alarm you, I found all of it very interesting, even if the history was sometimes violent.

The Roman history wasn’t the only learning experience. I had the opportunity of travelling around England, a country alien to me beforehand. I was informed by Mrs McGowan on the history

HADRIAN’S WALL TRIP

of Gretna Green and its reputation for eloping runaway couples long ago; this particularly pleased me because a few months later I could understand the meaning of the mentioned Gretna Green in Pride and Prejudice, which I have been reading. I was also able to catch a glimpse of the ‘Angel of the North’ which I had heard of before. I learned something else, a kind of double-edged sword thing to learn. I was ecstatic that I was able to buy books in England that I’d never seen before back home!

To summarise, I gained knowledge of the history and culture of Roman Britain, I made new friends and earned valuable social skills, I got to know some of my teachers better and I got to experience a little independency. Not to mention the newfound excitement I gained to study Latin, which was already one of my favourite subjects. If you are in junior school and have been given this opportunity, take it! Especially if you take an interest in Latin. I very much doubt you’d regret going. I cannot think of a time on the trip I wished to go home, I savoured every second of it. There was a sense of loss when stepping off of that coach for the very last time. It felt as if the joyous little bubble I’d been placed in was abruptly burst. Although, I was sad to see it all ending, it only made me appreciate the experience I’d been given more. To you reading, who may be going on the trip, I hope you thoroughly enjoy it. Sadly, I can’t promise you’ll receive the wondrous weather we received!

Eva Clarke (FIII)

LESSONS FROM AUSCHWITZ PROJECT

In March and April, Jacob Brady (LVI) and Laura Fleck (MVI) took part in the Lessons from Auschwitz project, run by the Holocaust

Educational Trust, which saw 200 students from across Northern Ireland participate in the project which examines the Holocaust and its relevance for us today. Since 1999, over 30,000 students and teachers have taken part in the Holocaust Educational Trust's Lessons from Auschwitz Project. The project was reintroduced to Northern Irish students after the NI Executive provided addition funding. The LFA Project aims to increase knowledge and understanding of the Holocaust for young people and to clearly highlight what can happen if prejudice and racism become acceptable. The project culminated in a one-day visit to Auschwitz in March, to allow the students to see for themselves the site where so many people died.

Laura Fleck reflects on her experience:

I have always been interested in the Holocaust and the mistreatment of Jews. With extreme political changes happening in modern times, I was keen to learn about fascism and the history surrounding the period of Nazism. This programme offered me the opportunity to tell others about the sad history that effected Europe in the 20th Century.

The project involved four stages. The first stage is the orientation. This involved meeting other participants and taking part in some group work activities. We also heard first-hand testimony from a Holocaust survivor, Mala Tribich. This served to prepare us for what we’d see with the one-day visit to the Nazi concentration and death camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau. Combined, these experiences really helped us as we started to learn about the Holocaust and its complex history.

At our first seminar, Mala talked about her experience as a young girl during the Holocaust; this hit home, as it was the first time I have ever heard a survivor speak about something so unimaginable and horrific with such calmness in her voice. Mala had been so young when her family was torn apart, but even at such a young age Mala was able to fight to survive. She even found the strength to look after her small cousin throughout the war. Both she and her cousin survived. However, they lost the majority of their family as the Nazis murdered Jews across Europe.

What really stuck with me was Mala’s bravery and courage. Instead of pushing what happened to the back of her mind, never to speak about again, she took her experience and began to tell others, educating both the young and old about the Holocaust. Mala tells her story because she wants people to know what happened to her family and 6 million other men, women and children. She tells her story so that young people like Jacob and I understand that, when we remember the 6 million victims of the Holocaust, we are remembering mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, husbands and wives. This isn’t just a statistic – we’re talking about real people. Real people whose pasts, traditions and cultures should be remembered.

When we visited Auschwitz-Birkenau, I was able to see the true magnitude of the Holocaust, something I was unable to comprehend before the visit. It’s hard to put in to words. I was overwhelmed by the sheer size of the complex. Looking at the barracks I could see how bad the conditions of the work and death camp were. We were joined by Rabbi Marcus on the visit, and at the end of the day he led a moment of reflection which was allowed us to help process the things we had seen.

Since returning, Jacob and I participated in the follow-up sessions and in June we took junior school assemblies on the Holocaust in an attempt to pass on what we’ve learnt from this experience to other students. It’s certainly an experience I will never forget and the lesson for all of us is to remember the stories behind the statistics.

On Sunday 23rd April, Jacob and Laura were asked to speak at the Yom HaShoah memorial event in Belfast Castle about their experiences in the programme. Speaking with confidence, they talked of the importance of remembering those

who died as a result of the Holocaust, what they learnt through the programme and seeing firsthand the place where so many had died. Other speakers included former Education Minister, Peter Weir, relatives of Holocaust survivors and the Rabbi, David Singer.

POLITICS TRIP TO STORMONT

Lower Sixth Politics students enjoyed two morning visits to Parliament Buildings, Stormont as part of their AS Level course at the beginning of April. The visit covered key aspects of the AS course and provided opportunities to meet with committee clerks and MLAs. These meetings

K.S.B.

provided an opportunity for the students to get useful examples for their exam because the clerks know the story of how legislation is negotiated and amended.

With the political crisis keeping MLAs out of the Assembly Chamber, it allowed students the opportunity to sit in their seats (a privilege not allowed in Westminster) and to hold an impromptu debate on whether voting rights should be extended to 16-17 year olds. Of course, the party talks also meant that the visit was cut short with fewer MLAs around to be able to meet the students, although Nichola Mallon (SDLP) and Trevor Lunn (Alliance) had time to meet the group on Monday.

Students in the second visit had every right to feel short changed, as the talks stepped up a gear on Tuesday and so MLAs weren’t so able to meet students. However, as the group was about to leave, a Sinn Fein delegation were arriving in and Marina from the Education Service was able to call the Sinn Fein President, Gerry Adams, over for a quick chat and photo with the students. Thanks once again to the Education Service for organising the visit.

PRIMARY SCHOOL PROGRAMME

In the last academic year Sixth Form pupils participated in the School’s long-standing Primary School Experience programme. Every Wednesday afternoon from the start of October until Easter, the pupils attended one of nearly twenty schools in North or West Belfast to gain experience of working with children while supporting the class teacher. A wide range of activities were undertaken, including literacy and numeracy support, PE and games classes, music and language lessons and drama productions. Our pupils were highly praised by the staff of their host schools for their conscientious attitude, helpfulness and good humour, and the pupils themselves thoroughly enjoyed the experience while gaining valuable skills in a professional setting.

SAVE THE CHILDREN FUND

The Save the Children fundraising campaign at Belfast Royal Academy continued to prosper, with a variety of enjoyable events organised throughout the School year. We started the School year with the Great BRA Bake Off, where a large number of students, from all years, showcased their fabulous cake creations. The tasty treats were then sold to a hungry crowd of pupils at lunch time, with all the proceeds going to Save the Children.

As the term progressed, we came to the annual Sponsored Walk where pupils individually fundraised for a number of charities. The Save the Children team hosted a delicious BBQ to greet the pupils after completing the walk, a very fun way of fundraising money for this charity.

Next, came the staff Christmas jumper day, which gave the teachers the chance to showcase their wackiest and cheeriest jumpers for the season. In addition to adding to the Christmas spirit in

K.S.B.

School, this was a very successful way of fundraising for the Save the Children charity.

The very popular BRA’s Got Talent was proudly hosted by the Save the Children committee across two days of term. Students displayed their hidden talents, including singing, dancing, playing a variety of musical instruments and stand-up comedy. This was very entertaining for the whole School and we would like to thank all pupils and staff who took part.

The yearly non-uniform day, in aid of Save the Children, gave students the opportunity to contribute to the charity by donating £2 to a worthwhile cause. This enabled them to come into School in their favourite clothes.

After yet another extremely successful year, the committee has raised over £4000, for the charity, through many organised events participated in and enjoyed by all. We would like to thank Mrs McMillen, Mrs McIntyre, Mrs Cummings, Dr Bell and all other staff who contributed, for their continued support and commitment, making our time at serving on the committee a delightful and rewarding experience.

Save the Children Committee

10TH SPANISH EXCHANGE WITH IES ESCULTOR JUAN DE VILLANUEVA

After the long, nervous, anticipated wait for Wednesday 13th of September it had finally come. The day of our Spanish partners’ arrival. Our Whatsapp group chat had gone insane throughout the day, with countless notifications showing everyone's excitement.

We collected our partners from Belfast International Airport with our families and brought them home for the first family meal. After a well needed sleep, the next day we went into School and sent our partners off with Dioni and Isabel, while we went to class. The Spaniards met with Mrs Woods, followed by a trip to Crumlin Road Goal and the Peace Walls. That night was the very first night together as a group and we took our partners to the beloved We Are Vertigo, always a firm favourite.

The following day our partners set off into the city centre to the City Hall, where they chatted with the Lord Mayor. After a spending spree in O’Carroll’s, we collected our partners and returned home for a brief rest, before setting back out again for the welcome dinner in Villa Italia, and celebrated Maria’s birthday.

Saturday had finally arrived, the day left free for us to do whatever we wanted. Some jumped out of bed early in the morning to participate in their sports matches, and others, preferred to have the extra few hours’ sleep. Nevertheless, despite where everyone went or what everyone did during the day, we all met up as a group again that night and we spent the rest of the evening together.

Sunday, yet again, was set aside for activities with families, which ranged from visiting the museum, going out for lunch or walking up the Cavehill. It was evident by Sunday night that the Spaniards really did miss their ‘siestas’ and we did not complain!

Monday arrived and the Spanish pupils headed off to the bitter cold air of the Giants’ Causeway, followed by the annual fearful trip across the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. That night, the group met up for a game of bowling, clearly showing everybody’s competitive side.

By Tuesday, reality had set in that it was the last full day. Our Asturian visitors attended Assembly and tutorial, something which was rather new to them and then they attended Art and Music classes. The Titanic Museum was the last tourist stop for the Spaniards and after having visited there, we finished off el décimo in Belfast with a Nando’s. Spirits were still high on the Wednesday morning when we all parted and bided ‘hasta luego’, as we knew we would see each other in a few days’ time.

Cara Carson (LVI)

‘My brother did the Exchange programme last year and told me how special it was; I can honestly say that this was the best experience of my life so far.’ Ana Carrascal Vázquez

‘The Exchange was great. I have made a friend for life and I can’t wait to see him again in the Summer.’ Pedro Del Canto Baragaño

‘I loved the main building of the School- it’s like Hogwarts. This has been such an amazing trip.’ Marina Rodríguez Díaz

After saying goodbye to our Spanish partners in Belfast, we couldn't wait to arrive in Asturias to see them again and meet their families. Early morning of Sunday 24th September commenced our 10th annual Spanish Exchange trip to the Instituto Juan de Villanueva in Pola de Siero, Asturias. After one flight, two coach journeys and a lot of anticipation, we had (almost) finished our journey, arriving at the bus station in Oviedo, the capital city of Asturias. All of us were received with a warm welcome and open arms by our host families. By this stage it was past 10.00pm local

time and the whole group was exhausted, but excited for everything to come. The next morning would begin our week at Juan de Villanueva, our partners' school in Pola de Siero.

We braced the early Monday morning, and from the beginning, we were struck by the differences between their school and ours. From the lack of uniform to the teachers being known on a first name basis, the differences made for a very different and much more easy-going atmosphere at the school, in comparison to what we are used to. We were greeted by the headmaster, Sergio; he was delighted to welcome BRA students once again and talked to us about the importance of the exchange and the friendships formed during it. He wished us well as we set off on our first excursion, this time to Oviedo.

We met with Juan de Villanueva's former headmaster, Carlos Gonzalez, who took us on a tour of the city and helped us gain some cultural and historical insight. As students who are studying the GCSE or A Level Spanish course, this was the first test of our translation and listening skills on the trip, as the tour was given entirely in Spanish. We were then given some time to see the city for ourselves, which we used as an opportunity to admire local sights, try authentic food and browse the Spanish high street before returning to the school to meet up with our Spanish partners again.

We spent Tuesday in the area of Pola de Siero and visited the town hall for a meeting with the local mayor, where we had the chance to discuss the economy, education and current political issues with him. We also visited the local hostel for pilgrims of St James' way, where we were warmly welcomed and given a unique insight into this aspect of Spanish culture and tradition. Finally, we took a tour of the Central Lechera Asturiana, a hugely important dairy factory which plays a major role in region's industry and exports products all over Spain.

Wednesday started with a cooking lesson through one of the school’s programmes oriented towards over-18s, where we made marzipan with the teacher Jose Maria Labrador, using a most surprising ingredient - potatoes! We were all ordered to wear hairnets, shoe covers, gloves and overalls, a different experience to say the least, and one which I hope no one has submitted photos of for The Owl. We then visited “el Museo de Sidra” in Nava, and learnt about how traditional Asturian cider is made, along with its importance in the region’s culture and history and folkloric music and sporting traditions.

On Thursday, we were scheduled to attend classes with our Spanish partners, and BRA pupils went to a variety of classes including Spanish language,

Economics and PE. After classes, we met in the Assembly Hall with the English teachers, the Headmaster, our Spanish partners and BRA teachers, to celebrate the 10th annual exchange between our two schools. In the middle of the room adorned with decorations was a cake with the names of our schools iced on, and a 10th birthday candle to top it off. We watched a video documenting the trips, and enjoyed all the good memories we had made over the course of the experience. Dioni, an English teacher at the school, talked to us about the benefits brought about by the connection between our two schools. Over the years, more than 200 students and their families have had the chance to learn a new language, but more importantly, to form brand new friendships with people from a completely different part of the world. Academy students then got the opportunity to try bolos, a traditional Asturian sport. The chairman of the bolos Federation explained the rules to us and was particularly taken by Harry Warke’s skills in the game- and excited at the prospect of an international competition!

That afternoon, the BRA group and Spanish group alike went to Gijón, a large city on the Asturian coast, to take in the sights through a photo challenge planned by Dioni. We spent hours in the blazing hot sun, enjoying the beautiful San Lorenzo beach and exploring the city in small groups in an effort to complete Dioni’s challenge, taking photos at well-known sights. The day didn’t end there. The whole group returned to Pola de Siero and dined together in El Pumarin restaurant, celebrating another successful exchange.

The week was already jam-packed, but the best part was about to begin: we left Pola de Siero bus station early on Friday morning to visit Covadonga, a village nestled in the famous Picos de Europa mountain range. Spanish and Northern Irish students alike admired the breath-taking views of the mountains and lakes, and saw the beautiful Covadonga Basilica. This was a highlight of the trip for all of us, and some of our group could only define it as the most extraordinary place they had ever seen (sorry Mournes!).

On Friday evening, the whole group arranged to meet at Cafe Gaso where we could all spend time as a group and try the Spanish delicacy of pipas(a type of salted sunflower seeds) which most of us grew to love.

Saturday was our first lie-in, and the day was spent with our respective adopted Spanish families. The last night of our trip arrived quickly, and we spent it in Oviedo as a group, which was our final opportunity to say goodbye to the city...for the meantime.

The dreaded Sunday morning arrived, and we travelled to the bus station to return home to Belfast. The exchange allowed us to form close and lasting friendships, so when the time came to say goodbye, tears were shed. The trip taught us more about Spanish language and culture than any textbook ever could, and was an incredible way to use what we had studied over the years. The experience taught both groups, Spanish and Northern Irish, about a different way of life.

For those of us in our last year of school, the exchange has been an experience none of us will soon forget, and for those with more time to go, you can be sure they will jump at the opportunity to repeat this unique and enriching trip! We are extremely proud to have such a growing interest in Spanish at BRA, and we want to thank our partner school, Instituto Juan de Villanueva, for making this experience so memorable every year.

Tara Cavan (MVI)

THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CHEMISTRY SCHOOLS’ ANALYST COMPETITION

On the 12th March, a team of three Lower sixth 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 Douglas Adams, Shane Martin and Jasmine Ross and were up against nine 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 in their understanding of chemical analysis and their ability to work safely as a team. The format of the competition is the same for each year. Each team carried out three experiments which all carried equal marks.

After three hours of practical work, the BRA team were awarded fourth place overall. The experience gained was invaluable to the members of the team and I congratulate them on their performance.

B.M.M.

THE SCHOOL COUNCIL

The School Council is a representative group of the student body of the School. This year, it met, each term, to discuss and improve areas of School life that are important to the pupils. The School Council is formed by drawing members from the Pupil Council, which is composed of a boy and girl representative for every House in each form. From each form, two pupils, one boy and one girl, are then elected to represent their form on the School Council. The Pupil Council meets regularly to compile the agenda for the School Council meetings and to respond to the School Council's action points. The School Council is chaired by Ms Graham, who was aided by the Head Boy, Thomas Carey, acting as Vice Chair and the Head Girl, Abby Wallace, acting as Secretary.

With the onset of the academic year, the School Council began to take action in order to represent the pupil body effectively and improve the daily running of the School. A range of issues were presented for discussion by members of the School Council, which were reflective of the concerns of the whole student body of the School.his included discussions which concerned the School Development Plan, the October Prize Day ceremony, the venue for public examinations, water fountains, the issue and improvement of toilet facilities in School, review of the AntiBullying Policy, the issue of hoodies in School and the matter of heating in School.

All councillors individually worked hard to take immediate action and to contribute to the meetings, consulting members of staff to reach their action points. This year, they have created very positive and immediate changes, which are noticeable in the everyday aspects of School life, and have created a basis for next year's School Council to develop further. On behalf of both the School and Pupil Council, I would like to thank all members of staff who met with School council members to help us reach our targets.

In addition, both the School and pupil council were fortunate to benefit from a training morning, which took place on Monday 10th October, 2016. The aim of this session was to encourage councillors to use their skills by speaking out and working with others. The session challenged councillors’ ability to work on teams and present and discuss ideas in a constructive manner. The day was found to be beneficial to all involved.

The School Council also organised a non-uniform day which was held on Friday 21st October and supported a number of charities. The day raised just over £2000. Councillors decided that the main beneficiary of the non-uniform day would be Parkinson’s UK, a leading researcher which provides care and support to those suffering from Parkinson’s disease. A sum of money was also donated to The Public Initiative for Prevention of Suicide (or PIPS), and The Simon Community.

The School Council would like to thank Bex Osgood, LVI, who acted as the secretary to the pupil council. Bex produced the minutes for each meeting of the Pupil Council, which formed the agenda for the School Council meetings. On behalf of both the School and Pupil Councils, I would like to thank both Ms Graham and Mrs Robb for their continued hard work and support of both councils throughout the year. I would also like to thank all members of staff who gave up their time to attend pupil council meeting or met with representatives to help us improve School life, such as Mr Goodfellow, Mr Hastings, Dr Scully, The Headmaster and The Board of Governors. Their eagerness to listen and help has enabled us to address and improve important issues on behalf of the entire student body of the School.

I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to be a part of the School and Pupil council this year. As one of the most active and influential groups in School, the School Council plays a pivotal role in enabling our, the pupils, voices to be heard. It has been rewarding to see the improvements brought about by the work of the School Council this year and I hope that these improvements will continue to benefit pupils in the future.

Abby Wallace (MVI)

SCHOOL LIBRARY

Imagine a place where all students feel welcome and are encouraged to grow and learn. That space is the School Library at Belfast Royal Academy. The library continued to be integral to the cultural and social life of the School. It remained a central point for all kinds of reading, learning activities,

access to information, knowledge building, deep thinking and lively discussion. With its flexible multi-use approach, the library’s physical space enabled a range of activities including quiet reading, study, library lessons and Scholastic book fairs.

The 6th October 2016 was National Poetry Day, and in honour of this, the library hosted its annual poetry competition. The theme was ‘Messages’ with the spur to “say it with a poem”, encouraging everyone to send poems to friends, family and the wider world. In advance of National Poetry Day, the library hosted a Junior Poetry Competition. Judges were highly impressed with the poetic endeavours of the pupils. The School library received many wonderful entries. The overall winners were:

1st place- Eva Clarke (FI)

2nd place- Eve Henderson (FIII)

3rd place- Madison Campbell (FII)

4th place- Hannah Shevlin (FII)

The winners read their poems aloud on National Poetry Day. In honour of the theme of ‘Messages’, pupils also produced and performed a short drama. Several members of staff recited

famous poems on the theme of ‘Messages’. The School Library had a most exciting and enjoyable celebration of National Poetry Day 2016.

Thursday 2nd March 2016 was World Book Day. The School Library continued its history of celebrating authors, illustrators, books and reading. Thanks to National Book Tokens and lots of lovely book publishers and booksellers, World Book Day, in partnership with schools throughout the UK, distributed more than 14 million £1 World Book Day book tokens to children (that’s almost one for every child/young person under 18 in the UK and Ireland). The School Library at BRA ensured each pupil received their book token. When the pupils received their book token, all they needed to do was take it to their local bookshop or to the book fair in the library and swap it for one of ten (exclusive, new and completely free) World Book Day publications. Or, if they preferred, the pupils could use their book token to get £1 off any full price book instead.

The literary knowledge of Junior Book Club members was also put to the test during World Book Day. The club gathered at the library, for the big bumper BRA book quiz to mark this special day. Questions were divided into nine categories which included authors, titles, fairy tales, literary

quotes and cryptic clues. Miss McAtamney decided to finish the quiz with a formidable ‘Take a guess’ round. Pupils were asked a range of puzzling questions including:

- How many fictional books are currently on loan from the School Library?

- How many records does the School Library currently hold?

The pupils with the closest guesses to the answers were awarded prizes. Many fun prizes were up for grabs including books, Easter Eggs, stationery, playing cards, cookies and muffins, to name but a few! Particular congratulations to Daniel McIlroy from year 10. Daniel managed to win a total of three prizes.

Two successful Scholastic Book Fairs were hosted throughout the year, generating £392.57 worth of free books for the library.

Miss McAtamney and Miss Keenan organised and hosted a program of weekly shared reading sessions for pupils with Marnie Kennedy from Stories@theDuncairn . This organisation has

several relationships with other literary organisations promoting a love for reading, including Fighting Words Belfast, Libraries NI, Booktrust NI and The Reader Organisation. Academy pupils thoroughly enjoyed reading, whilst connecting with other people. Each week a short story and poem were read aloud and discussed.

A group of Academy pupils have continued to actively participate weekly in literary events at the nearby Duncairn Arts Centre, notably the ‘Write Club’ through Fighting Words Belfast. Participating pupils set out on a story-writing journey with trained volunteer mentors, working at first collaboratively and then individually to create new stories. All participants leave as published writers with their own storybook.

The School Library also continued to run its highly successful Accelerated Reader Programme with Form I and II classes. Congratulations to the 17 pupils named below who read over a million words throughout the year:

1. Theo Hayward

2. Connor Gillam

3. Sarah McCarney

4. Jay Nicholson

5. Kaitlyn Toal

6. Ethan Willey

7. Matt Clokey

8. Sophia Mallon

9. Soham Ghosh

10. Adam Edwards

11. Eleanor Black

12. Anna Wilson

13. Oliver Scott

14. Ebony Hoogelander

A particularly big well done goes to Theo Hayward who managed to read over 5 million words, Connor Gillam who read over 3 million words and Sarah McCarney, Jay Nicholson and Kaitlyn Toal who all read over 2 million words.

SCRIPTURE UNION TRIP TO POLAND

On the 23rd of March 2017, once Erin got her McCafé coffee, we were ready to get a 5:30a.m. bus to Dublin. The sixteen-strong team were greeted with open arms by Henryk, our contact in Poland, and enjoyed our first part of Polish culture and cuisine when we arrived: KFC and Sephora. We then followed him in our boys’ and girls’ buses to his house where he had, stock-piled in his garage, hundreds of items of food. I was impressed to hear that these breads, teas, fruits and vegetable were donated by supermarkets and wholesalers; it would have otherwise been thrown out because of its sell-by dates, but instead the Joy Foundation could use it as part of its ministry to feed impoverished people.

15. Logan Mawhinney

16. Martyna Urbanczyk

17. David Monahan

We divided it all up into boxes and loaded it onto Henryk’s van, a process that we would continue throughout our time there. Unlike last year, we got to deliver the food, clothes and toiletries to Warsaw homes and some of us were shocked to see just how in need of charity or government help people were. For me personally, I started to remember truly what my purpose was there and the reason for the arduous preparation and fundraising.

In the evening, we were treated to a quick tour of Warsaw, Old Town by Henryk and we visited the Wedel chocolate café to which my Lent exception was arranged. After this we ate in an interestingly decorated, traditional Ukrainian restaurant and were exposed to authentic music, food and a peculiar meat platter. We, (or at least those of us who were still awake) ended the night with a team meeting and Bible study which we had together every morning and every night during the trip.

The next day we got up early and the team was split into two. Half of the team went to a bakery and loaded up the van with bread made the day before, which was deemed still safe to eat as it wasn’t too stale. My half of the team went to the World Food Bank and Makro to collect more supplies for the community and the youth weekend we would run. Once the food was sorted at the Seminary, where we were staying, we loaded it into the van and left for the Poor Church, where the bread we collected was being given out to the people who came to the service at which we

sang. Matthew gave a testimony and Thomas shared the Gospel.

After that we returned to the Seminary where the teens who had signed up to the weekend where arriving. Some of these children travelled from across Poland from orphanages and others came from Warsaw. We also met a small team of Americans, who helped to cook for us and to whom we grew closer over the course of the weekend. We went to the meeting hall where we sang and shared in fellowship, a sermon on Joseph, the theme of the weekend was given by Harry (Genesis 37-50). I shared my own testimony in this session; Mr Morrison asked us to share a moment from our lives where we felt God’s presence the most and experienced His peace. It, for some reason seemed to be when our Polish peers listened the most because, I feel, we were speaking honestly and being vulnerable

Saturday started with a sermon, by Cameron, about Joseph and Potiphar’s wife. Samantha shared her testimony and it was my highlight of the weekend. We then split the team again and half took the teenagers into Warsaw for a “photo challenge” and impromptu Zumba lesson, while myself and the others delivered food parcels made the day before. When everyone was back home, the campers were split into groups of 15 along with two of us from the team and a leader to translate. The afternoon was filled with various sessions: past, present, future and image; with sports and games in-between. Matthew and I were taught the words for duck, duck, goose in Polish; however, we decided that it was easier for the Polish teenagers to learn the English than it was for the two of us to learn the Polishk. Throughout the afternoon, Matthew and I opened up to our group (or “nasza grupa” which was shouted rather loudly, as we represented ourselves in ultimate frisbee) just as they did us. I remember feeling really strange as for the first time people felt really moved by what I had to say and it was overwhelming to me.

After this was another meeting, where a message was given by Andrew about Joseph’s time in prison. There was a concert by a rap group made up of some of the teens, formed from Arka, which

I enjoyed more than I should have and even got a signed CD.

Sunday was the last day of our trip to Poland. We finished it with one final sermon, taken by Mr Morrison about Joseph’s release from prison, this involved a rather lively (and violent) re-enactment play from some of the guys. That was the end of the weekend and we all returned home to Dublin airport exhausted, but sad that we couldn’t have stayed longer.

It was a rewarding trip to say the least. I definitely got as much, if not, more out of it than I had put into it. As a Christian, I didn’t do it for the recognition, but the encouragement I got from seeing how things were put into perspective, by how thankful people were for so little and growing closer to the team and in my relationship with God.

Rebecca Carse (LVI)

SIXTH FORM TRIP TO BERLIN AND KRAKOW

In the (very, very) early hours of Thursday morning during the October half term, 29 students and teachers met up at the School to start travelling for our long-anticipated trip to Berlin and Krakow. After 2 hours in a couch and 2 hours

in a plane, we finally arrived at Berlin International Airport. A short coach ride later, we came to the Meininger Hotel and then were taken on a walking tour of Berlin by our local tour guide Tatianna. We were all surprised at just how cold Berlin was, but nonetheless we had a lot of fun exploring the city, especially the chocolate shop! We arrived back at the hotel in time for dinner and everyone was grateful for the warmth. To finish an already busy day, we went to see the glass dome of the Reichstag, which was beautiful and much bigger than expected and we enjoyed some fantastic views of the city. Perhaps unsurprisingly, once we got back to the hotel, we were all extremely tired and went straight to bed.

On Friday, we had the privilege to go and see where the Berlin Wall once stood and see the parts that remained. The was a big section still left up and the information boards gave us some insight into what life was like for those who lived on either side of it. We then went to the New Museum in the Kulturbrauerei, where we learnt more about what life in East Germany was like with the wall. After lunch in Alexanderplatz, we made our way to Checkpoint Charlie where we were able to explore life in Germany through different pictures, videos and writings and see the famous sign which told us we were entering the American sector. After dinner in the hotel, we made our way to the Berlin TV Tower, built by the East Germans to show off their city. The Tower is 203m tall and there was originally some confusion as to whether

we were revolving or not! Once it was determined that we definitely were not moving, we got to appreciate the panoramic views of Berlin and took lots of photos.

Saturday was our last day in Berlin, so there was a lot of last minute packing, but once this was done we made our way to the Olympic Stadium, where we were given a tour and got to see the cauldron where the Olympic torch was lit in 1936 and learned what the Games were like under Nazi control. Lots of photos were taken outside; including all manner of jumping, athletic poses and even a dabbing photo! We went to lunch at Route 66 restaurant, which was delicious. After time on Kurfustendamm shopping, we loaded up the coach and departed for a 7-hour coach ride to Krakow. We were all sad to see Berlin but excited to explore Poland and see if Berlin’s cold weather could be matched!

We arrived in the early hours at our hotel. We were able to get a few hours’ sleep before we got

breakfast and left on a walking tour of Krakow with our local tour guide Kinga. Krakow is a beautiful city and we got to appreciate some of its history. We learnt that the Nazis also thought Krakow was a magnificent city and so much is left intact, despite the impact of the Second World War. We finished the tour in the old Jewish Quarter and saw the Jewish Ghetto, where Jews were transported to prior to the ‘Final Solution’. Kinga told us a little bit about what living in the ghetto was like and, being able to see places like the pharmacy which treated people in the Ghetto, made the whole experience come alive. After lunch we had the much-anticipated visit to the Galicia Museum, where we met with a Holocaust survivor, Rena Rauch. Even though she spoke no English, we had a translator so the language barrier didn’t affect us much. She told us her story of being born in the Ghetto while her father was one of the Jews working in Schlinder’s factory. Her story was gripping as on many occasions she narrowly escaped death but thankfully, made it through the war and was eventually reunited with her family. She told us what life was like after the war under communism and the personal struggles

she faced. She eventually became happily married and had a son. We were all very thankful to have had the opportunity to speak to her and ask her questions about live in Poland as a young Jewish girl.

On Monday, after a well-deserved rest, we woke up early in order to get the couch to Auschwitz. In two separate groups we were given a tour at both sites of the Auschwitz camp. I don’t think there was anyone who wasn’t moved by being at the place where so many lost their lives. We had our own memorial service where the teachers said some words about the suffering the people at this camp experienced and how discrimination and racism still exists today. As we reflected on all of this, we lit a candle each and placed it at the foot of the memorial. For many people in the group, this was a moving and appropriate end to our visit. After our lunch at the Art Deco restaurant, we went to the Park Wodny Waterpark to help lighten the mood. After a very busy day, we were grateful to be back in bed after we packed our bags, ready for our last day.

Once we checked our bags on Tuesday morning, we made our way to the Wieliczka Salt Mine. We descended A LOT of stairs and our tour guide showed us around the mine, surprisingly enough, everything was made out of salt, including the walls which Ms McCay proceeded to lick (at the tour guide’s suggestion!) just to make sure. We explored Krakow some more and made our way to our final stop at Schindler’s Factory Museum, where we were got to see Schindler’s office and see many of the stories from some of the Schindler Jews. This was particularly meaningful, as we had all watched the movie together before we left on the trip. We then made our way to the John Paul II International Airport and we said our goodbyes. Everyone on the trip got on well with each other and we all learnt more about what life was like in Poland and Germany during the war. We had fun and the freedom to explore both countries independently, as well as being in a group. Thanks to the teachers involved in making it so memorable, especially Miss McCay who led us in Berlin and Miss Barnett who organised it. The things we saw will stay with us.

Aoibh Moorehead (LVI)

SPONSORED WALK

The Sponsored Walk took place on a fine October day, with over 1000 pupils participating. New safety measures on the course and a slight alteration to the route ensured that everyone safely completing 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, whilst raising nearly £7000 in the process.

SKI TRIP TO ERWALD 2017

This year around 100 pupils and 11 staff headed off to Erwald, in Austria, on New Year’s Day. We arrived late at night, and had to do our ski fit immediately to allow us to start skiing early the next morning. You can imagine how long this took with over 100 people to be fitted. Anticipation of a full day’s skiing the following day persuaded most to have a good night’s sleep. Mrs Gilmore and Mrs Millar had the pleasure of some of the Form IV girls in the room next door and sleep was something they seemed to be able to do without!

We had five fantastic days skiing, in lovely conditions, and many beginners progressed from the nursery slopes very quickly. They left behind the snow plough and quickly moved into parallel turns at great speed. Dr Mort was really determined to improve from a snow plough to parallel turns, and, with some private tuition from Mr Moles, he was flying down the slopes in no time.

P.D.

In the evenings, there was plenty on offer, from indoor climbing wall to air rifle shooting to swimming and some just wanted to play snooker back at the hotel. The trip was filled with laughs and stories of the biggest falls of the day or who hit the fastest maximum speed down the slopes. A big thank you to Mr Murphy for organising the trip and making it so enjoyable.

THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD

During 2016-2017, our large membership remained steady at 401 pupils from Forms III to Middle VI. The Academy now has the largest school-based 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 year: 39 Bronze Awards, 16 Silver Awards and 9 Gold Awards. The total number of awards gained from 1984 to date are: Bronze –1,308; Silver – 684; Gold – 455.

Congratulations must go to the nine pupils, and past pupils, who gained the Gold Award: Luke Auterson, Olivia Burke, Henry Cavan, Ana Desmond, Sarah Ennis, Rebecca Harbinson, Antoinette Leonard, Chris McConnell (MVI), Sarah Whittley.

A very full and successful programme of expedition work in the Mourne Mountains, Upper and Lower Lough Erne and in the Glencoe, Fort William and Lochaber area in Scotland was carried out during the year, directly involving 223 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 K. Cheung, Miss L. Dugan, Miss H. Grant, Mr C. Hall, Mr K. Laverty, Mr D. McArthur, Mr P. McArthur, Mr M. Miller, Mr M. Scott, Mr D. Sharp, Mrs S. Wilson and 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 and Mr Fergal McCluskey for driving the School bus on many weekends and for their valued assistance; Mrs Shelley Wilson and Miss Holly Grant for outstanding assistance with Award administration; Miss Joanna Clarke and Mr Keith Flemming for very valuable assistance with administration work; and the Gold Award Leaders of 2016-2017 for excellent assistance with the running of the D of E. in the School.

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.

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

F.G.

numerous members of staff who gave up their time to act as Skills section assessors.

Within the Skills section, 24 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 Maurice Miller for supervising the classes. 24 pupils took part in two Bronze Award First-Aid Courses based in the Sixth Form Centre on Tuesday evenings in the autumn of 2016 and the spring of 2017. We are very grateful to Dr. Keith Thompson and his team of volunteer First Aiders for providing the course.

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: Mrs Nicholl, Mr McGonigle, Mr McCarey, Miss Brady and all 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, regarding 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. We would like to say a huge thank you to the School office staff who have been a wonderful help this year collecting forms etc. and distributing participants’ logs, projects and other important information.

The Academy’s Open Nights in January 2017 and the Open Morning in May 2017 were a great success. 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 twentieth highly successful Canadian Canoe Week was held from 29th July to 5th August 2017 in Lough Erne. This was a highly packed programme of Silver and Gold Canoe Qualifying Expeditions. 13 pupil members and 3 adult leaders took part.

As part of our developing Gold Foot Expeditions in Scotland, we had three very successful gold groups complete their qualifying expeditions over two separate weeks. This was thoroughly enjoyed by both participants and staff. These two expeditions rely heavily on dedicated staff to give up personal holiday time during the summer.

In conclusion, 2016-2017 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.

Finally, pride of place, and congratulations, must go to the following pupils and past pupils who gained awards during the past year:

Bronze Award

Jonathan Boomer (LVI)

Jacob Brady (LVI)

Ben Brown (FIV)

Euan Carroll (LVI)

Lucy Clements (LVI)

Lauren Colville (FV)

Aimee Convery (FIV)

Ben Doherty (FIV)

Jack Golden (LVI)

Emma Gourley (FV)

Matthew Graham (FIV)

Emma Griffin (LVI)

Niamh Gutermann (FV)

Maia Hamilton (FIV)

Eva Hayward (FIV)

Jessica Jackson (FV)

Ryan Jameson (FIV)

Roan Kershaw (FIV)

Daniel Logan (LVI)

Hannah Marshall (LVI)

Jill Massey (FV)

Megan McCalmont (LVI)

Naoise McCormack (FV)

Emily McFarland (FV)

Samantha McGrath (FV)

Tom McKee (FV)

Mark McKillen (FV)

Beth McMillan (FV)

Rosie McQueen (FV)

Nia McVicker (FIV)

Zak Mills (LVI)

Francesca O’Hara (LVI)

Barra Patterson (LVI)

Alexis Payot (LVI)

Cara Reid (FIV)

Magdalena Szlachta (FV)

Rob Sturgess (FIV)

Victoria Stewart (MVI)

Charley Walker (FIV)

Michael Woods (LVI)

Kalvin Johnston (-)

Bronze & Silver

Ellen Dalzell (LVI)

Silver Award

Rachel Baillie (LVI)

Daniel Bingham (MVI)

Szymon Bukowski (LVI)

Rebecca Carse (LVI)

Brendan Crinion (LVI)

Maria Del Castillo (LVI)

Andrew Dorman (LVI)

Mollie Haddock (-)

Hannah McConnaughie (FV)

Katie McConnaughie (LVI)

Katie McDowell (MVI)

Andrew Meeke (LVI)

Kirsty Miller (MVI)

Francesca O’Hara (LVI)

Jasmine Ross (LVI)

Gold Award

Luke Auterson (-)

Olivia Burke (-)

Henry Cavan (-)

Ana Desmond (-)

Sarah Ennis (-)

Rebecca Harbinson (-)

Antoinette Leonard (-)

Chris McConnell (MVI),

Sarah Whittley (-)

The D of E Team

Bronze Qualifying Expedition, Mournes 22nd –23rd April

Day 1:

We started our expedition at Meelmore Lodge. The leader started each group in turns, and we were the second to get started. We left at 12:00, and began our walk with the leader guiding us to point 1. It was one of the steepest hills on Day 1. The cloudy, but warm weather allowed us to walk in t-shirts and made the climb more manageable.

Between Point 1 and Point 2, the ground was hard to walk on due to uneven ground and rabbit holes. This stretch took us around 50minutes to complete. At Point 2, we had to cross a stile, which led over the river. At this point, one member of our group fell in! After helping her to get on to her feet, we met another group from a

different school who were completing their Bronze.

At point 3, we had to go across a weir. After we had got there, we checked our map again before continuing. It was fortunate that we did, as we discovered that we had taken a wrong turn! We retraced our steps, and continued along the correct route path. We continued to walk for around 10minutes to where there was a footbridge and a forest. At this point, it began to rain. We quickly put up our hoods and walked, as quickly as we could, to the cover of the forest where we sheltered to eat our lunch.

We repacked our bags and began continuing along our route to point 4. This was a steep hill through a field. We reached a road, which led us along to point 5. Between point 5 and point 6, we followed telegraph poles to guide our route. This stretch of ground was particularly challenging as long grass hid thick mud and big holes.

At point 6, we reached public toilets which we able to use. Between point 6 and 7, we nearly got lost. We knew we needed to follow a road, but we felt that we may have followed it too far. At this point, we saw a leader. We pointed out where we were going and could clarify that we were going in the correct direction. Between point 7 and point 8, we walked through a gate and took a footbridge across the River Bann. This took the direction of Slievenamiskan. At this point on the journey, we were hit by very heavy rain. We needed to stop to put on our coats, and put on our waterproof rucksack covers.

In between point 8 and point 9, the weather cleared up. We continued through marshland for approximately 0.5 km of marshland. It was very wet and boggy. The water level came up above my knees. One of our team lifted her boot up to step forward and lost her boot in the mud! We had to work as a team to find it by using a walking pole. Once she had her boot back on, we continued, but we decided to have a leader who walked at the front. She used the walking pole to measure the marsh and find the easiest, shallowest route through. We all followed in a line to make it easier. This was a real challenge given that we are all different heights!

Between point 9 and point 10, we circled the lower circle route of Hen Mountain where we encountered lots of sheep. They were not interested in us at all and didn’t approach us. Point 11 and point 12 took us around 50minutes to walk. By this point, spirits were low. We were all very tired and it was beginning to get dark and the temperature was dropping. We had to keep each other going. We finally reached the campsite at 19:30. On arrival at the campsite, we worked together to erect the two tents for the five members of our team. We situated it near the river to be able to get drinks from the river in the

evening. We set up our Trangias with help from the Gold D of E team volunteers and cooked our dinner. It then started to rain. We got into our tents, settled for the night and were asleep soon after this, following a busy day.

Day 2:

We woke at 06:30 due to the daylight in the tent. It was very cold during the night and there was a light frost outside the tent. That morning, the leader offered us an alternative route, which was

slightly easier although slightly longer. We decided to take the more difficult route around Rocky Mountain, as it was shorter. The track took us about an hour and a half and was very hard due to the long grass. It made the grass uneven, unstable and difficult to walk on. The weather was good though as it was not too hot.

When we finally reached point 2, we took a short break to chat to the Goldie’s before heading off again. At point 3, we decided to take another break for lunch. It had become a little cooler, and we had seen a forest which was an ideal sheltered spot for lunch. It was during this time that a member of the group realised that we were enjoying our lunch around 10 feet away from a dead sheep! We continued, as we were nearly finished. It took around half an hour and then we began to walk again.

Between point 3 and point 4 took us around 25minutes to walk, but there were several hills which made it more difficult. The weather stayed clear for the rest of the route, and the walk was fairly easy with only a few hills slowing us down. The only eventful part of the walk was stopping to help a passer-by rescue his dog. It had escaped its lead, and we helped to catch it. This didn’t take us off our route as the dog was close by, and we were all working together to try and catch the dog by its collar. Once the dog was caught and with its owner, we continued along our route. As we approached the end of the route, we saw the other groups sitting on the grass relaxing. We were so relieved; we threw down our bags and lay on the ground! Our finish time was around 16:10. After finishing, we all headed into Newry and enjoyed fish and chips which were well deserved and tasted good!

I found the qualifying expedition very enjoyable and rewarding. It was challenging at times and required a lot of determination from the whole group. It was very rewarding and helped us to work through a range of skills and challenges. Teamwork was essential in many areas, for example: map reading, sharing the carrying of equipment, putting up and taking down the tents and cooking. I loved it because it was a great experience having the opportunity to camp with friends and navigate your way through the

mountains. I am really looking forward to moving on to complete my Silver award.

Silver Foot Qualifying Expedition, Mournes

16th –18th June 2017

Day 1:

We started our expedition in Newcastle carpark. We travelled in through Donard Forest and to the Mournes following the Glen River path. It was a very long path and we took a wrong turn, but we managed to correct ourselves. We were very tired by the end of it as it wore us out completely. We took a break as the wind started to blow, and the rain started to fall.

When we reached the edge of the forest after the break, we began to ascend while walking along a very steep path that was almost vertical the whole way up. At the top, we reached the Mourne wall, and we were probably half way up to Slieve Donard. The weather soon cleared up. When we decided to take a break at the Mourne wall, we encountered a group of sheep with some rams. They started coming towards us and scared us, which we laughed about later. Our next break was when we had lunch. The sun was blazing down on us, but we were too caught up chatting to think about sun cream.

After lunch, was about 30minutes where we contoured slightly around some mountains and crossed the Mourne wall again. We were almost at our campsite, but there was a steep descent which we almost fell down! Some of us started to cry because we were so tired. We finally got to our campsite at a ford.

Day 2:

For about 30minutes, the day after, we followed the Ulster/Mourne Way which was quite easy. The weather was cooler for the first half of the day

Holly Adair, Emma Dobbin, Eve Henderson, Erin McQuiston, Herminone Reid (IV)

because when we had left the campsite when the sun was only coming over the horizon, but when it hit lunch time, the temperature rose very quickly.

We had lunch at Fofanny Dam and continued walking down Slievenaman Road until we crossed at the stile and walked to Spelga Dam car park by following electrical cables along a mountain. When we got to the car park, we put on a lot of sun cream and refilled our water bottles as the sun was beating down on us. We followed the River Bann until we turned off to follow the Ulster Way which took us around Hen Mountain, and we arrived at a ford. The track was long. When we arrived at this campsite, we were all very tired so our instructor told us that we could camp there instead. When we got to the campsite, we fell asleep for a few hours. We were given E45 to help moisturise our burns which were very painful. I still have lines across my arms from them!

Day 3:

On our last day, we left at about 07:00 as we had been late the day before and were determined to be ahead of schedule. We took less breaks and decided to just go for it. It was a good choice as we were two hours ahead of time when we finished. Our hardest walk was contouring around Wee Slievemoughan, but we continued through until we got to Rocky Mountain River and over in between Rocky Mountain and Tornmanrock. We only took one break to get to the top, and we reached the top an hour ahead of schedule.

When we were down to the start of Rostrevor Forest, it was very humid and sunny but, because we were in the forest, we had a lot of shade. We all thought the walk was made much easier owing to the shade, which made us a lot happier. We then simply followed the Ulster/Mourne Way until we reached our destination, and we didn’t take many breaks because we didn’t have to. We were the first team to arrive at the Kilbroney carpark, being two hours ahead of time! When we arrived, we immediately sat down in the shade and went into the café to buy some cold drinks. We were all very

tired but relived that we had made it with no major mistakes or wrong turns.

For me, Duke of Ed Silver will always be a fond memory even including the bad bits. It was a very enjoyable, character and team building experience. I learnt many skills which I hope to use in the future. The routes were hard at times, but it was the weather that was the downfall. I will have tan lines on my arms for half a year, but it was worth it!

Gold Foot Qualifying Expedition, Fort William/Lochaber Area, Scotland

10th – 13th July 2017

Day 1:

We set off from the Ben Nevis Ski Centre. We followed tracks through Leanachan Forest for much of the day. Unfortunately, we missed a turn off the track a few hours in to our day which caused us to go off route. We realised the map didn’t match up at the next tract junction we came to, and we decided to go back on ourselves to find our route once again. This put us behind by about an hour, but, fortunately, our mood was still high as the sun was shining. Once we found ourselves back on route, we stopped for lunch, after crossing The Cour river, under the trees to shelter from the rain which had just began. Again, we followed track through the forest, paying very careful attention to the turns we were taking. We were excited to see ‘The Wee Minister’ which we had been told about before our expedition.

We followed this track until the bothy, where our campsite was. We all found difficult the walk from the forest to the bothy challenging due to the

Chloe Hall, Maddy Harvey- Clifford, Kitty McCracken, Niamh Rogan, Charley Walker (V)

heavy rain. We couldn’t see the bothy so the track felt very repetitive. Once we got to the campsite, we set up our tents and lit the Trangias for our dinner. Once we all had eaten dinner and a drank hot chocolate, we went to sleep as we were all very tired from the long day.

Day 2:

We left the campsite just after 09:00. We tried to get packed up quickly, as it was raining. The ground which we were walking on was very marshy due to the rain, so we had to take our time as the path wasn’t very clear. Luckily, the weather cleared up before lunch, so the rest of the day was quite enjoyable. We stopped for lunch by the loch before we went to see the hydroelectric plant that we had planned to see for our project. After lunch, we turned and went back over the footbridge, then left at the track junction. We then followed this track for the remainder of the day. It was hard to see the track, but by using our bearing we managed to head in the right direction and ended up at the bothy which we camped beside for the night. We all had dinner together after setting up our tents. As the sun was setting, we got into our tents for the night and went to sleep.

Day 3:

We left our campsite at about 09:30, running a little bit behind. Luckily, the sun was out so we had high spirits leaving the campsite. We followed a faint path until we made it to the Blackwater Reservoir. We then came across the pipeline which we were meant to follow for the majority of the remainder of the days route. The pipeline was the longest part of the day, and the heat from the sun didn’t help. We all ended up getting very burnt which made the rest of the day a lot more difficult. Along the pipeline we stopped for lunch beside some rocks which we could sit on and set up our Trangias on.

Day 4:

We finally got off the pipeline to a huge mound of mud which we had to walk over to get to the bridge. To our amusement Megan got stuck in the mud, up to her hips so we all had to pull her out and help her to clean up in the river. After we crossed the bridge, we were on a track which would take us to our campsite. Unfortunately, we were four hours behind due to our hard day in the sun, so our route was shortened for the day. We made it to our new campsite at the sheepfold beside Loch Eilde Beag, all exhausted and burnt. After putting up the tents and setting up the Trangias, we had dinner and then went to bed. Unfortunately, a few of us couldn’t sleep due to how painful our sunburn was so it was a long night!

We had to leave early on our last day due to our previous day being cut short. We left our campsite at 08:00, after having breakfast and packing all our gear up. We made it to the bothy which we were meant to be camping at for 09:00.

We then followed the path, which became very difficult to see and crossed a couple of shallow rivers on our way. On our route, we passed a huge waterfall which made the walk very scenic. On our route to the carpark, we passed a lot of people and walked above waterfalls, the Water of Nevis. At the carpark, we stopped and had our last team lunch then set off following the road until we came to the forest. Unfortunately, we took a left turn too early and ended up at a dead end after climbing a lot of height. We turned around and went back down to the road. We could easily find the correct path for Glen Nevis, which we followed until the finish. For the last hour, unfortunately, it was raining, but we didn’t mind as we were so close to the finish. Finally, we made it to the carpark, where the minibus was with some tears from a couple of the team. We finished the day off with a well-earned McDonald’s back in Fort William.

My Comments:

Looking back, I really enjoyed the four days due to the beautiful scenery and my amazing team, it was definitely an expedition to remember. We worked well as a team and kept each other going when we were feeling down. We put all our equipment to use, the only thing I would change is that I would bring after sun next time! Overall, it was a hard and testing four days but myself and everyone in the team are so proud that we completed it!

Rachel Baillie, Ellen Dalzell, Hannah Marshall, Megan McCalmont, Amber Vick (MVI)

Gold Canoe Qualifying Expedition, Lough Erne, Fermanagh 2nd – 5th August 2017

Day 1:

Due to bad weather, we had to begin at Castle Archdale instead of Kesh. We paddled to Tom's Island and hiked to Old Castle Archdale for project work. We paddled around the islands near Castle Archdale before coming to Castle Archdale Marina. We did further project work in Castle Archdale.

We then set off again. Progress was difficult due to one of us always having to be solo paddling, strong winds which were against us and large waves. We kept close together so that we could all always be heard for safety reasons. We made sure no one got left behind and worked from marker to marker, rafting up at markers to take breaks. We paddled past Rossmore Point, Duross Bay, Glenross Bay and Lignameelton to Rossigh which is where we camped that night. We set up our tents, made a line with rope between the trees to attempt to dry our wet waterproofs and cooked on the Trangias.

Day 2:

We set off bright and early, the next day, after having breakfast and clearing the campsite. We hugged the coastline heading south east passing Rossclare and Horse Island. We continued heading towards Enniskillen where our campsite was at the Killyhevlin railway.

Before we went to our campsite, at around 16:00, we met our assessor, Shane, at the Lakeland forum. Shane advised us that since the wind was us and the weather forecast for later days wasn't great we should change our campsite to Ballenaleck as with the wind it would only take us an hour to get there, so we left close to 17:00. Unfortunately, after we started, the wind stopped and changed direction. It took us over two additional hours to reach Ballenaleck. That night, we were exhausted so we quickly put up our tents and got into bed.

Day 3:

Day three was a difficult day in terms of navigation. Channels that were on our maps and part of our route had become extremely overgrown. We thought we were lost, until a team member noticed the reeds were thinner in one point and discovered that this was the path. We

just had to fight through. Some of the markers in this part of Upper Lough Erne had been changed and new ones added to. This made it increasingly difficult for us to find our way. We left our campsite at 09:00, but due to more bad weather and storms our route had to be adjusted and we were told to avoid Carrybridge.

Once we were through the more sheltered canals, we ended up in a wider, stormy part of the lake and had to battle our way through to Knockninny. We then paddled on to Naan Island where we had our lunch. We continued after lunch and, finally, the sun came out for our arrival at our campsite Geaglum Jetty. Thanks to the nice weather, we had an enjoyable last night.

Day 4:

Encouraged by the good weather and the short distance to go, we set off. We visited the old school house, which we soon discovered was residential and then headed across the lake to a neighbouring Island with an old gothic church (Holy Trinity Church) on it. We walked up to it to get pictures of the outside for our project. We were invited inside and were given a tour. A lady named Joan showed us around. She told us the history of the church and how it was a church for a multitude of different faiths. She let us go up to the bell tower and ring the bells of the church and go up to the roof where you could see for miles around.

We then got back in our boats and headed over to the Crom Castle ruins and visited all the tourist attractions on that island, including the trees where horses and carriages would go through and the old Crom Estate for our project. We all switched around pairs and ended up finishing the expedition with different pairs than we started with. We all took turns solo paddling. We had lunch on Gad Island at Critchen Tower. We passed Crom Jetty hugging the left before finishing at Bun Bridge.

Jacob Brady, Euan Carroll, Lucy Clements, Jack Golden, Jasmine Ross (MVI)

Gold Foot Qualifying Expedition, Fort William/Lochaber Area, Scotland

7th – 10th August 2017

Day 1:

On day one, once we had met our assessor, we started at the Nevis Range Ski Centre slightly after 10:00. From the ski centre, we walked along a forest path to a nearby quarry. From there, we followed the path to a Y-junction, here we went left and passed a carpark. We continued to follow this track before turning left at a track junction. From there, we followed the track to a river and followed it upstream to a small footbridge. We then walked the short distance to a track junction where we took around 25minutes for lunch. After lunch, we followed a track to the edge of the forest. From here, we followed another track which re-entered the forest before we exited the forest for the final time that day. From here, we continued to follow this track up a valley to our campsite near a bothy.

Over the course of the day, we walked around 18 km, the majority of which was in the forest. We climbed very little height for most of the day, with nearly all of it occurring in the last few hours of walking in the afternoon.

Day 2:

From our campsite, we followed a river, using the track beside it, to a lake, arriving at its edge. We followed the track around the edge of the lake.

Day 3:

From here, we should have turned right, following a track up a valley to our campsite, but, by mistake, we continued to the next valley and followed the track up. We only became aware of our mistake quite far up this track. We had to retrace our steps and go up the correct valley to our campsite which was located, outside a bothy, at the end of a lake. If we had followed our route correctly we would have walked around 13 km, making it the shortest day, in terms of walking, during the expedition. Our mistake added at least another few kilometre to our day. I estimate we walked around 18/19 km that day in total. This affected all of us both mentally as physically as we had been expecting a longer break that evening at the campsite, and it led to morale being low within the team. What in theory should have been our easiest day proved to be our hardest.

We started our third day, from the previous night’s campsite, at around 08:30 by following a track down to the edge of Blackwater reservoir. From here, we walked alongside the reservoir until reaching its dam. From the end of the reservoir, we followed a path which ran parallel to a large water pipe until reaching the edge of Loch Eilde Mhor.

Over this part of the walk, we were able to look down into Kinlochleven. We continued along a path, which ran alongside Loch Eilde Mhor and Loch Eilde Beag and beyond. We continued on this same path until arriving at our third campsite. We walked around 20 km on this day. The combination of the amazing scenery, and the warm but breezy weather made this day my favourite despite it being the longest.

Day 4:

We began our final day’s walking at around 08:30. We followed a track which ran alongside the river we had camped beside, crossing three fords. For around the first 7 km of the day, the path was poor and we ended up walking a considerable amount of our morning in marsh. The path became significantly better by the time we reached a magnificent waterfall. This site attracts many tourists and visitors and these were the first people we had seen except our assessor and a few others since we began. From here, we continued to a carpark. It was from here we were able to see Ben Nevis. From the carpark, we followed the road down to another carpark before entering a forest. We continued on the forest path for roughly 6 km before finishing in Fortwilliam. We walked a total of 18.6 km this day, climbing less than 100 m throughout the day. Like our other days, we were fortunate with the weather.

Overall, I found the expedition very enjoyable. I think this was down to an amazing team, good weather and the fascinating scenery.I am quite familiar with the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland and I was especially shocked by how much bigger the mountains we saw in the Highlands were than the Mourne Mountains.

Squadron Silverback: Douglas Adams, Szymon Bukowski, Eoin Bradley, Andrew Meeke, Barra Patterson, Curtis Scott, Abdullah Sabri (MVI)

Expedition Projects

Silver Expedition Project: Wildlife in The Mournes

In the Mournes, you can find many animals such as the pine martin, buzzards and peregrine falcons and even in winter a hare has been spotted. Wet springs bring an unusual bug, the keeled skimmer, a nationally rare dragonfly. Eagle Rock is said to be the last known breeding site in Northern Ireland for white-tailed sea eagles and golden eagles, which was still a common place in the Mournes until the mid-nineteenth century.

Several butterfly species have also been recorded, including the green hairstreak, the dark green fritillary and the grayling. This area's dry heath and bell heather is recognised as being very important to Europe.

Throughout the D of E Silver, we encountered some birds and butterflies, but what we saw most were slugs. Very entertaining! Also, we saw lots of sheep and rams in the hills with their lambs. Although it is rare, there have been sightings of whales in the Mourne area.

Kitty McCracken (V)

Gold Expedition Project: Man’s Effect on the Scottish Highlands

During our expedition, we made several stops to make note and take photos of manmade aspects in The Highlands. We planned many into our route and wrote a brief description of what we were looking for on the back of our route cards. Overall, we could notice that mankind has had a rather great effect on The Highlands, in many ways, such as buildings, bridges, litter and deforestation.

Deforestation

Deforestation was a common occurrence on our route, and we could see where there was once

forest that had been cut down. This is due to thousands of years of destruction in the Caledonian forest. According to an article online by Alistair Munro the Caledonian forest is at less than 5% of its original 1.5 million hectares and this is due to human activity. While walking through the forest on Day One, we could see deforestation on a small scale in that there was someone in a digger pulling out trees, hedges and other vegetation.

Litter

Another thing we noticed on our expedition, more accidental by man, was oil leakage and litter. The oil leakage was noticeable in a small river we walked past in a forest on Day One. This and the litter are examples of man causing pollution to the landscape. Although it was noticeable in a couple of areas like the forest, the mountainous area was litter free as far as we could see, and we didn’t notice anything like the oil spill we saw on Day One. Overall, pollution in The Highlands doesn’t seem a pressing issue but, from my research, it seems that pollution is controlled in these areas by local authorities and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). Also, things like noise pollution aren’t an issue in the area due to the lack of roads and lack of people in general, the only contributor to noise pollution would be the train which runs through the mountains.

Hydroelectric Generator

On Day Two of the expedition, we planned in to our route to see the hydroelectric generator. We noticed it looked like it had been very recently built. This is an example of the use of a renewable energy source which doesn’t contribute to pollution. The building of the hydroelectric generator, in such a remote location, will have caused noise pollution. Also, on the door of the hydro generator building, we noticed graffiti. This is an example of the negative effect man can have. For the hydroelectric scheme to work it will produce electrical energy which has been transferred from the kinetic energy of the water. The high voltage of the electrical energy produced is a danger. This is signposted on the door of the

generator. There is, therefore, a potential danger to the landscape as it may be affected by the high voltage if there were an issue in the generator. To then transfer the electrical energy to the consumer, electrical cables must be present to transfer this energy. We were not able to observe these cables.

Fortunately, the cables are underground and; therefore, they do not affect the landscape. This generator is an example of man using The Highlands for their benefit. They are using the river to provide electricity which reduces the use of non-renewable energy, such as the burning of fossil fuels, which causes great pollution.

Bothies and Buildings

I observed many old buildings on our expedition which had been turned into bothies, a term I wasn’t familiar with until the expedition. We camped beside a bothy each night, so we could see them up close. Bothies are old unused buildings or houses which are almost empty on the inside. It is intended for campers to stay in them. According to my research, these are managed by the Mountain Bothies Association, which is a charity maintaining about 100 shelters in some of the remoter parts of Great Britain. These unlocked houses and buildings have no typical household features such as electricity, therefore, cause no pollution in that way. They are also not an eyesore as they are all small, old buildings which aren’t terribly noticeable. These remote bothies are a great idea and are very beneficial for those in the hills, whilst not having a large effect on the surroundings.

Tracks and Paths

Tracks were a very common sight on the expedition as we were following a track for the whole four days nearly. Tracks promote people and tourists coming to explore The Highlands. This can be viewed positively and negatively as people bring in litter and increase the potential for graffiti such as that we observed at the hydro generator. Though in the very remote parts, tracks are very difficult to spot as we could barely find one to follow at times and thus have little affect on the surroundings. Tracks are also used by farmers to check on their livestock in The Highlands, we

noticed farmers on quads. These farmers had covered gaps in the track using plastic material to make it easier to cross with their vehicles, contributing to how Man effects these areas.

Instead of following a track, on Day 3, we were mostly following a pipeline which stretched from loch to loch. This pipeline was very noticeable in the landscape, but it had obviously been there for years as, in places, the land had grown over it. Clearly, it is beneficial in preventing flooding of the lochs, and necessary for the transportation of water, but when it was first built, I’m sure it was an eyesore in the beautiful landscape.

Overview

There is a noticeable impact man has had, and is having, on the Scottish Highlands. Some of which are very beneficial to man, though some of which cause pollution and/or possible danger to the surrounding landscape. On a whole though, the Scottish Highlands remain a remote and quiet area, and I hope they will stay that way. Some areas of the hills are more developed and altered by man such as the forests, being a place where many people walk through, or the various towns which are planted in different places in the hills. The use of the water in The Highlands to the benefit of man is clear, gathering electricity from the rapid movement on the water from a dam or in a river. This is clever and non-polluting, yet it can have its dangers and effect on The Highlands. If things like these remain scarce in the hills then Man’s effect on the Scottish Highlands will remain at an acceptable level, and it will only be noticeable in certain areas.

This project enabled me to realise that the Scottish Highlands have been left more untouched by man than our own Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland. Beautiful landscapes must be protected, which they are in many ways, to prevent urbanisation of any form. Without Man, these areas would be different in that they would lack what I’ve spoken about previously which are beneficial to them. The balance between what is beneficial to Man and what is beneficial to nature and wildlife is key. I think that in the Scottish Highlands it was still possible to observe that.

Amber Vick (MVI)

Gold Canoe Expedition Project: History of Lough Erne

Old Castle Archdale

We visited the ruins of Castle Archdale. It was built by an Englishman from Suffolk called John Archdale who was succeeded by his son Edward. Archdale was granted the 1000acre estate "Tullana" in 1612 during the plantation of Ulster. The original castle was destroyed by Rory Maguire during the Irish rebellion of 1641. All of Edwards children died in the fire that destroyed the castle bar one who was thrust out the window by a faithful nurse. The castle was destroyed again in 1689 during the Williamite Wars.

Lough Erne and World War II

Our next stop was Castle Archdale Marina. From there, we visited the Courtyard and the Castle Archdale house. We also visited the World War II museum, and we learnt about Castle Archdale's roll in the war as a major base for the flying boats which took off from the lake. We learnt that there was also an armoury at Castle Archdale, the building is still there but it has been turned into cafes and shops. There are also several ammunition shelters throughout the forest. RAF Castle Archdale housed up to 2,500 people. The flying boats flew to the Atlantic to protect shipping from German U-Boats. There is a memorial beside the white beacon at the marina for a flying boat which crashed killing the whole crew that were on board.

The caravan site in Castle Archdale today sits on the concrete where the flying boats were taken to be serviced. In the museum, we saw engines and uniforms and artefacts recovered from the war.

Crom

Like Castle Archale, the first house at Crom was built by a Scottish Planter at the beginning of the 17th century. In 1611, as part of the Plantation of Ulster, Michael Balfour, the Laird of Mountwhinney, constructed a house on the lough shore opposite Inishfendra Island. Following the usual pattern for a Plantation castle, it was built of lime and stone and enclosed within a bawn. It survived two Jacobite sieges before being destroyed in 1764 by a domestic fire. The ruins of this castle still survive today. We visited the ruins which are now used for wedding photos which we saw while we were there as we accidentally gatecrashed a wedding.

We also visited Holy Trinity Church, got a tour of the church and were also taken to the bell tour and roof where we rang the church bells. It has been there for hundreds of years and is in a gothic style.

Gold Expedition Project: Man’s Influence on the Scottish Highlands

Highland Clearances

The Highland Clearances were the eviction, mostly during the 18th and 19th centuries, of a significant number of tenants in the Scottish Highlands. It resulted from enclosures of common lands and a change from farming to sheep raising, an agricultural revolution largely carried out by hereditary aristocratic landowners. The Clearances were a complex series of events occurring over more than a hundred years. A Highland Clearance has been defined as "an enforced simultaneous eviction of all families living in a given area such as an entire glen".

The Clearances relied on the insecurity of tenure of most tenants under the Scottish legal system. The total effect of the Clearances, and the largescale voluntary emigrations over the same period, devastated the cultural landscape of Scotland; the effect of the Clearances was to destroy much of the Gaelic culture.

Lucy Clements (MVI)

The Clearances resulted in significant emigration of Highlanders to the coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and further afield to North America and Australasia. In the early 21st century, many times more descendants of Highlanders are found in these diaspora destinations than in Scotland.

The Clearances resulted in many houses being deserted, some of which have been made into bothies. During our expedition we camped outside bothies over the first two nights, on the third night we slept near a derelict building.

Deforestation In The Highlands

Both of the World Wars took a heavy toll on the remains of native highland forests. Following the First World War, it was recognised that Britain had almost run out of timber. The Forestry Commission was established, in 1919, to prevent the same situation happening again, and its key purpose was to help Britain become self reliant in timber.

Fast-growing, introduced species such as Sitka spruce were used to create dense plantations which tended to support a very limited range of wildlife compared to ancient, native forests. Areas of native woodland were both felled and underplanted; therefore, they were shaded out by the introduced trees. At the time, conservation wasn't high up the political agenda, and many native woodlands were damaged or lost as a result. On our expedition, we saw recent deforestation first hand as we passed loggers on the first day.

Blackwater Reservoir

The Blackwater Reservoir is a reservoir, created behind a dam in the mountains, above Kinlochleven. At over 914 metre long, the dam is the longest in the Highlands. The hydroelectric scheme was constructed in the early 1900s by the British Aluminium Company for the purpose of smelting aluminium.

The power house and aluminium smelting plant were situated in Kinlochleven, which we passed on the third day after passing the reservoir. In recent years, the smelting works has closed and has mostly been demolished except for a few buildings which remain and are used for other things. The power station now produces electricity for the aluminium smelter in Fort William. Any surplus energy is sold to the national grid for public supply.

Barra Patterson (MVI)

During the summer of 2017, a team of 38 Lower Sixth pupils had the life-changing opportunity to spend two weeks in Malawi. The trip was one of the most fantastic, yet emotional experiences of our lives. The amazing two weeks were spent doing work experience, building a house and also a trip overnight to the safari.

Our work experience was broken into three different career paths; teaching, business and medicine and we all absolutely adored each and every aspect of them. For the first week, we all went into our chosen work options and completed a tough day of work. The mornings were an early start, usually followed by the coldest possible shower you could ever imagine, but it was all worth it for the wonderful and fantastic days that were ahead of us all.

MALAWI be* the change

The budding teachers amongst us were told which topic and which classes they would be teaching the night before so that they could plan out their lesson. On the first day of the teaching work experience, we were all completely shocked at the poor conditions these children were taught in and also how many children were in our classes. They had no materials and no chairs or desks. The one thing that completely shocked us when teaching was that the children were all so unbelievably

intelligent and they all were so excited to learn. The teachers all took so much from their experience in the schools, from making bonds with the children, to feeling accomplishment and joy when seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces when they learnt something new.

The business aspect of the trip consisted of a new adventure every day. They got to experience the Likunaphala factory (the porridge factory) which was run by an inspirational 25 year-old women who was also studying part-time in college. The Likunaphala factory feeds all of Mulanje Mission and even more children and adults afield, which really shocked a lot of us, as there was so much work put into the porridge factory each and every day. The people who did business work experience also got to visit Ken’s Hotel, a luxury hotel in Malawi, with beautiful sights surrounding it. Ken made the money to fund and build his hotel through his steelwork business, which those with an interest in a career in business also got to go and visit. Another amazing aspect of the business work experience was our visit to the Satemwa tea plantation, where the group were able to do a full tour: from the planting itself, to the packing of the tea. They even got to do a tea tasting, which everyone enjoyed and will remember forever.

The medics could choose to do either nursing, laboratory work, being in the hospital or dentistry, and they all had different experiences. The nurses did things such as listening for foetal heart beats, family planning, but the most memorable thing that they took part in was visiting the Kangaroo room which was a room for premature babies. It was extremely hot due to the fact the hospital cannot afford incubators. The work in the hospital lasted for 3 days and consisted of talks from the Medical Directory, Dr. Ruth Shakespeare, visiting

the women's ward and doing the rounds with the doctors. Both the dentistry and the labs groups observed and witnessed some amazing research. The medics all took away some life-changing experiences from working at the hospital which they will never forget.

Whilst in Malawi, the whole team worked together with the local Malawian builders to build a house for a member of the Malawian community. This year the house we built was for an older man named Kidney, who was living in very poor conditions. His wife who has sadly passed away, was sleeping on the cold damp floor with holes in the roof and many more problems. We all took so much pleasure in building Kidney’s new home,

which turned out amazingly. At the day of the house hand-over, the whole community came together and celebrated by singing songs, dancing and welcoming Kidney to his new home, for which he was so unbelievably thankful. As well as building Kidney a house, some members of the team also built the community a fruit dryer, which would mean that they could preserve fruit for the seasons when it is extremely limited.

Once our work experience had ended, we were able to travel and see some of the amazing parts of Malawi, such as Lake Malawi and to go on a beautiful safari trip. We travelled to Lake Malawi, where we spent a few days in the Funky Cichlid reflecting on our trip so far. The surroundings were almost dream-like and we got to explore by going on boat rides to watch the sunset, even now

it all feels so surreal for us. We also spent one night on safari, where we camped in tents and literally lived with our amazing surroundings, sleeping under the world’s brightest and most beautiful stars. We got to go on both a night and a morning safari trip, where we were face to face with elephants, crocodiles, hippos and a lot of birds. We also were able to climb the beautiful Mulange Mountain, where we ended up seeing the most amazing waterfall which was all completely worth the hike.

Out trip to Malawi is something that will always stay with each and every team member. We met some of the most inspirational people who are now such a massive part of our lives. We will never forget the beautiful sunsets, the amazing stars and the inspiring adults and children. If given the opportunity to go back to Malawi, we would all go in a heartbeat, as it was the one trip that we all wish to relive. Our team really did become one big family.

Brooklyn Jamison (LVI)

School Games

“The first day I put on this jersey, I just didn't want to let it down. I wanted to add to the legacy of what was 100 years before” (Richie McCaw, former All Blacks Captain).

Senior rugby began in mid-July. Players used the summer to carry out some conditioning in School in preparation for the season ahead. Several players were returning to play for the School for another season. The experience of the season past stood this particular team in good stead the players knew what to expect.

Saturday morning fixtures began with the annual Ian Graham Trophy tournament at Grosvenor Grammar School. In the group stages, there was an opportunity to play against Banbridge Academy and Wesley College Dublin. The team won both encounters, giving the opportunity to play in the final against Grosvenor Grammar School.

BRA played with determination. It was a chance to win some silverware early in the season. A 6-0 victory proved to be enough in a fairly scrappy affair. A good start.

As is the norm now, the training schedule for the up and coming season was posted. The culture of hard work and enjoyment is something that has begun to embed itself well in BRA. Players know they have conditioning, team play, individual skills sessions to work in alongside their study.

September and October fixtures have always given a great opportunity for players to learn and develop playing against the very best in Ulster. The game against Ballyclare High School was

played on a beautiful morning at Roughfort. A 26-12 win was a good start, with two tries from Lewis Davidson and one from Kurtis Scott. The following four games were difficult encounters. A heavy defeat to Methodist College Belfast dented morale.

The team’s next two games came against Wallace High School and Ballymena Academy. Perhaps, the two previous defeats brought an air of opportunity to the squad. The Wallace game was a very tight affair, with both teams playing some excellent rugby. Wallace took an early 14-0 lead. However, two second half tries from Tom Gilpin and Conor brought the game level. With minutes to spare, Wallace scored a disappointing last minute try to win 19-14. This was, however, a much improved performance.

The game against Ballymena was difficult. Some injuries from the Wallace game affected the squad, giving some players the opportunity to gain experience of playing 1st XV rugby. The first 30minutes of this game were very competitive, with BRA showing some excellent resilience. Unfortunately, as the game progressed, Ballymena proved much too strong, emerging well deserved winners.

The team had one game to go before the half-term break against Royal School Dungannon. BRA started the game well, scoring two well worked tries through Jack Burton and Tom Gilpin. Samuel Osborne converted one of these scores to leave the score at 12-0 at half-time. A very poor and complacent second half proved costly. Dungannon managed to score early taking the score to 12-7. BRA failed to keep hold of any possession they had. As the game went on, Dungannon grew more and more confident. A last minute try and conversion meant Dungannon emerged 14-12 winners. A very disappointing day!

The half-term break gave players the opportunity for a well-deserved rest. The early part of the season had taken its toll on the squad. It was important to try and lift performances in the coming weeks and months. The Schools’ Cup wasn't far away. The team’s next fixture came against Down High School. Very much like the game against Wallace, this was another tight physical game. The game ebbed and flowed, with both teams enjoying spells of a lead. The final score was 25-22 to Down High, but progress had been made.

After this, confidence was boosted. The team had an excellent victory against Dalriada with scores coming from Conor McAuley, Matthew Dalton, Cormac McCracken and two from Tom Stewart.

The next game came against Coleraine Grammar. The game was played at Roughfort with BRA emerging 10-0 winners, with Conor McAuley kicking an early penalty and Matthew Borne scoring a converted try.

Two more games followed before the Christmas break. A trip to Banbridge saw the team win convincingly. This was followed by a game at Roughfort against Royal School Armagh which BRA won 12-7, with tries coming from Daniel Logan and Conor McAuley.

The success of last year’s trip to the North Coast, as team preparation for the Schools’ Cup, was so significant that we decided to do it again. The climate, setting and nature of the North Coast lends itself readily to preparations for January, February and March. The team gelled well during this trip and returned to school in January ready for some of the big games.

The last friendly of the season came against Enniskillen Grammar School. BRA won the game convincingly, with Conor McAuley scoring a hat trick of tries and Daniel Logan scoring one.

The feeling amongst the squad was positive. A corner had been returned, in terms of results, and confidence was high. Timing felt almost perfect.

The Schools’ Cup draw revealed the team was to face Portadown College away from home. The team knew Portadown would be a difficult place to travel to. A large crowd gathered on the morning of this Round 3 game. BRA started well, scoring a

well worked try off a maul and Bradley Luney emerging as try scorer. This was closely followed by a well worked score by Brandon Hassan. BRA had the game under control; however, just before half time, Portadown scored a try which seemed to raise the crowd. Two tries in the second half came from Matthew Dalton, with others coming from Abdullah Sabri and Bradley Luney to give BRA a convincing 41-8 victory.

The draw for the next round presented the opportunity to play at Roughfort against Rainey Endowed School. It was a beautiful morning at Roughfort. As a large crowd began to draw, it was evident this was going to be an exciting morning. An early charge down led to a try from Samuel Osborne. This was closely followed by an excellent maul score by Cormac McCracken, a good start! The second half followed suit with excellent tries from Samuel Osborne, Abdullah Sabri, Jude Cowley and Tom Stewart! Another great morning at Roughfort! Quarter finals beckoned.

The draw for the quarter finals took place at Roughfort. There was an air of excitement. The 1st XV had produced a fine performance to get this far! The team drew Friends’ School Lisburn away from home. The coming two weeks were difficult.

Many of the Friends’ team were part of a school ski trip which clashed with the date of the quarter final. Unfortunately, Friends’ had to concede the quarter final game. This was not how BRA had wanted to progress, but the decision had been made. Preparation began for a semi-final at the Kingspan stadium. None other than Methodist College Belfast stood in the way!

The two weeks of preparation went very well. Methody were one of the favourites to win the Schools’ Cup. It was going to be a big game. Much excitement flowed through School as pupils, staff and parents began buying tickets for the big day!

On arrival to the Kingspan, players seemed focused and ready to take on the challenge that lay ahead. Support began to arrive which was an incredible sight! Maroon and Navy covered much of the stand! This was a special School occasion. The lack of game time seemed to prove costly in the early exchanges of this game. Methody scored two well executed tries converting one of these. The trusty boot of Conor McAuley kept the team in touching distance of Methody! Half-time gave

the opportunity to reassess. The feeling was that the team hadn't shown its capabilities. The second half was good; however, two further MCB tries appeared to kill the game off. That said, BRA scored two tries through Bradley Luney and Matthew Dalton, which acted as consolidation. The final score 41-28 to Methody.

The game finished and, although disappointed, this had been, on reflection, a fantastic occasion. One, hopefully, many junior players looked at and realised was something they would love to be a part of in future.

As the season drew to a close, it was evident these players had worked incredibly hard to achieve what they had. They had added to the legacy of wearing a BRA 1st XV Jersey. Their passion and dedication to representing BRA was admirable.

As a coaching staff, we are incredibly proud of all the boys have achieved. Legacy continuing and culture evolving! To those who leave, they do so with an understanding of what is required to succeed. To those who remain, they know what to expect!

The Players:

Front Row

Kurtis Scott: Technically excellent at scrum and lineout. His ability to carry improved as the season progressed.

Tom Stewart: A very gifted rugby player. Physically he matched all opposition. His line out throwing is technically excellent.

Nikki Ryan: An incredibly energetic and dynamic rugby player. His energy brought a spark to many a damp day! His ability to disrupt opposition is excellent.

Second Row

Bradley Luney: An excellent ball carrier with great skills. Scored some great tries throughout the season and was a useful tool in line out.

Cormac McCracken: A vital member of the squad. His ability at line out was invaluable. A real leader in this very successful team.

Back Row

Tom Gilpin: A typical back row player. Tenacious in both attack and defence. He had a very good season carrying ball aggressively and making turnovers on many occasions.

Matthew Dalton: A very gifted rugby player. His size and physicality was too much for several teams during the season.

Matthew Borne: Had played hooker for much of his School career. His move to the back row was seamless. He is an aggressive rugby player who scored some great tries during the season.

Half Backs

Conor McAuley: A controlled player and excellent captain. His ability to break brought many tries to this team. His kicking game is excellent.

Jack Burton: A talented rugby player who could play anywhere in the back line. His go forward ability at out half gave the team momentum on many occasions.

Centres

Abdullah Sabri: A powerful running centre who progressed very well as the season progressed. He scored some great tries on the Schools’ Cup campaign. Lewis Davidson: A strong running centre who brought invaluable experience to the midfield. Both his attack and defence proved strong sides of his game.

Wingers and Full Back

Adam Kane: An excellent winger who has ability. His ability to chop tackle is excellent and he made good breaks on several occasions.

Samuel Osborne: A senior player who led by example. He played much of the season in the centre also. His experience and skill proved vital on many occasions.

Brandon Hassan: A fast paced and dynamic full back. A real threat on counter attack. He progressed well throughout the season.

2ND XV

It was a tough start to the season for the 2XV, With a tough fixture list and injuries throughout the senior rugby squad. In the first game, we suffered a narrow defeated to Ballyclare, then went to Dublin the following Saturday and had our performance of the season, beating CUS after trailing heavily at half time. The boys stuck at it, and showed a lot of heart and determination in the next run of fixtures losing to, MCB, Wallace, Ballymena and Sullivan. There were many positives to take from these games however, focusing on them during training allowed the team

D.J.C.

School Games

to go on and get a string of wins against Regent, Armagh, Banbridge, Rainey and others.

This led us to the Christmas break. Over the break, the 2XV cup draw was released and our first game was against Banbridge at Roughfort. The first half was a close encounter with BRA leading narrowly at the break. However, a strong second half saw us win the game comfortably and secure the place in the next round.

Up next was Portadown away. An away game is never easy in cup rugby, especially when it’s a windy and wet day in Portadown. An early try from the BRA pack saw them take the lead and hold this lead till the break. The second half Portadown scored a try of their own and tied the game up 7-7. A late BRA try secured the victory and put us through to the quarter final.

C.C.B. which resulted in further losses. October and November offered a busy fixture list. We played Ballymena, Wallace, and Dungannon. A good win away to Dungannon and narrow defeats to the others.

Christmas came and went, and fixtures were very difficult to come by as so few other Schools can now offer competitive Saturday morning fixtures

at 3rd XV level. We were drawn to travel to Lurgan in the Cup, and we travelled knowing that only our very best would suffice if we were to progress against a strong and rugged home team. The match was played in beautiful conditions for the time of the year, and both teams tried to play fluent and attacking rugby. Academy were never really threatened, but Lurgan but up a strong and brave fight, with us winning by a margin of 29-05. Reward was an away draw to Inst in the quarter finals.

D.J.C.

A weekend of team building in Portrush put the team in a good place going into the Campbell game, unfortunately Campbell proved to be too strong and won the game comfortably, however the score did not reflect how well the boys played and the hard work they put in during the season. There were many stand out players during the season but Player of the season was given to Abdullah Sabri for his solo tries, strong leadership and contributions in defence. If he continues to work hard he will have a strong final year in the 1XV.

3RD XV

The season began as always with set objectives; our targets were to win as many matches as we could, and to progress as far as possible in the 3rd XV Cup Competition.

We began the season with a disappointing defeat against a strong and well drilled Ballyclare High School side. It was by no means a comfortable victory for the opposition and we did not lie down and make it easy, but it did highlight our squad limitations as we had a number of injuries and not enough quality cover. We demonstrated a lack of match fitness throughout the squad and an element of rustiness as some of the players had not played for a few seasons.

The remainder of September saw fixtures against Methodist College and a friendly match against

We travelled to Osborne park, on a dreary Wednesday afternoon, undaunted by the difficulty of the task ahead. The game was a cracker, nip and tuck the whole way through with the lead changing hands on numerous occasions. BRA took a slender lead late on and we all thought that was game over and the semi-final beckoned, but the never say die attitude of the Inst team carried them through with an injury time score sealing them victory. There was nothing to be ashamed of, it was one of the best games the BRA coaches had witnessed in a long time, but it did bring to an end the season for the 3rd XV.

Thanks to Mr McCarey and Mr D Creighton for their help and support over the course of the season and sincere thanks to the parents who supported us throughout the year.

N.I./ A.R.C.

MEDALLION XV

The Medallion had an up and down season that culminated in a Medallion Plate final, unfortunately, losing to Sullivan Upper School. The season started positively beating Ballyclare High School convincingly. However, this was

followed by a draw to Catholic University School and two losses to Methodist College and Sullivan Upper School.

October got off to a poor start with a heavy defeat against a very strong Wallace High School. The boys rallied after this, however, and had two strong performances and wins against Ballymena Academy and Royal School Dungannon. These performances showed the potential this Medallion side had.

The most impressive part of these performances was their endeavour to win the ball back in defence and their attacking shape. On the last Saturday, before half-term, the boys showed good character in a defeat to a much fancied RBAI side.

In early November, the side suffered another two defeats to Bangor Grammar School and Down High School respectively. Despite two good starts to both games, we, unfortunately, lost our way in the second half. We conceded early tries, which seemed to knock the confidence within the team. Despite this, the team rallied again with a very physical and dominant performance against Dalriada School, winning the game comfortably.

Late November and early December saw matches cancelled because of the weather and this had its impact when the team played Methodist College again. The team did not perform to its potential and this eventually resulted in a heavy defeat. The following week, we travelled to Armagh (eventual winners of the Medallion Shield), displaying the best first half performance of the season. We played with tempo and physicality and if it was not for two fortuitous tries against, and injuries, the game could have been a lot different.

January brought the challenge of Campbell College Belfast in a match where we showed glimpses of the first half performance against Armagh. We simply missed too many first up tackles. The following weekend saw the team descend on Portrush for a training weekend. This was a thoroughly enjoyable but tough weekend. The boys developed a team spirit and a tone was set for us going into the Medallion Shield.

Friends’ School Lisburn travelled to Roughfort for the fourth-round tie in the Medallion Shield, with a team they very much fancied to win the competition. As coaches, our message to the team was to go out and enjoy the occasion, but leave nothing on the pitch. Despite the result not going our way, the boys definitely did not leave anything on the pitch and showed a huge amount of determination, work ethic and aggression. Friends’ eventually ran out 17-0 winners with three tries which went against the run of play.

The boys did not want this performance to define them and they kept up their work ethic in training as we entered the plate competition. Limavady Grammar travelled to Roughfort for our quarter final. We displayed attacking rugby which stretched them from one side of the pitch to another. Eventually, we ran away with a very

comfortable victory. The semi-final fixture saw the team travel to Banbridge Academy, in what had the potential to be a tricky tie. Despite a half-time score line of 12-0 we didn’t kick on in the second half but we held on and progressed to the final.

The final had to be played at a neutral venue of Osborne Park and was to be contested against Sullivan Upper School. The team prepared well and we went in very confident of our game plan. Despite having much possession in our opponents 22 in the first half, we did not capitalise on this. Against the run of play, Sullivan scored a try which left the score 0-5 at half-time. Again, we enjoyed much possession and territory early in the second half, but could not covert these opportunities. Unfortunately, these spells of pressure seemed to take their toll on the team physically which resulted in Sullivan scoring two late tries leaving the final score at 17-0.

The team was captained by inside centre, Callum Davidson. He shows great footballing ability, fantastic footwork and kicking skills. His performance against Friends’ in the Medallion Shield match was one of a true leader. His tackle on their winger was one to savour.

The front row was made up of Louis West, Paddy George and Ben Brown. Louis and Ben were two players who relished contact both in defence and attack. Paddy’s lineout throwing progressed throughout the season, he had very good knowledge of his role inside attacking shape. Patrick Termini was another player that featured in the front row. He was always committed and showed progression to his scrum technique and ball carrying ability.

Faces that appeared in the second row included: Matthew Graham, Ben Doherty, Jordan McGuiness and Jude McCraken. All players were very committed to training and showed development in their lineout jumping technique throughout the year. In addition to this, all players were physical in defence and attack.

The back row featured: Jack Higgins, Rob Sturgess, Jack Whittley, Nik Kane and Michael Harvey. Both Jacks possess dynamic ball carrying ability along with a fierce intensity around the tackle and breakdown area. Rob Sturgess, who had an excellent game against Friends’, punches well above his weight. He doesn’t give up in any tackle and made numerous impact tackles throughout the year. Nik and Michael are two very intelligent players who are very easy to coach. Nik, unfortunately, suffered an injury which kept him out for large parts of the season.

Andrew Greer and Ryan Jameson made up the half back pairing. Both players were hugely committed to their training and developed really well through the season. Andrew’s passing is technically very good and his kicking progressed well throughout the season. Ryan is a confidence player and has been moved about a couple of positions. He stepped in to out half and showed control. His

tackling technique is excellent and he has a very big right foot. Neil Og Martin and Eliot Donaldson both played matches at scrum half. Both players are very good technically and have a good understanding of the game.

Faces that appeared with our captain in the centre included Ollie Parks and Lewis Morrison. Ollie, unfortunately, had glandular fever at the start of the year and picked up injuries throughout the year. He has all the right personality traits of a sports person. He runs good lines in attack and chop tackles very well. Lewis is a dynamic ball carrier and sound defensively.

The back three was very strongly contested when everybody was fit to play. Players included: Jack Davis, Aaron Gooderham, Carter Moore, Adam Lamb, Luca Giannetto and Dylan Erwin. All players were very quick and agile on their feet. Jack has a very controlled left foot and great handling skills. Carter, Aaron, Luca, Adam and Dylan all chop tackle very well and hit very good lines off their wing.

C.M.C./ J.F.C.

The U14’s had an enjoyable season last year. It started with an emphatic 53-0 victory against Ballyclare High away from home, which we hoped was a taste of things to come. However, the following week our character was to be tested by the travelling C.U.S. who, with a strong and fast back line, put us on the back foot. The following fixtures would prove to be arguably the hardest run that we would face all season with Methody, Sullivan, Wallace and Ballymena all in quick succession. While we showed great heart in each match, it wasn’t reflected in our results.

Once past these difficult games, we went on a winning streak beating Dungannon, Down High, Dalriada and Regent House. At the start of December, we travelled up to Coleraine and narrowly lost 10-0 but gave what was possibly our best performance of the season.

After this point, our results ebbed and flowed, with no other notable performances coming to mind. I’m sure many others would agree when I say that

the highlight of our season was a trip to Cambridge where Perse school played host to a tournament. Although narrowly losing our group matches, we were placed in the final of the subsidiary competition. This match was about to end in a draw when suddenly a huge carry was made by Jack McKee off a penalty from the opponents 10 metre line to score in the corner and give us the victory, ensuring we didn’t go home without winning a match.

To finish, I’d like to congratulate Max Braniff on winning ‘Player of the Year’ and Matthew Todd for winning ‘Most Improved.’ I would also like to thank everyone for their dedication to training. Finally, Thanks must go to Mr Patterson for giving up so much of his time, coaching and encouraging us.

Michael Harvey (III)

U14B XV

The Under 14 B rugby team had a season of mixed fortunes during the 2016-2017 season, experiencing a number of highs and lows. Notable victories, throughout the season, came against Campbell College and two exceptional wins against Wallace High School. Unfortunately, these victories were interspersed with defeats against a number of schools.

The season started with a remarkable 38-38 draw against Ballyclare High School. The Under 14 B team played with incredible skill and determination to dominate the entire game up until the last two minutes! Leading 38-26, with tries from Jake Easdon (2), Archie Wylie, Noah Davis, Hendrick Tubelleja and Lee Ferguson, the boys somehow conceded two tries and one conversion in the final two minutes, to draw a game that they should have comprehensively won.

The next game against MCB was closer than the 34-0 score line loss suggests. The boys played extremely well and never gave up until the last minute.

In November, the team travelled to Wallace High School and recorded their first win of the season, 19-7. In testing conditions, the team played with School Games

U14A XV

conviction and displayed a clinical, cutting edge. Roosevelt Enriquez scythed through the opposition, scoring three opportunist tries.

The boys then lost against Ballymena Academy in a three school, round robin tournament at Roughfort. However, in their second game they defeated Stratford (a touring team from England) 28-14, with tries form Roosevelt Enriquez (2), Sam McConnell and Archie Wylie.

Two games against Campbell College followed. In the first game, the team lost 28-10 with a try from Aaron Willdridge. The next game against Campbell was probably my highlight of the season, when the team reversed the score line in the previous game and recorded a 29-5 victory. This game will be remembered as a physical battle between two very evenly matched teams on a cold, late November, Roughfort morning. Some of the tackling and defence from both teams was ferocious. In the end two tries from both Daniel Irvine and Roosevelt Enriquez ensured a ‘home win’.

A combination of frozen pitches and other teams failing to get enough players for a ‘B’ team resulted in a very frustrating end to the season. However, the Under 14 B team ended their season in style with a 21-19 victory over Wallace High School at Roughfort. Tries from Morgan Curran, Christopher Reid and Sam McConnell ensured a narrow victory.

Robin Montgomery captained the B side extremely well. He is a very talented and enthusiastic player who led by example when playing on the pitch. As I have said before, the team is very talented and a number of boys grew in stature and confidence during the season. Boys such as Aaron McGrotty, Jake Easdon, Tom Davis, Hendrick Tubelleja, Roosevelt Enriquez and Morgan Curran, started the season on the B team, but through hard work and determination, were pushing for starts on the A team at the end of the season.

In closing, apart from the boys, I am also indebted to the hard work and professionalism of my fellow coaches during the year: Mr McLoughlin, Mr Patterson, Mr McCarey and Mr Creighton. Their support, dedication and friendship made it a joy to be involved with coaching such a pleasant and enthusiastic group of boys. I wish the team well in their future rugby careers.

T.H.

U13

This was a truly enjoyable season for both the U13 A and B teams. There were some terrific moments throughout the year, notably the A team winning the U13 tournament with victories against Campbell College, Ballymena and Ballyclare. For the B team, a particular highlight was an away fixture to Wallace – an exciting match resulting in their first victory of the season.

The players always turned up to training with an abundance of enthusiasm and passion for developing new skills and learning about game management. Selection was always a headache for the coaches with many boys challenging for positions on both teams. Indeed, we often had enough players and substitutions for both teams on any given Saturday. The games were always played in the right spirit, with the players representing the school admiringly.

Liam Davis captained the A team and was an inspirational figure, whether with ball in hand, as a defensive player or encourager and motivator to the rest of his teammates. Jaime Clokey captained the B team and was also an inspiration to the players around him. However, one-star player doesn’t save a team, and luckily for both captains, they were surrounded by teammates always willing to give their all for the BRA jersey.

I thank the players for a year that I will remember with much fondness. More importantly, I thank their parents for washing kits (often up to three times a week) and always greeting me with a smile word of encouragement on Saturday mornings. Their code of conduct was always exceptional: to both our team and the opposition. Rugby is a special game and it is up to us all to protect its important values.

O.T.M. U12

At the Castle Grounds in August, at the outset of the Under 12 rugby season, it was evident that we had a talented group of boys. They worked hard in training on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and eagerly awaited their first matches. These came away to Wallace one month into the season; the A team lost by one score and the B team won comfortably. This strength and depth was a hallmark of the season. Wins against Limavady and Rainey, to win the Limavady tournament, followed before spirited, narrow defeats to Methodist College, Coleraine Grammar School, Inst. and Campbell. The highlight of the year came in the Methody tournament, at the end of the year, where, after beating Cambridge House and losing to an excellent Dubai touring team, a great team

performance saw the boys defeat Coleraine Grammar 7-5, making amends for the earlier defeat.

Special mention to Mr Field, Francis Collins and Tate Harte for their help with the boys throughout the year. I wish them luck for their U13 year and beyond. Watch this space! M.R.S.

GIRLS’ HOCKEY CLUB

The 2016/17 season was arguably the Girls’ hockey club’s most successful season, improving upon the 3 league titles won in 2015/16 by winning four league titles and an Ulster Shield. Adding to our success, we also had some of our players gain representative honours. Captain of the 1st XI Erin Getty, was selected for the Ireland senior squad and received her first cap against Germany in Dusseldorf at Easter, an exceptional achievement from an exceptional girl.

Erin was also Vice Captain of the Ireland U21s that competed in the European Championships in Valencia. Niamh McIvor and Harriet Dougan were selected for the Irish U16 squad that competed in the European Championships in Barcelona. Charlotte Anderson, Harriet Dougan, Trinity Geddis and Naomi McGuckin all represented Belfast U17 schools. Sophia Del Castillo, Niamh McIvor and Megan Warke represented Belfast U15 schools.

1ST XI

In her 5th and final year of representing BRA 1sts XI, Irish international Erin Getty captained the team. A leader on and off the pitch, Erin always led by example and could not have been a better ambassador for BRA hockey. We wish her every success and look forward to following the progress of her playing career with Ireland.

The 2016/17 season started with a trip away to Armagh Royal School in the first of the newly formed ‘Super League’, a competition aimed at raising standards of school girl hockey in Ulster. Unfortunately for us, our season started slow losing the first two matches to Armagh and

Portadown College. Although we beat Belfast High in our last group match, it wasn’t enough for us to progress to the knock out stages of the competition. This meant that we were unseeded for the School’s Cup and drew an away match to Cookstown High in the 2nd round. A comfortable 3-0 win put us into the 3rd round where we met Friends’ School Lisburn, whom we had drawn with earlier in the season. Unfortunately, on the day, Friends’ proved the better team beating us 2-1 to progress.

As 3rd round losers, we then played in the Ulster Shield competition where we drew Grosvenor Grammar School. An emphatic 8-2 win over, with Anna Wilson notably scoring a hat trick, meant we met Down High in the semi-final. This time a 5-1 convincing win meant we would play in the Ulster Shield final against Rainey Endowed.

Unfortunately, a disappointing performance, in the final, saw us lose 2-0 to Rainey. However, we didn’t have time to dwell on this defeat. Two days later, we would travel to Larne Grammar where we had to get at least a draw to win the South Antrim League. This we managed to do but tired legs just about saw us hold on to a 1-1 draw in Larne, never the less we celebrated the league title!

Two days after this, we then travelled to London for a unique opportunity. We had been invited to play before the annual Oxford/Cambridge Varsity match. It is a tradition that the schools attended by the captains of the two Varsity teams, play each other before the main event The Cambridge

captain for the 2016/17 season was former pupil Faye Kidd.

We played Latimer Upper School on the Friday night, as a warm up match, and won 4-0. Then, on the Sunday, we played Reeds Independent School of Surrey before the Varsity match. The girls did our School and Ulster hockey proud winning 3-2 in a most memorable match. At half-time we were 2-1 down after Alice Reid had put us in front. The girls looked tired, understandably considering this was their 5th important match in less than a week! Maybe it was the whole occasion and adrenalin kicked in but, somehow, the girls found something extra in the 2nd half and scored from a penalty corner through Lucy Stewart and it was game on.

With eight minutes remaining, Erin Getty broke through to be 1 on 1 with the Reed’s goal keeper who proceeded to take Erin down illegally and we were awarded a penalty stroke.

There was only going to be one outcome, Erin stepped up and slotted the ball calmly into the goal and gave us a 3-2 lead. The girls gave every, last ounce they had to hold on for the remaining minutes and beat Reed’s Independent School to win the trophy. Myself and Mr. Dorman could not have been prouder. A day that will stay in the memory of all of us that were involved for a long time to come!

To add to the Varsity trophy, the girl’s ‘capped off’ their season, beating Methodist College 2-1 to win the Belfast Schools’ League and securing a 3rd trophy in as many weeks. A memorable season with the highs most definitely out weighing the lows!

At the end of the season Mr. Dorman decided to step down form coaching the 1sts and 2As. Mr. Dorman and I had taken the teams together for 15 years, the contribution he made during this time is impossible to measure. I will be forever grateful and not only miss his coaching but his friendship at the side of the pitch every week.

2A XI

The team, captained by Naomi Martin in her last year at BRA, had a good combination of younger and experienced players. The 2As statistics for 2016/17 season read, played 16, won 7, lost 8 and drew 1. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until October when the girls earned their first win.

A 2-0 victory over Antrim Grammar. This was followed by a 3-0 win over Bloomfield Collegiate. This turn in form was timed well as the first round of their Cup was the next match due to be played away to Friends’ School Lisburn, the same opposition the 1sts faced in their cup. Unfortunately, we had the same outcome with a Friends’ victory putting us into the Plate Competition. We had got a ‘bye’ in the first round, but a draw in the second home to Larne Grammar was a tough draw. The girls could not have played better on the day and produced an excellent 4-2 win to take us into the 3rd round.

Another tough draw against Wallace High produced an exciting match but, unfortunately for us, Wallace edged through with a 3-2 win!

The team finished 3rd in their South Antrim league, and with a 3rd round exit from their Plate competition, we felt the girls’ inconsistency in their play was key in what was a disappointing season.

N.N.

N.N.

South Antrim League. The girls were only narrowly beaten by Ballyclare High School.

Captain – Maria Del Castillo

Vice-Captain – Erin Moffett

Played - 16 Won - 11Drew - 1Lost - 4

Player of the year: Laurel Kennedy

Top Goal scorer: Jessica Jackson

Most promising player: Samantha McGrath

2BXI Squad: Wrianne Salvatierra, Samantha McGrath, Erin Moffett, Chloe Joyce, Maria Del Castillo, Rachel Baillie, Molly Brown, Jessica Jackson, Anna Whiteside, Sasha Peters, Laurel Kennedy, Cara Carson, Anna McClurg, Jessica North, Charlotte Frazer.

2BXI Gibson Cup Results

Portadown

Ballymena

Coleraine

South Antrim League Results

Belfast High School

Antrim Grammar

Ballyclare

Methody

Carrick Grammar

Larne

Won 3-0

Lost 2-1

Drew 1-1

Won 3-0

Won 4-0

Lost 2-0

Won 1-0

Won 1-0

Won 1-0

The 2B XI had a good start to the season with wins against Portadown College, Belfast High, Bloomfield Collegiate and Antrim Grammar. The highlight of the season was coming 2nd in the

The team were very unlucky not to progress through their section in the Gibson Cup. We travelled away, to play Portadown, in our first cup match. The girls had a superb team performance, and came away with a very secure 3-0 win. Next, we played Coleraine High School at our home venue, Roughfort. Nerves got the better of us, on this occasion, and we could only settle with a 1-1 draw. Our last section fixture was against a very strong Ballymena side. We were lucky to have another home fixture, this time, at the Valley Leisure Centre. The team had a tremendous game, each player giving 110%. In a tightly contested match, the girls lost narrowly by two goals to one. Special mention must go to our superb goal keeper Wrianne who saved us on so many occasions throughout our toughest match this season. The season finished on a high with an away win against Larne Grammar.

I would especially like to express my appreciation to the girls who acted as replacements for the 2B XI. I would also like to thank the U15 girls Olivia Donaldson and Julia Forbes who often substituted for the team, quite often playing out of preferred position. Their versatility proved to be very important to the team, so that any injuries or sickness that occurred did not prevent the team from putting on a good performance.

We ended the 2016/17 season with a very enjoyable team night at The Odyssey Bowl, followed by a meal in The Red Panda. There was a great turn out from the squad. Many thanks go to the girls for their commitment and effort this season. Special thanks must go to Captain Maria Del Castillo 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 through the Senior club.

J.R.S.

Captain’s Report

This year the 2B XI had a very enjoyable and successful season. The team was a mixture of girls from Form IV – MVI, but the majority were Form V and LVI. We performed very well this season. Even though we are a young team, we had some impressive wins in our league this year, losing only one match to Ballyclare High School.

Throughout the year, our team bonded very well which helped us to improve not only our team skills like communication, encouragement and dedication but also our individual skills. All the girls made a huge effort, on the pitch, every Saturday morning, no matter what the weather, to bring out the best results. Erin Moffett performed solidly as sweeper. Wrianne Salvatierra, our young, but excellent goalie, stood strong at the back and did not let anything past her, whilst also encouraging team morale the whole way up the pitch. This helped Laurel Kennedy, with the help of the forward, put in some cracker goals throughout the year.

It was a pleasure to captain such a lovely group of girls. I couldn't have done without the help for Mrs Shaw, our fantastic coach, this year. Mrs Shaw worked with us all season and I can’t thank her enough for all the effort and time she put into our team. I’m excited to see what next season brings for us.

Captain – Olivia Donaldson

Vice-Captain – Fabienne Cochrane

Played – 12 Won – 9 Drew – 2 Lost - 1

Player of the year: Julia Forbes/Olivia Donaldson

Top Goal scorer: Zara McClean

Most promising player: Fabienne Cochrane

U15 Squad: Wrianne Salvatierra, Alex Gifford, Beth Whiteside, Cliodhna McNaughton, Ellie Cross, Erin Cunningham, Erin Davidson, Fabienne Cochrane, Julia Forbes, Laura Meeke, Lois Sharpe, Louise O'Neill, Olivia Donaldson, Sophie Bloomfield, Zara McClean.

The 2016/17 season proved to be a most enjoyable experience for the team. We started the year in enthusiastic form, beating Portadown College by three goals to nil. The step up from Junior to Senior level was at first a challenge, but the team quickly established themselves as a most capable side with another win against Belfast High School. Great goals came from Sophie Bloomfield (2) and Fabienne Cochrane. It was very encouraging to see that, this year, we had such a large squad of players to select from every week.

I would especially like to express my appreciation to the girls who acted as replacements for the U15s, sometimes at short notice, and very often playing out of their preferred position. Many thanks go to the girls for their commitment and effort this season. I thoroughly enjoyed working with this group.

I would like to make special mention of our Captain, Olivia Donaldson, who led by example with her very helpful, organised and pleasant manner in which she performed her duties throughout the season. With continued effort and determination many of the U15 team will be representing higher teams next year. I therefore wish them every success at these levels. J.R.S.

U14A XI

Played:20 Won: 15 Drew: 3 Lost: 2

Maria Del Castillo (LVI)

U15 XI

Captain: Megan Warke

Vice-Captain: Niamh McIvor

Top Goal Scorer: Niamh McIvor

Squad: Erin Lavery, Emma Dobbin, Erin McQuiston, Megan Warke, Ella Harvey, Monica Del Castillo, Ellie Collins, Olivia Thompson, Kerry Uprichard, Abbie Baxter, Niamh McIvor, Ruby Dougan, Aoife Corry, Emma Uprichard, Eve Thompson and Molly McCourt.

Captain’s Report

The U14 A team have had a successful season. We have beaten some outstanding teams. In the league, we played Belfast High and won 6-0, Ballyclare High and won 1-0, Antrim Grammar, and won 3-0, Larne Grammar and won 2-0. This resulted in us winning the South Antrim Area League again for the second year in succession.

We drew Hunterhouse in the first round of the cup and beat them 7-0. Our second match was against Killicomaine Junior High School whom we had beaten earlier in the season.

Unfortunately, we lost this cup match which meant we transferred into the Shield competition. We had to play against Ballyclare High (3-1) hand Ballymena Academy (3-0) to get to the final, and we won both these matches.

The final was played in front of big support from the School, and parents, at Stormont against the Royal School Dungannon. We won 3-0, and we were all delighted to win the Shield.

Thank you so much to Miss Brady, Judith Allen and Miss Allen for coaching us throughout a very successful and enjoyable season.

Megan Warke

U14B XI

Played: 12 Won:6 Drew:4 Lost:2

Captain: Amy Harper

Vice-Captain: Kaitlin McCalmont

Top Goal Scorer: Megan Bloomfield

Squad: Eve Henderson, Eve Patterson-Wilson, Rebecca Greer, Rebecca Parkes, Chloe Spence, Katie-Rose Massey, Aoife Corry, Eden McCoubrey, Holly Adair, Jessica Porter, Kaitlin McCalmont, Rachel Greer, Megan Bloomfield, Amy Harper, Jessica Davidson and Lucy McMahon-Beattie

Captain’s Report

The U14B XI had a very successful season with every player displaying great commitment and enthusiasm from the start, during training and matches. We began with a 2-0 victory against Friends’, followed by a 1-1 draw against Belfast High School and a 2-0 win over Ballyclare High School. Our only two defeats occurred mid-season with a 2-0 loss against Strathearn and a 3-0 defeat against Methody when we were missing quite a few of our players. The team bounced back however, and they returned to their winning ways, finishing the season in style with a draw against Glenlola and impressive victories over Bloomfield (2-0), Victoria College (2-0), Grosvenor (5-0) and Larne Grammar (7-0). In fact, twelve goals were scored in our last two matches with no reply from our opposition!

We have thoroughly enjoyed working together and improving greatly as a team. We wish to thank Miss Brady and Miss Arbuthnot for all their hard work and encouragement both on and off the pitch. Thank you all, for your support and dedication, and I wish everyone all the very best for next year.

Amy Harper

Both squads have worked immensely hard both during training and matches to improve their hockey skills and fitness throughout the season. I was proud to see the U14 A team win the Ulster Shield and the South Antrim Area League. The U14 B team also had an excellent season with only two losses throughout the year, finishing with very strong results.

I would like to thank the girls for their dedication and hard work this year. It has been a very enjoyable and successful season for a talented group of players. I would also like to thank Miss Arbuthnot and Miss Allen for their coaching and umpiring throughout the year.

The U13 squads have produced very consistent performances over the course of the season, showing improvement in both their skill level and their ability to work together as a team. I have been impressed by the commitment levels in training and the strong desire to win from every player who represents Belfast Royal Academy on the hockey field. The U13 squad won their South Antrim League, beating schools including Ballyclare High, Carrickfergus Grammar, Belfast High and Antrim Grammar.

The girls are progressing well and performing superbly as a team. Highlight results for the A squad would be our 3 – 1 win against Ballyclare High and a convincing 3 – 0 win against Victoria College, as well as the B squad defeating Belfast High convincingly. The girls only lost one match this year, against a very strong Killicomaine Junior High School team. Keep up the good work ladies.

R.M.

OWLS LADIES HOCKEY CLUB

Owls Ladies Hockey Club had yet another great season in 2016/17, fielding three senior squads each week. This has been facilitated by the support of our experienced coaching team. The 1st XI gained a number of new players from the surrounding areas giving fresh competition to the existing members of the squad.

With this new blood they were able to maintain a position in a tough Senior 2 league, finishing mid table. The 2nd XI had an extremely successful season, gaining promotion into Junior 6 and, as if promotion wasn't enough, they won Gold in the Minor Cup competition after a nail biting silver goal period of extra time. The 3rd XI has now started to become more established with a mixture of school girls and more experienced players coming together on a Saturday to field an ever strengthening squad. Going into the 2017/18 season, we aim to have all squads promoted and, with the dedication of players and coaches, this is definitely within Owls Ladies Hockey Clubs' reach.

We hope that this season will bring even more success for all our players and welcome new players, coaches and club volunteers to get involved.

Training Times:

Monday: 7.00pm-8:30pm Roughfort playing fields (astro)

Wednesday: 7.45pm-9.15pm Roughfort playing fields (astro)

OWLS LADIES JUNIOR HOCKEY

Owls Ladies Junior section has had another very successful season in 2016/17, fostering the hockey and social skills of girls aged 6-15. We currently have a budding Minis section, for girls aged 6-11. During our sessions, the girls can experience hockey through a range of progressive drills and games led by experienced coaches. The P4-7 girls thoroughly enjoyed taking part in competitive tournaments ran by Ulster Hockey and a number of local hockey clubs.

Our Under 11 teams had great success this year, winning medals and making it to the Cup at the Ulster Hockey Finals day.

In addition, we have growing Under 13 and Under 15 sections. This year we had the pleasure of entering two Under 13 teams to take part in Ulster Hockey Blitz days, with one team making it into

the Cup on the Ulster Hockey Finals day for the first time ever! Our Under 15s took part in the Ulster Hockey Development league, gaining match experience, and developing their love for the sport. This season, we hosted several special events including an Easter camp, Movie Night, friendly tournaments, and our End of Season Dinner.

We hope the 2017/18 season will bring great success and the girls continue to foster their love of hockey. Training information can be seen below:

Under 13,15 and P4-P7: Wednesdays 6.30-7.30pm BRA Playing Fields, Mallusk. (Astroturf Pitch)

Minis (P2-P7): Saturdays 10.30-11.30 BRA Playing Fields, Mallusk.

(Gravel Pitch)

All new members are welcome. For further information, please contact: owlsladieshockeyclub@hotmail.com

BOYS’ HOCKEY 1ST XI

Jason Roe made a tackle from left midfield on the half way line, made ground quickly over 10 metres, cut in past a defender, straightened up, rode off another challenge, the forwards made runs to create a gap as he dribbled into the circle, getting too far right, before he unleashed a shot into the bottom corner, GOAL! That was a special goal, maybe we have a chance this year…

Unfortunately, we went on the lose that game to Sullivan 3-,1 in the second match of the season, but maybe it was a sign of things to come. The following week, in beating Bangor 6-1, was also an indicator that the 1st XI team had the players to win games, score goals and the defence was starting to develop together. Ethan Thompson and Zarar Khan, in the forward line, were starting to

combine well and had the ability to score goals from half chances. Jason Roe, playing in left midfield and captaining the team, had the ability to turn defence into attack and cutting in from the left side was proving to be a very dangerous and productive move. Wins against RBAI and Kilkeel, scoring nine goals in the process, was excellent preparation before our first Prior Shield group match versus Antrim.

In the build up to the first Prior Shield game, we talked as a group about our expectations for the season. A change in the competition meant that the first and second placed teams from each group would go through to the Quarter-Finals, rather than just the top placed team straight through to the Semi-Finals.

This meant that there was a better chance of finishing first or second, but the competition was tougher, with another knock-out stage added. The 1st XI squad was substantial enough to deal with a cup campaign and several players were in their fourth season playing 1st XI hockey so they had vital experience, but this was their last chance to win something at schools’ level.

Matches against Antrim have always been closely contested, and the fact that Jason Roe was Captain of Antrim Club 1st XI added some extra tension to the game. A thrilling game ended in a 4-4 draw at Roughfort, with their equaliser only coming in the last minute. After the match, the players felt, understandably, dejected, knowing that points were lost rather than one point gained. It added pressure to the next few games, of the group stage, in order to reach the Quarter-Finals.

Regent, away, were our next opponents in the Prior Shield group stage. A 2-0 win, with goals from Jason Roe and Ethan Thompson, sealed a convincing team performance, along with a clean sheet from Seweryn Szulgan.

Before the next Prior Shield group match, we came up against Friends’ in a ‘friendly’, drawing 1-1. Although three players of our team were missing, it was a very competitive and tough game, and we only equalised in the last minute.

Campbell, away, were our final group stage opponents; a team that we were always very competitive against, but with mixed results. After a slow start, we won convincingly 5-1 and were

delighted that that put us through to the Quarter Finals.

After the match, there was an immediate sense that the team genuinely had a great and positive belief in each other, what way we wanted to play, the tactics and the spirit to go further in the competition.

Wallace were our Quarter-Final opponents; a team which we knew would play a very attractive style of hockey, pass the ball well and their forwards would move well off the ball. It was very important that we gave very little away at the back and stopped them creating chances. We could not have asked for any more from the team in terms of following tactics – their attacks were stopped, intercepted, very little space given and we took our chances, with Ethan Thompson scoring two goals and Jason Roe with the third. A Semi-Final place was booked.

Inevitably, the draw meant another battle with Antrim, this time away. Under the floodlights at Antrim Forum a very tense, tough and tactical battle took place, with very few chances falling to either team. Jason Roe scored in the fourth minute, after which a midfield battle, with tackle upon tackle being made by both teams went on. During the last ten minutes Antrim were camped in our half, trying to scramble an equaliser, but our defence and goalkeeper stood strong and brave and we, deservedly, held on to reach the Prior Shield Final.

The final took place on Wednesday 14 December at Lisnagarvey HC versus Friends’. For the whole squad, it was their first experience of a final and was quite daunting. We were able to train on the pitch in the few days before the final, which seemed to help in knowing what to expect on the day. As the match got under way, we were not to know that the afternoon would develop into a long, tiring and intense afternoon to remember. ‘If we can hold them and stay in the match until half time, then we have a chance. The longer this goes on; we are still in the match. Have the belief.’ It was simple!

The first twenty minutes were an onslaught of attack after attack on our defence and goal, but we held out. Tackles and clearances were made, and some excellent saves by Seweryn Szulgan kept us in the game, on a wet and cold afternoon. To be

honest we were thankful to get to half-time as the players’ legs looked tired and their breathing was heavy. The message at half-time had to be positive. ‘This was exactly what we want, they have given everything they have got and have nothing to show from it. Look at them, they are wondering what else they can do to beat us. We must have the belief to keep to the tactics, and our chances will come. Believe in each other.’

The second half started much the same as the first, with more attacks and chances for Friends’, but our defence stood strong and ‘big Sevy’ was having a stormer! The last fifteen minutes of the final had turned into a scrappy match, with the two teams getting very tired, Jason Roe was cramping up, but refused to be brought off, and neither team were creating clear chances. Kurtis Taylor and Ethan Thomposn made some ‘breaks’ from the half way line, but the final pass was just not there.

Inevitably, extra-time beckoned; don’t lose it now, no mistakes, keep it tight at the back, concentrate. 0-0 after full time, 0-0 after extra time, we were going to have to settle this on penalty strokes. At the training session at Lisnagarvey, we had prepared for this and the five penalty takers were still fit enough and willing to step forward. We discussed keeping it simple and making a clear decision, and then left Seweryn Szulgan to prepare on his own.

What happened next will be remembered by those who were involved for a long time. Jason Roe –bottom left – goal. Barra Patterson– bottom left –goal. Thomas Carey – bottom left – goal. Zarar Khan – bottom left – goal. Kurtis Taylor to win the final – saved. It was now going to sudden death penalty strokes. Jason Roe – goal. Barra Patterson

– goal. Friends’ - Sevy – SAVED! BRA win the Prior Shield!

What a release of emotion and happiness for those who were involved. To see Jason Roe deservedly lift the Prior Shield was a joy to watch and be part of.

In the New Year, it felt surreal playing matches again, as it felt like the season was complete and our aim had been achieved. However, we still had the Burney Cup to play in and we were drawn against Lurgan in the first round, winning quite comfortably and proceeding to the next round and drawn against Regent at Roughfort. This turned out to be an excellent match, with us being very much the underdogs but competing very well, leading 2-1 until the last minute and disappointingly conceding to draw 2-2 and send it to a replay at Regent. The replay could not have been more in contrast to the original match, with the performance lacking and losing the match 3-1. That result put us into the Burney Cup Plate competition, which we lost comprehensively 6-0 to Campbell.

The season would not have been complete without a little recognition of the great achievement of winning the Prior Shield. We were able to go to Dublin for a mini-tour; playing Wesley College and watching the Irish Senior Cup Final at UCD.

It was an opportunity, especially for the MVI boys leaving, to reminisce about some hockey stories, re-live each penalty stroke of the final and remember fondly the matches won to get us there.

I know that in years to come we will remember with a smile and satisfaction the 2016-17 season and winning the Prior Shield. The group of players were excellent in every way and deserved the success. I hope that they will remember it and be proud of their achievement in many years to come.

COLTS

The Colts hockey team is made up of Form IV and V players. The 2016 -2017 season was a rebuilding year for the Colts after losing several key players.

Squad: Andrew Dorman, Ben Needham David Rea, Dylan McGrotty, Ethan Thompson, Isaac Jarman, Malek Hawela, Rían Mullan, Rory Flynn, Reece Armstrong, Tom McKee, Zak Lundy, Peter Watt, Christopher Pollock, David Russell and Owen O’Kane.

The year began with tough matches against Sullivan Upper School and RBAI where the boys played well but couldn’t score. We then played a tough game against Kilkeel High School where a

goal from Ethan Thompson gave the boys their first win of the season. Successive matches against Friends’ and Banbridge gave optimism for the Taylor Cup. A pre-tournament match against Craigavon Senior School saw the boys give their best performance of the season so far, wining 3-0 at Mossely Hockey Club with goals from Ethan Thompson, David Russell and Owen O’Kane.

The Taylor Cup began after Christmas, progressing to the semi-finals with a narrow 1-0 win against Ballycastle and a goal from Ethan Thompson. The team drew Markethill, at home, in the semi-finals. We ceded a goal early in the game, but replied swiftly, through Isaac Jarman, to make the scores 1-1 at half time. The second half began and again the opposition scored an early goal, but a goal from Peter Watt got the boys back in the game. The game ended 2-2 at full-time, so going to a nervous extra time. Unfortunately, this time Markethill scored with one minute to play and the Colts lost.

K.L.

On behalf of the team, we would like to thank Mr Morrison, Mr Lunn, Mr Harte, Dr Bell and Dr McMurray for coaching and encouraging us throughout the season and arranging matches.

D.D.M.

JUNIOR HOCKEY XI

Looking purely at the results this was far from a vintage season for the Junior Hockey XI. However, there were a number of notable performances, particularly in the home game against Kilkeel when our performance should have yielded greater results. In both the Bannister Bowl (Under 13) and Ferris Cup (Under 14) we suffered defeats at the hands of Bangor Grammar.

In goal, the most frequent incumbent was James Strutt. He showed a lot of potential and was brave and agile in nets. By the end of the season Cameron McKee was emerging as another contender for the position and he showed potential. I hope they will both stick at it and that at least one of them resolves to make the position his own.

In the back 4, Matthew Logan and Ben Watt were mainstays. Matthew continues to improve in many aspects of his play, and is a committed marker and tackler. However, he needs to get more composure on the ball as he has a tendency to panic a little in possession. Ben, by contrast has composure, but he needs to do everything on the pitch with more urgency efficiency if he is to realise his potential. Chris Haddock played a fair amount of matches at left back. He had good positional sense, but needs to improve upon his basic skills. Thomas Crowe was another member of the defence. He had good basic stick skills but needs to be a bit more assertive on the pitch. Chris Pollock was one of the Form IVs who played for the team periodically. He is a strong player, who always fronted up to the physical challenge. However, he needs to get a bit more guile into his play if he is to cement his place on the 1st XI next year.

In midfield, Darren Osborne usually operated in the centre. He has good basic stick skills and was a tenacious competitor. However, he needs to be a

little bit more composed on the ball. David Monahan joined us from Antrim Grammar and he made a significant impact. He was strong and direct in his play and allied this with not a little skill. However, he needs to carry the ball a little less and make more use of the talents of those around him. Adam Finnegan was another who operated in midfield. Adam is a determined competitor who is neat and tidy in possession of the ball. He needs to be a bit more assertive on the pitch and get a greater involvement in the game.

Owen O’Kane was another of the Form IV who slotted in to the team. He has very tidy stick skills and is one of the most technical players on the side. He, like Adam could do more to assert himself on the matches. David Russell played infrequently. His presence gave us an edge in the midfield when he did play as he was combative and

Over the course of the season, a number of Form Is emerged as part of the team. Bradley Irwin and Elliott McKeown were technically very good and competed well in the matches. Over time, as they develop physically, they should become more effective on the outcomes of the matches. Jacob Snoddy is another of the Form I crop who showed potential. We need to ensure these boys our out practicing every Monday and playing Saturday matches, as there is the core for a very good 1st XI in the future.

Robbie Madden slotted in at right midfield and as a forward. He showed some good skills but he tended to drift out of games a little bit. Domus Misiunas was another who plied his trade up front. He shows some good movement and makes intelligent runs. He needs to improve his link up play with the other forwards if he is to make more impact for the team.

I am sure there are others who turned out in matches that I have omitted, if there are I apologise. I want to thank the boys for their efforts during the course of the year. Thanks must also go on record to Harry McNeill who was out on Monday afternoons and on Saturday mornings lending his considerable knowledge and coaching nous. Thanks as well to Messrs Morrison and Lunn for their assistance on Saturday mornings. I hope the boys enjoyed their season and that they stick at it. As the success of the 1st XI showed this season; if they do stick at it, their persistence may be richly rewarded.

M.G.H.

CRICKET

1ST XI

The 1st XI started 2017 hoping to be the first School in history to win back to back to back Schools’ Cups. They approached this with a most commendable approach to practice and started the

season, like the proverbial house on fire, beating last year’s finalists RBAI by 10 runs in the first game of the season; led by a spectacular undefeated hundred by captain Jack Burton and 63 from his close friend and fellow veteran, Sam Osborne. We then beat Ballyclare by 7 wickets (with an unbeaten 50 by Jack Burton). The team travelled to Derry to play Foyle College, one of the pretournament favourites, full of confidence. Unfortunately, after winning the toss, it was a day that didn’t go our way, Jack Burton was dismissed in the second over and a number of other batsmen could consider themselves unlucky in their dismissal.

In the end, despite a spirited fielding and bowling performance, some excellent rearguard batting from Foyle meant that our total of 130 was not enough and we lost our first Schools’ Cup Cricket game since 2014.

It has often been said that response to setbacks defines character. As much as I was disappointed that we were out of the cup (and by milkshakegate!), I asked the boys to ensure that we approached the rest of the season with the timekeeping and attitude that have defined much of the last three years. The next day, the entire team was there 10 minutes before the 8:30am meeting time and, led by Harry Warke’s half century and Michael Brady turning it square, we comfortably beat Methody. Unfortunately, weather and other teams not wanting to play our vaunted 1st XI dictated much of the rest of the season, with a pleasing win against Regent and narrow defeats to both Sullivan and Inst. forming a very small highlights package of a wet June.

Congratulations to Jack Burton on his selection for Ireland U19 and to Max Burton and Harry Warke on their selection for the NCU Under 17 side.

We bid farewell to Jack Burton, Sam Osborne, Bradley Luney, Zarar Khan, James McMahonBeattie, Michael Brady and Jason Roe who will, I trust, leave School with fond memories of their time with the 1st XI. We shall miss them and hope to reunite at the Old Boys games in 2018 and beyond.

M.R.S.

2NDXI

The 2nd XI cricket season was a short lived, but successful campaign. Unfortunately, it proved quite difficult to organise friendly matches, and hence our first game of the season was played against Methodist College Belfast, in the quarter final of The Schools’ Cup.

This game was played at the Castle Grounds, and what a spectacle it proved to be! BRA won the toss and chose to open the batting. It was as if the game was over before it had even begun, as BRA were bowled out for a mere 42 runs.

The BRA team bounced back after the interval and thanks to some excellent bowling by Brandon Doyle, Jason Roe, Rory Linden, Oran Corry and Luca Johnston we managed to bowl out the Methody team for the same score, tying the game. Following some confusion, it was decided a bowl off would take place to settle the match. The pressure got to the Methody bowlers, as only one of their four players hit the stumps. Whereas for BRA Luca, Rory and Brandon all hit the stumps. BRA won the bowl off 3-1 and progressed to the next round of the Duke of Abercorn cup. BRA received a bye in the semi-final, as the opposition could not field a team.

RBAI were to be our opponents in the final. A friendly was arranged against RBAI to prepare us; however, due to some last minute call ups to the 1st XI, we faced the RBAI team with men down. Needless to say, they won comfortably.

The cup final took place on the 23rd June at Osborne Park. RBAI were the clear favourites; however, we fancied our chances at causing an upset. RBAI opted to bat first. They batted the full 25 overs, but we managed to restrict them to only 125 runs thanks to a great bowling and fielding display. Despite an optimistic start to the batting, the RBAI bowlers proved too strong, with one NCU Spinner taking 6 wickets.

Our team consisted of many talented junior players, all of whom I am sure will succeed in their future cricketing ambitions. I would also like to thank the staff for arranging and umpiring all of the games and finally, I would like to nod towards the veterans of the 2XI; you know who you are.

COLTS XI

The U15 Colts XI had a very successful season, building once again on the platforms set in previous years. We reached the semi-final of the cup competition, improving last seasons’ disappointing first round exit in the competition

An early win against Ballyclare, by nine wickets with impressive performances all round, and a

Lewis Davidson (MVI)

comfortable win versus Grosvenor, with Ryan Jameson scoring an impressive 70*, set the team up for an excellent season. Unfortunately, the lack of belief that we could beat the so called “bigger teams” was our downfall. This was the case when we made the trip to Osbourne Park to face a talented RBAI team. The bowling attack led by Ollie Parkes and Andrew Greer restricted the opposition to 126 off 20 overs, an under-par score on an excellent wicket. Regrettably, the top order collapsed early on but due to outstanding performances with the bat from Ben Brown and Patrick George the game was kept alive. This effort wasn’t enough with the chase falling twenty runs short.

After disappointing losses to Methody and Inst (as mentioned above) the team picked itself up with a big game against Lisneal in the first-round of the Cup. The game was played at the Castle and the BRA performance did justice to the beautiful surroundings. We won the toss and sent the visitors in to bat, once again excellent performances with the ball from Patrick George and Andrew Greer restricted Lisneal to under a hundred with some standout performances in the field. This gave the batters a great platform with both the openers scoring well to secure a nine wicket win. Next in the cup we met Regent House, who had beat us in the first-round last year. Batting first we made an impressive 140 in damp conditions at Roughfort with Nik Kane scoring 40 and Ryan Jameson scoring 65. This proved to be too much for Regent’s batting as they were restricted to 100.

After a run of cup wins we had a friendly against Wallace played at the Castle. At this point we knew we were either going to play Methody or Wallace again in the semi-final so we knew this was a big game. Knowing this the team went into the game with a positive mind set and batted well reaching 130. The top five all batted well with Joel Clarke hitting 25 off the last 3 overs. Wallace’s quality won them the game but the close result certainly sent the message that we weren’t going to be walked over. During the next week, we found out that Wallace beat Methody and that we’d be facing them at the Castle. Excitement built amongst the team with great spirit in training throughout the week.

Finally, the big day arrived, the setting wasn’t quite the idyllic scene we had got used to at Ben Madigan over the course of the season but we were still ready. We lost the toss and Wallace elected to bat first. They made 181 off their 30 overs with their captain scoring an impressive 130*. Although it was going to be a tough challenge to chase we believed we could do it as we hit over 130 in the previous 20 over game. The chase couldn’t have got off to a worse start as we lost both of our openers in the first few overs. Although Nik Kane and Max Braniff steadied the ship the loss of too many wickets made it an impossible task and we fell one hundred runs short of the target.

The team deserves high praise after such a successful season and I would like to thank all the

players who made it so enjoyable – Andrew Greer, Patrick George, Joel Miller and Jack Davis, who bowled consistently well throughout the season. Adam Lamb, Ben Brown, Joseph Anderson and Scott Kelly who all made significant differences in the field and Ollie Parkes Ryan Jameson and Joel Clarke for their batting performances. I would also like to thank Jude McCracken and Ben Doherty for their time and effort as well. Finally, I would like to thank our coaches for their dedication and commitment, namely Sam, Josh, Mr Creighton (Jr) and especially Dr McMurray.

Nik Kane (V)

JUNIOR COLTS XI

Captain: Max Braniff

Played: 7 Won: 2 Lost: 5

As the playing record suggests, this was only a moderately successful season for the Junior Colts. Although, the statistics alone hide the fact that significant progress was made throughout the season. Indeed, with a little bit more application, focus and self-belief the team could easily have ended the season with more victories than defeats.

In general, our catching and fielding, were greatly improved from last year. No better example of this was seen than in the cup defeat to RBAI at the Castle Grounds. Were tight bowling and a good performance in the field helped us reduce them to relatively modest target.

Moving forward, there are two main areas where this group needs to improve. Firstly, our bowling needs to become more disciplined. We, too often, were gifting our opponents a 20 or 30 run head start through our generous offering in the ‘extras’ column. Secondly, our batting needs to be a little more disciplined. Max Braniff continued to lead the side in the batting. Although a number of others provided much more significant contributions notably Evan Robinson, Sam Caldwell and Michael Harvey. However, too often we appear, in a great rush on a Saturday morning, to get our runs in as much of a hurry as possible. Many in the group need to remember the old adage

that you cannot score runs when back in the pavilion!

Our season started with a late April trip to Down High School for an Under 14 cup match. Max won the toss and invited the hosts to bat first. Our bowling was threatening, if occasionally profligate, in restricting Down High to 85-8 in their 20 overs. 23 of these runs being needlessly gifted in wides and no-balls. The most effective of the bowlers were Sam Caldwell (4-22) and Tom Davis (3-10) who both bowled with decent pace and got the ball to move around. The run chase never really looked in doubt as Evan Robinson (17) and Max (33) enjoyed an opening partnership of 58, before Noah Davis and Michael Harvey guided us home by 8 wickets with 4 overs to spare.

Hot on the heels of this victory, we entertained Ballyclare High School on the back pitch at Roughfort. Ballyclare won the toss and elected to bat. Wallace, who had a reprieve in the first over, wasted no time in setting about our bowling. When he was eventually caught by Evan, off the bowling of Tom Davis, his 24ball innings had yielded 51 runs as he dominated an opening stand of 61. His opening partner, Montgomery was the only Ballyclare batsmen to get past 1 as his 42 not out anchored the innings. In the end, thanks to 26 extras, Ballyclare posted 122-7 in their 20 overs. Sam Caldwell was again the pick of the bowlers with 4-11 from his 4 overs. Our bowling indeed had been stretched as a sore back for the skipper ensured he could only manage one over. Our reply started briskly as the opening pair of Braniff and Robinson got us to 30 before Evan was bowled early in the 5th over. Max continued to bat well, and we looked to be coasting to victory until he fell for 40. With the score at 65-4 a ball into the 12th over we were still well placed. Sam Caldwell hit a few lusty blows in an innings of 16 to get us close and Tom Davis hit 13 off 10 balls to edge us towards victory. However, too many dot balls and a failure to put the fielders under pressure by taking risky runs left us 4 runs short.

Next up was a chastening defeat to Methodist College. Where Humphries’s fine 116 not out set us a formidable target of 170-4. Again, Sam Caldwell was the pick of the bowlers with 3-26 off his 4 overs. Our reply never really threatened the Methody total as Braniff (13) and Noah Davis (10) were the sole batsmen to make it into double figures as we slipped to 54 all out.

Grosvenor at home completed our McCullough Cup group matches. Batting first they set us a target of 116-7 in their 20 overs. Noah Davis (3-19) and Michael Harvey (3-10) being the pick of the bowlers. Despite losing Evan Robinson in the first over, a fine batting display from Max, who scored 39 in just 19 balls, Michael Harvey (48*) and Sam Caldwell (15*) saw us win by 8 wickets with plenty of overs to spare.

This was a good confidence booster as we headed in to the U14 cup match with the favourites RBAI. On a showery day, at the Castle Grounds, ‘Inst’ batted first after winning the toss. For the most

part, despite missing Sam Caldwell, our bowling was tidy and effective and well supported in the field. Had the skipper not miscalculated his overs, and the last over gone for 27, the score set would have been even less than the 142-4 ‘Inst’ posted. Michael Harvey with 1-16 off his 4 overs and Max with 1-21 off his 4 were the pick of the bowlers with Dickson (72*) playing a classy innings for the visitors. Our reply had started in an encouraging fashion, progressing to 19-0 in the 4th over before Evan Robinson had a bit of a brain freeze and ran himself out. Max was bowled by a good ball from Hewitt in the same over and suddenly the frailties of our batting line up were exposed. From 19-0 we found ourselves 29-5 and them as the ‘Inst’ spin twins of Dickson and Wylie spun their webs of deception the last 5 wickets fell without adding further to our total.

That Limavady Grammar School were bowled out for the same total in the Cup final says a lot about the strength of our opposition. I, for one, was pleased by the way we were competitive for about 23 overs of the 40 over match!

We played only two further fixtures. On Saturday the 22nd of June, we travelled to Campbell College. In Evan Robinson’s absence, Robin Montgomery was the sole volunteer to open the batting with Max. He was largely a spectator in the opening stand as the skipper raced to 18 before inside edging the 3rd ball of Minford’s second over onto his own stumps. It was an unfortunate dismissal as he had started well, taking 15 runs off the second over of the innings. Harvey followed soon after, hitting a full toss straight back to the bowler at the start of Minford’s 3rd over. The partnership between Caldwell and Montgomery for the 3rd wicket proved to be our most productive. Robin batted steadily, while Sam bludgeoned 28 runs off 13 balls before giving his wicket away – this becoming an all too familiar tale for our 5 batsmen. Thereafter, Noah Davis and Michael Kane kept trying to build an innings as we stumbled from 63-2 in the 9th over to 90-9 off 20. The total scarcely looked defendable and Minford went on the attack quickly. He raced to 25 before Max took an excellent catch off the bowling of Noah Davis, to remove him with the score at 34-1 after 3.2 overs. Michael Harvey then nearly took an exceptional catch, a deep square leg, to get rid of the composed Jackson shortly after. Had he done so, we may have had enough runs on the board to expose Campbell’s middle order. However, in the event, when Sam McConnell eventually got rid of Jackson, Campbell only required 4 more runs for victory, which they did without the loss of any further wickets.

Our final match saw us travel to Ballymena, where Ballymena won the toss and we were invited to bat. The top four all got starts Max (10), Evan (12), Michael Harvey (27) and Sam Caldwell (29), but none could capitalise and play that big innings we needed. So, we went from 74-3 off 10 overs –with a total of around 150, a distinct possibility to being all out for 109 with 2 overs to spare. Ballymena’s reply started pretty as the openers put

on 37 runs before Max struck with consecutive balls. However, Drain remained largely unflustered at the other end, and Andrews came in at number 5 to bludgeon 23 runs off 11 balls to guide Ballymena to the brink of victory. Despite a double blow from Tom Davis late on, Drain’s 48 not out saw the hosts home by 5 wickets with 5 overs to spare.

The lesson from this match and, indeed, the season as a whole is that to win games against the better sides we need one of our top 5 to bat until the end and play the sort of innings that Drain had here against us, like Humphries or Dickson had before him. Too often our more talented batsmen blazed onto a quick fire 20 or 30 only to play a careless shot and throw their wicket away. One of them needs to take responsibility to play a relatively low risk innings that would see us through our 20 overs with a competitive total.

Our bowling stock has variation. Max can bowl at decent pace to trouble batsmen and is disciplined in his line and length. There is variety in our bowling. Noah Davis made the transition to bowling left arm orthodox spinners and has talent. He needs to believe a bit more in his own ability and stick at it. Sam Caldwell was our highest wicket taker. His Left arm seamers are bowled at a decent pace and he gets good swing. I think he would do well to continue to operate over the wicket as it opens up a few more modes of dismissal. Of the others, Michael Harvey, Tom Davis and Evan Robinson all bowled very good spells, but they need to be more consistent in their line and length. In all three cases, they need to finish of their actions better by running through the crease and following through a bit more.

Of those not mentioned elsewhere in the report Alex Dowds is the team’s wicket keeper. He improved during the season but sometimes has lapses of concentration. Sam McConnell is technically a sound batsman but he needs to work on his running between the wickets and working out where his scoring areas are going to be. Michael Kane is an enthusiastic team member and showed against Campbell a willingness to concentrate and apply himself in an innings. Like Sam, he needs now to work on maximising his scoring areas. Archie Wylie and Eliot Donaldson were the other consistent team members. Their batting opportunities were a little limited, but both need to be more alert to scoring opportunities when they get the chance.

I wish to thank the boys for their effort during the season. They are an enthusiastic bunch who seemed to enjoy their cricket. If they stick at it, they can be a more successful team next year. Finally, a thank you to Mr. Creighton for his efforts throughout the year and for taking the team when examinations commitments forced my absence.

Bowling (minimum 10 wickets)

Sam Caldwell 12 wickets @ 10.42

Batting (minimum 80 runs)

Sam Caldwell 89 runs @ 22.25

Michael Harvey 102 runs @ 20.4

Max Braniff 122 runs @ 17.42

Statistical analysis:

JUNIOR

XI

The Junior XI cricket team performed admirably throughout the season. I was a little apprehensive at the start of the season as I knew that they had failed to win a game in Form I. However, during our first practice session, and throughout the season, I was pleasantly surprised by the talent and enthusiasm that the team possessed. By the end of the season the team was unrecognisable from the team that started the campaign.

The season started off with a heavy defeat against Wallace High School. Our score of 32 all out was never going to trouble a very talented and powerful Wallace batting line up.

In the next game against Ballyclare High School, the team showed glimpses of their potential when they posted 45-7 off their 20 overs. Jack Magowan particularly impressed with his batting and running between the wickets. Even though 45 was a modest score, Ryan Armstrong and Sudeep Tirupathi, bowled extremely well to make Ballyclare ‘wobble’ at 25-4. However, in the end, Ballyclare were able make the required runs in a 4wicket victory. In defeat, there were still many positives; I was particularly impressed with the enthusiasm of the fielding.

Against MCB, there was, unfortunately, another heavy defeat by 7 wickets. However, it was pleasing that BRA batted out their 20 overs against some very accurate and pacey MCB bowlers. In the next game against a very talented BRA Form I team, the Junior XI recorded their first ever victory in an encouraging 10 run win. Ryan Armstrong impressed with both bat and ball.

M.G.H.

Another defeat against Wallace High School followed. But, the team recorded their second win of the season in their next game against Ballymena Academy. Ballymena batted first and scored 47 all out. This low score was in part due to some excellent bowling from Ryan Armstrong, Sudeep Tirupathi, Finn Wallace and James Carleton. Sudeep took 4 wickets while Ryan took 3. Ben Longsdale hit the winning runs with 3 wickets remaining. Jack Magowan scored an important 11 runs to help BRA reach their victory target.

Ryan Armstrong captained the team throughout the season. He is a young man with huge potential. He is a very talented, fast bowler who doesn’t always get the rewards he deserves. His batting is also very good; his timing of the ball improved throughout the season and he made a number of telling contributions. Sudeep Tirupathi, was an important ‘all-rounder’. A pacey, right arm, fast bowler, who is unplayable at times, was very unlucky not to take more wickets (sometimes due to his balls being too good). However, he needs to strive for more consistency with both bat and ball.

There are many others who made valuable contributions throughout the year. Supporting bowlers included Finn Wallace, who also batted well on a number of occasions and James Carleton, who bowled a good ‘line and length’.

Overall, the team can be very happy with their performance this season. Alongside the boys already mentioned, the team could not have succeeded without support from other players, who turned up to practice every week and were enthusiastic in their approach. Names that spring to mind are: Sol Morrow, Jadyn Ross, Adam McCabe, Harry Norton, Liam Davis, Alvin Don, Jamie Clokey, Andrew Salt, Ben Parry, Oliver O’Kane and Lewis Ingram.

The Junior XI, during the season, showed tremendous potential and have the makings of a good team. However, more of the players need to join cricket clubs to work on their technique, especially batting. Most pleasing was the increased confidence and self-belief from the players.

The season was one of highs and lows but the commitment, enthusiasm and dedication of the players was never in question. It was an absolute pleasure and privilege to be part of this squad and if they continue to work hard they have the potential to win many more matches.

T.H.

FORM I XI

The Form 1 XI had a very successful season. An early victory against Ballyclare set the team up well. BRA won the match by 67 runs with good batting performances by Ben Ritchie, Scott Baxter and Adam Gooderham. Some of the bowling was also excellent with Jude Crook, Max Wylie and David Kane all taking 2 wickets each.

On Friday 5th of May, the team had their first cup game against Strabane. Unfortunately, Strabane won the game by 28 runs. This was disappointing as it seemed to come around very quickly on the team! Oliver Scott showed promise with the batt scoring 15 runs. It was time to re-assess and focus on the plate competition.

The team continued to train admirably. They trained during games and continued after school. The team also trained one day after school, in the sports hall, focusing on fielding skills. There was a great buzz about this team. Their enthusiasm to learn and develop was admirable.

The next cup game was against Methodist College. Having won the toss, the team decided to bat first. Harvey Latham and Oliver Scott batted well however the team left themselves too much to do. MCB won the game by 5 wickets. The highlight of our bowling coming from Scott Baxter who took two wickets.

Another friendly game against Grosvenor gave the opportunity for players to show potential before moving on the plate competition. BRA opened the batting scoring 135. Oliver Scott, Max Wylie and Harvey Latham all had fine batting performances. Our bowling was getting better as every game progressed. David Kane was bowling superbly taking another 2 wickets on this occasion. BRA won the game by 41 runs.

The plate competition came next against Friends’ School Lisburn. BRA won the toss and chose to let Friends’ bat first. The bowling was excellent. Friends’ were bowled all out for 30 runs, wickets coming from Max Wylie, Adrian Holywood, Oliver Scott and David Kane. BRA won the game by 10 wickets. A great start to the plate competition.

This game was followed by defeat to RBAI who won by 50 runs. The semi-final of the plate came soon after against Ballymena Academy. The team won the semi-final by 52 Runs. Peter Richardson scored an excellent 17 runs with David Kane also scoring 14. Max Wylie bowled particularly well taking two wickets and a catch. A great victory! The final beckoned.

The final came against Sullivan Upper School and was played at Roughfort. BRA chose to batt first and scored 88 runs. Max Wylie and Oliver Scott gave the team a firm foundation scoring 40 runs between them. With Sullivan coming into batt, this was going to be a tight innings. Character and resilience would be required. The work that had been put into fielding during the season came to the fore in this game. David Kane had two superb run outs, Daniel Houston a great catch, Scott Baxter took two excellent wickets and Adrian Holywood three. BRA won the plate by 24 runs.

This was a very successful season. I would like to thank all the players for all their hard work and efforts. Their progression and dedication throughout the year was admirable.

There were notable performances throughout the season by Max Wylie, Oliver Scott, Peter Richardson, Adrian Holywood, Ben Anderson, Ben Ritchie, Charlie Johnston, Daniel Houston, David Kane, Harvey Latham, Jude Crook, Oliver Smith, Adam Gooderham and Scott Baxter. Many of these players have a bright future. I look forward to seeing them play next season.

D.J.C.

ATHLETICS CLUB

BOYS’ ATHLETICS CLUB

The District Athletics Championships took place at the Antrim Forum on Tuesday 9th and Saturday 13 th May. There were many encouraging performances with many athletes setting personal bests. Special congratulations must go to District Champions Reuben Mccrea, Callum Davidson, Shane Martin and Stephen McCorry.

The Ulster Schools’ Athletics Championships took place, at the Antrim Forum, on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th May. Many athletes carried their good form the District Championships into this event. Shane Martin, Stephen McCorry and Callum Davidson were all crowned Ulster Champions in their respective events. Another highlight of the day was a very gutsy performance from Andrew Milligan who finished 3rd in the senior boys 800m. The senior team were crowned the overall winners on points and thus became Ulster Champions.

The Irish Schools’ Athletics Championships took place in Tullamore on Saturday 3rd June. Several athletes chose not to travel to the championships this year due to the pressure of public examinations. However, those who did travel performed well. Callum Davidson finished third in the Intermediate Pole Vault and Andrew Milligan finished 9th in the Senior Boys 800m.

I would like to thank all staff involved with Boys’ Athletics, the running of the athletics club would not be possible without staff giving generously of their time. Mr Carolan, Mr Patterson, Mr Moffett, and Mr J. Creighton coached with enthusiasm and their commitment is greatly appreciated. Special mention must go to Mr Patterson who moves on to his new role in Friends’ Preparatory School. His expertise, particularly in the jumps, will be greatly missed. We wish him well in his new role.

District Championships Results

Mini

Christopher Sayers 2nd High Jump 1.34m

Henry George 3rd Long Jump 4.20m

4 x 100M Relay 4th 58.4 secs

Ryan Ferguson 6th 100m 14.20m

Minor

Reuben McCrea 1st Shot 11.36m and 5th High Jump 1.41m

Andrew Cairns 3rd Long Jump 4.52m

Adam Monahan 4th 800m 2.27

4x 100m Relay 4th 55.5 secs

Junior

Cameron Carter 2nd Discus 24.47m

John Gamble 2nd Long Jump 5.04 m and 5th 100m 12.7 secs

Ronan Poots 3rd Discus 24.31 m and 4th Hammer 20.72m

Jack McKee 3rd Javelin 27.84m

A McGrotty 3rd Hammer 22.56m

Cameron Dougan 4th Javelin 26.03m

Michael Harvey 5th 800m 2.17

Adam McCready5TH 800M 2.23 and 5TH Triple Jump 9.45m

Adam Mahood 5th 80 m Hurdles 15.4 secs

Matthew Logan 6th High Jump 1.40m

Ulster Schools Athletics Results

Senior Team 1st Overall

Shane Martin 1st Pole Vault 4.40m

Stephen McCorry 1st Hammer 46.55m

Andrew Milligan 3rd 800m 2.00 min

C.M.C.

Matthew Dalton 3rd Discus 31.07m

Tom McAlister 6th Long Jump 5.58m

4x 100m relay 3rd 48.09 secs

Intermediate

Callum Davidson 1st Pole Vault 2.70m

Daniel Logan 8th Triple Jump 11.43 m

Junior

Ronan Poots 5th 27.38m

Cameron Carter 10th Discus

John Gamble 10th Long Jump

Minor

Reuben McCrea 9th Shot Putt

Andrew Cairns 6th Long Jump

Ireland Schools Athletics Championships

Senior

Andrew Milligan – 8th 800m (2.01.44)

Intermediate Callum Davidson – 3rd Pole Vault (2.60m)

GIRLS’ ATHLETICS CLUB

The girls’ athletics season began at Roughfort midMarch. Despite the cold weather, the girls were keen to kick start an exciting season ahead. Training during games, after school and on Saturday mornings was very well attended with lots of enthusiasm throughout the club. The girls competed in two Inter School meets in preparation for the District Championships. The traditional Inter Schools’ Meeting between Methody, Hunter House Glenlola and Strathearn was held on Saturday 29th April at the Mary Peter’s track. This was the first competitive opportunity for athletes to prepare themselves for the season ahead. We were very lucky to be able to participate in another Inter School Meet just before the Districts. This was

School Games

held at the Antrim Forum where we competed against Methody, Wallace, Ballyclare and Friends’. I congratulate all 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. Thank you to all the staff that helped make another successful and enjoyable season.

J.R.S.

Mini, Minor and Junior Girls District Athletics

Results

Antrim Forum, Tuesday 9th May Mini

1s 800m Anna Saunders (2.38.4) Q

3rd Relay (58.5) Q

5th High Jump Sasha Logan (1.26)

5h 100m Olivia Beattie (14.58)

6th Long Jump Abbie Braniff (3.58)

6th 800m Sophie Doran (2.52.1)

Overall team position – joint 3rd

Minor

3rd 75mH Beth Hillis (15.1) Q

3rd Long Jump Abbie O’Neill (4.07) Q

4th Long Jump Susie Kerr (4.07)

5th 100m Beth Hillis (14.4)

5th High Jump Ruth Davis (1.30)

5th Relay (56.5)

6th Shot Ellie Templeton (6.96)

Overall team position – 5th

Junior

1st 200m Erin McMahon (27.5) Q

1st 75mH Erin McMahon (12.5) Q

1st Relay (53.4) Q

3rd 100m Olivia Snoddy (13.6) Q

3rd Hammer Emma Dobbin (29.9) Q

4th 800m Olivia Thompson (2.45.4)

4th Triple Jump Ellie Collins (8.68)

4th Discus Samantha Cassidy-Campbell (16.7)

4th Hammer Eve Henderson (26.96)

5th 1500m Aoife Corry (5.30.7)

5th Long Jump Holly Adair (4.19)

6th 1500m Bryanna Catney (5.33.4)

6th Javelin Monica Del Castillo (13.6)

Overall team position – 2nd

Inter & Senior Girls District Athletics Results

(Top 6 in each event)

Antrim Forum, Saturday 13th May Junior Pole Vault

1st Monica Del Castillo (2.25) Q

2nd Leah Doran (2.20) Q

Inter

1st 300mHurdles Harriet Dougan (49.3) Q

1st Pole Vault Harriet Dougan (3m) Q

2nd Javelin Ellie Bradley (20.92) Q

2nd Hammer Hannah Hill (23.93) Q

3rd Hammer Ellie Bradley (21.59) Q

3rd Relay (55.6) Q

4th High Jump Lois Sharpe (1.25)

Overall team position – 4th

Senior

2nd 3000m Rioghnagh Catney (11.13.2) Q

2nd Pole Vault Katie Ritchie (2.8) Q

2nd Hammer Erin Moffett (29.28) Q

Overall team position – 2nd

Girls Ulster Schools’ Athletics Championship Results

Antrim Forum, Friday 19th & Saturday 20th May 8 Girls qualified for the Irish Mini

6th 800m Anna Saunders (2.37.38)

Games

Minor

7th 75mH Beth Hillis (14.16)

10th Long Jump Abbie O’Neill (4.04)

Junior

1st Pole Vault Leah Doran (2.20) Q

1st Relay (52.20) Q

2nd Pole Vault Monica Del Castillo Q

4th Hammer Emma Dobbin (30.54)

4th 75mH Erin McMahon (12.63)

Inter

1st Pole Vault Harriet Dougan (3.15 PB) Q

4th 300mH Harriet Dougan (49.64)

7th Javelin Ellie Bradley (21.66)

7th Hammer Hannah Hill (24.40)

Senior

1st Hammer Erin Moffett (33.10) Q

2nd Pole Vault Katie Ritchie (3.05 PB) Q

4th Rioghnagh Catney (10.51.00)

Irish Schools’ Interprovincial Santry, Dublin, 24th June

Congratulations to the following pupils who were selected to represent Ulster in the Irish Schools’

U17 Inter-Provincial Championships. It was held in Santry on Saturday 24th June.

Harriet Dougan (Form V) was 2nd in Pole Vault (3.10m).

Monica Del Castillo (Form III) was 6th in Pole Vault (2.20m).

Abbie O’Neill (Form II) was also selected as a reserve for the Pole Vault but did not compete.

UK School Games

Loughborough, 1st-3rd September

Congratulations to Harriet Dougan (LVI) who was selected to compete for Northern Ireland in the UK School Games. Harriet was 4th in the pole vault (2.91m). Well done on a such fantastic achievement.

BADMINTON

The Badminton Club ran on a weekly basis, in the Sports Hall, this year. A total of 150 pupils, from all forms, joined with the aim of developing their badminton skills whilst socialising with other pupils in the School.

A.M.M./ S.C.S.

BOYS’ TENNIS

Boys’ tennis continued to meet on Friday afternoons during the summer term. This year, the weather was generally amenable to the activity and; therefore, quite unprecedented for a club more accustomed to achieving aces through the ball coming to a dead stop in a puddle. Resurfacing of the courts curtailed the season somewhat, but the most was made of the sessions that were available.

The outgoing MVI group will be missed, but their legacy will be that all tennis balls knocked out of the courts will still be attributed to Jack (pronounced as two syllables in an exasperated tone). A recruitment drive to replenish numbers led to an unprecedented (verging on overwhelming!) attendance for the first week. Nearly sixty enthusiastic tennis players meant that there was some rather creative tennis based activities (stopping only short of trying out five-aside tennis). The good grace with which everyone shared the available courts was admirable. Once again, power sometimes won out over accuracy resulting in the loss of tennis balls to the world outside Cavehill Tennis Courts but it was gratifying to see the improvement made over the weeks.

The club continues to be a great way for all those involved to end the week by virtue of the good humour and energy of those attending as much as the activity. This year the club will again run on Fridays of the summer term from 3:10 until 4:30. Anyone interested in attending will be very welcome and should listen out for further information in the notices before Easter.

S.C.S.

CROSS COUNTRY CLUB

As is often the case, there were some encouraging performances by individual members of the Club, although the overriding feeling is that greater commitment could have led to a significant improvement in the fortunes of individual athletes and of the Cross Country Club.

Lorena del Castillo and Harry Bassett, both in Form I, showed great promise, as did Adam

McCready and Adam Mahood, who finished 48th and 57th respectively in the highly competitive Junior Boys’ race in the Ulster Schools’ Championships

Aoife Corry and club stalwart Rioghnach Catney were, without doubt, the outstanding runners in the Club. Aoife, a talented and very competitive athlete, was to complete the Junior Girls’ race in the Ulster Schools’ Championships in 13th place and went on to cross the finishing line in 27th position in the Irish Championships, while Rioghnach, frustratingly, just missed a medal by finishing as 4 th senior girl in the Ulster Championships, going on to finish 12th in the Irish Championships.

Unfortunately, the Club has now lost the services of Rioghnach and of Andrew Milligan. Both were longstanding and loyal members of the Club and both performed at a consistently high level. They take with them the best wishes of the Cross Country Club both for their academic futures and, we hope, their continuing success as runners.

Once again, the Club must express its gratitude to Mr Michael Roberts, a former pupil of the school and now a widely respected coach both here and in the United States, for his commitment to the Club. His input has been invaluable as a coach whose training regimes are well suited to the needs of the athletes and whose ability to inspire runners in the depths of an Ulster winter is much to be envied.

J.H.C.

FOOTBALL CLUB

In the 2016/17 season, the football team competed in the Belfast Cup and Northern Ireland Cup. The squad contained a good mix of LVI and MVI pupils.

Our Belfast Cup 1st round game was away to St Patrick's College, Bearnageeha. In difficult conditions, the starting XI struggled to keep the ball, and conceded two early goals from set pieces. A brief rally, in the middle of the first period, saw several shots on target but no breakthrough. Soon after, however, opposition attacks resulted in two further goals, and the team went into half-time 4-0 down. Although the performance improved in the second half, the players struggled to unlock the well marshalled St Patrick’s defence. The game finished 5-0.

In the Northern Ireland Cup, the boys were once again drawn against St Patrick’s College. The team were determined to prove that they were better than their previous performance. The game was evenly contested, and it looked to be heading towards a goalless first half. However, with minutes to go, poor defending cost the Academy a goal just before the break. Another lapse in concentration, just after the restart, led to another goal and the boys looked to be heading towards another heavy defeat. However, the players regrouped and played their way back into the game. Several shots went close and on 71 minutes, after intense Academy pressure, Adam McClelland scored from 30 yards out. Unfortunately, further efforts were well saved and the game finished 2-1.

Despite these defeats, there were some good performances. Adam McClelland was strong in the centre of midfield and Ben Greenlees looked dangerous at times in attack.

R.B.

GOLF

As our Junior players mature, our competitiveness in the senior events increases. Again, when competing at the highest level, our top players, Tom Mckibben (Form III), Keaton Morrison

(Form III), Rhys Goodall (Form V) and Owen Donnelly (Form LVI) are against senior boys, some of which have scratch handicaps which makes our opportunity for success much more difficult. I have no doubt however, as they get older, they will bring much success to the school.

In the winter league, a senior tournament, we were very competitive. Tom McKibbin, Keaton Morrison, Owen Donnelly and Harry (dark horse) Warke played Wallace High School and Sullivan Upper in a 3-way semi-final at the Hilton Golf Club, Templepatrick. Despite beating Wallace High School, we were narrowly beaten by Sullivan (the eventual winners).

None-the-less, this disappointment fuelled their desire to succeed in other competitions. It didn’t take long to turn things around. Andrew Greer, along with his teammates Ryan Armstrong, Tom McKibbin and Keaton Morrison won the Ulster Junior Championship at Fortwilliam Golf Club on a glorious day on Thursday 25th May. In beautiful conditions, the team scored an extremely competitive 109 points, but had to wait until late in the day to see if any other school could top their score. CBS Omagh also posted a score of 109, but the Academy boys were declared the winners after a count-back.

The other Golf Competition that ran either side of the Easter break was the Darren Clarke Schools

Golf League. We were paired in this competition with Aquinas Grammar School, St. Malachy’s College and Rockport. Unfortunately, we failed to make it through to the latter stages but I believe this was largely due to us giving youth a chance.

There were some excellent individual performances but unfortunately, some of our less experienced players were paired against some very able golfers, and despite handicaps being considered, our opponents were often too strong or played with handicaps that were too high! I am confident however, that with an extra year’s experience behind them, this group of players will be much more competitive next year. The players that competed in this competition included Andrew Greer, Joel Miller, Ryan Jameson, Keaton Morrison, Tom McKibben, Sam Caldwell, Ryan Armstrong, Josh Mckee, Peter Richardson and Noah Bickerstaff

I would like to thank the boys for their efforts throughout the year and also give special thanks to parents (you know who you are) who regularly support and give lifts to various events. My job would be much harder without them. I

look forward to the year ahead and am optimistic for further success.

KARTING

The 2016-17 season proved to be a very successful one. We had just returned from our 3rd National Final, where we finished 12th in the UK. The aim was always to better this result in July 2017, and we did just that, with an 11th place finish in the UK rankings, our best-ever finish in the UK final, on what was an extremely competitive day.

The year started with the team taking their place at the Extra Curricular Fair in September – this gave

new Form I pupils the chance to see what the BRA Karting Team had to offer. Two weeks later, a large group of enthusiastic Form I went to ‘Need 4 Speed’ Karting, many of whom had never been karting before, to give the karts a go. Several more ‘Arrive and Drive’ events took place through October and November, which gave the senior team the chance to get some laps under their belt, ahead of the 2017 British Schools’ Karting Championships (BSKC).

The team travelled to Eddie Irvine’s for several practice sessions in February, where young drivers Oliver O’Kane and Jack Gillespie (both FIII) impressed, both have since been promoted to the senior team and are highly regarded as the longterm future of the team.

The day of the BSKC Semi-Final arrived, and the BRA A team (Michael Woods, Nathan Duddy (Both MVI) and David Rea (LVI)) finished a close second to Bangor Grammar, whilst the BRA B team (Stephen Rea (QUB), Reece Armstrong (LVI) and Thomas Carey finished 4th

Both the A and B team qualified for the National Final in Northampton. Several more practice days took place in March and April for Junior School Pupils, and the senior team spent the last week of June preparing for the Final which would be held that weekend.

We arrived at Whilton Mill on Friday 30th June for a late evening practice session. We got 10 minutes of practice in the dry, before the rain began to hit

the track. Driving on slick tyres in the wet is not the easiest task, but our 6 drivers did extremely well to (mostly) stay on track. The Final was the following morning, and our performance was our best-ever. Michael Woods won the 2nd race of the morning, the first N.I. driver to achieve this feat. Nathan and David also impressed, consistently finishing in the top ten throughout the morning races. The B team of Stephen, Reece and Richard Ware (replacing Thomas) were in a respectable position in the midfield throughout the morning.

The team retains 6 senior drivers going into the 2017-18 season, and with more younger drivers impressing, this number is set to rise. A big thank you must go to Mrs Alexander for her continued support, the karting team has grown over the last 7 years under her guidance and has given pupils the opportunity to partake in yet another extracurricular activity.

It has been a pleasure captaining the Karting Team for the last two years, and I know their best years have yet to come. I would encourage everyone to give karting a go in School.

Stephen Rea

LIFESAVING

In November, Lui Hurson, Finn Purdy, Lorcan Gourley and Ollie Parkes were selected by the G.B. Performance Squad to compete in Holland in the Junior European Cup. Sinead Gourley was selected for the Senior G.B. team to compete in December in Germany.

In February, we headed back to Sheffield for the British Lifesaving Championships. We won 46 medals and set 4 new British records. Sinead Gourley was the overall U18 Champion. BRA finished 3rd overall in the UK. Finally, 8 pupils were selected for the GB Performance squad: Lui Hurson, Sinead Gourley, Finn Purdy, Lorcan Gourley, Ollie Parkes, Scarlett Armstrong, Adam Mahood and Sophia Del Castillo.

In May, at the Ulster Lifesaving Championships, we won 14 medals. We are looking forward to the Irish championships which are later in November.

SWIMMING

The BRA swim team had yet another great season. We had a different order of events this year starting with the Ulster Schools’ Relay Gala, at the end of September, we won 36 medals. Moving onto the Swim Ulster Gala, in October, and BRA pupils picked up 12 medals. November saw us move to the Ulster Grammar Schools’ Championships. This time, we won 47 medals, 1 new Ulster Schools’ record and collected 4 out of the 6 trophies on offer: Overall junior girls, 2nd intermediate girls, Overall Senior girls, Overall Senior boys and Overall Schools’ champion.

In February, we headed back to Ballymena for the Ulster Senior Schools’ Gala and collected another 23 medals.

In April, the team headed to Dublin for the Irish Schools’ Gala we won 28 medals this time out, Sinead and Lorcan Gourley, Scarlett Armstrong, Lui Hurson and Finn Purdy were all selected to represent Ulster in the Inter-provincial competition, which Ulster won. Finally, onto the

E.A.

last competition of the year, Ulster Minor Schools’ Championship. We headed off with only 12 junior swimmers who gathered up 34 medals between them. (Jude & Ellen Loane, Gillian Allen, Siobhan Blaine, Luke Caldwell, Cal Young-McClinton, Sorcha Boersma, Rachael Mcgrath, Jericho Balgos, Lucy Mcknight, Holly Hooks and Sophie Dormant) all my stars of the future. Our grand total for the year was 180 medals, 4 Ulster trophies and 1 Ulster Schools’ record.

E.A.

WATERPOLO

The BRA Senior Boys’ WaterPolo Team had a fabulous season. They were undefeated winning every league and cup match and for the second time in Canada Trophy's 74-year history became Ulster Schools’ Champions.

December: BRA 7 - 5 Methody

BRA 8 - 6 INST

January: BRA 11 - 5 St

Malachy's

BRA 12 - 4 INST

March: BRA 6 - 3 Methody

BRA 10 - 1 St

Malachy's

April: BRA 6 - 5 INST

BRA 13 - 3 St

Malachy's

BRA 13 - 8 Methody

There were some very close and hard-fought matches, and as you can tell by the results, some matches in which the senior team played superbly. Captain Joe Loane, Phillip O'Callaghan and

Lorcan Gourley were selected for the Ulster Schools’ Team and had a very successful tour in Scotland. Our U16 Boys Team also won all their league matches and retained the Brother Murphy Shield for the third year in a row.

The Senior Girls BRA Team U19 had their best year so far, by winning the Irish Schools’ Shield for the 1st time. The U16 Team came second in the Irish Schools’ Championships. Captain Maeve Gallagher, Sam Brown, Anna Whiteside and Cara Carson all represented Ireland U19. Maeve, Sam, Cara, Anna, Jennifer McCorry and Emma Gourley were selected for Ulster U19 & U17 Teams. Anna, Cara & Sam travelled to Hungary with the Irish U17 Team for a Junior European Competition in May. Maeve was selected for the Senior Irish Women's Team and competed in the Czech Republic in July in the European Championships, this was her first Senior International cap.

NETBALL

This year, we had eleven teams playing competitive games in the Belfast Schools’ Area

E.A

League. We had record success throughout the school, with five teams (Minor A, Minor B, Junior A, Junior B and Inter C) reaching the Belfast Area League Finals, with the Minor B, Junior B and Inter C teams being victorious!

From this, the Minor B and Inter C teams played in the Northern Ireland League finals, finishing runners up. The Junior A team, also won the Northern Ireland Shield competition against Methody. This was fantastic success for BRA netball and well deserved for all of the dedicated players and coaches involved.

Netball in school has continued to grow with talented and committed players emerging throughout the club. I would like to thank all of the players and coaches for their hard work this season.

K.E.B.

Representative Honours

U13 Regional Academy Squad: Kristie Monro, Nada Hawela, Catelyn Burns, Rebecca Dwyer, Ruth Davis, Siobhan Baine and Fiona Murray

U15 Regional Academy Squad: Hannah Hill, Ellie Collins, Fabienne Cochrane, Julia Forbes, Lois Sharpe, Megan Warke, Leah Doran and Ellie Murray

U17 Northern Ireland Squad: Ellie Collins

U17 Northern Ireland Development Squad: Hannah Hill

FORM 1 NETBALL

The Form One Netball Club trained, on a Tuesday, after school, with two teams playing competitive matches against other schools. The girls were extremely enthusiastic and committed and came determined to improve their skills. Their

commitment enabled us to enter a team in both the Belfast ‘A’ and ‘B’ Leagues. Both teams had good wins against Dominican College and Grosvenor but lost narrowly to strong teams from Victoria College.

Player of the Year: Fiona Murray

Most Improved Player: Sofia Ramalho-McCourt

A Squad: Lucy McKnight, Fiona Murray, Eleanor Green, Lara Lennon, Sofia Ramalho-McCourt, Katie McKeown, Sasha Logan, Abbie Braniff, Molly McCourt and Izzy Coburn, Katie- Louise Richardson.

Player of the Year: Sophie Doran

Most Improved Player: Mia Donnelly

B Squad: Kate Sturgess, Caitlin Mooney, Katie Scott, Grace Jameson, Faith Drummond, Madison Campbell, Leah McClean, Lorena Del Castillo, Mia Donnelly, Sophie Doran, Olivia Beattie, Naomi Todd and Alanis McCammon.

I would like to thank the girls for their commitment and determination at training. The level of participation and enthusiasm was excellent. I hope we continue to build upon their skills and promise shown next year.

K.E.B.

MINOR ‘A’ NETBALL

Captain: Siobhán Baine

Vice Captain: Kristie Monro

Player of the Year: Catelyn Burns

Most Improved Player: Nada Hawela School Games

Minor A Squad: Sarah Saunders, Kristie Monroe, Nada Hawela, Catelyn Burns, Rebecca Dwyer, Siobhan Baine, Ruth Davis, Olivia Jones, Rachel Ramsey, Anna Matthews, Charlotte Stronge and Mia McCurley.

During this year’s netball season, the Minor A team competed in both the Belfast League and Northern Ireland Cup. In terms of the league, we enjoyed victories over St. Dominic’s (a close 12-11), Dominican College Fortwilliam (14-4), Rathmore (15-4) and Rockport (19-2). This winning streak led to us playing in the final against Methody repeating last year’s final. Unfortunately, we lost the final but it was still an enjoyable and competitive match.

In the cup, we beat Loreto Omagh, 19-8, in the first round, but got knocked out by Friends’ in the second round (11-7).

This was disappointing. However, after the season was over we played a friendly against Methody. Although we lost again, it was by far our best performance, only being beaten by one point (11-10). This gives us a boost entering next year’s netball season, and we will be much stronger. The team and I would like to thank Miss Brady and Mrs Winning for leading the training, helping with transport to and from matches and always believing in us.

Siobhán Baine

MINOR ‘B’ NETBALL

Captain: Emma Connolly

Vice Captain: Anna Buckley

Player of the Year: Susie Kerr

Most Improved Player: Katie Keed

Minor B Squad: Anna Matthews, Susie Kerr, Sacha McAuley, Abbie O’Neill, Emma Connolly, Katie Keed, Anna Buckley, Amy McCrory-Gray, Olivia Jones, Abi Crainey, Ellie Reid and Jaana Tharun.

We started off the season with an away match against Aquinas. It was a neck and neck match the whole way through, but we ended up winning 11-9, with great scoring from Susie Kerr and Anna Matthews. This gained us three points for the league. Our next match was against St. Josephs. We lept into an early lead, with great defence from Amy McCrory- Gray, Olivia Jones and Katie Keed. We won the match 12-3. Unfortunately, our next league match against Girls’ Model was not played as they forfeited, giving BRA the points.

We made it to the Belfast Area League Finals and had a good win against St. Genevieve’s, making us Belfast league winners! We went through to the Northern Ireland League Finals as undefeated, but sadly we lost 25-7 against a very talented team from Glenlola. We had a brilliant season and it was an honour to lead my team as captain.

Emma Connolly

The Minor A team won their league matches against St. Dominic’s Dominican, Rathmore and Rockport to reach the Belfast Area League Finals.

Unfortunately, losing to a very strong team from Methody. The Minor B team also reached their league final with wins against St. Joseph’s, and Aquinas. They were victorious in the final against St. Genevieve’s and progressed to the Northern Ireland Final where they faced Glenlola ‘A’ team. The competition was of a very high standard and the girls fought hard to the end, unfortunately losing to a very strong team.

Although the teams were not successful in their final matches, they showed great commitment, determination and passion throughout the season. 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 efforts and look forward to training with them in the coming season.

K.E.B

JUNIOR ‘A’ NETBALL

Captain: Megan Warke

Vice Captain: Ellie Collins

Player of the Year: Ellie Collins

Most Improved Player: Leah Doran

Junior A Squad: Ella Harvey, Mia DelargyDubois, Leah Doran, Erin McMahon, Ellie Collins, Niamh McIvor, Megan Warke, Bethany Hunter, Ellie Murray, Olivia Snoddy and Eden McCoubrey.

The Junior ‘A’ netball team has had a very successful season, getting to the final of the Belfast League and Northern Ireland Shield Competition.

On our way to the league final we beat Bloomfield 18-0, St. Dominic’s 15-6 and extra time in a very tough match we beat Rathmore ‘A’ 20-17. This got us through to the final against Aquinas ‘A’ where we narrowly lost 17-19!

We also had a good run in the cup beating St. Columbanus’ 25-7 and Assumption Grammar 11-9. However, in the third round, we narrowly lost to Lumen Christi and therefore we transferred into the Shield where we played Methody in the Final.

This was a close fought game which we won 13-9, meaning we won the Northern Ireland Shield!

We have all practiced and trained very hard this year under the expert guidance of our three coaches, Mrs Winning, Miss Brady and Ms McBeth. We have all very much enjoyed our Monday afternoons after school and to each of them we want to say a big thank you.

Megan Warke

JUNIOR ‘B’ NETBALL

Captain: Emma Dobbin

Vice Captain: Mia Delargy-Dubois

Player of the Year: Eden McCoubrey

Most Improved Player: Mia Delargy-Dubois

Junior B Squad: Mia Delargy-Dubois, Eden McCoubrey, Bethany Hunter, Monica Del Castillo, O|livia Snoddy, Emma Dobbin, Lauren McCauley, Nicole McClean, Megan Bloomfield, Zoe Sheerin and Chelsea Nicholl.

The Junior 'B' netball team had a very successful season this year. We trained every Monday after school to practice our skills and to prepare for our upcoming matches. Our hard work and commitment as a team paid off, as we won all of our league matches. We won matches against Hunter House (14-7), St. Joseph’s (8-2) and Wellington (10-7). We would like to thank Miss Brady, Mrs Winning and Ms McBeth for their continuous help throughout the year. We all really enjoyed the netball season this year, and we will continue to develop as a team. We hope to have another successful season next year.

Emma Dobbin

Commitment from the Junior netball squad was excellent this year, and we had over thirty girls attending training each week. I would like to congratulate and thank the girls for their effort and teamwork throughout the season. Both teams reached the Belfast Area League Finals and the Junior B team also reached the NI League Finals. The Junior A team also won the NI Shield Competition.

This was an excellent achievement. The girls’ hard work and determination to improve paid off in their competitive matches. Well done to all of the players who took the court! I hope to see the girls build upon this success next season.

INTERMEDIATE ‘A’ NETBALL

K.E.B.

Captain: Olivia McConnell

Vice Captain: Julliah Allen

Player of the Year: Kenzie Arbuthnot

Most Improved Player: Yzabella Manalili

Intermediate ‘A’ Squad : Caitlin Joyce, Elizabeth McCauley, Amber McCalmont, Olivia McConnell, Julliah Allen, Niamh Gutermann, Jaimie Eaglen, Kenzie Arbuthnot, Yzabella Manalili, Katie Baird, Chloe Sayers, Thea Reddington and Rachel Toan

Overall, it was a good year for the Intermediate ‘A’ netball squad. In the league, we won 13-5 against Dominican and 10-8 against Bloomfield. In both matches, we played as a team with a very successful outcome. We then lost in a very close game 13-12 against Rathmore B, a game we should have won but unfortunately, we came up short. We played a very tough game against a strong team from St. Dominic’s resulting in a 15-3 loss. All the girls played to their best, and they kept going to the very end.

Our first cup match against Lagan resulted in a loss 16-10. The game was very competitive, but they just proved too strong in the end. Our final match in the Northern Ireland Plate competition was against Holy Trinity and again after a very close contest we were unlucky to lose 18-16. It was a great match but not the outcome we had hoped for.

After a very tough but enjoyable season we can now reflect that the season was very satisfactory but we know if we put in more work in training we can improve next year. The great season we have had would not have been possible if it wasn’t for Mrs Winning and Miss Brady. They both have given us great encouragement and self-belief throughout the year. Playing for them has been a pleasure we really appreciate all the hard work they put into the team.

INTERMEDIATE

Captain: Fabienne Cochrane

Vice Captain: Lois Sharpe

Player of the Year: Julia Forbes

Most Improved Player: Lois Sharpe

Intermediate ‘B’ Squad: Rachel Duff, Fabienne Cochrane, Lois Sharpe, Ellie Armstrong, Julia Uprichard, Julia Forbes, Hannah Hill, Sophie Bloomfield and Zara McLean.

The Intermediate ‘B’ squad had a very successful season. Our first match was played against Hunterhouse which we won 22-6. The next match we played was against Grovesnor. We came away with a win of 20-6 which we were very pleased with. The last match we played was against Methody. Unfortunately, we were beaten 18-9 meaning we didn't get through to the Belfast Area League Finals. Although we lost, we put up a good fight and all played the best we could. The girls put in a lot of effort at training throughout the year and as a team we have developed a lot since last year.

Fabienne Cochrane

INTERMEDIATE ‘C’ NETBALL

Captain: Nia McVicker

Vice Captain: Varia Peters

Player of the Year: Varia Peters

Most Improved Player: Nia McVicker/ Sophia Del Castillo

Intermediate ‘C’ Squad: Jessica Kendell, Layla Creaney, Nia McVicker, Varia Peterws, Naoise McCormick, Sophia Del Castillo, Caitlin Drain, Sophie Bloomfield, Olivia Donaldson, Cliodhna McNaughton and Niamh Rogan.

Olivia McConnell

‘B’ NETBALL

School Games

From the start of the year we trained consistently. We started off the season with a win against Grosvenor 19-13 and we continued to win all of our matches against St. Joseph’s, Rockport, St. Dominic’s and Wellington. This meant we qualified for the Belfast Area League Final. The league final was played against Methody. It was a very close match with Jessica Kendell scoring two goals in the last minute, winning with a final score of 19-18!

Nia McVicker & Varia Peters

The Intermediate A team had mixed results this season. The girls faced strong opposition from St. Dominic’s, Rathmore, Lagan and Holy Trinity. They had good success against Dominican and Bloomfield. That said, the team were committed and trained hard to improve their skills throughout the season.

The Intermediate B team came runners up in their league section with notable wins against Hunterhouse, Grosvenor and Ashfield. However, lost against Methody in the deciding game.

The Intermediate C team had excellent wins against St. Joseph’s, Grosvenor, Rockport, St. Dominic’s and Wellington College. They went on to win the Belfast Area League Final and came runners up in the NI League Finals.

I would like to thank the players for their persistent efforts throughout the year. It was great to see so many girls from year eleven and twelve competing this season. I encourage each of them to look forward to the upcoming season and aim to improve their talent and skill level further.

K.E.B.

SENIOR ‘A’ NETBALL

Captain: Ciara Patterson

Vice Captain: Kirstin Smyth

Player of the Year: Naomi Martin

Most Improved Player: Emily McMahon

Senior ‘A’ Squad: Becca Reel, Kerrie Johnson, Kirstin Smyth, Ciara Patterson, Anna Compston, Naomi Martin, Mary Cousins, Emily McMahon, Hannah Edgar, Natasha Kelly and Olivia McConnell.

Although our netball season got off to a slow start, our first match went extremely well with an excellent win against Grosvenor (9-7). We also had a very tough match to finish the season, playing against Belfast High School, who we beat. Overall, the Senior A team had a relatively successful and enjoyable year. On behalf of the team, I would like to thank Mrs Winning and Miss Brady for their support throughout this season.

SENIOR ‘B’ NETBALL

Captain: Ellen Dalzell

Vice Captain: Amber Vick

Player of the Year: Elish McEwan

Most Improved Player: Zarah Ryan

Senior ‘B’ Squad: Elish McEwan, Hannah Edgar, Amber Vick, Ellen Dalzell, Laura Loboda, Charlotte Poh, Eileen Donaldson, Alix McKee, Lucia McCorry, Charlotte Frazer, Zarah Ryan and Clodagh Poots.

Our team had a good start to the season, winning against Grosvenor 15-4 and drawing with Hunterhouse 20 all. After Ashfield conceded we went on to compete in the semi-final of the League against Victoria, unfortunately, narrowly losing 17-10, ending the season on a low note as our team would have performed well in the finals.

Nonetheless, we were happy with our success at getting through to the semi-finals and as a whole our team felt we had a good season together.

Ellen Dalzell

Ciara Patterson

This was a mixed season for the Senior teams who were a hard-working group of girls. I thank them for their continued motivation and efforts throughout the year. Overall, both teams showed great commitment to training and matches, and they progressed their skills and fitness levels as the season progressed.

I would also like to thank Ciara Patterson, who was an excellent captain and led by example throughout the year. Ciara has taken on this role in both her junior and senior years at BRA and was an invaluable team player.

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.

K.E.B.

COLOURS AWARDS - EASTER 2017

CROSS COUNTRY

Major ReDate:Rioghnach Catney.

Minor New:- Ethan McCartney.

HOCKEY BOYS

Major ReDate:-

Major New:-

Thomas Carey, Luke McGarvey, Barra Patterson, Stephen Rea, Jason Roe, Seweryn Szulgan, Kurtis Taylor, Richard Ware.

James Campbell, Zarar Khan, David Rea, Ethan Thompson, Peter Watt.

Minor New:-

Andrew Dorman, Rory Flynn, Conor Gallagher, Dylan McGrotty.

HOCKEY GIRLS

Major ReDate:-

Major New:-

Minor ReDate:-

Minor New:-

Charlotte Anderson, Harriet Dougan, Trinity Geddis, Erin Getty, Sasha Lawther, Naomi McGuckin, Beth Magill, Alice Reid, Lucy Stewart, Savannah Thompson, Anna Wilson.

Irish Alvarado, Rachel Duff, Naomi Martin, Julia Uprichard.

Ellen Dalzell, Hannah Marshall, Katie Ritchie.

Julliah Allen, Ellie Armstrong, Amie Bradley, Ellie Bradley, Sophia Del Castillo, Thomasa Kennedy, Sophie Mills.

NETBALL

Major ReDate:-

Major New:-

New Minor:-

RUGBY

Ciara Patterson.

Anna Compston, Mary Cousins, Hannah Edgar, Kerrie Johnston, Naomi Martin, Olivia McConnell, Emily McMahon, Becca Reel, Kirstyn Smith.

Ellen Dalzell, Natasha Kelly, Eilish McEwan, Amber Vick.

Major ReDate:-

Major New:-

Matthew Borne, Jack Burton, Matthew Dalton, Lewis Davidson,Tom Gilpin, Bradley Luney, Conor McAuley, Cormac McCracken, Samuel Osborne.

Jude-Zion Cowley, Brandon Hassan, Adam Kane, Adam Keed, Daniel Logan, Jack Plackett, Nikki Ryan, Abdullah Sabri, Tom Stewart, Jason Stubbs.

Minor New:-

MEDALLION

Douglas Adams, Niall Carson, Charlie George, Aaron Heatley, Josh Hegarty, James Lavery, Rory Linden, Aaron Lyons, Tom McAllister, Andrew Meeke, Owen Minford, Dominic Rhodes, Harry Russell, Robert Spence, Harry Warke, Michael Woods.

Ben Brown, Callum Davidson, Jack Davis, Ben Doherty, Dylan Erwin, Patrick George, Luca Giannetto, Aaron Gooderham, Matthew Graham, Andrew Greer, Jack Higgins, Ryan Jameson, Nikhil Kane, Neil Og Martin, Jude McCracken, Jordan McGuinness, Carter Moore, Lewis Morrison, Ollie Parkes, Rob Sturgess, Patrick Termini, Louis West, Jack Whitley

Callum Davis, Dylan George, Aaron Matthew Higgins, Nikhil Martin, McGuinness, Lewis Parkes, Patrick West,

SWIMMING

Major Re-Date:-

WATERPOLO GIRLS

Termini, Louis West, Jack Whitley

Major New:-

Major Re-Date:Major New:-

Katie Baird, Sam Brown, Maria Del Castillo, Lorcan Gourley, Sinead Gourley, Lui Hurson, Zoe Parkes, Finn Purdy.

Sam Brown, Maeve Gallagher, Ashley Johnston, Anna Whiteside.

Minor New:-

Major Re-Date:-

McCormick, John Montgomery, Phillip O’Callaghan, Ollie Parkes, Ewan Purdy, Rosie Strutt.

Minor Re-Date:-

LIFESAVING

Minor New:-

Major Re-date:-

Sophia Del Castillo, Ellie Cross, Cher Enriquez, Maeve Gallagher, Patrick George, Ashley Johnston, Laura Lennox, Naoise McCormick, John Montgomery, Phillip O’Callaghan, Ollie Parkes, Ewan Purdy, Rosie Strutt.

Cara Carson, Emma Gourley, Jennifer McCorry.

Sinead Gourley.

Minor New:-

WATERPOLO BOYS

Major New:-

WATERPOLO BOYS

Major Re-Date:-

Minor New:-

Major New:-

Scarlett Armstrong, Monica Del Castillo, Amy Harper, Adam Mahood, Alex McKnight, Ellie Watson, Eve Patterson-Wilson.

Katie Baird, Maria Del Castillo, Maeve Gallagher, Lorcan Gourley, Sinead Gourley, Lui Hurson, Ashley Johnston, Zoe Parkes, Finn Purdy.

Matthew McIlroy, Phillip O’Callaghan,

Sophia Del Castillo, Cher Enriquez, Charlie George, Patrick George, Ollie Parkes, Ewan Purdy.

Andrew Boyle, Charlie George, Lorcan Gourley, Lui Hurson, Joe Loane, Finn Purdy.

KARTING

Minor Re-Date:Minor New:-

Scarlett Armstrong, Ellie Cross, Monica Del Castillo, Adam Mahood, Alex McKnight, Ellie Watson.

Patrick George, Ollie Parkes, Ewan Purdy, Cameron White.

Adam Mahood.

Scarlett Armstrong, Monica Del Castillo, Amy Harper, Adam Mahood, Alex McKnight, Ellie Watson, Eve Patterson-Wilson.

Nathan Duddy, David Rea, Stephen Rea, Michael Woods.

Reece Armstrong.

BRIDGE

Major Re-Date:-

Major New:-

Major ReDates:Major New:-

Minor Re-Date:-

Minor New Colours:-

Minor New:-

Matthew McIlroy, Phillip O’Callaghan, Andrew Boyle, Charlie George, Lorcan Gourley, Lui Hurson, Joe Loane, Finn Purdy.

Cameron McGaughey, Roma Mulholland, Molly O’Donnell.

Conor Gallagher, Luke McGarvey, Lucy O’Kane.

Patrick George, Ollie Parkes, Ewan Purdy, Cameron White.

Adam Mahood.

Joshua Boyd, Lauren Colville, Rachel Gamble, Josh Mills, Xander Todd.

WATERPOLO GIRLS

Major Re-Date:-

Major New:-

Minor Re-Date:-

LIFESAVING

Sam Brown, Maeve Gallagher, Ashley Johnston, Anna Whiteside.

Cara Carson, Emma Gourley, Jennifer McCorry.

Sinead Gourley.

Major Re-date:- Katie Baird, Maria Del Castillo, Maeve Gallagher, Lorcan Gourley, Sinead Gourley, Lui Hurson, Ashley Johnston, Zoe

Major Re-Date:-

Minor New:-

BRIDGE

Major Re-

Dates:-

Major New:-

Minor New Colours:-

Brown, Maeve Ashley Anna Carson, Emma Jennifer Gourley.

Minor Re-Date:-

LIFESAVING

Major Re-date:-

Katie Baird, Maria

Del Castillo, Maeve

Gallagher, Lorcan Gourley, Sinead Gourley, Lui Hurson, Ashley Johnston, Zoe Parkes, Finn Purdy.

Major New:-

Minor New:-

Sophia Del Castillo, Cher Enriquez, Charlie George, Patrick George, Ollie Parkes, Ewan Purdy.

Scarlett Armstrong, Ellie Cross, Monica

Del Castillo, Adam Mahood, Alex McKnight, Ellie Watson.

KARTING

Major Re-Date:-

Minor New:-

School Games

Conor Gallagher, Luke McGarvey, Lucy O’Kane.

COLOURS AWARDSSUMMER 2017

Minor New Colours:-

Boys’ Athletics

Joshua Boyd, Lauren Colville, Rachel

Gamble, Josh Mills, Xander Todd.

Major Re-Dates:- Matthew Dalton, Shane Martin, Stephen McCorry, Jack MacNeill

Major New Colours:- Josh Hegarty, Daniel Logan, Andrew Milligan, Abdullah Sabri.

Minor Colours: - Odhran Catney, Callum Davidson, Tom McAlister

Girls’ Athletics

Major Re-Dates:- Rioghnagh Catney, Harriet Dougan, Erin Moffett, Katie Ritchie,

Minor Colours:- Ellie Bradley, Hannah Hill.

Cricket 1st XI

Major Re-Dates:- Michael Brady, Jack Burton, Max Burton, Zarar Khan, Bradley Luney, James McMahon Beattie, Robbie Moffett, Samuel Osborne, Harry Warke.

Cousins,

Baird, Maria

Castillo, Maeve

Lorcan Sinead

Lui Hurson,

BRIDGE

Major ReDates:-

Major New:-

Nathan Duddy, David Rea, Stephen Rea, Michael Woods.

Reece Armstrong.

Major New Colours:- Ben Greenlees, Jason Roe.

Cricket 2nd XI

Minor Colours:- Lewis Davidson, Brandon Doyle, Aaron Heatley, Luca Johnston, Tom Kendell, Rory Linden, Conor McAuley, Cormac McCracken, Joshua Ritchie.

Golf

Major Redates:- Rhys Goodall

Major Colours:- Tom McKibben, Keaton Morrison

Conor Gallagher, Luke McGarvey, Lucy O’Kane.

Minor New Colours:Cameron McGaughey, Roma Mulholland, Molly O’Donnell.

COLOURS AWARDSSUMMER 2017

Joshua Boyd, Lauren Colville, Rachel Gamble, Josh Mills, Xander Todd.

Minor Colours:- Ryan Armstrong, Andrew Greer

Boys’ Tennis

Girls’ Tennis

Major Colours:- Irish Alvarado, Mary Cousins, Anna Wilson.

Ben Madigan Preparatory School

SCHOOL DIARY 2016/17

September 30th

Macmillan Coffee Morning

October14th

Streamvale Farm visiting Pre-Prep

October 17th

Prep 6 “Beauty and the Beast”

October 21st

Bring and Buy Sale

October 25th

Prep 2 Aunt Sandra’s Sweet Shop

October 27th

Halloween Disco

November 7th

Pudsey visits Ben Madigan for Children in Need

Prep 5 and Prep 6 visit W5 for Friendship 4 Festival

November 25th

Prep 1 and Prep 2 visit the Waterfront Hall

December 1st

Open Afternoon and Santa’s Grotto

December 9th

Pre-Prep Nativity Play

December 14th

Preps 1 – 3 Nativity Play

December 16th

Preps 4 – 7 Christmas Outing

Prep 3 Christmas Outing

December 19th

Belfast City Council to Prep 6 for Eco Workshop

January 11th

Cancer Focus visit Ben Madigan

January 19th

Meet, Eat and Learn Evening

January 24th

Girls’ Hockey Competition

January 26th

Prep 4 visit Castle Ward

February 7th

Valentine Disco

February 9th

Pre-Prep visit Funky Monkeys

February 10th

Where’s Wilson World Book Day

March 2nd

School Development Association Quiz

Girls’ Regional Hockey Qualifiers

March 3rd

Boys’ Regional Hockey Qualifiers

March 6th

Belfast Trust – Prep 7 Wildflower Planting

March 14th

Prep 5 visit Castle Espie

March 16th

Prep 7 Planting Fruit Trees

March 23rd

Cross Country Competition

March 27th

Open Afternoon

March 30th

Ben Madigan Golf Competition

March 31st

Belfast Cross Country Championship

April 26th

Mini Rugby Festival at Ben Madigan

May 2nd

Rugby Festival at Campbell College

May 3rd

Prep 6 and Prep 7 visit the Ulster Museum

May 8th and 9th

ETI Inspection

Prep 3 visit the Balmoral Show

May 11th

Prep 6 and Prep 7 visit the Kingspan Stadium

York Trip

May 23rd

Prep 2 visit W5

May 30th

NI Fire and Rescue visit Prep 5

June 14th and 15th

Summer Concert – “What a Knight”

Sports Day

June 23rd

Prep 1 visit Clementsmount Farm

June 28th

Prep 7 Leavers’ Party

June 29th

Prep-Prep to Prep 3 Yogieberrie Party

Ben Madigan Preparatory School

ACCELERATED READER

The Accelerated Reader scheme was introduced in September to children from Preps 4 – 7. So far it has been a great success, with some children already having reached the ‘Word Millionaire’ milestone. Our volunteer librarians have worked tirelessly to label each book with an appropriate reading level and our new ICT suite enables STAR reading tests to be completed without disruption. Clear progress is being made throughout Key Stages 1 and 2 and we are confident that this initiative will continue to have a positive impact on reading throughout the school.

BRING AND BUY

Our annual ‘Bring and Buy’ sale took place on Friday 21st October. The Prep 6 class had been collecting toys, books, clothes and many more unwanted items for the previous three weeks and the selection of merchandise was remarkable. Once all the goods were collected, they spent an afternoon sorting the items into various price groups. They then clearly labeled tables before displaying the items neatly in order to attract the potential customers. In addition to buying second

hand goods, children also had an opportunity to enter a raffle and guess the name of the teddy bear. Prep 7 raised £730 on the morning. Unlike previous years they have decided to give the money to a local charity, which has yet to be decided.

Well done to all involved and a huge thanks must go to all parents and pupils who kindly donated items for the ‘Bring and Buy’.

Prep 3

Types of Pirates

This piece of writing will tell you all about different types of pirates.

Vikings

Vikings come from Denmark, Sweden and Norway. They flatten monks, squish farmers and attack ships at sea. Nobody knows what their name actually means.

Corsairs

Corsairs is a French word. It means chase. They chase you and rob you. They rob you on the Mediterranean Sea.

Privateers

The Queen and King didn’t have enough money to build a navy to fight the Spanish. The King and Queen would gather a bunch of pirates together and tell them to and fight the Spanish and they would pay them.

Barbary Pirates

If they caught you and you were healthy you would be sold to be a slave and if you weren’t… bye bye to you!

Buccaneers

Buccaneers kill wild cows and eat them – yum yum! They call themselves ‘brothers of the coast’

Charlotte Ingram, Prep 3

The Mint Mentos and Diet Coke Experiment

This piece of writing will tell you how to do the mint mentos and diet coke experiment.

You will need:

- 2L of diet coke

- One very long piece of string

- 2 heavy things

- 1 mentos geyser

- 1 Lego Thor

- Mint mentos

Step 1

First, take the lid off the diet coke.

Step 2

Then you get 7 mint mentos and put them in the mentos geyser.

Ben Madigan Preparatory School

Step 3

After that, you get the mentos geyser and the string and tie the string to the mentos geyser pin.

Step 4

Then you screw the mentos geyser on to the bottle of diet coke.

Step 5

Next you get the Lego Thor and put it on top of the mentos geyser.

Step 6

Pull the string, then… whoooosh!

Amelia Manley, Prep 3

The Polar Express

Long, long ago there was a boy called Kadyn. It was Christmas night. He tried to listen for the bells of Santa’s sleigh. Suddenly he heard the bells of Santa. He crept downstairs but it was just his dad. So he went back upstairs and got back into bed, but suddenly he heard a big whistle. So he went downstairs, went outside and he saw a big, big train. There was a man standing at the door. Kadyn asked where they were going and he said, “why to

the north pole of course”. Kadyn said, “Yes, I want to come with you to the north pole”. So he got on the magical Polar Express and soon the train stopped at a house and a little boy came up to the train. Then a man came up and he said, “are you coming to the north pole?” The wee boy shook his head and said, “no”. The man said, “suit yourself”. So the train went on but the little boy wanted to get on so he ran as fast as he could but he fell and Kadyn said, “look, that little boy wants to get on. Are there any breaks?” He saw one so he pulled it but the conductor came in and said, “who pulled the emergency break?” But a little boy said, “Kadyn did it”. 5 minutes later people with hot chocolate came and the sang, “hot, hot, here we go, there is only one rule and that is to let it cool, hot chocolate”. Soon they got to an icy swamp. They slid and they slipped and the ice cracked. The conductor said, “right, left, right, left”. They were nearly on the mountain. The ice cracked and cracked and the man said, “brace yourselves”. Suddenly the train was on the mountain and Kadyn said, “phew, that was close”. 5 minutes later they were in the centre where all the elves were at the tallest tree. The elves sang, “Santa Claus is coming to town”. The reindeer came up too. The bells shook and shook but one fell off. Kadyn caught it, then Santa came up and said, “you can have the first gift of Christmas”. The end.

Kadyn Graham, Prep 3

The Story of a Sunflower’s Lifecycle

There are three stages to the lifecycle of a sunflower: seed, shoot and flower. After ten days the seed will open up and a tiny root will shoot out and a shoot will grow up. This is called germination. It will keep growing and soon it will start making its own food using the sunlight, water and air. After a couple of weeks, a bud will appear. It will open up and you will start to see seeds in the middle. Carpels or stamens are the girl and boy parts of the flower. Insects are very attracted to the nectar on the flower. They fly over and drink the sweet, sticky essence. They rub against the pollen on the stamens and transfer it onto the carpels, which creates an egg. That is called fertilisation. The seeds are carried off by the squirrels and buried and the whole thing starts again.

Isabelle McCune, Prep 3

Ben Madigan Preparatory School

Prep 4

Emily’s Magical Day

Emily got to the rainforest and was making sure she was really ready to go. She just walked in and is going to explore when she finds a baby snake. She took care of it then all the other snakes came and thought she was trying to steal it and attacked her. Emily dropped it and ran. But it was no use she could not escape she was trapped. There was a different problem the were hungry for meat as in people meat but just then one of her friends came to explore with her camera and another friend saw the snakes and chased them away. Then Emily joined them and the baby snake went with the others so now they are going to go exploring as a group but secretly Emily took a picture of the baby snake with her camera that she’s packed in her back pocket. She took pictures of animals she saw, here’s the list of animals that she saw: tree frogs, leopards, alligators and an anteater. Then she saw a little monkey. The other girls had already left but she lifted the monkey and then its parents came. Emily put it down right after she got a picture of it but then the parents chased Emily out of the rainforest. It really was a magical day for Emily.

Abi Waide, Prep 4

In a Rainforest

Once upon a time there was a girl called Paris. Paris is seventeen. She has an older brother called Sam, he is nineteen. They are quite rich. Their Dad is called Mike, he is a doctor, they have a mum called Susan she is a librarian. Sam shouted down “Can I go on holiday with Paris Dad?” “Son” said Dad, “we just bought a mansion last week.” “But Paris and I have pocket money”. “Oh, I forgot, go on then.” “Thanks Dad!”

“What were you talking about?” asked Paris. “Booking tickets to go to Rio,” said Sam. “But I want to go to the Liverpool versus United game.” Mum shouted “Paris, where would you go England or Rio?” Paris answered “Ok I’ll go to Rio with Sam”

They packed quickly, they then got on the plane. It crashed two hours later so they had to swim fast as they were being attacked by pirates. Luckily they made it to Brazil. They were scared because they were in the rainforest. They found a dog and it got run over so they had to go to the hospital but it was ok. Then Sam was nearly killed by a tiger but a poisonous snake killed it. Then they found a camp and lived happily ever after.

Spencer Lyle, Prep 4

Space Story

Once upon a time there lived three lovely and kind aliens called Zuzu, Clea and Sese. Every day they bounced up and down on Mars and then bounced off Mars onto Jupiter. There they stuffed their face with lots and lots of jelly, then when they jumped on the scales they had put on ten stone. They were that shocked their faces went all red, then Zuzu said “All three of us have to go on a diet for two weeks, so we can get all this chubbiness off us”. “What’s a diet?” asked Clea. Do you still not know what a diet is? It’s when you eat healthy stuff instead of unhealthy stuff. Then two weeks later they lost twenty stone and they were the happiest aliens in the world. Instead of eating lots and lots they danced lots and lots. They made a diet book to see who ate the most. Then at the end whoever ate the least had a big meal of jelly and they all got fatter and fatter.

Victoria Bates, Prep 4

Letter to the RSPB

Prep 5

Achilles

Ben Madigan

690 Sandymount Green

Belfast

BT15 5GP

15 March 2017

Stormont Buildings

Uppper Newtownards Road

Belfast

BT4 3XX

Northern Ireland

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing this letter to complain about the lack of protection for the birds around the world.

I am disgusted at the protection for birds. There is so much oil being dropped into the ocean causing fish to die. The more fish that die means less food for the birds.

The government are not putting up enough bird feeders and bird houses. If birds do not get enough food and rest they are less likely to get through migration.

Lastly there is too much de-forestation causing jungle birds such as parrots and toucans to lose food.

I would like more protection and food for birds, more bird feeders, bird houses and no disturbing birds. More donations to the RSPB and no more poaching.

You have so much money and you’re spending it.

Yours faithfully,

Mr O’Connor

Henry O’Connor, Prep 5

Prep 6

Achilles was the son of Peleus, King of the Myrmidons, and Thetis, an immortal. They had been forced to marry each other, but the marriage was not successful. Thetis stole him away and dipped him in the chill waters of the River Styx. Unfortunately, she forgot to immerse his heel and this mistake would prove to be fatal.

Achilles was handsome and extremely brave. His bravery can be attributed to the fact that a Centaur called Cheiron gave the boy the flesh of lions to give him courage and honeycombs to help him to run swiftly. As well as this, Achilles was an accomplished hunter, healer and musician, who played the pipes brilliantly.

When Achilles grew to manhood, he was broadshouldered and muscular, with hair that came down to his neck in golden curls. He was extremely athletic, and could outrun a fully grown stag at the age of six as well as kill it with his bare hands. His mother, worried that he would be forced to fight in the wars, dressed him up as a woman, but that little ruse was neatly overcome by Odysseus.

We can now look at Achilles the man, the hero. Was he perfect? Possibly nearly so, in terms of his physical appearance, but he had one or two flaws in his character. When he fell out with Agamemnon, who had stolen his girlfriend, Briseus, he sulked for a considerable length of time, and wouldn’t come out of his tent. It took the death of his cousin, Patroclus, to shake him out of his childish sulk. He entered the battle-field to revenge the death of his cousin and killed Hector, the son of King Priam of Troy.

Achilles was reflecting on his character and didn’t like what he saw. He didn’t have much time, unfortunately, to change any aspects of his character as he was killed shortly afterwards. The mistake which his mother had made, having forgotten to immerse his heel, proved to be fatal.

By Lucy Marshall, Prep 6

Achilles

Achilles is the greatest hero in Greek mythology. This story happened in 400BC. Achilles is famous because he was the main fighter in the Trojan War. Achilles adopted grandparents are Zeus and Hera, because they adopted his mother Thetis, an immortal. His father was Peleus, King of Myrmidons. When Achilles was born Thetis dipped him in the River Styx by his ankles. Thetis did not know that’s how Achilles would die. When Peleus found out he took Achilles before he

could be breast fed. That’s why he is called Achilles which means “no lips” in ancient Greek. Peleus gave Achilles to Cheiron (a centaur). He was raised on Mount Pelion. Cheiron was not like most centaurs, he was wise and gentle. Cheiron fed Achilles on the flesh of lions to make him strong and honeycomb to make him swift. By the age of six Achilles could outrun and kill a fully grown stag. Cheiron got Calliope, one of the nine immoral muses to teach Achilles how to sing. As you can see Cheiron treated Achilles like he was his son. When Achilles grew older Thetis took Achilles and dressed him up like a woman and took him to the court of Lycomedes.

Odyess gave the woman jewels, perfume, beautiful dresses and a sword and shield. Then he sounded the trumpets like an army attacked. Achilles pulled off his wig, took the sword and shield and ran to defend. His cousin Patoclus accompanied him to war. Achilles was second to go onto the coast of Troy because his mother warned him first down is the first to die. The first one onto the coast was Protesilous who was run through by Hector, who was the oldest prince of Troy.

Achilles’s first battle was against Cycnus, son of Poseidon. Achilles was winning victory by victory. Later on in the war Achilles suggested that king Agamemnon only joined in a sense of guilt and didn’t want to fight. Agamemnon reminded Achilles of when he was dressed as a woman. Ever since then they haven’t been friends. Agamemnon had a maid from Troy but he was told she was a priestess and she had to go back to Troy. So Agamemnon took Biriseis (Achilles’s maid) then Achilles stormed off into his tent not wanting anything to do with the war. At first nobody took him seriously but he failed to appear. Everyone wondered how such a great warrior could act so childish.

Then Patorclus pretended to be Achilles but when they figured out it wasn’t Achilles they killed him. When Achilles figured out Patroclus was killed he killed every Trojan around the corpse of his cousin. Achilles buried Patroclus on the shore. He swore revenge on Hector. As you can see Achilles and Hector were natural opponents. Hector wanted revenge on Achilles for the loss of his brothers; Achilles for the loss of his cousin.

One day, Hector challenged Achilles to a single combat but that was when Achilles was not fighting. But now Achilles realised that would be his chance for revenge so he agreed. His mother visited him on the night before the fight. She gave him armour made by Hephaestos the god of fire and blacksmiths. When the curtains of Achilles’s tent opened everyone gasped at the sight of Achilles’s armour. It was made of pure gold. He looked like a reflection of the sun. When Hector saw Achilles he knew he was doomed so he ran,

Ben Madigan Preparatory School

not because he was afraid but because he hoped to tire Achilles out but after going three times around Troy Achilles was barely out of breath and right behind him.

Achilles struck at him but Hector dodged but the second time Achilles struck Hector in the heart. Hector asked Achilles to let him be buried with honour but Achilles refused. Achilles turned his sword and watched the light go out of Hector’s eyes. Achilles tied Hector’s ankles to his chariot and rode around Troy three times every day for a week. Achilles refused every time King Priam asked for his son’s body even for his weight in gold. One day, King Priam went to Achilles’s tent and mourned and asked for Hector. He said, “You have proven yourself a great warrior but you can prove yourself a great man, does the tears of an old man not move you?” Then Achilles started crying for Patroclus.

Achilles called a truce for 12 days so the Trojan prince could have a funeral. Achilles got a lot of enemies and not all mortal. He got Apollo, for killing on his altar, and Poseidon, for killing his son. So Poseidon told Paras how to kill Achilles. So one day Paras shot Achilles in the ankle with a poisonous arrow. That night Achilles died beside his mother. Greece mourned for 17 days and nights and on the 17th night Achilles’ body was burnt.

Christopher Handley, Prep 6

CROSS COUNTRY CLUB

The Cross Country Club was open to the pupils of Preps 4, 5, 6 and 7 and met on Thursday afternoons after school in all weathers. Many pupils joined the club with a desire to improve their fitness while others wanted to test their stamina in competition. Indeed, the Boys’ Cross Country Team enjoyed some success in the North Belfast District Races. They finished second overall with Cole Mullan (Prep 5) winning the

CUPWINNERS

Name of Cup Winner 1

Cricket Cup (McClay) Matthew McQuiston

Athletics Cup (Ryan Moore) Toby Stewart

Athletics Cup (McCoubrey) Hannah O’Kane

Cross Country Matthew Jackson

Swimming (Jacobs) Lucas Thompson

Mini Rugby (School) Matt McLaughlin

Most Improved Rugby Lewis Wright

McCoubrey (Most Improved Hockey) Mia Collins Hockey

Kara Craig

Physical Education Hannah O’Kane/ Toby Stewart

Peter Thompson Cup Antonia Ryan/ Harrison McMahon

Gymnastics Cup (Warke)

Grace Rea

Competence in I.C.T. Ieuan McLean

Creative Writing

Art

Violin

Diana Zhou

Simone Simeou

Joshua Gould

DIGITAL LEADERS

This year our school have decided to enrol the help of several pupils in order to further enhance our ICT provisions within school. The ‘digital leaders’ had to go through a rigorous selection process. After an initial assembly all children within the school were given an application form which they filled in. The best applicants were selected for interview. Following the interviews, the school decided on a group of 11 pupils from Prep 4 – 7 who would assist with the development of ICT within Ben Madigan. The ‘Digital Leaders’ were trained with the latest technology at W5 and are now ready to make a positive impact within our school.

GIRLS’ HOCKEY

On Thursday 26th January the Girls’ Hockey Team had their first outing. They were invited along to play at a tournament at Strandtown Primary School. They were seeded as one of the top teams; therefore, they were placed in the top tier competition. With very few Prep 7 girls the team was bolstered with girls from Prep 6. Although this was the first outing of the year the girls performed superbly and they narrowly lost two of

unlucky not to win, thanks to some great saves from the opposition goalkeeper. There is lots of work to do over the next few weeks as we prepare for the Ulster qualifiers. Mr Patterson was certainly a very proud coach.

Team: Kara (P7), Hannah (P7), Simone (P7), Sophie (P6), Lily (P6), Maria (P6), Emily McR (P6) and Eva (P6).

PREPS 6 & 7 TRIP TO YORK

Our bi-annual York trip started this year on Tuesday 23rd May and the vast majority of our Prep 6 and 7 pupils met early in the morning at George Best Belfast City Airport. Accompanying them were Mr Patterson, Mr Wilson, Mrs Pyper and two parents, Ms Claire Killen and Dr Roslyn McLaughlin.

After arriving at Manchester Airport we travelled to the Leeds Armouries followed by the Emmerdale Studio Tour where we enjoyed the various exhibits. It is sad to note that Mr Wilson was the only person who remembered seeing this particular soap when it was called Emmerdale Farm.

After we had been allocated our rooms at the hotel we travelled to the outskirts of Leeds where we had a MacDonald’s meal and then had a very enjoyable session of ten-pin bowling. Mr Wilson was triumphant, having achieved what was, for him, a fantastic score, and he enjoyed seeing the look of disappointment on the normally victorious Mr Patterson’s face.

On Wednesday we visited the York Castle museum and the more intrepid thrill seekers visited the York Dungeon. This year, amazingly, we had no “screamers” and we all enjoyed our lunch in the vicinity of the Jorvik Centre. The Jorvik experience was a rewarding one as they are constantly updating their exhibits, and we spend an enjoyable couple of hours there.

In the evening we went on a ghost tour of York and were fortunate that it didn’t rain.

Thursday is normally an “away day” and the pattern which we follow is a visit to Eden Camp followed by Sea-Life at Scarborough and then the amusements on the sea-front, followed by an evening meal. The weather this year was superb and we were able to enjoy some time on the beach after the meal.

On Friday after our final packing and checking the rooms we drove into York for a visit to the Minister. Our guides were ideally suited to a group of tired P6 and P7 pupils and adults made the visit memorable for us.

SCHOOL COUNCIL HALLOWEEN DISCO

The School Council transformed the assembly hall at Hallowe’en and Valentine’s Day in an effort to host two memorable discos. Everyone enjoyed themselves and a lot of money was raised. Well done to everyone involved from the School Council. Another successful year with a grand total of £1211 raised.

After shopping round the centre of York we made our way back to the coach and travelled to Manchester Airport.

Thank you to all the accompanying adults for their patience, good humour and fortitude during the trip. Judging by the very positive comments received, the trip was certainly a memorable one for the participants.

SPORTS DAY

Unlike last year, Sports Day this year was postponed due to adverse weather conditions. When we were finally blessed with a dry day we were treated to some exceptional talent. Pre-Prep, Prep 1 and Prep 2 got proceedings underway with some terrific support from very enthusiastic mums and dads. There was a carnival atmosphere with Mr Wilson on the sound system and Prep 7 eagerly assisting their junior colleagues. The main even saw preps 4-7 battle it out in many disciplines from sprint races to obstacle races. Children from preps 4 to 7 could enter voluntarily to run a lap of the beautiful castle grounds. It was a successful day all round, well done to all those who took part.

ALICE PYPER

Alice joined the staff of Ben Madigan in September 2014. She was educated at Victoria College and had previously taught at Rosetta Primary School.

Alice has a wealth of dramatic and musical talent which was quickly employed in the school nativity plays and our summer Senior school productions. Her enthusiasm for singing transmitted itself to the members of the school choir, who looked forward to Wednesday afternoons. The members of the choir, under her leadership took part in the Carrickfergus Musical Festival and the Spring Concerts in the Ulster Hall.

Alice’s classroom was bright, colourful and provided a great stimulus for learning to the pupils. Her teaching style was such that the pupils were constantly engaged in purposeful learning.

We wish her well in her new appointment at Greenwood Primary School in East Belfast.

SIMON PATTERSON

Simon joined the staff of Ben Madigan in September 2011 to teach Physical Education and to take the Prep 4 class during the afternoons. He coached the Medallion rugby team at BRA, and assisted with Athletics coaching during the Summer term. He quickly demonstrated his prowess at ICT and was appointed as Co-ordinator for this important aspect of the curriculum. The quality of the provision of this subject went from strength to strength under his leadership. Following Mrs McCaig’s retirement he was appointed Vice-Principal and was responsible for some new initiatives such as the “Ben Mag” and regular Facebook posts as well as the introduction of See-Saw. These have led to much better communications with parents. He superintended the installation of the new ICT suite and ABL room, together with the members of our newly formed School Development Association. During my absences from school last year, he led the school very ably and I was delighted for him when he was appointed as Head of the Preparatory Department of Friends’ School, Lisburn. We wish him well for the future.

Ben Madigan Preparatory School

Former Pupils’ News

OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION

The Old Girls’ Association has enjoyed another splendid year of activities since its reestablishment in 2015. A key focus for the Association, driven by our Charity status, is raising funds to provide ongoing support for the pupils in the School. In support of this commitment, there have been a number of very successful events over the past year.

The first of these was in October when the first hockey match between the OG XI and the 1st XI was held. Many enthusiastic supporters braved the freezing weather to see the 1st XI lift the trophy in a closely fought game. This was the first game in 20 years for some of the ladies playing for the Old Girls; however, the competitive spirit was much in evidence. The next match is arranged for March/ April 2018. Look out for the date - we would love to see as many Old Girls as possible, either playing or supporting.

A wine tasting evening was held in November. This was hosted by Gap Wines, and everyone present enjoyed the occasion, learning something new about the sourcing and production of winein addition of course to sampling the finished product.

The Annual General Meeting was held in the Academy Club on 16th November 2016. Once again, there was a good turnout of members. Ideas for fundraising and supporting the School were forthcoming and a number of keys events were planned for the forthcoming year, in addition to the new committee being elected.

At the beginning of 2017, many Old Girls took part in Roly’s Quiz Night at the Academy Club. It proved to be very successful, and the host ensured everyone was kept entertained. We look forward to

this becoming a regular fixture in the Old Girls’ calendar.

One of the initiatives in support of the School, is for Old Girls to use their breadth of experience to provide advice and practical assistance to pupils through careers information, compiling CVs, developing interview skills etc. Old Girls, interesting in becoming involved, were asked to contact the School, and there was a gratifying response. There is every indication that the number of volunteers will increase in subsequent years.

As well as the social aspect of the Old Girls’ Association, we are pleased to the acknowledge the following legacy gifts to the School throughout the last year:

• A new School crest for the front of the Darbyshire Building.

• The purchase of a drone to record outdoor events throughout the year. Some impressive video footage has already been captured.

• Assistance with the purchase of Samuel Laurence's impressive portrait of illustrious former pupil, Sir Henry Pottinger, which now adorns the new Heritage Room.

• Enormously helpful contributions to the design and production of new House Flags. These were presented to the School at Sports Day in June 2017. This revival of the House competitions culminated in Cairns winning The Evans Trophy, and consequently, Cairns flag flew proudly from the central tower of the Crombie Building.

Finally, the Annual Dinner Dance was held on 2nd September 2017 at Ten Square Hotel, Belfast. Once again, this was a huge success, thoroughly enjoyed by all in attendance. It was an enjoyable night of food, drinks and dancing, with Old Girls spanning the generations, from recent leavers to former pupils from a number of years ago, enjoying catching up and sharing experiences. There was particular delight in the number of teachers who joined in the fun, and it was a special pleasure to welcome the new Principal, Mrs Woods, to her first Old Girls’ dinner.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Old Girls who have supported us over the years, and for the interaction and encouragement we receive through the social media sites. Anyone interested in joining the Old Girls’ Association, or

has any questions or suggestions, should email BRAOldGirls@Outlook.com , or contact us through social media. We can also be contacted through the Alumni Section of the School website.

OLD GIRLS’ NEWS

DR ELIZABETH MITCHELL AND MS MARGOT ROBERTS

Two former pupils, both of whom left Belfast Royal Academy in 1974, were acknowledged in the recent Queen’s Birthday Honours’ List. Dr Elizabeth Mitchell, recently retired as Chief Executive of the Institute of Public Health in Northern Ireland, was awarded an OBE for services to public health.

In the same Honours’ list, Ms Margot Roberts, lately Administrative Director, Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency, was awarded an MBE for services to medical and dental education. Margot was a member of the BRA First XI hockey team which won the Schools’ Cup in 1974, the last BRA team to so do.

ALUMNI NEWS

JUDE BENNETT

Jude (Judith) Bennett left School in 1998, to prepare for a career in the art world. After graduation from the University of Dundee, she worked with various arts organisations in Belfast, but, determined to focus on gallery work, she moved to the Aspex Gallery in Portsmouth. While there, she curated many exhibitions of contemporary art and completed a Master's degree in curatorial practice. Eager to gain experience, in 2011 she moved to London to open her own gallery, and in 2014 she moved again to the G39 Gallery, Bristol: then her life took an unexpected turn.

By 2016, many thousands of people driven from their homes by the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, were attempting to make the dangerous crossing of the Mediterranean to the safety of Europe. Horrified by their plight, Jude and Joby Fox, a musician friend from Belfast, co-founded the Refugee Rescue organisation. With some thirty other volunteers who gave up their time, and, in some cases, their livelihoods, they dedicated themselves to rescuing those in danger of drowning in the Mediterranean.

Using an ex-RNLI lifeboat, rebranded with the Irish name Mo Chara (my friend), they helped to safety over 2,500 men, women and children. Not every operation is successful. In April 2017, a response to a distress call resulted only in recovery of the body of a teenage girl and two survivors, one of whom was a pregnant woman.

Jude married her Danish boyfriend Jeppe Krabbe in July 2017, and has now embarked on a course in disaster management at the University of Copenhagen.

Those interested in knowing more about Jude's work should visit the website: www.refugeerescue.co.uk

RUTH McCAMLEY

On leaving the Academy in 1998, Ruth studied Financial Services at Glasgow Caledonian University, and complemented her studies by working for an independent financial adviser in the city.

After graduation in 2002, she returned to Belfast and gained further valuable experience with Kerr Henderson, the Openwork Network of financial advisers, and AON Hewitt, while at the same time adding to her portfolio of professional qualifications.

In 2015, Ruth transferred to the City of London in 2016 where she is currently employed as specialist adviser in pension transfers at Tideway Investment LLP, an independently owned wealth and in-house asset management business with expertise in retirement advice. This, as we are all aware, is a crucially important aspect of the industry, which impacts on both the national economy and the well-being of every citizen. The sums of money passing through City institutions are stupendous; the consequences, both national and individual, are profound.

In addition to her career in finance, Ruth is also a fully qualified yoga instructor. Trained in Europe, North Africa and Asia, she has taught classes in Belfast, and more recently in London. She believes that the physical, mental and spiritual disciplines central to this age-old practice have much to contribute to developing a sense of personal autonomy in an increasingly urbanised world. Thus, techniques developed over five thousand years, enable those who live in modern complex societies to develop a more holistic approach to daily life.

REBECCA DELANEY (nee Cromie)

Determined to make a career in medical research, Rebecca Cromie left School in 2009 to study Biomedical Science at Queen's University. Keen to gain laboratory experience, she completed a Summer Studentship in the Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology at Queen's, and at the end of her second year, she was offered the opportunity to study at the University of Nevada at Reno and Rebecca spent a year there working on Gastro-Intestinal research.

Before returning to Belfast, she accepted an invitation to give a paper on her work at an international symposium in Florence. After completing her studies at Queen's, she graduated with a 1st Class Honours degree.

Rebecca's subsequent doctoral research on chronic lung disease in the Centre for Experimental Medicine at Queen's, became so well known that she was asked to make presentations based on her work at Germany's prestigious University of Heidelberg. She then developed her research skills, an accomplishment which was internationally recognised by an award from the European Respiratory Society Lung Science Conference, at Estoril in Portugal.

Rebecca completed her PhD in 2017, and was immediately offered a position at Queen's. This will enable her to pursue her research interests, as well as gaining managerial experience in the context of a medical laboratory.

Rebecca Cromie met Ryan Delaney when she was required to sit beside him in a Fifth Form maths class in the Academy. Proving that science is no stranger to romance, they are now married, and her husband is completing his PhD.

OLD BOYS’ ASSOCIATION

The main event in the Association’s calendar is the Annual Dinner. This was held in the Wellington Park Hotel on Saturday 28th November 2016.The President, Mr Robb Fletcher, welcomed a total of approximately 160 members and guests. The speakers at the dinner were:

• Mr David Haslett who proposed the toast to the School

• The Headmaster who replied and proposed the toast to the Association

• The President responded and proposed the toast to our guests

• Mr Bill Gowdy replied on behalf of the guests

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.

The Old Boys’ Association organised the fourth annual dinner in London which was open to all former pupils of the Academy who live in the Greater London Area and beyond. A total of 86 former pupils attended the dinner which was held on Friday 24th February 2017 at the RAF Club, Piccadilly. The main speakers at the dinner were the President; the Headmaster and Ruth Cornett, Director of the Heritage & Taxation Advisory Service at Christie’s, London. Plans are already in place for another London Dinner; this will be held on Friday 9th March 2018 again at the RAF Club,

Piccadilly. Former pupils who wish to attend should contact the Hon. Secretary at doc_malone2004@yahoo.co.uk.

On 28th April 2017, the Old Boys’ Association hosted a dinner for Former Pupils in the New Club on Princes Street, Edinburgh. A total of 42 attended this dinner at which Robb Fletcher acted as M/C. At short notice, David McDowell, Head of Government & Politics at Fettes College, stepped in to propose the toast to the School. The Headmaster replied and, despite some technical difficulties, showed the most current DVD showing the breadth of activities which occur during a School Year. Following upon the success of this first Edinburgh Dinner, a provisional booking has been made for a second dinner to be held again in the New Club on Friday 27th April 2018. Former Pupils who are interested in attending this dinner should contact the Hon. Secretary at doc_malone2004@yahoo.co.uk

The Annual General Meeting of the Association was held on 25th April 2017 and the following officials were elected for 2017/2018:

President Martin Blake

Senior Vice President Robert McIlhagger

Junior Vice President Moore Dickson

Hon. Secretary Louis Campbell

Hon. Treasurer Nik Simon

Hon. Membership Secretary Michael McDowell

Dinner Secretary Iain Knox

Hon. Auditor Drew Wilkinson

The Committee for 2017/2018 was also elected. 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.

The annual cricket match of the Old Boys’ XI against the School XI was played on 16th June 2017 at the Castle Grounds. The match was won, atypically, by the Old Boys’ XI as this match is normally played out to an honourable draw. The match was watched by many of the 1967 cricket

XI who had attended a reunion at School earlier in the day. Roly Jamison recorded cricket reminiscences from members of that team and others including Sir Donald Murray. It is hoped that this recording will be available, in due course, on the revamped website.

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 22th June 2017

Winner: Chris Magee

Tim Weir’s Captain’s Day at Royal Belfast G.C. Friday 8th September 2017

Winner: James Beattie

Ferguson Cup for best aggregate score over two outings

Winner: Robbie Norton

Provisional dates for next year’s competitions are:

Picken Cup at Malone GC on Thursday 14th June 2017 tee-off 2pm to 3.30pm.

Jeremy Weir’s Captain’s Day will be at Royal Belfast GC on Friday 14th September 2017 with tee-off times 12.00pm to 1.30pm.

Throughout the year, Robin Reid once 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.

The Old Boys’ Association organised a Networking Breakfast, in conjunction with the Old Girls’ Association, at the Ten Square Hotel on Thursday 9th February 2017. Jacqui Berkeley, BBC producer of The Nolan Show and the series 'Wanted Down Under', and Marty Neil, music journalist, founder and CEO of AirPOS Ltd, a successful international technology start-up, were the guest speakers for this event. Twenty-nine former pupils attended. The then Senior Vice-President Martin Blake, and Michael McDowell organised the event and Matthew Corkey introduced the speakers.

A second Networking Breakfast was held at Ten Square on Thursday 11 th May 2011. The speakers at this event were Kevin McNamee, Finance Director of the Denroy Group and Angela Magowan, Director of the Confederation of British Industry Northern Ireland. Thirty-five people attended. The President, Michael McDowell and an Old Girl, Laura Jackson were responsible for the organisation of this event.

Mark Regan has agreed to join the organising SubCommittee. The next Networking Breakfast is scheduled for Friday 13th October 2017.

Each year, the Old Boys' Association tries to make a substantial financial contribution to School to support particular projects. Last year, the Association, with the guidance of the Headmaster, donated £2500 to support the purchase of a portrait of Sir Henry Pottinger which now hangs in the Heritage Room in the Crombie Building. It is worth noting here that the Association has donated over £22,000 to fund various projects in School over the past number of years.

For the first time in my tenure as Hon. Secretary of the Association, an Extraordinary General Meeting was held on Tuesday 6th June 2017. The purpose of this meeting was to amend the Rules of the Association. Two rules were amended:

Rule 5 was amended to read:

The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the month of April in each year on such a day and at such an hour and place as the Committee shall decide and it may be attended only by Members of the Association and the Honorary Auditor. The Secretary shall give each member at least seven days’ notice of the meeting. Notice shall be given by means of an advertisement in a newspaper in general circulation in Northern Ireland and by appropriate electronic means. Twelve members present shall form a quorum and in case there shall be no quorum assembled within thirty minutes of the time appointed, the meeting shall be adjourned until such time as those present shall decide, and so on in a like manner until a quorum be present.

This rule was amended to allow notice of the AGM to be given to members for example by email.

Rule 14 was amended to read:

The Association’s financial year shall commence on September 1 in each year and end on the last day of the following August.

This rule was amended so that the Hon. Treasurer could more easily manage the transactions attached to some of the ‘new functions’ such as the London and Edinburgh Dinners, payments for which straddled two financial/accounting years of the Association.

The Old Boys’ websitewww.belfastroyalacademyoldboysassociation.com -is currently under review. Iain Knox and Michael McDowell have, over many years, worked hard to keep this up-to-date but the platform on which it is based now looks ‘old-fashioned’. Under the

direction of the President, David Cavan is working on a revamped website which he hopes will be up and running as soon as possible. Michael McDowell also promotes the Association on Social Media through the Old Boys’ Twitter account @TheBRAoldboys.

At the time of writing these notes, the President’s letter is being drafted and will be sent to all members; a copy of the School’s Academy Newsletter will also be sent with the letter. Inevitably, many of the President’s letters are returned to School as members have moved away from the address held by the Membership Secretary. I would appeal to all members who have moved in recent months (or years) to contact Michael McDowell at membershipsec@braoldboys.com or contact Andrea Kerns in the Alumni Office in School at akerns246@bfsra.belfast.ni.sch.uk

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

REV LAURENCE GRAHAM

Former pupil, Rev Laurence Graham is to be the new President of the Methodist Church.

ALUMNI NEWS

MARK McCRORY

Choosing to defer for a year the offer of a place to read Agricultural Science at the University of Wales in Aberystwyth, Mark McCrory, in 1982, took an extra A Level in Business Studies, supporting himself with several part-time jobs. An ideal preparation, he insists, for later existence as a full-time student.

His innate business instinct showed early at university, where he also took a diploma in marketing, and combined theory with practice in a stint as the entertainments officer for the students’ union.

On graduation, Mark worked briefly on a 5,000acre estate in Norfolk before being offered a position as advertising executive and feature writer with Golf Link magazine, which was eventually delivered to every golf club in Ireland. Thereafter, his business career took off.

Involvement with every aspect of launching a new magazine proved to be an invaluable experience for his next position with Century Newspapers, publisher of the Sunday News, for which he was 'head-hunted' in 1987. Within six months, he was promoted to Advertising Manager - a post which enabled him to work with media buyers for all the major advertising agencies in Belfast and Dublin.

His business acumen was again acknowledged when Mark was offered the post of Accounts Executive with the Peugeot car dealership in Northern Ireland and Scotland - a position which involved spending two days a week in Edinburgh.

His reputation was now so well established that he was, in succession, offered senior executive positions with BSB Dorlands and Saatchi & Saatchi London. Winner of several prestigious awards, he was one of four regional account directors with responsibility for press, radio and television advertising and a budget in the millions.

His next move was to AV Browne in Belfast, after which he decided to establish his own business. Mark McCrory Marketing and Communications led to Brewhouse (Belfast) Ltd offering a range of new products which challenged established giants of the licensed trade such as Guinness and Bass. Deftly moving from wholesale to retail, Mark founded the business with which his name is now associated. The Dirty Duck licensed restaurant in Holywood is, after twenty years, not only one of the most successful businesses of its kind in Northern Ireland but a tourist attraction in its own right.

BRIAN KOELMEYER

Brian Koelmeyer left the Academy in 1998 to read Psychology, Philosophy and Physiology at Pembroke College, Oxford. In addition to his formal studies, he soon developed a growing enthusiasm for, and skills in, photography and film making.

His time in college was also noteworthy for the discovery of a painting by Francis Bacon in the wall space of the Junior Common Room. Bacon is considered one of the greatest of Britain's post-war and contemporary artists, and Christies has recently offered one of his works for sale with a £60m-£80m estimate, which makes it one of the priciest works for sale in Europe in 2017. Pembroke College sold their Bacon for a sum which greatly enhanced the financial status of the JCR. In addition to these excitements, Brian complemented his undergraduate studies by availing of the Washington-Ireland Fund for Service and Leadership to work temporarily as an intern in the office of Hillary Clinton.

After graduation, Brian moved to Paris where he enrolled at the Sorbonne for a course in French, supporting himself (and practising the language) by working in some of the capital's bars. Thus equipped, he developed his linguistic skills while employed for eight years by Allen &Overy, one of the world's leading law firms. During this time, he pursued his interest in film, and finally abandoned the law for film school.

It was at this time that Brian became acquainted with Alejandro Jodorowsky, the Chilean-French film and theatre director, playwright, actor and author. Inspired by Jodorowsky's work, Brian travelled frequently to Mexico, and finally undertook to make a documentary film about the former Spanish colonial mining town of Real de Catorce in the central Mexican state of San Luis Potosi. While there, Brian collaborated with celebrated neurologist Andrew Lees, and the composer Philip Glass whose work is known internationally, not only through the acclaimed opera Akhnaten, but in film scores for The Truman Show, Kundun, and The Illusionist Lees and Glass were researching indigenous culture and medical techniques.

BEATING RETREAT

Noel Lamb, former army officer, successful businessman, and now owner of Finnebrogue House outside Downpatrick, hosted a Beating Retreat ceremony at his home. Among the many guests at this colourful event were the Academy's new principal, Mrs Hilary Woods, the Alumni Officer Mr McCamley and his wife, and former

teacher Mr Ken Hawtin and his wife. The occasion was in aid of The Soldiers' Charity and Hope for Youth (NI).

“We took advantage of fine June weather to invite 200 of our friends and supporters to Finnebrogue for a fundraising Beating Retreat. The Pipes and Drums of the Royal Dragoon Guards and the Band of the Royal Irish Regiment played a selection of music, both military and classical pieces.

We had a wide range of guests in the audience including the Lord Lieutenants for County Down and Belfast, the Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Reverend Richard Clarke and his predecessor, the Right Reverend Alan Harper, members of the police and the local community. The programme for the evening included the band playing Scipio by Handel, the Soldiers’ Chorus from Faust, the Army of the Nile and various cavalry marches. The Pipes and Drums played the Rowan Tree. the Green Hills of Tyrol and the Gael.”

ALUMNI OFFICE

The aim of the Alumni Office is to engage with our past pupils and to help our alumni to remain connected to the School and to former classmates. We can help put former pupils back in touch with old School friends and assist with the organisation of reunions, visits to the School and other former pupil events.

The Alumni Office publishes an Alumni Newsletter each term, sharing information on alumni events and former pupils’ activities, as well as providing a selection of current School news. We love to hear about what our past pupils are doing after they leave Belfast Royal Academy and former pupils’ contribution, feedback and suggestions to the Alumni Newsletter are always welcomed. If you have a story or piece of news that you think others would be interested in, please email the Alumni Office with an accompanying photograph.

The Alumni Office is also responsible for administering donations made to the School and we are very appreciative of alumni who have already made or pledged donations. If you would like to support the School in this way, please contact the Bursar, Elisabeth Hull, on 028 9074 0423 | ehull945@bfsra.belfast.ni.sch.uk

The Alumni Office also works with the Old Girls' and Old Boys' Associations to administer their membership databases, to assist with the promotion of their events and facilitate other communications.

In 2014, Belfast Royal Academy invested in a communications and alumni relationship management system, The Raiser’s Edge, which has enhanced the Alumni Office’s ability to communicate and; therefore, strengthen links with our alumni and others who have an interest in the School. The School appreciates your help to ensure that your contact details are up to date and to actively encourage friends, colleagues, siblings and other family members who were pupils at Belfast Royal Academy to join the alumni family. All alumni data is held securely in the School in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Andrea Kerns is your main point of contact in the Alumni Office and she can be contacted on 028 9074 0423 | akerns246@bfsra.belfast.ni.sch.uk She will be delighted to hear from you.

Noel Lamb

Degrees and Diplomas

QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY BELFAST

BA

Baird, Melissa

Devine, Holly

Coleman, Niall

Dugan, Lucy

Henry, Conor

Holmes, Nicole

Laverty, Katie

McCullough, Joshua McMillan, Anna

BSc

Boal, Ashleigh

Boyd, Mark

Bingham, Sarah

Burns, Callum

Campbell, Robert

Crooks, Bethany

Ferguson, Niketa

Frame, Victoria

Hutchinson, Anna

Irwin, Kristian

Manzoor, Sheerien

McClurkin, Cameron

Peters, Rachel

Rogers, Eoin

Steenson, Jack

Stewart, Maeve

Tinsley, Dylan

Yeates, Rachel

BSW

Johnston, Jamie

Watson, Elizabeth

LLB

Armstrong, Jack

B Eng

Doherty, Niall

Dickenson, James

Hughes, Ciaran

McCullough, Peter

McVeigh, Chris

B Mus

Porte, Marcus

B Th

Thompson, Jordan

M Arch

Mahon, Brett

MB

Coghlan, Tomas Greer, Lynsay

Stewart, Hannah O'Neill, Amy

M Eng

Dungsa, Aldrian

Knox, Kenneth McBride, John McGeough, Patrick McBride, Samuel

MSc

Baxter, Thomas McNeill, Shauneen,

MSci

Devlin, Ben Paul, Nicole Stark, Daniel

MPharm

Hutchinson, Katherine O'Neill, Breandan,

Dip Mental Health

Moss, Eileen

Dip Social Research Methods

McGuckian, Emer

Dip Prof Legal St

McClurkin, Jordan

PGCE

Fusco, Kathryn

Largey, Laura

McLarnon, Dean

McLarnon, Katy

Spence, Conor

STRANMILLIS UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

BA

Jeffrey, Chloe Rea, Grace

BEd

Moffett, Robert

Shiels, Robert

PGCE McEwan, Naomi Wallace, Law

UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER

BA

Blair, Alexandra Carrigan, Christine McGowan, Oliver Mullan, Jordan

BSc

Allen, Hannah Barnes, Daniel Beggs, Lauren Cooper, Rebecca Forgie, Catriona Foy, Ashleigh Gillespie, Rachel Gourley, Darren Hamilton, David Kane, Michael-Joseph McAdam, Nicola McCambridge, Anna Rose McCaughy, Fintan McCullough, Stacey McGrath, Sarah McKeown, Adam O'Neill, Eorann

Purdy, Matthew

Semple, Emily

Thompson, Katie Wilson, Jonathan

BDes Warren, Gillian

BEng

Jones, Christopher

LLB

Nicholl, Courtney

MSc

Bannon, David Carlin, Fergus Catterall, Patrick

MEng

McGlade, Aaron

Births, Marriages and Deaths

BIRTHS

KERR: 17th July 2017, to Neil and Roo, a son, Oscar

KIERAN: 18th October 2017, to Damien and Sara Jane (nee Knox), a son, Ryan Patrick

KNOX: 2nd April, to Iain and Alison, a daughter, Emma Lucinda

MURPHY: 8th March 2017, to Stuart and Kerry, a son, Alexander John

THOMPSON: 2nd September 2017, to James and Lauren, a daughter, Sienna May

WILLS: 8th November 2016, to Kathryn nee Cochrane, and Fergus, a daughter, Zoe Charlotte

MARRIAGES

BENNETT-KRABBE: 1st July 2017, Jude Bennett and Jeppe Krabbe

FLANAGAN-HENDERSON: 14th July 2017, Suzanne Flanagan and Iain Henderson

LYTTLE-BANNON: 13th April 2017, Christine Victoria Lyttle to Anthony Peter Bannon

SHIELDS-FARNBANK: 28th April 2017, Sara Shields and David Farnbank

DEATHS

DAVIS: 29th September 2017, Stephen Victor

GAMBLE (nee Spray): 25th May 2017, Betty

GRAY: 15th March 2017, Ethel Winifred

NOBLETT: 13th July 2017, Derek

ORR: 21st May 2017, James

TAYLOR: 20th March 2017, Brian

WHITE: 27th September 2017, Norman Joseph