Islandmagee: 'Deeply honoured' school principal pays tribute to colleagues following MBE award
An Islandmagee resident has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours for services to education in Northern Ireland.
David Heggarty, principal of Cregagh Primary School and Deaf Unit, says he is both honoured and humbled on being awarded an MBE.
A former pupil of the east Belfast school, David, who is completing his 30th year in education, returned as a teacher in 1999 after previously working at Black Mountain Primary School and Avoniel Primary School. He later served as vice-principal before being appointed principal in 2014.
Speaking following the announcement, David said: “I am deeply honoured and grateful to receive this award. While it is wonderful to have dedication, commitment and hard work recognised, I am very conscious that no school leader succeeds alone.
“Over the course of my 30-year career in education, I have had the privilege of working alongside some truly exceptional colleagues. I have been fortunate to learn from outstanding school leaders and today continue to work with some of the finest teachers and support staff anyone could hope to find in a school.
“While this honour has been awarded to me personally, it reflects the encouragement, support and friendship of colleagues, governors, parents, pupils and members of the wider community throughout my career.”
Reflecting on his connection to the school, he added: “I often joke that I was ‘born, bred and buttered’ in the Cregagh area of east Belfast. As a young boy walking through the doors of Cregagh Primary School, I could never have imagined that one day I would return as a teacher and ultimately have the privilege of leading the school as principal.
“That long connection with the school has given me a deep appreciation of its place at the heart of the community.”
David also paid tribute to his wife, Gill, and their five children. He said: “No one builds a career in education entirely on their own. I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to my wife, Gill, and our children for their love, support and encouragement over many years.
“While this honour has been awarded to me, it also reflects the support and sacrifices of those closest to me. As I look back on 30 years in education, I feel enormously grateful for the opportunities I have been given and the young lives I have had the privilege to serve.
"Receiving an MBE is a tremendous honour, and one that I accept with both gratitude and humility.”
Cregagh Primary School is home to Northern Ireland’s only primary-school Deaf Unit, where deaf and hearing children learn and flourish together in a fully inclusive environment. The school’s ethos is reflected in the three words displayed on its badge: Learning, Family, Community.
Chair of governors, Mrs Moyra Hunter said: “I am delighted that David has been awarded an MBE in recognition of his exceptional service to Cregagh Primary School and Deaf Unit, a school at the heart of its community.
“David’s leadership has helped shape a vibrant, inclusive and high-achieving school, most recently recognised through an excellent inspection outcome and recognition as a place where all children are supported to flourish.
“This honour reflects not only David’s unwavering commitment, but also the strength, ambition and success of the whole school community he has helped to build.”