10 stunning Northern Irish school buildings and the history behind them
By Conor McAteer
Published 13th Jan 2024, 10:38 BST
More than 16,000 buildings of historic value have been identified throughout Northern Ireland and school buildings are no exception.
Aside from being the centres of learning that they have remained for decades, these buildings have also housed many notable students within their stunning architecture.
These buildings aren't just relics of the past; they are living monuments that continue to shape the present and inspire the future, reminding us of the enduring power of architecture and education in Northern Ireland's history. If these walls could talk, they would certainly have some stories to tell.
Here are 10 of Northern Ireland’s most stunning school buildings, with some of the history behind them
Here are 10 of Northern Ireland’s most stunning school buildings, with some of the history behind them
9. Dominican College, 2 Strand Road, Portstewart
Located serenely on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic, with pristine views of the seaside resort, Rock Castle had been originally built by Henry O’Hara in 1834.
Extended ten years later, the castle passed through the Cromie and Montagu families before being bought by the Dominican sisters in 1917, who sought to establish a school outside of Belfast due to the city’s tuberculosis, coupled with the First World War. Throughout the 1930s, scholarships were extended to poorer students, while fees were kept to a minimum - all while the site was being expanded.
1962 saw a further extension, with a new assembly hall, two science labs, five classrooms, a library and over fifty new bedrooms. A former dance hall was converted into St. Joseph’s Hall, which found use as an art room and a PE hall. The 1960s also saw the beginning of a close relationship with the newly established Ulster University at Coleraine, and in 1968 the school became co-educational due to the lack of a boys’ grammar school in the area.
By 1980, as the population swelled to 400 students, saw the development of a new Biology lab, Drama and English classrooms, and PE changing rooms, all for £250,000.
The 1990s saw more changes, including the end of the boarding department in 1995, and the last Dominicians departing the staff in 1997. Photo: Dominican College Portstewart website
10. St Columb’s College, 23 Buncrana Road, Derry / Londonderry
Possibly the oldest currently existing school in Derry, the College had been preceded by numerous failed attempts to create such a leading institution for the north-western city. St Columb’s formally opened its doors on 3 November 1879, with just two priest teachers, John Hassan and Edward O’Brien. With it being expected to accommodate 20-30 boarders, its population was unusually large for an educational institution at the time. By September 1931, according to the Derry Journal, the school hosted two university scholarships, three exhibitions and prizes, and eight regional committee scholarships. Following the Education Act of 1947, which stipulated that entry to the school would be determined by the 11-plus test, student numbers exploded, while the staff numbers struggled to keep up. By 1960, there were just 35 teachers for 770 students. In September 1973, a new, larger campus, was erected on the Buncrana Road, while the former site was taken over by the newly established Lumen Christi College in 1997. Among the alumni are two Nobel Laureates - Seamus Heaney and John Hune - alongside playwright Brian Friel, football manager Martin O’Neill, the singer Phil Coulter, longtime Bishop of Derry Edward Daly and current Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin. Photo: St Columb’s College website