St Columb's College

Early history

St Columb's was initially intended to be a diocesan seminary, educating young men mainly, though not exclusively, for the priesthood. The establishment of such a seminary was an obligation imposed by the Council of Trent (1545–63). Ireland's political volatility and the suppression of Catholicism and Presbyterianism, particularly after the Williamite Wars, resulted in the delay of establishing any diocesan seminaries in Ireland for centuries. St Columb's college itself was preceded by several failed attempts to create such an institution in Derry. Repeated but sporadic efforts were made to maintain a seminary for almost a century; at Clady, near Strabane, in the late eighteenth century, at Ferguson's Lane in Derry in the early nineteenth century and at Pump Street (first reference to St Columb's College as such) in the city from 1841 to 1864.

St Columb's finally opened its doors on 3 November 1879 with two priest teachers, Dr Edward O'Brien and Dr John Hassan. The school was considered to be quite large at the time and was expected to accommodate 20–30 boarders. The school quickly gained a reputation for academic achievement. On 18 September 1931 the Derry Journal listed St Columb's College's academic results. They were as follows; Two University Scholarships, Three Exhibitions and Prizes, Six Calls in King's Scholarship Exam (calls to teacher training), Two Pupil Teacherships, Eight regional Committee Scholarships, 31 Passed Matriculation, 26 Passed Senior Leaving Cert. Exam, 52 Passed Junior Leaving Cert. Exam. The results were impressive for a young and regional school but they were testimony to the scholarship that was taking place at St Columb's.

The Education Act, 1947 and expansion

One of the most notable alumni of St Columb's College, John Hume, noted, "When the history of St. Columb's College in this century is written, it will be clear that one of its major transformations, if not its major transformation, took place as a result of the Eleven Plus examination." The Education Act, 1947, provided for free secondary education to all throughout the United Kingdom. Entry to St. Columb's College, a Grammar school, would be determined by one's performance in the 11-plus or Transfer Test. The immediate result was an explosion in pupil numbers, a shortfall in teaching staff and greater pressure on existing resources. In 1941 the student body numbered 263. By 1960 the number stood at 770 with a teaching staff of 35. In under twenty years the school's size had tripled. It was now clear that additional facilities would be needed. In September 1973 St. Columb's College opened a new campus on the Buncrana Road in the city. The new site would cater for the senior years; its initial enrolment was of 900. The new building was designed by Frank Corr of Corr & McCormick and constructed by J Kennedy & Co. The total cost was £762,000. This figure does not include the £56,000 spent employing W & J McGonagle Ltd to construct the playing fields.

Change

In 1997 the school ceased to be a split-site institution and reunited itself on the Buncrana Road after the completion of a new Senior block to the rear of the existing buildings. This two-storey structure would house the facilities for A Level instruction. The Belfast Agreement 1998 saw a new era of peace for Northern Ireland. The thirty years of violence had concealed the wider change in social attitudes. More and more of the teaching staff at St Columb's were female and fewer were priests.

In September 2008, for the first time in St Columb's 129-year history, a lay person became Principal taking over from the Rev Eamonn Martin who had served for eight years as President. The new Principal was Mr Sean McGinty, former Vice President with responsibility for Pastoral matters. Mr McGinty retired in August 2012 and was succeeded by Mr Finbar Madden. In the academic year 2004/05 St Columb's College celebrated its 125th anniversary. To mark the event, a series of lectures were held. Guests included Mary McAleese, President of Ireland, Garret FitzGerald, former Irish Taoiseach, Mary Harney, then Tánaiste, Seamus Heaney and Dr Peter Jones. In addition, a history of St Columb's was commissioned; the book, "Seeking the Kingdom", was edited by Finbar Madden and Thomas Bradley.

Sport

The school has a long and successful sporting history, with its students competing in many events across the country. It has excelled in soccer, Gaelic football, basketball and has produced many athletes.

Nobel Prize winners

The school is one of the few schools in the world that can claim two Nobel laureates amongst its alumni. They are:

Notable former pupils

The college's former pupils association makes an annual award (the Alumnus Illustrissimus Award) to "a past-pupil who has achieved something of major significance or has made a considerable contribution in his own field". Past winners of the award are as follows:

Other alumni and names associated with St Columb's include:

The Boys of St Columb's

St Columb's featured in the film The Boys of St.Columb's made by West Park Pictures and Maccana Teoranta for RTÉ. Following the lives of several great Irish figures including Nobel Laureates Seamus Heaney and John Hume who all attended the same small school in Derry in the 1950s and have helped transform modern Ireland. The Boys of St Columb's was released on DVD in early March 2010 by Digital Classics DVD.