Official opening of Lecale Trinity Grammar School

On Thursday September 19th 2024, the educational community at Lecale Trinity Grammar School celebrated the official opening of this new Lasallian Catholic, 11-19, co-educational voluntary grammar school in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland.

To mark this special occasion, Brother Ben Hanlon, Brother Visitor, shared the following words of gratitude and encouragement:

“Dear friends, on behalf of the De La Salle Family, I wish to say a word of thanks and congratulations to those who have preceded us in all three schools – St Mary’s High School, De La Salle High School, and St Patrick’s Grammar School. The wider community here in Downpatrick has been excellently served by the teachers who taught in each of these educational centres. Their generosity, love of learning and diligence means that we are here today to begin a new chapter in the education of young people in this town and its surroundings. 

We salute also today the former students in these three schools who have brought distinction and pride not only to their schools but to their families and to Downpatrick. And we congratulate too, the parents who never lost sight of the value of a good education for their daughters and sons.

We are honoured as Lasallians to be collaborating with the Diocese of Down and Conor, the Sisters of Mercy and the Ministry of Education in making this new educational provision possible. Our great hope is that Lecale Trinity Grammar School will respond to the educational needs of young women and men from Downpatrick, giving them confidence in themselves and in their gifts and their talents, a love of learning, a real sense that God loves them and a generosity and courage to care for one another. Our hope is that the school will always live by its motto – Faith in Every Child.”

On the day, the occasion was marked with the celebration of mass at St. Patrick’s Church which was followed by the unveiling of the plaque by Most Rev Alan McGuckian DD, Bishop of Down and Connor; Brother Ben Hanlon; Dr Fionnuala Moore, Principal; and Mrs Carmel McCartan, Chair of the Interim Board of Governors.

All in the District extend our sincere gratitude to all partners in this endeavour, including the officials of the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS), the Department of Education (DE), the Education Authority (EA), the Diocese of Down and Connor, the members of the Interim Board of Governors (IBOG), all staff members, the three former principals, and the parents, carers, and pupils.

Thanks to Dr Fionnuala Moore, Principal, and Mrs Carmel McCartan, Chair of the Interim Board of Governors, for their meticulous attention to detail, their care for all involved, and their unwavering commitment to the process that has brought us to this important moment.

The District extends its best wishes to the entire educational community of Lecale Trinity Grammar School for continued success in the future.