CELEBRATIONS EXCEED EXPECTAIONS

Everyone involved in the celebration weekends is reflecting on a great time that was had by all.

The golf tournament on Friday took an unexpected turn when fourth year pupil, David McKelvey won. Three hundred and twenty guests gathered in the magnificent, recently finished, function suite of Jackson’s Hotel for the Celebration Ball. The buzz of excitement electrified the evening as people renewed acquaintances, some from nearly half a century ago. After a wonderful meal there was a draw for a galaxy of exciting prizes, youth won out here again as the first prize went to Emma Stewart, a pupil who left last year! Emma said that one of her friends had bought the ticket so he would get the prize. The draw raised nearly £1,700. There followed an auction of two paintings of the school specially done by former pupil Sandra McFarland (nee Bullock). This raised £750. This money, plus the profits from the function will be used to buy a new piano for the new school in commemoration of its fifty years. The evening ended with some energetic dancing to the Silvertones.

Saturday was ‘Reunion Day’ at the school. Guests were treated to a lovely afternoon of reunion meetings, former pupils hockey matches, entertainments, refreshments and exhibitions. There was an exhibition of fifties memorabilia including two beautiful MG’s which caught of boys of every age. Also very popular was an exhibition of old photographs made possible by a grant from Strabane District Council. Pupils from the school put on various fun attractions to raise money for good causes including Jillian Lyttle who painted faces to help fund a trip to Brazil to work with street children and the girls of 3^rd Tyrone scouts who charged people to throw wet sponges at teachers to raise money for their trip to Canada. First and second year pupils, Ciaran Duffy, Dhomadar Smith and Matthew McIlwaine were joined by Dylan, a friend from Holy Cross, to play remarkably professional rock music throughout the day. They raised over £80 which they donated to ‘Cardiac Risk in the Young’, the charity for children with the heart condition that took their classmate, Lauren Gallagher, this year. The Scripture Union raised money by getting people to guess the names of a giant teddy bear. Most of the fund-raising was for the World Challenge trip to Kenya in 2007. The main money-spinners were a barbeque and refreshments stall and a sale of copies of old photographs.  As Anne McMahon (Nee Gordon), a pupil in the 1960’s, commented as she drank tea in the refreshments tent, “Money couldn’t buy a day like this!” The weather was kind to the school with lovely sun all afternoon then a downpour fifteen minutes before the close which helped clear the grounds!

The final event was a thanksgiving service in Christ Church, Bowling Green on Sunday afternoon. The school orchestra under Mrs McCaughey entertained the congregation before the service. The service was conducted by Rev Paul Dundas, a former pupil of the Grammar School and the address on the meaning of life was by Rev Stuart Jones, a parent and member of the board of Governors. A choir of pupils performed some hymns as did Marcella Robinson, a former pupil. Prayers were read by the first ever head girl and head boy, Celia Ferguson and Norman King and the current head girl and head boy Jessica Wauchope and Declan McElroy. There were also readings by the headmaster, Mr Lewis Lacey and the chair of the board of governors, Mr Pat McColgan. The collection for ‘Cardiac Risk in the Young’ raised another £800.