St Mary's College, Derry

St. Marys College (Irish: Coláiste Mhuire), opened in 1959, is an all-girls Catholic-maintained secondary school and Specialist Science School located in Derry, Northern Ireland. It attracts pupils from a wide catchment area, with an enrolment of nearly one thousand pupils aged 11–18 and a staff of 92.

The school was formerly situated in the heart of Creggan, but moved to a newly built campus on the Northland Road. St Cecilia's College moved to a newly built campus on the grounds of where St. Marys was formerly based in Creggan.

History

It was announced in early around 2001 onwards that St. Marys and St Cecilia's College would compete for a new school in the grounds of the former Templemore Secondary school on the Northland Road. St. Marys got the grounds but St Cecilia's College is currently located in the old Templemore School while their new school is being rebuilt on Blighs Lane. Although it was first thought that the new school would be ready for 2007, this date has been changed to 2009.

The school is noted for establishing cross-community links. The school has achieved much success throughout the world. It was the first school in the UK to receive three charter marks for excellence, the government's public service "gold medal". Dame Geraldine Keegan had been Principal of the school for many years but in 2006 Mrs Marie Lindsay a Science Teacher in the school became the new Principal. Notable alumnae include Bronagh Gallagher.

Controversy

The appointment of convicted Provisional IRA member Rosa McLaughlin as Vice Principal sparked anger in 2013. McLaughlin had been convicted of collecting information likely to be of use to terrorists and targeting police officers in 1998. It was alleged that parents were unaware of the Vice Principal's paramilitary past.

External links

• http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/parents-unaware-viceprincipal-of-college-had-spied-on-police-for-ira-29066926.html