How the integrated dream was turned into a reality

LAST week’s Mourne Observer (21 September) reported that All Children’s Integrated Primary School is celebrating 25 years.

This is how it all got started.

The idea of an integrated primary school was brought to the Dundrum Village Committee by Belinda Loftus and John Kidd.

The Dundrum Village Committee, Gerry McCormick, Paul Brannigan, Eddie Campbell, Emer Burns and Rita Longlands, took on board the idea.

Each of these people invited friends with an interest in this idea to the next Village Committee meeting, Steve Murphy, Mary Doran, Anne McComb, Edna Clendenning.

A separate committee was set up and communication with already established experts in the field of integration was arranged.

It was then time to go public and a meeting was arranged to test the interest of the public in the idea of an integrated school in the area.

At this time it was established that there was certainly a very strong interest in the idea and a committee was set up in order to make progress.

Funding was sourced to provide the necessary finance to get the school up and running with staff, etc.

The school opened in St John’s Hall on the Bryansford Road.

The site on the Dundrum Road was acquired and the committee and friends provided their expertise in preparing the site.

Long hours, hard work, dedication and commitment were given to the success of this venture. Holes were dug, pipes were laid, Portacabins were acquired, painting/tiling was carried out, desks and furniture were sourced.

The school was up and running and parents gave their time, providing meals for the children and staff.

The walled garden at King Street was then acquired but an enormous amount of work was ahead of us as the site at the overgrown garden had to be prepared and made ready to receive the Portacabins and children.

Hence the establishment of All Children’s Integrated Primary School at its current site.

Rita Longlands

Putting the record straight on school’s early history

YOU reported on another milestone in the progress of integrated education at All Children’s Primary School.

As in previous reports the early history of the project was ignored. I write to you in order to put the record straight.

The idea was discussed at a village committee meeting held in the Bay Inn Dundrum in the Spring of 1985.

A committee was formed and attempts made to establish an integrated school in Dundrum.

The effort was supported by the All Children Together movement and in particular Sister Anna and the late George Hewett.

They were successful in raising money from British and European Trust Funds.

It was not possible to get the respective Trustees and Transferors of both local primary schools to agree to discuss the project and as a consequence it was doomed to fail in the village.

It was at this point that a decision was made to expand the project and Newcastle was the obvious choice.

At this stage the steering group was joined by supporters from Annalong, Ballykinlar, Castlewellan, Newcastle and Seaforde.

Canon Warren, the Rector of Newcastle Church of Ireland, was also to the fore in his support.

In those early days we were met at every turn by ‘naysayers’.

With the exception of The Alliance Party and The Workers Party, the political establishment opposed the development, as they continue to do to this day.

It may be many years before the Mourne Observer will report another milestone at All Children’s and so I would ask you to reproduce the photograph of the founding pupils with each one named.

That would give proper recognition to all of the pioneering families who led the way 25 years ago.

Gerard McCormick, Dundrum

Former pupil pays tribute

to the courage of founder parents

AS a founder pupil of All Children’s Integrated Primary School I was delighted to read that the school recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.

I can clearly remember my first day at the school in its temporary residency at St John’s Hall, Newcastle.

The first day at school is always a memorable occasion for any child and parent and whilst I’m sure I didn’t find it unusual there was a TV news crew filming the pupils entering the school, there was definitely a sense that something amazing had been achieved.

The excitement of all the founder parents seeing their dream of an inclusive education for their children being realised was palpable.

This dream is now a reality, with All Children’s Integrated Primary School acting as a major contributor to the excellent educational experience of Newcastle and the surrounding areas. The school has given back to the community through its past pupils which include doctors, teachers, artists, performance artists, social workers, fire fighters, police officers, business owners, classroom assistants, care workers, administrators, tradesmen/women, etc.

The school’s present day excellence is owed in no small measure to the enthusiasm, dedication and hard work of the parents and friends who gave up large ‘chunks’ of their life to bring inclusive education to the area.

In 1986 integrated education was not a choice for parents outside of Belfast and the courage of the parents who risked their children’s education for a deeply felt principle should be acknowledged.

Therefore I feel that we should acknowledge Grainne and Andy, Gerry and Joan, Emer and Patrick, Mary and Steve, Belinda and John, Edna and Henry, Flo and Philip, Maura and Tom, Mary and Gerry, Ann and Johnny, Jane and Peter, Edna H, Edna McN, Anne, Pauline, Davy, Doreen, Freda and many others for their commitment and devotion to their children’s and country’s future.

Deborah Burns, Dundrum

Tattered flags do nothing for the image of villages

OVER the last number of weeks whilst driving through Dundrum and Clough to work and back each week day I have observed that a number of British, Ulster and other flags erected for the Twelfth celebrations in July are still flying. 

I can accept, tolerate and live with these flags flying for the annual July Twelfth celebrations.

But to still see many of these flags now in a rather depressing and unsightly state at the end of September makes me wonder why local businesses and residents in these villages, who pay their rates and taxes, have to suffer the unsightliness of many of these tattered flags continually blowing outside their properties.

Everyone has their own opinions on the flying of flags, and when you live in a place like Northern Ireland the flying of certain flags will either be pleasing to some people and displeasing to other people, according to the type of flag that is being flown. 

Surely the people who took the time to erect these flags in Dundrum and Clough in July could now show some consideration and respect for the local residents and business owners and take the same time to remove them.   

  
I have no affiliation to any political party so my comments are not being made to provoke a reply or words of justification from any individual politicians or parties advocating the reasons for the flying of flags in these two villages.

It is just so depressing when you see flags long past their sell-by date for flying still erected long after the Twelfth on lampposts in Dundrum and Clough. 

Can it be that difficult for these two villages to be restored back to their normal environment without the constant flying of tattered remains of flags, which do nothing for the image of these two quiet villages?

Down District Ratepayer

‘Use of illegal drugs is on the increase in Down district’

FOLLOWING a meeting with concerned parents it has been brought to my attention that the use of illegal drugs is massively increasing in the Down district area.

What is even more shocking is the revelation that people who have been described to me as scumbags are actually trying to entice very young children into buying drugs from them.

I would take this opportunity to urge parents to be vigilant regarding this issue and the dangers presented by these deadly and life destroying drugs and report any suspicious activity to the police or myself and I will forward details to the police.

I have arranged a meeting with the PSNI in the coming week to discuss what is being done to curtail this issue.

Let me send a direct message to these people – ‘You may intimidate others in the Down district area but if I receive any information on you I will pass this directly to the police and ensure they act accordingly’.

Alan Lewis, Down District UKIP spokesman