Holy Cross College, Strabane Explained

54.815°N -7.472°W

Holy Cross College, Strabane
Established:2004
Type:Secondary School
Religious Affiliation:Roman Catholic
Head Label:Principal
Head:Ciaran Johnston
Address:35 Melmount Road
Country:Northern Ireland
Postcode:BT82 9EF
Enrolment:1 mil
Gender:Co-educational
Lower Age:11
Upper Age:19

Holy Cross College, Strabane is a co-ed bilateral school in Strabane, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It contains over 1500 pupils and over 90 members of staff.

History

Holy Cross College opened in September 2004 following the amalgamation of Strabane's three Catholic post-primary schools, the Convent Grammar School, St Colman's High School and Our Lady of Mercy High School.[1] It is a bilateral school which means it has both grammar and non-selective streams, with the two groups of students taught separately.[2]

The college's first principal was Sean Bradley. He was succeeded by Maria Doherty who took the job of principal after Christmas 2008. In turn, she was succeeded by Mrs Claire Bradley who took over as Principal in September 2018. She was then succeeded by Mrs Lisa McGuigan in 2022.[3]

Campus

The new campus for Holy Cross College opened on September 1, 2008.[4]

Facilities

Holy Cross College has an all-weather pitch, three grass pitches, five tennis courts, two gymnasia and a sports hall. The actual school itself has over 100 classrooms each able to hold 30 or more pupils. Every year it takes in more than 250 pupils. Its largest ever intake of pupils was in the year 2013 when the school took 365 pupils. The school car park can hold 150 cars but make sure to stay away from the back row as it is for the 7th year boy racers.

Notable staff

Past Pupils

Notes and References

  1. News: Robin . Sheeran . Northern Ireland: Empty desks . Politics Show Northern Ireland . BBC News . 2005-09-30 . 12 December 2008 . 26 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210926183048/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/politics_show/4293110.stm . live .
  2. Web site: Bilateral schools. 16 November 2018. 17 November 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181117022239/https://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/schools/regions/partially-selective. live.
  3. Web site: New principal hopes to build on Holy Cross success story. 16 November 2018.
  4. News: Holy Cross College hailed as a beacon . Derry Journal . 2008-12-02 . 12 December 2008 . 20 December 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081220052526/http://www.derryjournal.com/strabane/Holy-Cross-College-hailed-as.4750002.jp . live .
  5. Web site: Ciara Ferguson . Sinn Fein . 24 June 2022.