St Louise's Comprehensive College
| St. Louise's Comprehensive College, Belfast Coláiste Naoimh Labhaoise, Béal Feirste | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
 | |
468 Falls Road, Belfast, BT12 6EN | |
| Information | |
| Type | Comprehensive School |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1958 |
| Local authority | Education Authority (Belfast) |
| Principal | Mary McHenry, BA(Hons), PGCE, MSc, PQH[1] |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrolment | 1500 (approx.) |
| Colour(s) | |
| Website | St. Louise's Comprehensive College |
St. Louise's Comprehensive College (Irish: Colaiste Naoimh Labhaoise) is a comprehensive high school located in the Upper Falls Road, Belfast.
History
[edit]St. Louise's was established in 1958. The religious order the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul was asked by the Catholic Church to take responsibility for this school. The college is named after St. Louise de Marrilac who co-founded the Daughters of Charity with St. Vincent de Paul.
Sister Genevieve (Mary) O'Farrell was appointed one of the first Principals. She held the position for 25 years during which period the school grew in size from 1,000 to 2,400 students becoming the largest single-sex school in Europe.[2] In 2019/20 school year it has begun to accept boys as well as girls.
Academics
[edit]St. Louise's offers instruction in a wide range of subjects.[3] It offers technical and vocational courses alongside a large suite of academic subjects.
In 2006 it was recognised as one of the first Specialist Colleges in Northern Ireland with particular expertise in Performing Arts and Media.
In 2013 it was ranked the top, non-selective school in Northern Ireland at 5A* - C and has been the highest performing Belfast school for several years in a row.
At ‘A’Level, its value added scores have placed it in the top ten percent of schools across Britain for several years in succession. In 2019, 75.5% of its students who sat the A-level exams were awarded three A*-C grades.[4] It is one of the few schools in Northern Ireland which has City and Guilds affiliation.
Principals
[edit]- 1958-1963 - Sister Ita
- 1963-1988 - Sister Genevieve[5]
- 1988-2005 - Sister Rosaleen[6]
- 2005-2014 - Carmel McCartan[7]
- 2014- Mary McHenry
Notable alumni
[edit]- Brenda Murphy (b. 1954) - playwright [8]
- Bronagh Taggart (b. 1961) - actor and writer [9]
- Geraldine Hughes (b. 1970) - actor[10]
- Clair Dobbin KC - lawyer[11]
- Emma Jordan - actor and theatre director[12]
- Mary O'Hara - journalist and writer [13]
- Anthony Boyle (b. 1994) - actor [14]
- Kristina O'Hara (born 1996) - boxer[15]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Mary McHenry Vice-Principal St Louise's College". Belfast Media. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "'She was the only man on the Falls Road'". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ^ "St. Louise's Comprehensive College, Belfast". St. Louise's Comprehensive College. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
- ^ "Belfast Telegraph A-Level: Northern Ireland School League Tables 2019". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
- ^ McHardy, Anne (9 June 2002). "Sister Genevieve O'Farrell". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- ^ "West Belfast principal encouraged her girls to 'think big and be all they could be'". The Irish News. 23 March 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- ^ Ryan, Francesca (8 July 2014). "Carmel puts away the chalk after 37 St Louise's years". Belfast Media. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
- ^ "Brenda Murphy". Culture Northern Ireland. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
- ^ "Radio review: Bronagh Taggart on catching the acting bug". The Irish News. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
- ^ "Geraldine Hughes and her rocky road to fame". Belfast Telegraph. 12 September 2008. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
- ^ "Clair Dobbin KC: Belfast lawyer returns to lead Covid inquiry". Irish News. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
- ^ "Emma Jordan". Culture Northern Ireland. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
- ^ "Mary O'Hara". futermanrose. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
- ^ "Anthony Boyle: Belfast actor enjoying rave reviews in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child". BBC Northern Ireland. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
- ^ "Boxing - Athlete Profile: Kristina O'HARA - Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games". results.gc2018.com.
External links
[edit]54°35′9″N 5°58′8″W / 54.58583°N 5.96889°W
 | This Northern Ireland school-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |