Celebrations at Friends School

The achievements of the pupils at Friends School were marked recently with the school's Speech Day, which included guest of honour Old Scholar Christine McCartney, who is the Campaigns and Advocacy Executive for Oxfam Ireland.

The Chairman of the Board of Governors, Dan Sinton, opened proceedings by congratulating pupils on their achievements and thanking the staff of the School for their hard work in the past year.

Stephen Moore, Principal talked about how the Friends’ School community could cherish both the old and the new.

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He thanked those who had left Friends’ over the past year, including Sarah Collins from the Chemistry Department and Marian Mateer, who had retired from the Mathematics Department in June. He paid tribute to Vice Principal Linda Heggarty, who had retired at the end of August, saying that her knowledge and experience would be greatly missed. He also thanked outgoing Chair of the Board of Governors, Margrit Grey for her help and support over the past year.

Mr Moore said the School Concert in the Ulster Hall last April epitomised much of what went on in Friends’. “One of the highlights of the last school year – and there were many – was the concert that took place in the Ulster Hall in March, a fitting climax to the enrichment many of our Leavers have experienced through music during their time at school.”

The Principal went on to highlight the School’s performance in examinations. “It is one of the great pleasures of working in a school to see pupils flourish and to be able to recognise their achievements, as we do today,” he said.

“In trying to pick out some of the highlights, I will of course leave some triumphs unmentioned – and I know young people here today who have overcome immense difficulties to achieve excellent results, and others who have shown loyalty, commitment and service to a team or society without making headlines. All deserve recognition. And I want to acknowledge, with gratitude, the work done by their teachers in advising, cajoling, supporting and assisting them – also often in ways unseen.”

Mr Moore concluded by wishing the leavers the best for the future. “We hope that Friends’ will continue to feature in all of your futures.”

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