St Columb's College - Change

Change

In 1997 the school ceased to be a split-site institution and reunited itself on the Buncrana Road after the completion of a new Senior block to the rear of the existing buildings. This two-storey structure would house the facilities for A Level instruction. The Belfast Agreement 1998 saw a new era of peace for Northern Ireland. The thirty years of violence had concealed the wider change in social attitudes. More and more of the teaching staff at St Columb's were female and fewer were priests. In September 2008, for the first time in St Columb's 129 year history, a lay person became Principal taking over from the Revd Eamonn Martin who had served for eight years as President. The new Principal is Mr Sean McGinty, former Vice President with responsibility for Pastoral matters. In the academic year 2004/05 St Columb's College celebrated its 125th anniversary. To mark the event, a series of lectures were held. Guests included Mary McAleese, President of Ireland, Garret FitzGerald, former Irish Taoiseach, Mary Harney, then Tánaiste, Seamus Heaney and Dr Peter Jones. In addition, a history of St Columb's was commissioned; the book, "Seeking the Kingdom", was edited by Finbar Madden and Thomas Bradley.