Mayor celebrates 40 years of integrated education with local schools

March 15, 2022

Mayor of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, Alderman Stephen Martin welcomed pupils and staff from integrated schools in the area to Lagan Valley Island to celebrate 40 years of integrated education in Northern Ireland.

It was a great night of music and entertainment with special performances from Fort Hill Integrated College, Fort Hill Integrated Primary School and Millennium Integrated Primary School. They were joined by pupils and staff from Rowandale Integrated Primary School and Lagan College.

Addressing his special guests, Mayor Martin said;

"It gives me great pleasure to celebrate 40 years of integrated education with you this evening. It is amazing to think that in September 1981, Lagan College became Northern Ireland’s first integrated school with just 28 students. 40 years later, this has grown from 28 students to more than 25,000 with almost 70 integrated schools spread right across the province.

During my time as Mayor, I have had the opportunity to visit a number of integrated schools and I have been so impressed to see what they do every day. The pupils I have met are a testament to the dedication and commitment of the teachers and all the staff of each school and they should all be very proud of what have achieved together helping to break down hidden barriers."

Speaking after the event, Principal of Lagan College, Amanda McNamee MBE said:

“We wish to thank the Mayor, Alderman Stephen Martin and Lisburn and Castlereagh Council for hosting a wonderful event to celebrate 40 years of integrated education with the six integrated schools within the council area.

We truly hope in the future we will see more parents having the choice to send their children to an integrated school and that more children will have the chance of growing up, learning and making friends with others from different cultures, backgrounds, political opinions, faiths and none, ethnicities, other genders and family units.

We hope to see as many young people in NI from all schools being peace makers and leaders taking us into a positive shared future.”

Mayor Martin presented each school and special guest with a token of the council’s appreciation in recognition of the event.