Prime Highlights:
- St Ronan’s College has officially opened its brand-new £58 million campusin Lurgan, welcoming its first group of Year 8 students.
- Principal Fiona Kane expressed joy and pride, calling the opening a dream come trueafter years of planning and effort.
Key Facts:
- The new campus makes St Ronan’s College the second-largest secondary school in Northern Ireland, with space for 1,750 pupils.
- Construction began in April 2023, with the design reflecting both modern needs and the rich heritage of Lurgan.
Key Background:
On Monday, St Ronan’s College in Lurgan, County Armagh, opened its £58 million new campus and greeted its first batch of pupils. Nearly 300 Year 8 students were the first to step through the doors of the state-of-the-art building, which has been eagerly anticipated for more than a decade.
The school, which was formed in 2015 through the merger of St Mary’s High School, St Paul’s Junior High School, and St Michael’s Grammar School, now stands as the second-largest secondary school in Northern Ireland, with a capacity for 1,750 pupils.
Principal Fiona Kane said the occasion was both special and filled with joy. “We are absolutely buzzing to finally welcome our pupils into these wonderful new facilities,” she said. “This building represents years of dedication, teamwork, and support from the local community and businesses. It’s truly a dream come true.”
The modern campus started being built in April 2023, and Mrs. Kane contributed greatly to the design of the interior. Colour scheme to heritage-related details, she made sure that the new environment would show the history of the area, as well as the vision of how the college is going to look in the future. “My heart and soul went into this project,” she explained, calling it a true passion project.
Teachers have already spoken about the joy of working in such an inspiring space, while Mrs. Kane stressed the impact a well-designed environment can have on learning. “Good teaching can happen anywhere, but the right surroundings make a huge difference,” she noted.
The opening marks a major milestone for education in Lurgan, where anticipation for the project has been building for years. To the staff, students, and parents, the new campus is not a school building, but a symbol of advancement, opportunity, and community pride.
When Mrs. Kane was sitting in her office and the first group of Year 8 pupils sat in their new classes, she looked back on the journey with pride: “It was worth all those long hours and hard work. We cannot wait to see the joy and inspiration this school brings to generations of students to come.”
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