Roan National School, also marking its centenary

Titanic is not the only entity which turns 100 years old in 2012. Schools, buildings and organisations around the country are also marking their centenary this year and among them is a small village school in rural County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

Roan National School was founded in 1912, as the keystone on the old school building proudly testifies. It is now known as Roan St Patrick’s and has a roll book of over a hundred children aged from 4 to 11. Eglish is a small village about five miles from Dungannon in County Tyrone and about 50 miles from Belfast. Roan is the old townland name for the area. While you would not immediately associate it with the shipbuilding capital of Belfast and the yards of Harland and Wolff, the children are learning about the story of Titanic with great enthusiasm. Even before lessons began, many of the pupils had done their own research into the ship’s adventures. P3 pupil, Ryan Donnelly is something of an expert on the subject.

Many primary schools in Northern Ireland chose Titanic as their “World Around Us” topic. It enables them to do their own on line research, to ask questions about who was to blame for Titanic’s loss, to study the media portrayal of the story and to examine the social history of Belfast and the North of Ireland a century ago. 

Plans to commemorate Titanic’s maiden voyage are already in place around the world. Roan St Patrick’s is planning its own centenary markers, including a ball to be held in the local hall at which former pupils can be reunited. There will also be a fun day for the children with a chance to dress up in 1912 costume.

 

An extension was built onto the school in 2004 which blends in with the original building. But Seamus McCreesh is adamant that the history is not about bricks and mortar, but about the stories of people who began their education there. He is in the early stages of producing a film which will preserve the memories of older Eglish residents. They have been interviewed by some of the children about different aspects of life through the ages and how the school and the church form the backbone of the community. The completed film will be shown at the centenary ball in the Spring.

“When people ask me how old the school is, I always say it is the same age as the Titanic,” says Seamus. It is obvious from visiting this thriving little school that his enthusiasm for sharing a birthday year with the world’s most famous ship has rubbed off on his pupils.

POST SCRIPT: What else was born, founded or built in 1912? It there is anything in your local community which it celebrating its centenary this year,   please get in touch and let us know.