Lisburn Boys School
LISBURN BOYS' (Voluntary) PRIMARY SCHOOL
LISBURN Boys' School was opened in 1861 under the management of Rev. E. Kelly, then Parish Priest of Lisburn, and with Mr. I. Walsh as Headmaster.
In those days of juvenile labour and "half timers," the number of pupils was small compared with to-day's figures, and showed great seasonal fluctuations. In the summer months the number of pupils was around 85, but in winter these figures fell unaccountably to around 55.
Mr. Walsh was succeeded in 1866 by Mr. D. Burns who remained one year only, to be followed by Mr. M. Brown, who after another year gave way to Mr. T. O'Hagan. Mr, O'Hagan remained till 1872, being succeeded by Mr James McDonald, who held office till March, 1891. Next in line was Mr. M. Hussey, a young Irish speaker from the Kingdom of Kerry.
From its opening in 1861 until May 15, 1889, the Boys' School shared old rather dilapidated premises with the Girls' School on the site of the present St. Joseph's Hall. Fr. Kelly had for a long time been alive to the great necessity for new parochial buildings and work on the magnificent building which stands to this day was begun in May, 1889. The schools were evacuated, during building operations, to an even more dilapidated shack rejoicing in the grandiose name of "Sudburne Hall," situated in an entry in Castle Street opposite the site now occupied by the Convent.
On February 17, 1890, when the present building was completed, both schools returned to Chapel Hill, The boys were accommodated in the upper portion and the girls in the lower portion, now occupied by the Infant Boys.
The Sisters of the S.H.M., who had arrived in Lisburn some time before, opened the Convent National School for Girls in 1902 and all the school buildings in Chapel Hill were given over to the Boys' School. Two additional classrooms were subsequently built at the south end of the building, burnt down by accident in 1929 and re-built as three classrooms in 1930.
Mr. Hussey died in 1904, He was succeeded by Mr. John Fitzpatrick who had himself been a pupil and monitor in the school and who was destined to be its head for almost 37 years. Under Mr. Fitzpatrick the number of pupils continued to rise and in 1912, it topped the 200 mark where it remained till the troubles of 1920. In the autumn of that year only 120 pupils were in attendance.
As conditions gradually improved numbers began to rise again and by the outbreak of World War 11 had reached 180, looked after by four teachers.
Mr. Fitzpatrick retired in 1940, He was followed by Mr. P, J. Fitzsimons who in turn was succeeded, in 1951, by the present principal, Mr. Fitzpatrick's son, Mr. J. Brendan Fitzpatrick.
eighteen new rooms...
Since the war numbers have steadily risen and now stand at well over 300, with a teaching staff of 10. The building of the new Intermediate School, due to be completed next year and the.. transfer of all 11 plus children will reduce the enrolment to around 200 with a staff of six.
New premises which, it is hoped, will be ready by 1966 are planned for erection beside the new Intermediate School on the Ballinderry Road.
Teams from Lisburn Boys P.S. have figured prominently in the competitions of the Lisburn and District Schools' F.A. Five players have been honoured by being selected to play for the Irish Schoolboys International team, They are as follows: J. McClinton (1939), G. Murray (1950), M. Magee (1952), T. Donnelly (1954) and E. Lavery (1955).
