Movilla High School – ‘In
Remembrance’
Today
Thursday, I visited my old school – Movilla High School in Newtownards. I
attended the school as a pupil from September 1975 through to June 1980. I was not the brightest pupil academically,
I was more interested in football and cricket – with my two worst subjects were
music and history.
Interesting
that two ‘things’ that have dominated much of my life for the past 12 years has been…….
yes, history and music. I am a bit of an amateur history buff particularly
local history around Ards and the Ards Peninsula and I have been a music tutor
for around 8 years. (so don’t predict your future by your chosen school
subjects!)
Well,
the purpose of my visit to Movilla High School was to meet with Mr. Peter
Forbes, who is a teacher at the school. Peter has persuaded me (I volunteered) to
assist in a very interesting and worthwhile project.
Peter,
with the full support of colleagues and senior management is planning to erect
a memorial to past pupils who have died in the service of their country, in the
armed services - including Army, Navy, Air Force, Ulster Defence Regiment,
Royal Ulster Constabulary incorporating the Police Service of Northern Ireland
and the Northern Ireland Prison Service.
The
plan is to have a memorial plaque placed within a mural (painted by the school
art department) in the assembly hall as a mark of respect for those who died in
all conflicts both foreign and domestic.
Movilla
High School is very much part of the local community and has played a
significant role in Newtownards over the last 80 years. I taught fife and drum in the school for around 3 years as well as assisting in a number of other projects - I as a an ex pupil wanted to put a little something back and if possible have a positive influence on the young people at the school.
My
part in the project will be to research past school pupils who were murdered
during the troubles as they served in the Royal Ulster Constabulary. I
appreciate that this will be a very delicate and sensitive issue for family and
friends of those killed, however if handled sympathetically it will be a
fitting memorial to those who died.
If
you read this article and know of any past pupil from Movilla School who may have been killed
during the ‘Troubles’ or in other conflicts please contact Peter of Myself at the following e-mail
addresses.
HMA
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