DRUMRAGH INTEGRATED COLLEGE

Drumragh Integrated College is a vibrant, forward thinking and dynamic college. Since our foundation in 1995, we have been striving to meet the needs of students who come from all faiths and traditions, backgrounds and academic abilities. We have grown from 85 students in 1995 to 700 today, reflecting the strong regard for Drumragh Integrated College by the local and wider community.

Our College motto is ‘Excellence for Everyone’ and this permeates all that we do. Our success as a college is well documented, particularly for our focus on innovative Teaching for Learning, our comprehensive Pastoral Care programme and our endeavours to build close partnerships with parents and families. This approach has ensured that for many, Drumragh has been a natural choice for all in the family. As a child-centred college, we pride ourselves on the warm and caring atmosphere and the excellent relationships between students and staff.

Drumragh Integrated College aims to promote sporting excellence across a range of activities.

The school is looking forward to engaging in an exciting project that will give students the opportunity to investigate, research play and grow together using games and local sports. The project supports our school’s sports development and our integrated status. Through our integrated status we believe it is vital to take on opportunities such as this to promote a shared learning. Currently at the school we engage in all curricular sports including Soccer, Gaelic Football, Rugby, Athletics, Hockey, Netball, Tennis, Show jumping, Swimming and Cross Country.

THE FIRST EVER PEACE PITCH IN TYRONE

Mr Molloy, Mr Woods (Drumragh IC) and Mr Brennan (Children’s Football Alliance)

“Drumragh IC is proud of the fact that Tyrone’s first ever peace pitch is here advocating peace through play” Mr Molly

Over the past number of weeks, a talented group of Year Ten students have been involved in a wonderful initiative combining sport with the concept of peace.

Facilitated by Mr Molloy and Mr Woods, Class 10G participated in the Football Makes Our Shared History programme.

The programme offered students the opportunity to research local history relating to GAA, Soccer and Rugby. Students explored how clubs in Omagh and beyond were formed and had the opportunity to speak with members of local clubs to hear about significant events and the importance of these sports in our schools and community.

Through the project Football Makes Our Shared History, we have availed of the opportunity for our new 4G pitch to twin with Flanders Peace Field in Belgium, the site of the 1914 First World War, Christmas Truces.

Drumragh Integrated College is proud to have the first designated Peace Pitch in the Tyrone area, a visual reminder that sport can unite young people from diverse communities.

The class of twenty Year 10 students planned how they would divide into groups and conduct their research. Three groups were created, each had an individual focus on three popular sports within the school.

Examining the cross community appeal and inclusiveness of local sport

Soccer

To facilitate the research the topics chosen were Omagh Town FC and the historic Budwiser Cup win in 1991, Drumragh as the first integrated school to win the JJ Reilly Cup in 2016 and the influence of Omagh Accies the local rugby club.

One group interviewed local Omagh Town FC hero and goal scorer from the 1991 Budwiser Cup Final Mr Martin Woodhead in his local sports shop. The group questioned Mr Woodhead on the effects of soccer in Omagh and especially how it helped raise morale in the town after the 1998 bombing. Omagh Town FC played matches at St Julian’s Road pitch against Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United to raise funds and give people a much-needed boost in this depressing period. Mr Woodhead described how the town was on its knees after the bombing and people and players from different backgrounds and faiths supported each other with football as a catalyst.

Rugby

Another group were researching Omagh Accies the local rugby club discovered that Drumragh Integrated had among its employees the first ladies captain of Omagh Accies. Mrs Pollock was interviewed and many interesting facts about how the club welcomed players and members from all different backgrounds and faiths.

Gaelic Football

The final group of pupils interviewed four players from the 2016 Drumragh Integrated College team which had won the JJ Reilly Cup. The players were Matthew Murnaghan, Rory Murnaghan, Richard Laird and Joe Neely. They also brought along their winning medals to show the students. The students quizzed the former pupils about it felt to be the first integrated school to have one the JJ Reilly Cup. They stated it was a great feeling, but the inclusiveness of the team was a major feature as players were from different religions and backgrounds. The players felt that the sport had brought them closer as friends and comrades as each player would have walked on hot coals to support any member of the team, backgrounds, religion or any difference did not stop this happening. Matthew remarked how the GAA now was completely open to people from all persuasions, as was evident with players involved from different nationalities.

Twinning Ceremony

Events within the school culminated on October 26^th 2022, with a ceremony for the signing of the Peace Declaration and a “Game of Three Halves” to twin the new 4G Peace Pitch with the Peace Field in Flanders.

We were delighted to welcome Mr Shaun McBride, Chair of Drumragh Integrated College Board of Governors, our guests also included Mr Kevin Murnaghan, President of Omagh Accies Rugby Club, Mr Martin Woodhead, Omagh Town FC interviewee and Proprietor of Active 2 Sports Shop and Mr Darren McGuigan Omagh Accies Youth Development Officer to the College on Wednesday, October 26th for the Twinning Celebration Ceremony, and official unveiling of our new 4G Peace Pitch and signing of the Peace Declaration. Unfortunately, the other interviewees were unable to attend.

Also present were the class of 10G who completed the FMOSH project and all Year 8 who would be the first to play on Drumragh Integrated College’s Peace Pitch.

Mr Conor Gallagher Head of PE Department began the “Game of Three Halves” as he read the Peace Declaration and launched the Peace Football into the air.

Yr8 students became the first pupils to experience playing rugby, soccer and gaelic football on Drumragh Integrated College’s new 4G Peace Pitch after it was twinned with the Peace Field in Flanders and becoming the first Peace Pitch in County Tyrone.

The Yr10 class and Yr8 have left a legacy, each year there will be a Peace Match or Peace Games played on Drumragh Integrated College’s Peace Pitch.