Visits and Visitors
‘Learning from Each Other’ – since 1994
One of the many excitements of Integration is inviting in our visitors and seeking opportunities to get out there and meet others. Over the years, we have hosted many an exciting visitor, and have met up with exciting others.
Should heads of state come first? One of Northern Ireland’s central issues is which state? We have been honoured to host First Ministers Peter Robinson and Arlene Foster and Irish President Mary McAleese.
Our Joan has also met the then Prince, now King, Charles and Ciaran met up with Prince Harry. We have also hosted Deputy German Ambassador, Julia Gross.
We’ve hosted Ministers of Education John O’Dowd and Caitríona Ruane, and subsequent Minister of Health, Jim Wells (at the time working for the National Trust), subsequent Minster of Justice Naomi Long, Minister for Social Development Margaret Ritchie and hosted a hustings of local MPs, MLAs and councillors. Two important visitors who nearly came were Secretaries of State Patrick Mayhew and Mo Mowlam, but we fully understood the urgent business which kept them away and were delighted to host Jane Mayhew and Tina Mowlam in their stead.
We have also taken every opportunity to meet up with local politicians. Our students were delighted to attend the visit of President and First Lady Barak and Michelle Obama, and to meet up with local politicians there. As an integrated school, Shimna’s student population spans the spectrum of politics, and Obama’s visit was a special opportunity, bringing together local representatives across all the parties. We’ve had local councillors as Shimna parents, Willie Clarke (Sinn Féin), Harrold McKee (Official Unionist), Anne Carr (Women’s Coalition), Jill Truesdale (Alliance).
And of course we are delighted to have met all the other interesting people along the way. Donna Traynor presented our students with their Sports Award. Joanna Lumley presented Grace Susay with Teacher of the Year, Alicia Rooney with Support Staff of the Year and Chris Redmond with his Integration Award. Paul McCartney presented Lee McMahon with his degree from the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts.
Katie Ireland was featured on Idris Elba’s Fight Club programme. Dara McAnulty appeared on stage with his heroine Jane Goodall. Kevin was presented with our International School Award by David Dimbleby. A wonderful group of Shimna students appeared with Patrick Kielty on his documentary, ‘My Dad, the Peace Deal and Me’.
Patrick Brown worked on Hillary Clinton’s election campaign, and met up with Bernie Sanders. Sarah McGlynn was presented with her sports award by Mary Peters. Michael McConkey’s Diana Award was presented by PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde and May Blood. Maya Ballentine’s Diana Legacy Award was presented by Charles, Earl Spencer. Our Queen’s Sports Academy students met up with Carl Frampton. Irish Medium students at an International Women’s day event met up with Linda Ervine. Over the years, our Carson Award winning students met Ciaran Hinds, Dan Gordon, Adrian Dunbar, Jan Carson, Mary Peters, Maxine Mawhinney, Olivia Nash and of course Tony Carson.
We have also hosted authors, performers and artists, for example: Sheena Wilkinson, Gráinne Tobin, Lev Tafari, Damien Gorman, Bert Slader, Richard Croft, Heather Cirefice, Martin McParland, Peterson Toscano…. Local conservationists Arthur Mitchell, David Thompson…
...and that’s not even to mention the drama groups, our twin schools, our many, many visitors from other conflicted and post conflict societies, Romania, Israel, Cyprus, USA, Germany etc. specifically to look at integration as practised in Shimna Integrated College. And perhaps our most popular visitor, Beyoncé?
