THE new principal of St Dominic’s Grammar School is looking forward to building relationships with the students as she settles into her new post.
Having begun her teaching career up the road at St Louise’s, Orla O’Neill said she is delighted to be back working on the Falls Road.
“I did my teaching practice in St Louise’s way back in the early '90s and subsequently got a one year post there which I really enjoyed," she said. "My husband also taught on the Falls Road for 12 years and we often talk about how the people of this area are the salt of the earth. They are very friendly, very welcoming and hardworking, genuine, honest people.
“When St Dominic’s came up, I knew about the reputation of the school and how wonderful the school was. I knew of all of their great achievements but also of the character and the values that the girls have. It is so much more than academic achievement.”
Orla spent seven years as principal of St Malachy’s in Castlewellan, Co Down and said that she felt the time was right to get back into the city and face a different challenge.
“They really have been most helpful and welcoming. It didn’t take me very long to understand what they mean by being a St Dominic’s girl. It is that special, unique Dominican ethos which is living and vibrant here in the corridors.
“I think having had seven years’ experience as a principal has stood me in good stead. I may have had a different view if I had been coming in from being a vice-principal. Many of the issues that I have been dealing with, I have already had experience of but I have been overwhelmed by the warm welcome that I have received from the staff and students.
“They really have been most helpful and welcoming. It didn’t take me very long to understand what they mean by being a St Dominic’s girl. It is that special, unique Dominican ethos which is living and vibrant here in the corridors.
St Dominic's Grammar School on the Falls Road
“This school is filled with hard working and genuinely good people. The staff work so hard before and after school and it has been clear to me that they are very giving both personally and professionally to the girls.”
Orla describes herself as “a very optimistic person” and says that post-Covid everyone will have challenges and opportunities to overcome.
“Mrs McCann has left this school with a wonderful legacy and excellence in all its forms. My challenge as principal will be to sustain that and strengthen that. That will be easy to do because of the staff that I have supporting me and the girls.
“Nothing is ever too much bother for them. Recently a group of Year 11 students asked their English teacher if they could start a magazine so they have been in interviewing me. The young people here would do your heart good.
“We will also face challenges as we return to the ‘new normal’, whatever that may be,” she continued.
“If I am here in my office from early morning, every so often I will get up from my desk and go out to talk to the girls. It is the buzz of the school that I really enjoy. They make the heart of the school.
“A number of children have faced challenges differently. We are all in the same storm but we are in different boats. All of our girls are coming at it from a different perspective. Some of our girls sailed through lockdown, others found it much more difficult.
“Now that we are back it is about slowly chipping away at those barriers to learning that appeared due to Covid.”
On that, Orla said that the health and wellbeing of her students is a priority.
“Be that through our counselling, our CBT, our pastoral care programme where we talk about mindfulness or yoga after school. Whatever we need to introduce to ensure that the health and wellbeing of our girls and our staff is to the fore, so we can all get on with it.”
Orla said that she is looking forward to getting to know the students as she continues to settle in at the school.
“If I am here in my office from early morning, every so often I will get up from my desk and go out to talk to the girls. It is the buzz of the school that I really enjoy. They make the heart of the school.
“We are very lucky on the Falls Road to have such fantastic schools and I was made to feel very welcome at the West Belfast Area Learning Community and I think if I was a parent of a child in this area, I would be very confident of the education and the schooling that all of the children in this area are receiving.
“I am looking forward to working with other schools in the area and the local community to ensure that St Dominic’s continues to be the beacon school and continues to be the leading all girls Catholic Grammar School in Northern Ireland.”
