120 years ago today, St Mary’s Training College was officially opened on the Falls Road by the Bishop of Down and Connor, Most Rev Dr Henry.
On 22 September 1900 it was reported that 100 female teachers, from all parts of Ireland, were “being prepared for the very important work of education”.
Today the official title of the College is St Mary’s University College: A College of the Queen’s University of Belfast, where both men and women study. St Mary’s is an independent institution which has a partnership agreement for collaborative academic provision with Queen’s University. It is however a recognised provider of higher education in its own right.
The mission of St Mary’s is to make a distinctive contribution of service and excellence, in the Catholic tradition, to higher education.
Most Reverend Dr Noel Treanor DD, Bishop of Down and Connor, is the Senior Trustee and Chairperson of the Governing Body.
Speaking about Foundation Day, he said: “St Mary’s Mission Statement is emphatic in its fidelity to its founding tradition. The distinctive contribution lies in the Christian, explicitly faith-inspired world view or anthropology, which undergirds the pedagogical approach to each student and the contributions they make, through both professional and volunteering service, to many communities.
"St Mary’s with numerous other third level Catholic academic institutions across the globe continues the great adventure of conjugating reason and religious faith, knowledge and the probing of the ultimate mystery of existence, life and hope.”
St Mary’s with numerous other third level Catholic academic institutions across the globe continues the great adventure of conjugating reason and religious faith, knowledge and the probing of the ultimate mystery of existence, life and hope."
The College Principal, Professor Peter Finn said: “Unfortunately, as a result of the public health emergency, St Mary’s will not be able to celebrate the 120th anniversary of its foundation at this time, in a way that would properly befit the occasion. Today we mark Foundation Day with an acknowledgement of the great work that was started by the Most Rev Dr Henry and the Dominican Sisters in 1900.
"At a suitable time we will celebrate the rich history and traditions of the institution as well as the people who have made the College what it is today. Our rich past provides the platform for continued service and excellence in the twenty-first century.”
