Wallace High School, Lisburn

The Wallace High School
Location

Lisburn,

Northern Ireland
Information
Type Grammar school
Motto Esperance (Hope)
Established 1880
Founder Sir Richard Wallace
Principal Mrs Deborah O’Hare
Houses

Barbour (Boys)      Hanna (Girls)      Conway (Boys)      Gracey (Girls)      Hamilton (Boys)     

Seymour (Girls)     
Website www.wallacehigh.org

The Wallace High School is a co-educational grammar school in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. The school educates pupils from ages 11-18 (4-18 if the Preparatory Department is included). It occupies a ~19 acre site (including playing fields) in the centre of Lisburn on Clonevin Avenue.

History

It was founded in 1880 by a bequest from the estate of Sir Richard Wallace, local landowner, Unionist MP and philanthropist, and was originally named Lisburn Intermediate and University School. It was built on a site fronting the Antrim Road. A board of trustees took charge in 1900 to oversee the development of the growing school and, when they renamed it in 1942 in memory of its founder, they adopted the word Esperance (Hope) as the school's motto from the Wallace coat of arms.

The post-war years witnessed rapid growth in pupil numbers and consequent accommodation provision. Land was purchased at Clonevin Park, initially for playing fields, and when the Antrim Road site proved inadequate, the decision was taken to build a new school in these extensive grounds.

Pupils and staff moved to the new building in 1976, and today the school has expanded to 1160 pupils in the grammar school and 200 in the preparatory department.

School Enhancement

The Wallace High School is currently undergoing construction on a new school expansion project. This will include construction of a new two storey extension which will include the subjects of Art, Home Economics, and Moving Image Arts which is set to finish by the end of December 2017. There is a fitness suite under construction which is planned to be complete by February 2018. A technology extension is also planned to begin construction in February 2018 and will conclude by August 2018.

Existing 'mobile' classrooms, of which there are four, have been relocated to allow space for the expansion project. These mobile classrooms include the subjects of English, Maths, Modern Languages, Religious Education, among others.

Sport

Rugby

Wallace is well known in the Northern Irish schools’ rugby scene, despite having never won the Ulster Schools Cup. They have reached the final 5 times, (most recently in 2015) and they are one of eight schools who enters in the fourth round of the cup along with Ballyclare High School, Ballymena Academy, Campbell College, Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, Methodist College Belfast, Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Royal School Armagh.

Hockey

Wallace High School is noted for men's hockey with wins in the Burney Cup, McCullough Cup and a single win in the All Ireland Championship in 1987-88. In 2011 the hockey girls created history by reaching the final of the Ulster Senior Schoolgirls' Cup for the first time, only to lose on penalties.[1]

Notable Former Pupils

Sources

  1. ↑ "Belfast Telegraph - Tragedy inspires Lurgan girls to cup final glory". 2011-03-03. Retrieved 2011-03-03.
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