Omagh High pupils meet dignitaries at Hillsborough Castle

A GROUP of students from Omagh High School have enjoyed the ‘truly remarkable’ experience of attending a star-studded event at Hillsborough Castle marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

The event, which took place recently, looked back to 1998, and the subsequent years, to reflect upon the legacy of the Belfast Agreement, and the work that remains to be done.

Pupils took part in a ‘Question Time’ panel debate, which was hosted by Suzanne Breen, and featuring a wealth of dignitaries, such as Alastair Campbell, Mark Durkan, Monica McWilliams and Tim O’Connor, among others.

The panellists provided a fabulous insight into what was happening behind the scenes in the week building up to the signing of the historic Belfast Agreement, and told the story of their first- hand experience of being part of this momentous occasion.

A superb ‘Spoken Word’ workshop then followed, in which pupils were treated to a poetry recital from Raquel McKee, who read aloud poems specifically written about the Troubles in Northern Ireland and the Good Friday agreement.

Pupils were also given the opportunity to write some of their own poetry on what they hope to see in Northern Ireland over the next 25 years.

The trip concluded with a guided tour of the stunning House and 100-acre gardens of Hillsborough Castle, where they had the absolute pleasure of meeting Chris Heaton-Harris, Secretary of State and special US envoy Joseph Kennedy III.

This was an excellent experience overall, and the staff and pupils of Omagh High School would like to thank Hillsborough Castle for their organisation of the event, and for their warm welcome and hospitality throughout their visit.