Former principal will be ‘sorely missed’

THE “top class teacher” who guided St Colman’s High School through the turbulent times of the Troubles, has passed away.

Also described this week as a “kind” and “gentle” man, Patrick Grimley died on Tuesday evening.

Originally from Gortrush Park in Omagh but resident in Melmount Gardens, Mr Grimley was well known throughout the north west’s educational fraternity having been custodian at St Colman’s from 1978 up until his retirement in 1994. Prior to his taking the top job, Mr Grimley was one of the original teaching staff when St Colman’s first opened in 1958. He taught alongside future Nobel Laureate John Hume and it was where he met his wife Brid, also a teacher at the school.

Following Mr Grimley’s retirement, the principal’s job passed to a former colleague, Michael Kennedy.

“I would have worked with Pat before he was vice- principal… He was a maths teacher then, teaching modern mathematics and was definitely one of the best maths teachers to ever come out of the school, with excellent maths results – a top class teacher,” Mr Kennedy said. “He became principal in 1978 when the Troubles were an unfortunate part of daily life, causing a lot of daily issues. However, Pat steered the school through those times and did a wonderful job, for which he should be commended. He was an even-handed, fair man and will be sorely missed.”

Also paying tribute were two other Holy Cross principals. Clare Bradley, who retired just last year and current principal, Ciarán Johnston.

“Mr Grimley, as he was always known to staff, was hugely committed to St Colman’s High School after arriving from Omagh as a young teacher in the late 1950s,” Clare Bradley remarked. “He was first and foremost an excellent teacher of Maths who was always pleased to see students succeed.

“When he became principal of the school in the late 1970s St Colman’s was an all boys’ secondary school and throughout the ‘80s and into the early ‘90s he, with the help of his senior managers, worked tirelessly to expand the curriculum by introducing A Levels (and) by the time of his retirement in 1994, the school was flourishing and he was immensely proud of the growing enrolment and good reputation he helped create.

“Mr Grimley was a kind and gentle head master who cared about his staff and he created a spirit of good will. He also displayed a good sense of humour with an infectious laugh and enjoyed moments of fun. He was a very dedicated family man.”

Current Holy Cross principal Ciarán Johnston, a former St Colman’s pupil under Mr Grimley’s tenure added, “Mr Grimley dedicated many years of public service in education to the people of Strabane, promoting equality of opportunity for all in a non-selective setting.

“In 2004 he was delighted to see the emergence of Holy Cross College and it is a fitting tribute to his leadership that at the time of his death, the current head boy of Holy Cross is his grandson, Cahir Grimley.

“I remember Mr Grimley from my time as a pupil at St Colman’s and I found him to be a kind and fair man who had the best interests of the pupils and staff at heart.”

Mr Grimley’s funeral is due to take place today (Thursday) in St Mary’s Church, Melmount and he will be interred in the adjoining cemetery.