Coláiste Feirste

Coláiste Feirste
Address
7 Páirc Radharc na bhFeá Belfast , County Antrim Northern Ireland
Coordinates	54°35′30″N 5°58′19″W
Information
School type	Irish-medium
Motto	Is Gael Mise (I am a Gael)
Established	1991, as Meánscoil Feirste
School board	Education Authority (Belfast)
Principal	Mícheal Mac Giolla Ghunna[1]
Teaching staff	65 [1]
Gender	Co-educational
Enrolment	842[1]
Hours in school day	6 hours ten minutes (normal school day)
Colour(s)
Feeder schools	Irish-medium schools in the Greater Belfast area [1]
Website	colaistefeirste.org

Coláiste Feirste is the only secondary-level Irish-medium school in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Previously known as Méanscoil Feirste, the gaelscoil (Irish language school) is located in the west of the city in a new facility on Belfast's Falls Road. Founded in 1991 with just nine pupils, as of 2022 the school had around 850 pupils and 65 teachers.[2][1]

The school was first situated in Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich and was opened under the supervision of the first school principal Fergus O'Hare who was replaced in 2002 by Garaí Mac Roibeaird as principal.[3] Mícheal Mac Giolla Ghunna has been principal since 2019.^[citation needed] The school is now situated in Beechmount, the former home of the Riddel family.[4]

Notable former pupils

• Niall Ó Donnghaile - Former Lord Mayor of Belfast and current Sinn Féin Senator in Seanad Éireann.[5]
• Aisling Reilly - Two time singles World Handball Champion and current Sinn Féin MLA for West Belfast.[5]
• Mo Chara - Rapper in the Belfast-based hip hop trio Kneecap[6]
• Conor MacNeill - Actor/writer^[citation needed]

See also

• List of secondary schools in Belfast

References

1. "Réamheolaire/Prospectus". colaistefeirste.org. Coláiste Feirste. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
2. "Headteacher's Welcome". colaistefeirste.com. Coláiste Feirste. Archived from the original on 26 January 2009.
3. "Prospectus 2018". colaistefeirste.org. Coláiste Feirste. Archived from the original on 5 December 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2018.
4. McClelland, Gillian (2005) Pioneering Women: Riddel Hall and Queen's University Belfast, Ulster Historical Foundation, Belfast
5. "Nuachtlitir Choláiste Feirste" [Coláiste Feirste Newsletter]. Yumpu (in Irish). Coláiste Feirste. December 2012. p. 3. Archived from the original on 5 March 2022.
6. Mac an tSionnaigh, Seaghan. "GANGSTA RAP FROM BELFAST'S GAELTACHT QUARTER". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

External links

• Official website