How Windmill Began.

How Windmill Integrated Primary School began …..

By

Jean Kelly, M.B.E.

Co-Founder of Windmill Integrated Primary School

Chairperson of Dungannon Integrated School Association

Chairperson of Interim Governing Body of Windmill Integrated P.S.

Parent Governor of Windmill Integrated P.S.

Foundation Governor of Windmill Integrated P.S.

I received an email from Mrs Sandra Ferguson, Principal of Windmill Integrated Primary School, on 12^th February 2018, inviting me to write an article so that my story of Windmill Integrated P.S. could be shared and documented for generations to come. This article is to be part of Windmill’s participation in N.I.C.I.E.’s Big Small Stories Project recording the history of integrated education over the last 35 years. I agreed, but knew that opening up the boxes in our attic would release some very difficult memories. I do not think I was prepared, however, for just what an ache in my heart these memories would evoke.

An integrated primary school in Dungannon was created because of the idea, ambition and determination of one person, that person is my husband, Pearse Kelly. It is down to him that it got off the ground. A small group of equally determined people ensured it actually opened and thereafter there has been, unquestionably, a large number of people who have played their part in its development over the past thirty years. My story only refers to its beginnings.

Pearse and I are a mixed marriage and in 1986 we had a daughter. Neither of us wanted her labelled. Pearse decided he wanted an integrated primary school in our local town so we would have the choice of a school dedicated to welcoming children of all faiths and none rather than a school which was almost exclusively Protestant or Catholic and only really reflected one culture. It was always understood, however, that the school would maintain a positive Christian character. I agreed to join him and support him in his efforts. Our decision was never a criticism of existing schools and this was outlined in one of the first official documents of the Dungannon Integrated School Association (D.I.S.A.).

“We do not wish to detract from or knock the endeavours of these schools, Controlled and Maintained, and their many fine teachers both in the present and the past. Many of the members of D.I.S.A. are products of these schools. However, we believe the parents of Dungannon have the right to choose an alternative form of school for their children if they so wish. We believe that such a school would make a positive and worthwhile contribution to our community, especially the children of our community, and that it will help in some way to enable the different historical and religious traditions to live together peacefully with mutual understanding and respect.”

In 1986 there was only a handful of integrated schools in existence and none “west of the Bann”. Pearse began his quest in earnest in January 1987 and his first contact was Pat Buckley who directed him to Lagan College where he met with the then Principal, Sheila Greenfell. She advised him to contact George Hewitt of All Children Together whom he met at their headquarters in Belfast. Pearse liaised with A.C.T. over the next few months and in March 1987 we both attended a Saturday seminar held by them in Forge Integrated P.S. It was a reality check but we were not for giving up. We advertised in the local press for support. Anyone interested in integrated education was welcome to contact us. A Barbara Kelly, (no relation), from Coalisland, was our only reply.

We did not give up. We attended the North Armagh Group’s Public Meeting and were heartened by the response they had obtained. With yet more liaising between Pearse and A.C.T. we held our first meeting in our home on 30th June 1987. Joanne Mc Kenna from A.C.T. and Andrea, a parent from Forge Integrated P.S., came along to talk to our small group. I provided the tea and scones and they provided the pessimism. They gave us all the negatives, especially the finance. They also suggested we try to enlarge our group. At that first meeting were Gus and Kate Devlin, Brian and Margaret O’Neill, Aidan and Clare Dolan, Frances Jordan and ourselves. Although he was later to become heavily involved in integrated education, Aidan Dolan was the only one not to remain involved after that initial meeting, not joining us again until the school was almost ready to open.

Now with a band of supporters, albeit small, we met frequently. Gradually, as the group grew we had to move to the Inn on the Park, a local hotel, as our sitting room is rather modest in size. Looking back at the minutes of those early meetings the work done by Pearse and Clare Dolan to make useful contacts was colossal. Thanks to Clare’s contacting the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust (N.I V.T.) and her paperwork, and Pearse’s persuading us to be daring with our application, and his going in person to make the presentation to Marie Abbot, we got £2,500! This was by far the largest grant given to any group to date. This result alleviated our most pressing problem of initial funding. Members all agreed to make a voluntary payment so that we could open a bank account and these payments could then be reimbursed when our funding came through. This meant we had to call ourselves something so on 25^th August 1987 we became the Dungannon Integrated School Association, known as D.I.S.A. for short. At our meeting on 7^th October Clare proposed that since there were now actually things happening and work to be done that a Working Committee be properly elected. This was done with the following results:

Chairperson : Jean Kelly

Secretary : Clare Dolan

Treasurer: Margarita Johnston

P.R. : Pearse Kelly

Premises: Connor Rafferty

So much work took place in the months ahead. As Secretary of D.I.S.A. Clare made contacts throughout the integrated movement including with Maureen Jameson in Banbridge, Fionnula Cook of the South Ulster Trust for Integrated Education (S.U.T.I.E.), Chris Moffett of North Armagh and Anne Carr of Newcastle. Several of them advised her that we should make contact with Jo Mulvenna of the Belfast Trust for Integrated Education (BELTIE). Pearse got in touch with Jo and he visited our group and helped us in regard to what we should be doing. Jo played a vital advisory role and stayed involved with the group until the school was up and running. There was lots to do, meetings and visits and press releases, posters and information booklets until at last we were ready to hold our first public meeting. This we did on 8^th February 1988 in the Inn on the Park. More than a year had passed since Pearse started making his enquiries but this public meeting was a great success and now many more willing hands volunteered for the necessary work to open the school in the following September.

The Dungannon Integrated School Association had held 35 formal meetings in just over 6 months and, in addition, members had met informally to work on specific issues. With more people involved a Steering Committee with elected officers was created and working parties with co-ordinators were set up. We then became the Interim Governing Body and this group ensured D.I.S.A.’s work was carried forward and the necessary progress was made to open the school as scheduled. My memory is that there were 22 members of the Interim Governing Body and that everyone worked tirelessly during those months prior to the school opening.

Parents had been asked to come up with suggestions for names of the school and a ballot was held. Windmill won the day and so Windmill Integrated Primary School opened in temporary premises in John Street Hall on Monday 5^th September 1988. The Opening Assembly was entitled “Togetherness”. I was given the honour of making the Opening Address. Over two years later, on 14^th January, 1991, Pearse and I were given the honour of officially opening Windmill Integrated Primary School on its new, permanent site at Old Eglish Road.