Joe Mc Cool One of the first Board of Governors spoke on the early days of Windmill.

27th Feb 2018

“I was living in Dublin in the Mid 1980’s with my wife Joan and we had two good jobs, we were very happy.

Unfortunately, my Mother died. My Father was an Invalid, he was a Stroke Victim and needed 24hour care, so we moved home to Tullysaran. It wasn’t an easy decision.

I had been brought up in a catholic family, and my Mother so much so that she turned me against it. I was very determined not to follow a religion. I will make it clear, I am a convinced Atheist.

My wife was pregnant and we were deliberating about which school the baby would attend. I was aware there were Maintained and Controlled but I didn’t want that system.

I read in a local paper that there were some parents planning a meeting in The Inn in The Park. They were interested in starting up an integrated school in Dungannon. Joan and I went along to that meeting and there were about 8 other people there: Clare Dolan, Jean Kelly, Robert and Gerti Campbell, The Elliots from Cookstown, Hectar Mullan and Tom Sterling.

We had nothing; no money, no site, no building and no teachers.

We started up a Parents Council and a Board of Governors and became a Limited Company. Some very courageous parents put their money into starting the school. SUITE was a charitable organisation at the time and they provided us with money too.

But it was the passion that started that school, not the money.

We had a common vision. We were determined to do it. We were committed to having our children educated together.

Parents with local contacts led us to John Street Hall where we rented from Mr Davidson. There were no windows or locks on the doors it was completely ram shackled.

Parents painted and I attempted to put in a pane of glass which actually fell right through the window pane, luckily no one got injured.

I recall a day when Robert Campbell and myself were trying to smash a slab of concrete outside the hall. Along came Aidan Dolan and with one swing of the sledge hammer he smashed it into smithereens.

We had been trying to get Aidan involved in the Board of Governors for ages and eventually we talked him into it.

Aidan Dolan was instrumental from this stage on. He got stuck in, and has since went from strength to strength within the Integrated movement. He has been a very powerful influence.

A teaching Principal was employed in 1988, Mrs Leslie Marriot.

The nursery was a very important part of the school and we were very lucky with the staff that were employed there.

I was on the Board of Governors for 8 years back then, and today I am here with a very positive feeling about the place. I am very proud of what has been established.

I didn’t like the way I had to buzz at the front door today to gain entry. When my children were at the school I used to run across the yard with my hands up in the air because the children used to run grabbing at me shouting and screaming.

I have a very vivid memory in my head which I will never forget and every time I think of the school I think of this incident:

I was walking across the yard one day where the old mobiles used to be and there was a little boy sitting in the yard by himself crying, for whatever reason I’m not sure. But Ian Moore (Principal then) went straight over to him and without hesitation he picked him up.

I have nothing but respect for Ian Moore. He is so warm, so human.

Definitely the right man for the job.

I have myself since resigned from my teaching post. There used to be a sign up there which made my blood boil, it said:

‘F.E. means business.’

I couldn’t disagree more. All they are concerned with are bums on seats. I urge you please don’t become like that.

You can’t have a school unless it has a vision.

I would recommend you all read: Disappearance of Childhood by Neal Postman.

The children are our future. They are so precious; there is nothing in the world more valuable or precious as our children.

They are the future.”

Joe McCool