News

School to respond to criticism over Sands scholarship

SCHOOL at the centre of a row over Irish language bursaries named in honour of an IRA hunger striker plans to respond to criticism after governors next meet.

Unionist politicians said the presentation of Bobby Sands Gaeltacht Scholarships to pupils from St Colm's High School in Twinbrook, on the outskirts of west Belfast, was "inappropriate".

There have been calls for Catholic Church and school officials to explain their position.

The bursaries, which will pay for two young people to attend an Irish-speaking region this summer, are a joint initiative by Sinn Féin and the Bobby Sands Gaeltacht Scholarship - a recently formed group of people dedicated to helping children interested in learning and speaking Irish.

Sands was the first IRA hunger striker to die in 1981. He was elected an MP while in prison. Sinn Féin has said it is "entirely fitting" that Sands's commitment to Irish is recognised through the bursary.

There has been no comment so far from the school or its governors, which the DUP has said is a real concern.

The DUP said it had written to the Bishop of Down and Connor, Dr Noel Treanor, seeking an explanation.

The Bishop plans to wait to speak to the board of governors of St Colm's before any comment is made.

In addition, the school is completely shut for the next two weeks. Fr Patrick Sheehan, chairman of the board of governors, has said a response will be made after the governing body next meet.

DUP education spokesman Mervyn Storey said he expected a response, however long it might take.

"The bishops are very good at saying they speak on behalf of schools when it suits them, like on the issue of transfer and academic selection. Here is an issue of guardianship that they are slow to get involved in and give an adequate response," he said.

"As long as this is not a deliberate diversion tactic, I'm happy to wait. At some point in time we will be expecting a response and will then address it accordingly."