A PIONEERING school that began educating Catholic and Protestant children side-by-side at the height of the Troubles is to enter major GAA tournaments for the first time. After 33 years providing integrated schooling, Lagan College in south Belfast is preparing to take to the field in an Ulster Colleges competition. Integrated education supporters hope this will help dispel myths that the sector is 'neutral' and instead show how schools embrace all cultures equally. Gaelic games have been played on and off over the years since Lagan first opened in 1981, with no permanent home, at Ardnavalley Scout Centre. The school in the Castlereagh hills has flourished after a difficult start when it faced fierce opposition, financial difficulties and threats to its existence. Although Gaelic games were on the physical education curriculum for years, only a limited amount of time was devoted to the sports. The school previously had an All-Ireland winning captain on its staff. DJ Kane, who lifted the Sam Maguire in 1994, was a PE teacher there in the 1990s. This year marks the first time that an integrated school will take part in multiple Ulster Colleges competitions, starting with the Faul Cup. New red, black and yellow GAA kits have also been unveiled by the school. Teacher Aodhan McAfee said interest in Gaelic games is increasing every week and the school is now in a position to field teams across five different year groups. A new GAA pitch at the school, he said, had helped Gaelic football thrive. "Gaelic games used to be an extra curricular activity but we wanted it to be more than just extra curricular filler," Mr McAfee said. "We took a gamble and started a team in Year 8 to see if we could get the numbers. "It has now grown to having five teams who are going to play in the elite Ulster Colleges. It has become a massive success. "We have players from Protestant and Catholic backgrounds, some who maybe were soccer players and thought they would give it a go. The hope is to make it a successful Gaelic games club." Sean McGourty of Ulster Colleges welcomed the addition of Lagan and said any similar school wishing to enter elite competition, or simply start playing Gaelic games, would receive support. "The school crosses both cultures and has been playing soccer. It is only now that we are scratching at the surface. The gospel is beginning to spread," he said. "It is the ethos of those schools. If they are already playing soccer the onus is on them to look at Gaelic games. "If there are pupils at those schools who have an interest in Gaelic games, it is only right that they are afforded the opportunity to play." * FIRST: Pupils from Lagan College in their school's GAA kit * SUCCCESS: Former Down captain DJ Kane, who lifted the Sam Maguire in 1994, taught PE at Lagan during the 1990s
