PUPILS from a Co Derry school who caused a social media storm last year with their portraits of politicians went to Stormont yesterday to meet members of the Executive.
The pupils and their teachers, from St Brigid’s Primary School in Mayogall, hit the headlines last year with their imaginative portraits.
In a bid for funding to improve the school grounds, the school had invited then Education Minister Peter Weir to visit the school.
In an effort to impress the minister ahead of his arrival, P7 pupils set about painting a series of portraits of ministers, which were proudly displayed in the school hallway.
The eye-catching display was later posted by Mr Weir on social media and provoked great debate amongst Stormont politicians about how they looked.
Finance Minister Conor Murphy invited the children to Stormont yesterday saying they "lifted all our spirits during a challenging year".
The class of P7 met the first and deputy First ministers as well as the ministers for Agriculture, Education and Infrastructure.
They were also treated to a guided tour of the Stormont Estate where they took in the Woodland and Bug Trails before they made the most of the Mo Mowlam playpark.
Mr Murphy said the "creative pupils of St Brigid’s Primary School lifted all our spirits during a challenging year.
"I wrote to them in November to congratulate them and told them when circumstances permitted they would have to come up to Stormont," he said.
"It’s great that today has arrived and it is lovely to meet the children and the teachers behind the project."
He added: "This has been a tough year for school children, especially for Primary 7 pupils, so I’m delighted to welcome the pupils and teachers here today to enjoy everything that the Stormont Estate has to offer."
St Brigid’s principal Mary O'Kane said the visit had been "a highlight in our P7 calendar".
"The art project has certainly sparked our P7’s interest in local politics and I hope this visit inspires them further as they move to post primary school," she said.
"I’d like to thank minister Murphy for the invitation as the visit to Stormont is a first for many of our pupils."
