Holy Family Catholic Primary School

We look forward to celebrating 70 years of Holy Family School throughout the year!

A Brief History:

Holy Family School was founded by Canon Arthur Diamond and opened on 11 January 1955.

The Head Teacher was Mr Michael Murphy (now deceased). The catchment area of the school increased greatly by the late 1950's and early 1960's following the development of new housing estates all around the school.  

A huge influx of Irish Catholics moved outwards from the city to the new housing developments and the increased numbers meant there was difficulty in providing places for all of the Catholic families who required places within the school.  

As a result the school buildings were extended to create a new independent infant school, which opened in 1967 under the Headship of Miss Felicity Holland until 1988, followed by Mrs Kathleen Ryan. The relationship between the infant and junior schools always remained excellent.  

Heads of the Junior school were: Mr Austin Whelan (1976-1983), Mr Leo Baldwin (1983-1990) and Miss Eileen Callaghan (1990-1994) all sadly now deceased. 

In 1994 the LEA adopted the policy of amalgamating as many infant and junior schools as possible and in this year Holy Family Infant & Junior Schools became Holy Family Primary School under the Headship of Mrs Kathleen Ryan until 1998. 

Followed by Mrs Lynda Leigh (1998-2003) and Mrs Carmel Farrelly (2003-2016) 

The current Head Teacher of Holy Family Primary School is Mrs Grainne Griffiths, who is herself a past pupil of the school, as are many other current members of staff.  

Many of the children who first attended the school in the 1950s & 1960's are now grandparents or parents of children who have also attended or currently attend the school.