St Patrick's Primary School, Drumgreenagh was officially opened on 28th May 1999. The new school was established on the site of St Colman's PS (Barnmeen) for the pupils of Drumgath parish following the amalgamation of St. Colman's PS and Lurgancahone PS following the closure of Lurgancahone. The existing school building was extended to accommodate the larger numbers. A beautiful new green and navy was selected and a new school crest featuring the Drumgath Bell was designed. The school is situated in the townland of Drumgreenagh and the community decided that the school would open with a new identity and so St Patrick's PS Drumgreenagh was established.
Since 1998, St Patrick's Primary School has flourished. The school was extended and modified in 2011 and now comprises of four classrooms, a dining/ assembly hall and a resource room/ library. The school is a small, rural, friendly place and it has its roots firmly embedded in the parish and community of Drumgath. We have strong links with Drumgath GAC and Drumgath Parish, we are very proud to support our local GAA teams - ladies and mens - and to support Rathfriland FC.
In 2018 the school choir, under the guidance of our very talented teacher/ choir mistress Mrs Mc Caughey, appeared on 'Britain's Got Talent' and was catapulted to fame. Although the choir cannot count the Britain's Got Talent amongst its many accolades the experience of the show will live long in the memories of the staff and the children.
There is a long tradition of the Arts in St Patrick's PS. The children participate in Banbridge, Warrenpoint and Newry Feiseanna and have enjoyed great successes in speech and language, solo singing and in the choir competitions. Choir practice takes place on a Wednesday after school and Friday afternoon. Children who are not in the choir enjoy recorder and music lessons with Mrs Kane and Ms Mc Conville on a Friday afternoon.
Additional Activities
Mr Benson (EA Music Service) tutors woodwind in school and Mrs (EA Music Service) tutors strings. All of the children enjoy weekly Spanish lessons with Mrs P Connolly. There is an additional charge for Spanish, Woodwind and Strings. Primary Four/Five children participate in swimming lessons in the first term, with the Primary Six/Seven class participating in Term Two.
The Friends of St Patrick's PS
The Friends of St Patricks PS is a very active group of parents which supports the school in a variety of ways. The Friends' Group organises a wide range of after-school activities. During their time in school the children will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of afterschool activities e.g.Fitness, Art, Music, Drama.
The Parish of Drumgath (extract from Dromore Diocese website)
Drumgath is one of the smallest parishes in the diocese of Dromore. It comprises thirteen townlands and includes the small market town of Rathfriland which dominates the surrounding drumlin countryside. The parish was established by the Synod of Kells in 1152 when parishes in Ireland were first created. There are three Roman Catholic churches in the parish: Saint Colman's, Barnmeen, Saint Mary's, Rathfriland and Saint Patrick's, Drumgath. Around these three Catholic community identities have grown up.
Prior to the Synod of Kells, the district was ministered to by monks. It is likely that there was a monastery around about the site of the old Drumgath Cemetery - the finding of a ninth or tenth-century bell by a local woman in 1764 would substantiate this. The bell is a small hand-bell of the type which was common in Irish monasteries from the time of St. Patrick until the year 1000. An image of the bell was chosen for the crest of St Patrick's PS.
