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St Patrick's Primary School, Saul, Downpatrick

Slieve Patrick artefact

15th Mar 2023

After coming back to school on Tuesday Mr McGrath visited some classes with a very special parish artefact. On 17th March 1932, the first sod was cut on the mountain that we now know as Slieve Patrick. Back then it was more commonly know as Slieve William, before the Hampton family gave it to the Diocese of Down and Connor for the erection of a national monument to St Patrick. Bishop Dr Mageean used a spade to dig out that first sod and the spade is still in our parish. In fact it has been used on some other very special occasions. The first sod for St Patrick's Park, home of the gaelic club was cut using the spade and it was also used to cut the first sod for our school! One of the men who was present at the latter two occasions was Mr Dermot Vint a past chair of our governors and it was lovely that two of his grandchildren got to hold that spade in the school that he worked so hard to ensure was built.