The Wallace High School is an 11–18

co-educational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...

voluntary

grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a Latin school, school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented Se ...

and

sixth form In the education systems of Barbados, England, Jamaica, Northern Ireland, Trinidad and Tobago, Wales, and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepa ...

Lisburn Lisburn ( ; ) is a city in Northern Ireland. It is southwest of Belfast city centre, on the River Lagan, which forms the boundary between County Antrim and County Down. First laid out in the 17th century by English and Welsh settlers, with t ...

County Antrim County Antrim (named after the town of Antrim, County Antrim, Antrim, ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, located within the historic Provinces of Ireland, province of Ulster. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the c ...

, Northern Ireland.

History

It was founded in 1880 by a bequest from the estate of

Sir Richard Wallace Sir Richard Wallace, 1st Baronet (21 June 1818 – 20 July 1890) was a British Aristocracy (class), aristocrat, art collector and Francophile. Based on the Return of Owners of Land, 1873, Return of Owners of Land 1873, he was the 24th richest m ...

, local landowner, Unionist MP and philanthropist, and was originally named Lisburn Intermediate and University School. It was built on a site fronting the Antrim Road. A board of trustees took charge in 1900 to oversee the development of the growing school and, when they renamed it in 1942 in memory of its founder, they adopted the word ''Esperance (Hope)'' as the school's motto from the Wallace coat of arms. The post-war years witnessed rapid growth in pupil numbers and consequent accommodation provision. Land was purchased at Clonevin Park, initially for playing fields, and when the Antrim Road site proved inadequate, the decision was taken to build a new school in these extensive grounds. Pupils and staff moved to the new building in 1976, and today the school has expanded to 1160 pupils in the grammar school and 200 in the preparatory department.

School enhancement

The Wallace High School underwent construction on a new school expansion project. This included construction of a new two storey extension which includes the subjects of Art, Home Economics, and Moving Image Arts which was finished by the end of December 2017 and officially unveiled on 4 October 2018 . There is a fitness suite which was also unveiled on 4 October which included four power racks, a free weights area with weight-lifting platforms, a blue astro-turf track for conditioning and warm-ups, plate loaded resistance machines and cardio equipment. It also included new changing rooms, new showers and hairdryers. A technology extension is also completed, beginning in February 2018 and concluding in August 2018. Existing 'mobile' classrooms, of which there are four, have been relocated to allow space for the expansion project. These mobile classrooms include the subjects of English, Maths, Modern Languages, Religious Education, among others.

Sport

Rugby

They have reached the final 7 times, most recently in 2025 where they won 24-15 against

The Royal School, Armagh The Royal School, Armagh is a co-educational voluntary grammar school, founded in the 17th century, in the city of Armagh in Northern Ireland. It has a boarding department with an international intake. It is a member of the Headmasters' and He ...

, and they are one of eight schools who enters in the fourth round of the cup along with Ballyclare High School,

Ballymena Academy Ballymena Academy is a mixed gender, voluntary Grammar schools in the United Kingdom, grammar school in the market town of Ballymena in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1828 as a small provincial school for children in the tow ...

Campbell College Campbell College located in Belfast, Northern Ireland and founded in 1894 comprises a preparatory school department (junior age) and a senior Northern Ireland 'Voluntary Grammar' school, the latter meaning, in terms of provision of education, a ...

Enniskillen Royal Grammar School Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, located in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, is an academically selective, co-educational, non-denominational voluntary grammar school. The school opened its doors on 1 September 2016. Two forme ...

Methodist College Belfast Methodist College Belfast (MCB), locally known as Methody, is a co-educational voluntary grammar school in Belfast, located at the foot of the Malone Road, Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1865 by the Methodist Church in Ireland and is one of e ...

Royal Belfast Academical Institution The Royal Belfast Academical Institution is an independent grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland. With the support of Belfast's leading reformers and democrats, it opened its doors in 1814. Until 1849, when it was superseded by what today ...

and

Hockey

Wallace High School is noted for men's

hockey ''Hockey'' is a family of List of stick sports, stick sports where two opposing teams use hockey sticks to propel a ball or disk into a goal. There are many types of hockey, and the individual sports vary in rules, numbers of players, apparel, ...

with wins in the

Burney Cup The Burney Cup (Ulster Schoolboys' Senior Hockey Cup) is an annual competition involving the strongest schools affiliated to the Ulster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association. The competition is held in the spring term of each school year and pr ...

McCullough Cup The McCullough Cup is a hockey competition. It is an annual tournament played for by schools affiliated to the Ulster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association. The competition is held in the winter term of each school year, with the older Burney ...

and a single win in the All Ireland Championship in 1987-88. In 2011 the hockey girls created history by reaching the final of the

Ulster Senior Schoolgirls' Cup The Ulster Senior Schoolgirls' Cup is an annual competition competed for by schools affiliated to the Ulster Hockey Association, a branch of the Irish Hockey Association. The competition has been in existence since 1907 and is currently sponsored ...

for the first time, only to lose on penalties.

Notable former pupils

Blu Hydrangea Blu Hydrangea (born 15 February 1996) is the stage name of Joshua Cargill, a People of Northern Ireland, Northern Irish drag queen from Belfast who competed the RuPaul's Drag Race UK series 1, first series of ''RuPaul's Drag Race UK'' in 2019, a ...

, winner of RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs the World *

The Dean The Dean is a boutique hotel located at 122 Fountain Street in Providence, Rhode Island. The building's use as a hotel was part of a renewal project in Downtown, Providence. History Built in 1912, 122 Fountain Street was used as a shelter r ...

, artist, musician, podcaster, Bon Jovi lookalike *

Shauna Lowry Shauna Lowry (born 6 July 1970) is a television presenter from Belfast, Northern Ireland.(4 July 2008)What's in a mane? ''Belfast Telegraph'' ("Northern Ireland-born TV presenter Shauna Lowry (37), who has just finished filming a new series of '' ...

, TV personality * The Rt. Hon.

Brian Maginess William Brian Maginess, QC (10 July 1901 – 16 April 1967), was a member of the Government of Northern Ireland, who was widely seen as a possible successor to The 1st Viscount Brookeborough as Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. Life He was ...

(1901–1967), government minister in the Stormont Parliament * Drew Nelson (1956-2016), Grand Secretary of the

Orange Order The Loyal Orange Institution, commonly known as the Orange Order, is an international Protestant fraternal order based in Northern Ireland and primarily associated with Ulster Protestants. It also has lodges in England, Grand Orange Lodge of ...

Edwin Poots Edwin Poots (born 27 May 1965) is a British politician from Northern Ireland, serving as Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly since February 2024. He served as leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from May to June 2021. He was fir ...

, current minister in the

Northern Ireland Executive The Northern Ireland Executive (Irish language, Irish: ''Feidhmeannas Thuaisceart Éireann'', Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster Scots: ''Norlin Airlan Executive'') is the devolution, devolved government of Northern Ireland, an administrative branc ...

Kyle Thomas Kyle Thomas (born 23 June 1983) is a Canadian screenwriter, director, producer, and actor. His first feature film, ''The Valley Below'', premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2014. It garnered two Canadian Screen Award nomina ...

, popular social media influencer

Sport

Rugby

* Chris Henry, professional rugby player for Ulster and Ireland *

Nevin Spence Nevin Spence (26 April 199015 September 2012) was an Irish rugby union player for Ulster in the Pro12. He played as a Centre, but could also play Wing. He was educated firstly at Dromore High School, where he was introduced to rugby, and then at ...

(1990-2012), professional rugby player for Ulster * Jacob Stockdale, professional rugby player for Ulster and Ireland *

Nathan Doak Nathan Doak (born 17 December 2001) is a ginger Irish rugby union player who plays scrum-half and out-half for Ulster in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup. The son of the former Ulster scrum-half and head co ...

, professional rugby player for Ulster * Ian Whitten, professional rugby player for AVIVA Premiership Club

Exeter Exeter ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and the county town of Devon in South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter w ...

, formerly Ulster

Cricket

Neil Doak Neil George Doak (born 21 June 1972) is a Northern Irish former cricketer and rugby union player. He is currently head coach of the Ireland U20 rugby union team. He has served as attack and backs coach with English club side Worcester Warrior ...

, Irish cricketer and Irish rugby squad member *

Raymond Hunter William Raymond Hunter (3 April 1938 – 9 December 2020) was a Northern Irish cricketer and rugby union player. He played for Ireland in both sports. In cricket he won 28 international caps and played in 11 first-class matches. In rugby he ...

, Irish cricketer, Irish rugby and British & Irish Lions *

Thomas Martin Thomas or Tom Martin may refer to: Born 16th century * Thomas Martin (politician, died 1583) (1530–1583), MP for Dorchester * Thomas Martin (lawyer) (1521–1593), MP for Ludgershall, Saltash and Hindon Born 17th century *Thomas Martin of P ...

(1911-1937), cricketer * Jack Simpson (1920-1997), cricketer

References

External links

* {{authority control Lisburn Grammar schools in County Antrim Educational institutions established in 1880 1880 establishments in Ireland