History of our Schools

Below is a brief history of St Anthony's Schools and Convent.  Sadly for the parish, these now no longer exist.  The former boys' school and the convent have both been demolished to make way for new housing. St Anthony's Primary School has now become St Vincent's Centre; a post-primary school dedicated to the care of Young Adults with behavioural problems.

By 1970 violence had flared in Northern Ireland and over the next period of years, parishioners were to feel vulnerable and frightened.  As families moved out of the area, school numbers dropped dramatically.  In 1978, the Convent was put up for sale and, by this time school numbers stood at 94 in total. 

It was decided to amalgamate the boys' and girls' schools in the new school building.  The boys' school, in Willowfield Drive, was sold in 1982 to the Rupert Stanley College, (later to become the Belfast Institute for Further & Higher Education), and was used for a number of years as an Educational Outreach Centre.

2000 …..

When dwindling numbers made it impossible to carry on, St Anthony's Primary School finally closed its doors in 2002.  In September of the same year the school re-opened as St Vincent's Centre and continues to provide for the educational needs of young people.

1932…..

In 1932, Willowfield House and the surrounding gardens were sold by the diocesan authorities to the Cross & Passion Order.  Sisters of that Order had taught in the girls' school since 1913, whilst living at the Convent near to St Matthew's Church. With the increasing number of pupils, more sisters joined the school staff and eventually ten of them moved into the newly-acquired Convent at Willowfield.

1960-70

In the 1960's, school enrolment had increased so much that the schools in Willowfield Drive became inadequate.  In 1966, a site was obtained in the grounds of the Convent for a separate girls' school which was opened on 30th September, 1968.  It could accommodate 250 children.  Two years later, St Anthony's Boys' School was renovated.