The official cutting of the sod ceremony took place at the new Ashgrove site on Wednesday 7th November 2007. Current site images:

Today marks a special day in the educational provision for the communities of Newry, South Down and South Armagh when the Christian Brothers confirmed their commitment to future generations of boys in these areas as the first work commenced on the building project of a new £17.5 Million school to replace the current Abbey Grammar School at Courtenay Hill.

At the first sod cutting ceremony on a green-field 26 acre site on Ashgrove Road, Newry by a group of pupils representing the 7 year-groups attending the present school, Brother Kevin Mullan Province Leader of the Christian Brothers and Brother Leo Kelly, Chairman of the Abbey Christian Brothers expressed their satisfaction that the historic role of the Christian Brothers in the Newry area would be continued in the new state of the art building and that this resource would serve future generations of boys from all the local communities.

The ceremony was attended by Bishop John McAreavey who in blessing the ground praised both the past years of educational service of the Christian Brothers in the area and their major financial and educational commitment to the next generations of pupils. Representing the Department of Education for Northern Ireland Mr Brian McLawrence confirmed the commitment the Department to the development of a modern educational intra-structure for the 21st Century in Northern Ireland and expressed his thanks to the efforts of Samuel Stevenson & Sons the Architects to bring the project to its current level.

In conclusion the Headmaster of the Abbey Christian Brothers’ Grammar School Mr Dermot McGovern spoke of his delight that this major project which had been so long in the process of planning was now beginning on a beautiful elevated site and stated his confirmation that the building work which was in the capable hands of Woodvale Construction, Omagh would be completed for occupation in September 2009.

Brother Kevin Mullan - Superior – Irish Christian Brothers

Brother Leo Kelly - Chairman – Abbey Board of Governors

Brother J. Thady O’Mahony - Superior – Newry Christian Brothers

Mr Brian McLawrence - D.E.N.I.

Mr Peter Niblock - Samuel Stevenson & Sons, Architects

Mr Frank Hinds - Samuel Stevenson & Sons, Architects

Bishop John McAreavey - Bishop of Dromore

Mr Des Scott - Woodvale Constuction, Omagh

Mr Jim McClean - Project Manager – JCP Consulting

Mr Val Kane - New School Co-ordinator

Abbey Pupils - Travis Kelly, Cathal Grant, Henry McLoughlin, Christopher Fearon, Patrick McCoy, Cathal MacDhaibheid, Mark Forte

Abbey Board of Governors - Mrs C McAlinden, Mr D. Gillespie,Mr A Murdock, Mr S McAteer, Mr A Morgan, Mr M Brady, Mr G Patterson

Abbey Staff - Mr A. O’Rourke, Mr J. Rath, Mrs M. Rafferty, Mrs T. McKernan, Ms C. McAvoy , Mrs P. McKinley,Mr E. McGivern, Mrs A. Breen-Mallon, Mr R Ruddy, Mr P O’Shea

APTA - Mrs S. Murray

Mr Dermot McGovern - Headmaster – Abbey Christian Brothers’ Grammar School