Albert Johnston Award success for Lydia
Lower Sixth student Lydia Barker will travel across the Irish Sea after impressing the judges to win this year’s Albert Johnston Award competition.
Lydia’s presentation was entitled ‘Study of IRA Incidents in Northern Ireland’ and during her trip she will visit Belfast, Derry/Londonderry and Enniskillen to study the activities of the Irish Republican Army for six days.
Whilst in Enniskillen, Lydia hopes to visit family she has there and see if they had any first-hand knowledge of the Troubles that she would not necessarily find in a textbook.
Speaking about her chosen topic, Lydia said: “I have chosen to tour Northern Ireland as I want to make the most of the ability to travel and I think it would deepen my knowledge to visit the locations of incidents.
“I have also specifically chosen these three destinations because I have found, during research to satisfy my own curiosity, that there were bombings and shootings in each of these cities. I would like to stand in the exact spot that these happened, as well as visit some of the museums.”
This year’s judging panel was made up of Head of Sixth Form Mr David Stone, SGS Archivist Stuart Helm (OS 1964), former Bursar Chris Watson (OS 1973) and Governor Chris Muscutt.
After declaring Lydia as the winner, Mr Stone said: “Lydia confidently and authentically delivered her plan to the panel and she responded positively to the range of questions posed by the panellists.
“Her project had very clearly considered the logistical challenges and how the time spent in Belfast, Enniskillen and Derry/Londonderry could be most effectively utilised with visits to museums and historical sites.”
Well done to all of the students who entered this year’s competition.
