A cross-community school trip between two Co Derry schools to the upcoming European Championships in rance has been called of due to fears over terrorism.
Fifty year eight and nine pupils from St Mary’s Grammar School, Magherafelt and Magherafelt High School, along with five members of staff, had intended to take a seven-day trip to the tournament.
The trip, which was part of a cross-community programme had taken some 18 months to plan.
The schools had purchased tickets to two games.
However, both school principals, Deirdre Gillespie and Stephen Elder, have pulled out of the trip, due to begin on 10 June, in interest of their pupils’ safety.
France has been high alert since the ISIS attacks in Paris in November with the French Parliament last week approving to extend the country’s state of emergency to cover the tournament.
Mr Elder from Magherafelt High School, told the County Derry Post the decision to cancel the trip was one that was ‘not taken lightly.’
He said: “We made the decision to cancel the trip in light of the terrorist attacks in Paris in the autumn and of course the Brussels attack in March.
“Concerns of the parents have been taken on-board and we took the decision in the best interest of our pupils.
“It was a decision that we did not take lightly.
“We hope and pray that everything does go smoothly but if something was to happen, the worry and upset it would cause among parents and the school community would be too great.
“It is unfortunate and I am sure the pupils are disappointed to miss out on this opportunity but we believe that to pull out was the best decision.”
All pupils have been fully reimbursed, however the schools have been left short as a result of the cancellation.
Mr Elder explained: “No money has been forthcoming from the travel company but since we took the decision ourselves, we feel morally obliged to refund the full cost of the trip to all pupils.
“We had purchased tickets to two different games, but we can’t recoup any of the cost from UEFA which has caused some annoyance as it is a considerable cost to both schools.”
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