Golfer Rory McIlroy has been described as an “incredible inspiration” to pupils at his former school in Co Down.
McIlroy attended Sullivan Upper in Holywood in the early 2000s, and is remembered as a teenager who was “golf mad”.
The school offers a green blazer for pupils who excel at sport, which principal Craig Mairs said McIlroy achieved during his time at the school, adding the current pupils are hoping he might bring his latest home to show them.
“It’s incredibly inspirational for our current pupils to have someone to look up to and to aspire to, not just in the world of golf but generally, Rory talked last night to his daughter about never giving up on your dreams and chasing that dream, he certainly did when he was a pupil here, and whether they are sporty or into their music or focused primarily on their studies, he is a real inspiration to our young people,” he said.
Mr Mairs referred to McIlroy chasing his dream of a career grand slam for the last 11 years, adding no one had expected it would be easy.
“Our school motto here is about character, it’s an old Irish motto, we’re the only school with an old Irish motto – Lamh Foisdineach An Uachtar – which in English means the gentle hand foremost, and we really felt last night that the grace and dignity with which Rory has carried himself over the last eleven years with enormous pressure on him, and the magnanimous way he behaved last night, his referencing of his family, he really demonstrated that character,” he said.
“For our pupils, we often say to them, no sporting success or failure, no academic result or piece of paper will ever define you, what will define you is your character and I think you saw that last night.”
He added: “As a young man Rory was so obsessed with golf from an early age, I think there was a bit of a debate with his headmaster at the time, a man called John Stevenson who rather felt I think that Rory spent maybe too long out of the classroom pursuing his golf, I think it’s fair to say to Mr Stevenson that Rory was settled that debate once and for all as to whether that was a good idea.”
He also referenced Rory achieving his “second green blazer”.
“Our school honours blazer is a green blazer, Rory was actually an exceptional case, he gained his green blazer much earlier than sixth form – in Year 11 – and we’re hoping that he’ll bring his Masters green blazer here in the future,” he said.
