It is not every day that an event celebrates 150 years or 1,500 years for that matter. Last Friday, an event took place in Belleek that embraced both occasions when pupils from two local schools, St John the Baptist Primary School, Roscor, and Belleek Primary School, Corry, gathered at Belleek Pottery for a "Macartan 1500' time capsule ceremony, celebrating 1,500 years since the death of Clogher Diocese's Patron Saint.
By coincidence, the Pottery is currently celebrating its 150th Anniversary.
The children from the two schools have been preparing material since the beginning of the term for the time capsule as part of their joint project on St Macartan. Among the items sent forward in time 50 years include DVDs, children's toys and books, and recent local and regional newspapers.
Pupils also included a fashion magazine to document the current trends, as well as a copy of a magazine on computers and accessories to illustrate changes in technology.
The had a number of contributors, including the Clogher Diocese, which contributed information about the Macartan 1500 Project and a plaque, and Belleek Pottery itself who contributed a commemorative 150th Anniversary ornament with inscriptions of the names of the two schools and the Macartan 1500 project.
Pupils also included a description about themselves and their aspirations for their future profession. Some children also described their hopes for the future of Northern Ireland and beyond, highlighting their concerns about global warming and desires for peace.
A special guest of Clogher Diocese, Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, Archbishop of Kaduna in Nigeria praised the children for all their hard work. Also present was the Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher, Bishop Michael Jackson, Frs Noel Regan and Fr Lonergan.
Kellie Beacom, Project Co-ordinator for the Macartan 1500 Project complimented the children from both schools who had put so much work into their contribution to the time capsule.
"I told them that they were to write the 8th of June 2057 into their diaries because we are to all meet for the unearthing of the time capsule. I neglected to mention that I will need to bring my zimmer frame!"
