House Competition

The aims of the House system are:

  • To increase the sense of identity and belonging in what is for virtually all pupils a much larger school than their primary schools.
  • To provide a vertical age-grouping smaller than the whole school, where pupils in Years 8-14 can mix and where older pupils lead activities and act as role models for the younger pupils.
  • To promote pupil participation in inter-House competitions and a healthy, friendly rivalry when competing for the various House trophies.
  • To encourage high standards of work, play and behaviour.

The House System therefore complements the pastoral work of the Heads of Year and Form Tutors and contributes to the pupils’ sense of belonging to the school community. There are four Houses and pupils from each year group work together in their House to take part in the various competitions. There is a House Assembly every Wednesday led by a teacher, who is Head of House, and pupil officials drawn from the Sixth Form.

The four Houses are:

Beresford/Charlemont

John George Beresford was one of two brothers who each became Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland. In 1850, the Archbishop gave RSD a substantial sum of money which was used to build the Cloisters area, a gymnasium and two classrooms.

This gym is now the Marshall Library. In memory of Beresford’s generosity, the “blue” house is named after him.

Bullingbrook/Tyrone

The house is named after John Bullingbrook, who was the first RSD Headmaster. By 1614, King James was angry that his royal charter to establish a “free school” for Co. Tyrone, granted in 1608, had not yet been acted upon. He demanded that the Archbishop of Armagh take immediate action and a Headmaster, John Bullingbrook, was appointed in May 1614. The school was then on the shores of Lough Neagh at the fortified village of Mountjoy. The area is still called “College Lands” although it is just fields now. Later, the Royal School moved to Dungannon and in 1641 this new school was attacked and destroyed by Irish rebels. Bullingbrook and his son were forced to flee and sought refuge in the great forest of Glenconkeyne on the western shores of Lough Neagh. They both died of hunger and exposure. In 400 years there have only been 21 Headmasters of RSD.

Mountjoy/Ranfurly

400 years ago Ulster was the most Gaelic part of Ireland and resolutely defied English attempts to extend control over the Province. Hugh O’Neill had his headquarters in Dungannon and led the Ulster Gaelic resistance, fighting off a series of English armies. A new English commander, Lord Mountjoy, fought a ruthless and determined campaign against O’Neill until the great Irish chieftain surrendered in 1603. In the years following, English and Scottish planters made Ulster their home and RSD was registered as one of the schools for the planters’ children. Without Mountjoy there would have been no Ulster plantation and no Royal School, thus his name is commemorated in one of RSD’s houses.

Nicholson/Dungannon

General Sir John Nicholson was a pupil at RSD in the 19th Century. He went on to achieve fame as a soldier, dying a hero’s death during the Siege of Delhi in the Indian Mutiny of 1857. Nicholson was most famous in the Northwest Frontier of India. He was amazingly brave, administered strict justice and had an awesome appearance. In India he was regarded by some as being virtually a God and he was commemorated with a statue at the Delhi Gate. Professor R. L. Marshall wrote a poem in a school magazine of the 1930s in which he described a dream of the Nicholson Statue standing not in Delhi but in front of RSD. This came to pass some years later, when the statue of Nicholson was removed from Delhi after Indian independence and brought to Dungannon. It was erected in front of the school in 1960 and formally unveiled in 1967 by Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India. Nicholson House was the last of the four RSD houses to be founded.

The House competitions include:

  • Rugby – junior and senior
  • Hockey – junior and senior
  • Badminton
  • Tennis
  • Cricket
  • Debating
  • House Studies Cup
  • Sports Day athletics

House Photography Competition!

In the second year of our House Photography Competition, students were asked to show us what ‘choices & challenges’ means to them, in a single photo and caption.

House Badminton Champions!

Congratulations to our House Badminton Doubles Champions, Samuel Chan & Kinson Yu.

Gingerbread Inter-House Competition

Congratulations to all those who took part in the inter-house gingerbread house competition at the end of last term

Y8 House Activity Day 2022

Year 8 enjoyed a fun-filled House Activity Day on 23rd September, where they were able to take part in...

Sports Day 2022

On Wednesday, we held our annual Sports Day, with students from Years 8-11 competing in a range of track and field events. We were very fortunate with the weather, meaning that our athletes and spectators were able to enjoy the activities and support their House.

House Debating Competition 2022

On Friday 6th April, the House Debating competition took place. The motion was “This house believes that Ireland should be reunited”

House Photography Competition

After coming through an era of lockdown, students are beginning to reconnect with family, friends, school and the wider world. Students were asked to show us what ‘reconnet’ (our pastoral theme for the year) means to them, in a single photo and caption…

Senior House Badminton Competition 2018

There was a very pleasing turn out for senior house badminton which took place on 10th Jan. Initially, for the female singles, Nicholson/Dungannon’s Joanne Shaw dominated against both Bullingbrook/ Tyrone and Beresford / Charlemount winning 11-7 and 11-6 respectively.

House Debating win for Beresford Charlemont

Congratulations to Rebecca Richardson (Year 13) & Robyn Archer (Year 8) in Beresford Charlemont, on being awarded the House Cup for Debating in School Assembly on Tuesday 28th March.

Sports Day 2016: hat trick heroics from Bullingbrook-Tyrone

Wednesday 4 May was Sports Day, RSD's showpiece inter-house track and field competition. Bullingbrook-Tyrone had stormed to victory in the previous two Sports Days, and 'the green army' began with high hopes that they could make it three in a row.  But as the...

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