St Mary’s University College has celebrated the successful conclusion of Féile an Phobail 2026, marking the event as a significant part of the closing weeks of its 125th anniversary year. Building on a partnership with Féile that dates back to 1994, the College hosted an extensive programme of debates, discussions and visual arts exhibitions that attracted large audiences to the campus.

Visitors from Kyiv, Anastasiia Sakhnenko and Oksana Pomazanko of Global Mediator, addressed students and staff at St Mary’s University College during a visit to Belfast. They highlighted the devastating impact of the war in Ukraine on education, noting that more than 4,200 educational institutions have been targeted, 1,300 schools destroyed, and around 20% of universities severely damaged or destroyed.

Four St Mary’s student teachers spent a month in Tanzania, supporting partner schools, enhancing ICT provision, and gaining valuable cultural and professional experience through the College’s longstanding partnership with Strathroy Dairy Ltd.