Minister receives royal honour for education

Reverend Thomas Mawhinney was last week named on the Queen's Birthday Honours List and will receive a MBE at a special ceremony in Buckingham Palace. The Minister, who joined 2nd Limavady Presbyterian Church in 1970, retired last year from his post on three school's Board of Governors after 35 years. The Minister, who was also a Reverend for Myroe Presbyterian Church, was nominated by a number of past and present principals from schools in the town. Speaking yesterday about the news, Rev Mawhinney said he was "delighted" to be honoured.

He said: "I received a phone call from a friend at around 6.30am the day the honours list was published to say that I had been honoured. He had been working at his computer very early in the morning and had saw the list, so that's how I found out. I am absolutely delighted."

Rev Mawhinney left school at 14 and went onto work in an estate agents in East Belfast before leaving after being "called" to the Ministry. He studied at Magee University, Londonderry and graduated at Trinity College, Dublin before moving onto study Theology at the Assemblies College in Belfast. The Minister came to Limavady 2nd in 1970 after a stint as assistant minister at Seaview and Bloomfield Churches in Belfast.

"During that time I lived close to two schools. Over time I became involved in the governor's committee of Limavady High School and then Central primary School. I went onto the Board of Governor's for Central Primary School in 1973 then eventually onto Limavady High School's Board and also Drumachose Primary School Governor's as well."

Since then and until last year Rev Mawhinney worked for over three decades in the Borough's education system. The Minister spent his time as the Vice Chair and Chair of those boards over the years, leading to his nomination by colleagues for the 2010 Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Rev Mawhinney continued: "I am delighted to have worked in the education system for so long. It;s great to be able to look back and see what has been established in each school. What's even better than that is when you see the students walking to and from school together with different uniforms on. It was great to be able to work with so many different schools and see them come together. It has been a pleasure and a privilege."

Rev Mawhinney also paid tribute to the principals of the various schools he worked with in the town and his wife and family including his late son David.

"I knew for about six weeks that I had been nominated but I wasn't able to tell anyone. That is so hard when you are in town and see so many of your friends and you just want to talk about it. Now everyone knows," laughed the minister.

Rev Mawhinney was among 61 other people in Northern Ireland to be named in the Queens Birthday Honours List. He will receive an MBE in the coming weeks for voluntary service to Education in Limavady.