The 'Spirit of Enniskillen' scheme was established after the Remembrance Day bomb to promote understanding and harmony among the young people of Northern Ireland and each year sixth formers of the highest quality are chosen to visit countries which have experienced conflict.

They travel in groups of 10 and while abroad they engage in a wide range of activities designed to increase their understanding of how to work in cooperation with others.

On returning to Northern Ireland they are expected to use their experiences to make a positive contribution to society.
All five successful candidates from Ballycastle High School are in Lower Sixth. Jamie Lee Faulkner will be travelling to Sweden, Alison Wilson to Cyprus, Carla Glass to the State of Maine USA, Philip Scott to Canada and Daniel McCurdy will be going to the Governor's Institute in Vermont, also in the USA.

To be successful, candidates have to complete an application form which requires them to express their opinions about current issues.
The several hundred applicants are then reduced to 90, each of whom is interviewed during the day long session at Spirit of Enniskillen headquarters in Belfast.

Finally 50 sixth form pupils are chosen to take part in the programme.
Pupils from most of the major schools in Northern Ireland compete for a place on the programme and the success of Ballycastle sixth formers is quite amazing.

The five successful candidates this year is the highest number from any school and this is the 13th successive year that Ballycastle High School have been selected.

These achievements are gained in the context of a school which not only values its local connections but also sees itself very much as part of a wider European and international community.