CASTLECONNELL HEAD OF THE RIVER 27th OCTOBER

Enniskillen Royal Grammar School

20 hours ago

Congratulations to Year 10 pupil Chloe Cathcart, who was off school last week representing Northern Ireland at the prestigious Royal Windsor Horse Show in the Pony Club Dressage Home Nations competition.

Chloe was the youngest competitor in the Open section of the competition, with most competitors falling within the 18–25 age bracket. For a 14-year-old to compete so successfully at this level is an outstanding achievement.

Individually, Chloe finished an impressive 6th place, while the Northern Ireland team placed 5th overall.

Well done, Chloe! ... See MoreSee Less

Enniskillen Royal Grammar School

2 days ago

Name: Raine Allen

Year I left ERGS: 2023

A Level Subjects: Spanish, Moving Image Arts, Performing Arts, plus English Literature at AS Level

Post School Pathway: University of Central Lancashire; Assumption University of Thailand

Courses Studied: Asia Pacific Studies with Korean; Music Entrepreneurship

I visited Hong Kong, Taiwan and China in 2023, not long after leaving ERGS. It was my first solo international trip and I loved my taste of absolute freedom. In Hong Kong, I visited the remains of the Kowloon Walled City, which was an incredible experience. I was only in China for a short while, but I enjoyed my time there and finally got to use my Mandarin skills with the locals. Taiwan was beautiful and I definitely plan on returning so I can explore more. It was a vibrant combination of nature and city life, with hidden surprises everywhere, and I would absolutely be open to living there.

I went straight from ERGS to the University of Central Lancashire to study Asia Pacific Studies with Korean on an unconditional offer, but after my first year I decided that it wasn’t for me. I then went to Thailand to volunteer as an English teacher and completely fell in love with the country. So, when I returned home, I made the decision to become an international student.

While sending off applications, I worked and saved money. I then received an acceptance email from Assumption University for the term beginning in January 2025. I left home in December 2024 and started my new life. Moving here was the best decision I ever made.

Meeting people from different countries such as Laos, Myanmar, Bhutan, China and Sweden has been such an eye-opening experience. My Music Entrepreneurship course is amazing — I get a lot of freedom and most of my classes are really enjoyable. I had taught myself Thai before moving here, but my fluency has dramatically increased since arriving.

I’ve also met several Thai celebrities, which was a completely new experience for me. The most popular was Ohm Pawat, who has over five million Instagram followers and whom I met at university.

I am currently a second-year student, so I plan to complete my internship next year as part of the course curriculum. I hope to complete this with GMMTV, a television production and talent management company under GMM Grammy. I would love to work in a creative role such as concept planning or artist management.

I currently live in the suburbs of Bangkok, Thailand, as my university campus is situated outside the city. I live in a flat complex filled with students and regularly travel into the city centre. ... See MoreSee Less