On Thursday 13th October 2016 the Year 14 History students paid a visit to the Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church in Rosemary Street, Belfast. The event was organised by the College Archivist, Gerry McNamee. The Church Historian, Raymond O'Reagan, spoke to the students about the importance of Thomas McCabe in shaping late 18th Century Irish history.

McCabe had successfully campaigned to stop plans by the town's leading merchants to start a slaving venture in Belfast. He was also instrumental in setting up the United Irishmen and in organising the 1798 Rebellion. Of course McCabe has also close connections with St. Malachy's College. The site of the school was formerly the Vicinage estate, owned by the McCabe family, until sold to the Catholic Church in the early 19th Century. The McCabe’s were members of this Church and the students had the opportunity to sit in the pew owned by the family. Raymond O’Reagan’s talk was extremely informative and provided the students with an excellent grasp of Irish history in the 19th Century as they begin their Partition of Ireland 1900-1925 course!