Dilworth’s International Tour Becomes a Reality
Years of travel disruption and empty planes seem like distant memories. This Saturday, they will certainly be for the 71 students and ten teaching staff about to take off to see the world on Dilworth’s International Tour. This will be the trip of a lifetime for students, many of whom have never travelled overseas before.
A huge effort has gone into getting this off the ground, and students, their families, and Dilworth School, with some assistance from the Advancement Team, have been fundraising since last year.
Acting Headmaster, Mr Tom Murdoch, explained what this opportunity will mean for Dilworth students.
“Not only will this tour give our young men a chance to experience international travel, but it will also develop their appreciation of what it means to be a global citizen and... to see different cultures and how people live. It will certainly expand their horizons”.
This tour marks the first time that three contingents are heading away—Choir, Rugby, and Basketball. They will all visit places relevant to their respective interests and talents before meeting in Northern Ireland on October 4th.
So, precisely what’s in store for the three tours?
Our Choir: Fortissimo
All 30 members of Fortissimo are going on tour. Accompanied by Mr Jacob Moore, two other teaching staff members, and a piano accompanist, they will travel to Austria first, followed by England and Northern Ireland.
They have an incredible programme to look forward to. A highlight in Austria will be singing with the Vienna Boys’ Choir and performing in historic cathedrals. Then, in London, they will experience a workshop with Welsh composer Paul Mealor – to put this in context, Mealor famously composed the music for the Coronation of King Charles. They will also experience an Evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral before their final stop in Dungannon, Northern Ireland, where they will meet the rest of the Dilworth International Tour students at RSD.
Rugby
Downtown LA will be the first stop for the Rugby Tour. The 26 senior Dilworth Rugby Development Pathway students will spend a day seeing the sights before visiting the LA Professional Rugby Teams Academy. The next stop is the UK, where they will go to London first before heading South to play Millfield School in the South West of England.
The rugby team will see more of Ireland as they travel to Dublin to play Blackrock College before going to Belfast, Northern Ireland, where they meet with the other Dilworth tour groups. Their last stop will be the Royal School of Dungannon, a focal point for everyone.
Massive tour highlights for our Rugby students will be visiting the High-Performance Sports Academy in LA, Twickenham, the home of rugby, Anfield FC in Liverpool, and the High-Performance Rugby Academy in Dublin.
Director of Rugby Gareth Pickering will oversee this tour, accompanied by coaches Ant Strachan and Josh Devine. Mr Pickering says he is thrilled his group will have this opportunity: “I can’t wait to see the joy in our boys, seeing what the world has to offer. I’ve coached and taught in many of these places and know what it will mean to them”.
Basketball
Our basketballers also start in Los Angeles, the ‘home’ of basketball. Students selected from Dilworth’s Basketball Performance Pathway will get invaluable experience through live game opportunities in and around LA, which will form a large part of their tour. Over ten days in and around the city, they will play in tournaments, games, and matches, and, along with the students on the rugby tour, they will also visit the LA High-Performance Sports Academy.
This Tour, led by Head of Sport Mr Darryn Hoare and Director of Basketball Mr Josiah Maama, will travel to London to see the sights before playing some games in the UK. Again, the last stop of the Basketball Tour will be the Royal School of Dungannon.
Mr Hoare says students on this tour will have “A great mix of competitive games, world sights, cultural experience, and life experience. Boys who have never travelled will have their eyes open to new possibilities.”
The Royal School of Dungannon (RSD)
The focal point of the tour will be when all three Dilworth contingents come together in Northern Ireland to visit the Royal School of Dungannon (RSD). The Royal School was established over 400 years ago, and Dilworth has maintained strong ties with RSD for over a century. We have a shared history and significant legacy with the Royal School, as Dilworth’s founder, James Dilworth, was born in Dungannon in 1815 and educated at RSD. It is where his journey began before he emigrated to Aotearoa, New Zealand.
He and his wife, Isabella, ultimately founded Dilworth, leaving an incredible legacy.
The time at the Royal School of Dungannon will be incredibly special. Dilworth’s Board Chair, Mr Aaron Snodgrass, and Headmaster, Dan Reddiex, will meet with students on the tour. Together, they will spend Friday, October 4th, at RSD, visiting sites of significance to James and Isabella Dilworth and enjoying a ‘friendly’ rugby game. Our choir, Fortissimo, will then perform at a celebratory dinner to be held in the evening.
Given the significance of this tour, Old Boys and past tutors living in the UK are also invited to take part.
Recent RSD students who have served as Gap tutors at Dilworth are invited to a ‘Rugby and Reunion’ event. This event promises to celebrate shared memories and camaraderie, strengthening the ties between RSD and Dilworth.
And Dilworth Old Boys living in the UK will have a chance to meet up in London for the first time in a decade. Dilworth's Director of Advancement, Emma Zigan, will jointly host a get-together with the President of the Dilworth Old Boys Association (DOBA), Mr Gerry Smutz, alongside Dilworth Headmaster Mr Dan Reddiex and Chairman Mr Aaron Snodgrass. This event promises to be a heartwarming celebration of shared memories and camaraderie.
Acting Headmaster, Mr Murdoch, summed up what this incredible experience will mean for Dilworth students:
“What better chance for our students than to walk in other cultures, make friends and to compete against other high achieving schools, teams and singers”.
Brilliant!
We wish everyone on Dilworth’s International Tour safe travels and a wonderful time.