Sir Allen McClay 1932 – 2010
posted 25 Jan 2010

Cookstown High School Pupil 1943-1949

It was with great sadness that Cookstown High School learnt of the sudden death of Sir Allen McClay.

Sir Allen attended Derryloran Public Elementary School before joining Cookstown High School in 1943. He apparently didn’t care much for science at school and said that it was one of his weakest subjects. At school though, he did excel at sports and was a member of the school 1 st XI Hockey Team 1948-49 and represented Ulster at school boy level.

Leaving the High School at 16 Sir Allen attended Belfast College of technology and qualified as a pharmacist in 1953. He went into pharmacy only because he found out he’d be paid while in was indentured, (five shillings a week) rather than having to pay for his apprenticeship. It is inspiring to think that the boy who didn’t much like science at school went on to found Galen Pharmaceutical Company in 1968 and Almac in 2002 becoming one of Northern Ireland’s most successful businessmen.

ir Allen was a great pioneer and a great visionary who felt a strong commitment to education and society, he believed that it was part of everyone’s responsibility to have consideration for the community and society and world they live in. His life story is truly inspirational and the High School is immensely proud of the fact that he was one of our former pupils. We would like at this time to express our sadness to Sir Allen’s family and friends at his passing.