Brains, buzz and plenty of craic at Pennyburn Credit Unions School Quiz

Laughter, learning and a healthy dose of competition filled the room as Pennyburn Credit Union once again brought local schools together for its annual School Quiz, held on Friday, February 6 at Derry's White Horse Hotel.

This year’s event saw seven local primary schools take part: Holy Family PS, St Patrick’s PS, St Paul’s PS, Eglinton PS, Steelstown PSl, St John’s PSl and St Thérèse’s PS, all going head-to-head to be crowned quiz champions.

The quiz featured two competitions running side by side, with Competition A for under 11s and Competition B for under 13s. Both groups tackled a wide mix of questions covering geography, history, music, sport and Credit Union knowledge, with Competition B facing an additional two rounds.

From the moment the pupils arrived, the atmosphere in the room was electric. There was a real buzz as teams ran to their seats, whispered last-minute strategies and eagerly waited for the first question. From the very first round, it was clear this was going to be a tightly fought contest, with teams rallying behind one another and giving it absolutely everything right to the final whistle.

One of the standout moments of the quiz came whenever questions focused on Derry itself. From local knowledge and anything related to Derry City FC, the kids were in their element. You could spot the nudges across the table and the nodding heads as answers were scribbled down at speed. The pride and excitement on their faces really captured the spirit of the day.

READ NEXT: IN PICTURES: Derry primary schools battle it out at Pennyburn Credit Union School Quiz

Competition A delivered one of the most nail-biting moments of the afternoon. After ten intense rounds, St Paul’s Primary School and Holy Family Primary School were completely level, forcing not one but two nerve-wrecking tie breaker rounds to decide the winner.

The atmosphere was tense as pencils hovered, hands curled around the answer sheets and teammates whispered last-second answers.Cheers erupted when the final scores for Competition A were announced, with St Paul’s PS edging ahead to take the title.

The winning team - Ryan, Lochlainn, Seamus and Sophie - showed fantastic composure under pressure and were deservedly crowned champions after an unforgettable finish.In Competition B, St Patrick’s Primary School proved a force to be reckoned with. Darragh, Edith, Joe and Ben grew in confidence and steadily climbed the leaderboard as pressure mounted.

They pulled ahead in the closing stages to seal the win and claim first place.

Winning teams were rewarded with a medal each, a trophy for their school and a voucher to celebrate their fantastic achievement, while every pupil who took part went home with a certificate and a snack pack filled with treats as a well-deserved thank you for their efforts.

The excitement during prize-giving was clear to see, with beaming smiles all round as names were called and trophies lifted high.

A special word of thanks goes to The Trophy Cabin, who once again supplied the trophies and medals, and to photographer Peter McK, whose brilliant images captured the excitement, concentration and celebrations throughout the day.

Events like the School Quiz showcase Pennyburn Credit Union’s long standing commitment to supporting young people, local schools and the wider community. Now approaching its 60th year serving the area, the Credit Union continues to prioritise accessible, people focused financial services.

Opening an account is deliberately straightforward - with no sponsor and no appointment required - and new members can even apply for a loan on the same day they join.

In 2025 alone, more than £2 million was returned directly to members, reflecting the Credit Union’s not for profit ethos and its dedication to giving back.

Proudly serving the BT47 and BT48 areas for nearly six decades, Pennyburn Credit Union remains committed to reinvesting in the community it calls home.

With big grins and plenty of laughter, pupils were already asking when the next quiz would be - a sure sign that the Pennyburn Credit Union School Quiz event was once again a huge success, celebrating local pride and community spirit at its best.