rie ▁State ▁School ▁has ▁a ▁strong ▁and ▁on going ▁association ▁with ▁the ▁Pet rie ▁community . ▁It ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 9 ▁( to ▁replace ▁an ▁ 1 8 7 5 ▁half - time ▁prov is ional ▁school ) ▁through ▁the ▁efforts ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁community ▁and ▁has ▁educated ▁gener ations ▁of ▁Pet rie ▁children . ▁The ▁place ▁is ▁important ▁for ▁its ▁contribution ▁to ▁the ▁educational ▁development ▁of ▁Pet rie ▁and ▁is ▁a ▁prominent ▁community ▁foc al ▁point ▁and ▁gather ing ▁place ▁for ▁social ▁events ▁with ▁w ides p read ▁community ▁support . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Att ribution ▁ ▁Further ▁reading ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁▁▁ ▁Category : Que ens land ▁Heritage ▁Register ▁Category : P et rie , ▁Queensland ▁Category : Public ▁schools ▁in ▁Queensland ▁Category : Art icles ▁incorpor ating ▁text ▁from ▁the ▁Queensland ▁Heritage ▁Register <0x0A> </s> ▁D erek ▁Mc N ally ▁is ▁an ▁Irish ▁astronom er ▁and ▁educ ator . ▁ ▁D erek ▁Mc N ally ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁in ▁B elf ast , ▁Northern ▁Ireland . ▁ ▁He ▁gained ▁his ▁B Sc ▁from ▁Queen ' s ▁University ▁B elf ast ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁followed ▁by ▁his ▁MA ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁awarded ▁his ▁Ph D ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁London ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁assistant ▁lect urer ▁at ▁Royal ▁H ollow ay ▁College ▁( 1 9 5 9 - 1 9