Sandymount High School
Encyclopedia
Sandymount High School was a coeducational secondary school
on Herbert Road, Sandymount
, Dublin 4
. Founded in 1947, it was initially controversial because, as a non-denominational school, it wasn't owned by a church but by the Cannon family, who also provided the two headmasters the school had: father and son Patrick and Conall Cannon. Patrick's wife Eileen Cannon also served as headmistress.
The school's student body was arguably drawn from several distinct groups:
The school's pre-Celtic Tiger period accommodation and successful integration of the latter group was remarkable, as until the late 1990s non-white/non-Christian students were a rarity in the vast majority of Irish classrooms.
While the school had gym - basically exercise classes - for Intermediate Certificate students, it had no compulsory sports or sports team while Conall Cannon, the second headmaster, was in charge: allegedly he hated having compulsory sports while he was a student.
A rival school opened next door several years later: Marian College
, run by the Catholic Church. It was opened at the behest of John Charles McQuaid
to counter what he perceived as the influence of Sandymount High.
The school was closed in 1999 and the land sold for development. The site now contains a gated community
called Cannon Place.
Famous former pupils include Fionnuala Flanagan
, Charlie Bird
and Eamonn Dunphy.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
on Herbert Road, Sandymount
Sandymount
Sandymount is a coastal seaside suburb in Dublin 4 on the Southside of Dublin in Ireland. It is in the Dublin South East Dáil constituency and the East Pembroke Ward. It was once part of Pembroke Township, which took its name from the fact that this area was part of the estate of the Earl of...
, Dublin 4
Dublin 4
Dublin 4 is a postal district of Dublin, Ireland including the suburbs of Sandymount, Ballsbridge, Donnybrook, Ringsend and Irishtown on the South side of Dublin....
. Founded in 1947, it was initially controversial because, as a non-denominational school, it wasn't owned by a church but by the Cannon family, who also provided the two headmasters the school had: father and son Patrick and Conall Cannon. Patrick's wife Eileen Cannon also served as headmistress.
The school's student body was arguably drawn from several distinct groups:
- those from a local council estate called Beechill
- the offspring of parents disenchanted with denominational/same sex schools
- foreign nationals that paid tuition fees
- Students on the MalahideMalahideMalahide is a coastal suburban town, near Dublin city, located in the administrative county of Fingal, within the traditional County Dublin, Ireland. It has a village-like centre and extensive residential areas to the south, west and northwest.-Name:...
/HowthHowthHowth is an area in Fingal County near Dublin city in Ireland. Originally just a small fishing village, Howth with its surrounding rural district is now a busy suburb of Dublin, with a mix of dense residential development and wild hillside, all on the peninsula of Howth Head. The only...
to BrayBrayBray is a town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a busy urban centre and seaside resort, with a population of 31,901 making it the fourth largest in Ireland as of the 2006 census...
rail corridor and the 3 & 18 bus routes.
The school's pre-Celtic Tiger period accommodation and successful integration of the latter group was remarkable, as until the late 1990s non-white/non-Christian students were a rarity in the vast majority of Irish classrooms.
While the school had gym - basically exercise classes - for Intermediate Certificate students, it had no compulsory sports or sports team while Conall Cannon, the second headmaster, was in charge: allegedly he hated having compulsory sports while he was a student.
A rival school opened next door several years later: Marian College
Marian College (Dublin)
Marian College is a Marist Catholic secondary school on Lansdowne Road in Ballsbridge, Dublin. The school motto is Optimum Optare - the pursuit of excellence. The school was founded in 1954 and has a student population of 413 boys and 12 girls...
, run by the Catholic Church. It was opened at the behest of John Charles McQuaid
John Charles McQuaid
John Charles McQuaid, C.S.Sp. was the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland between December 1940 and February 1972.- Early life 1895-1914:...
to counter what he perceived as the influence of Sandymount High.
The school was closed in 1999 and the land sold for development. The site now contains a gated community
Gated community
In its modern form, a gated community is a form of residential community or housing estate containing strictly-controlled entrances for pedestrians, bicycles, and automobiles, and often characterized by a closed perimeter of walls and fences. Gated communities usually consist of small residential...
called Cannon Place.
Famous former pupils include Fionnuala Flanagan
Fionnuala Flanagan
Fionnghuala Manon Flanagan is an Irish actress who has worked extensively in theatre, film and television.-Early life:...
, Charlie Bird
Charlie Bird
Charles "Charlie" Bird is an Irish journalist and broadcaster. He was Chief News Correspondent with RTÉ News and Current Affairs until January 2009. He took up the role of Washington Correspondent, but prematurely returned to his earlier post in Ireland in June 2010.-Early life:Bird was born in...
and Eamonn Dunphy.