St. Mary's College, Dublin
Encyclopedia
Saint Mary's College C.S.Sp. (Congregatio Sancti Spiritus) is an all-boys' primary & secondary school run by the Congregation of the Holy Spirit
and located in Rathmines
, County Dublin
, Ireland
. The school was founded in 1890 and was closed between 1916 and 1926.
Rugby is the major sport and the school colours are blue and white. The Senior School Principal is Mr. Denis Murphy and the Senior School Deputy Principal is Mr. Brian Moore. The Junior School Principal is Mrs. Mary O'Donnell and the Junior School Deputy Principal is Mr. Brian Barron
The College Motto is 'Fidelitas in Arduis' - Latin for 'faithful in difficulty
'.
The College sports ground in Kenilworth Square was purchased in 1947. It was immediately levelled and seeded and was ready to be used in 1950. The college chapel was opened in 1955.
Between the years 1966 and 1968 the College went through a series of renovations which included a new gym, a new entrance on the Rathmines Road and the Junior School extension. The new Scout Den, in Kenilworth Square, was opened in 1971 and the chapel was changed in 1975. In 1981 the new pavilion was opened in Kenilworth.
In 1989 a new Senior School wing was opened. In 1990 the College celebrated its centenary year. A further extension to the Senior School was completed in 1995 and the science laboratories were re-equipped. The gym was improved in the 1992 with the addition of a new weights room. In 1997 Kenilworth Square had its pitches improved, changing facilities increased and new fencing installed.
In addition to the construction of the hall, the development plan included the construction of a new Senior School canteen, biology laboratory and technology facilities. The Junior School was also refurbished.
Jonathan Sexton and Seamus Deering
The school has won the Leinster Schools Senior Cup
5 times and is considered one of the top rugby playing schools in Leinster. The associated club - St. Mary's College RFC - was created by past pupils.
Holy Ghost Fathers
The Congregation of the Holy Spirit is a Roman Catholic congregation of priests, lay brothers, and since Vatican II, lay associates...
and located in Rathmines
Rathmines
Rathmines is a suburb on the southside of Dublin, about 3 kilometres south of the city centre. It effectively begins at the south side of the Grand Canal and stretches along the Rathmines Road as far as Rathgar to the south, Ranelagh to the east and Harold's Cross to the west.Rathmines has...
, County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. The school was founded in 1890 and was closed between 1916 and 1926.
Rugby is the major sport and the school colours are blue and white. The Senior School Principal is Mr. Denis Murphy and the Senior School Deputy Principal is Mr. Brian Moore. The Junior School Principal is Mrs. Mary O'Donnell and the Junior School Deputy Principal is Mr. Brian Barron
The College Motto is 'Fidelitas in Arduis' - Latin for 'faithful in difficulty
'.
History
St. Mary's opened in 1890 with only 34 students but this number increased to 115 by the end of that first school year. The College closed in July 1916 for a variety of reasons including mounting debts, lack of staff and the necessity to relocate Holy Ghost seminarians from war-torn Europe. Due to popular demand led by the then Archbishop of Dublin, St. Mary's reopened in 1926.The College sports ground in Kenilworth Square was purchased in 1947. It was immediately levelled and seeded and was ready to be used in 1950. The college chapel was opened in 1955.
Between the years 1966 and 1968 the College went through a series of renovations which included a new gym, a new entrance on the Rathmines Road and the Junior School extension. The new Scout Den, in Kenilworth Square, was opened in 1971 and the chapel was changed in 1975. In 1981 the new pavilion was opened in Kenilworth.
In 1989 a new Senior School wing was opened. In 1990 the College celebrated its centenary year. A further extension to the Senior School was completed in 1995 and the science laboratories were re-equipped. The gym was improved in the 1992 with the addition of a new weights room. In 1997 Kenilworth Square had its pitches improved, changing facilities increased and new fencing installed.
Recent changes
Around 2000, the school launched a development programme including the construction of a new multi-purpose hall and gymnasium, known as the Fr. Barry Hall in honour of Fr. Frank ‘Père’ Barry, a long-serving member of the College community. The Fr. Barry Hall was opened in 2003 and has been used for a variety of College events including prize-giving, theatrical productions and seminars, as well as the physical education programme.In addition to the construction of the hall, the development plan included the construction of a new Senior School canteen, biology laboratory and technology facilities. The Junior School was also refurbished.
Rugby
St. Mary's have produced 31 schools' international players since 1975 - more than almost any other school - as well as several full international players such as Denis HickieDenis Hickie
Denis Anthony Hickie born 13 February 1976 in Dublin, Ireland is a retired professional rugby union footballer employed by the Irish Rugby Football Union. He played his club rugby for Leinster. His primary position was on the wing. He is also known as Disco Denis as a result of his quick feet...
Jonathan Sexton and Seamus Deering
The school has won the Leinster Schools Senior Cup
Leinster Schools Senior Cup
The Leinster Schools Senior Challenge Cup is the premier rugby union competition for secondary schools affiliated to the Leinster Branch of the IRFU. First held in 1887, the Cup celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2007....
5 times and is considered one of the top rugby playing schools in Leinster. The associated club - St. Mary's College RFC - was created by past pupils.
Basketball
St. Mary's has also recently added basketball to the list of sports that it offers to students. Although it was only started in 2005 the school now field numerous basketball teams competing in many inter-school competitions. In 2007, the senior team won the inaugural U19 All - Ireland Plate. In 2008, the senior team won the Leinster U19 Trophy. The U19 lost to St. Joseph's, Derry in the All-Ireland final.Badminton
Badminton is offered in the school it is not as popular as rugby or basketball but there is still a good turnout at the training sessions.Notable alumni
- Kevin BarryKevin BarryKevin Gerard Barry was the first Irish republican to be executed by the British since the leaders of the Easter Rising. Barry was sentenced to death for his part in an IRA operation which resulted in the deaths of three British soldiers.Barry's death is considered a watershed moment in the Irish...
(briefly) - Irish republican (executed in 1920) - Paul DeanPaul Dean (rugby player)Paul Michael Dean is a former Irish international rugby union player. He toured Australia in 1989 with the British and Irish Lions and at the time played club rugby for St. Mary's College RFC.-Notes:...
- Former Irish rugby player - Vincent DowlingVincent DowlingVincent Gerard Dowling is an Emmy Award winning Irish actor and director.He was formerly married to the late Irish actress, Brenda Doyle...
- Irish American Director - Frs. Tom and Earnest FarrellScouting Ireland (CSI)Scouting Ireland was a WOSM affiliated National Scout Organisation in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland from 1927 to December 31, 2003. It has since merged with Scouting Ireland S.A.I. to form Scouting Ireland...
- Founders of the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland in 1927 - Larry GoganLarry GoganLaurence 'Larry' Gogan is an Irish broadcaster working for Raidió Teilifís Éireann . He is a disc jockey on RTÉ 2fm. His show is The Golden Hour, during which Larry plays old favourites and classic songs from yesteryear. Gogan spun the first disc on Radio 2, Like Clockwork by The Boomtown Rats...
- broadcaster - Denis HickieDenis HickieDenis Anthony Hickie born 13 February 1976 in Dublin, Ireland is a retired professional rugby union footballer employed by the Irish Rugby Football Union. He played his club rugby for Leinster. His primary position was on the wing. He is also known as Disco Denis as a result of his quick feet...
- Former Leinster, Irish and Lions rugby player - Shane JenningsShane JenningsShane Jennings born 8 July 1981 in Dublin, Ireland is a rugby union player for Leinster Rugby in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.He is also registered to St...
- Leinster and Irish rugby player - Nicholas KearnsNicholas KearnsNicholas Kearns is the President of the High Court of Ireland, and ex-officio member of the Supreme Court. He was appointed a judge of the High Court in 1998 and was appointed to the Supreme Court in November 2004. He is the most senior Irish judge after Chief Justice Susan Denham. He was...
- Judge of the Irish Supreme Court - Kieran LewisKieran LewisKieran Lewis born 10 June 1980 is a Rugby player for Lansdowne Football Club. He previously played for both Munster and Leinster. He plays as a Centre.-External links:*...
- Munster RugbyMunster RugbyMunster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
player - Darragh MacAnthony - Chairman of Peterborough United FC
- Ronan McCormackRonan McCormackRonan McCormack was a professional rugby union player from Ireland. He recently played provincial rugby for Leinster and club rugby for University College Dublin RFC....
- Former Leinster and UCD Rugby Player - Rodney O'DonnellRodney O'DonnellRodney Christopher O'Donnell is a former Ireland international rugby union player. He toured South Africa in 1980 with the British Lions and at the time played club rugby for St. Mary's College RFC. His rugby career was ended by a neck injury.- Notes :...
- Former Leinster, Irish and Lions rugby player - Tom O'HigginsTom O'HigginsThomas Francis O'Higgins was an Irish Fine Gael politician, a barrister and a judge.Tom O'Higgins was born in Cork in 1916. He was the son of Thomas F. O'Higgins and the nephew of Kevin O'Higgins...
- former Chief JusticeChief JusticeThe Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of Irish Supreme Court - David O'SullivanDavid O'Sullivan (civil servant)David O'Sullivan is the Chief Operating Officer of the European Union's diplomatic corps, the European External Action Service, since 2010. He was the Secretary-General of the European Commission between June 2000 and November 2005....
, Director General for EU Trade - Paddy PowerPaddy PowerPaddy Power is Ireland’s largest bookmaker. Offline it conducts business through a chain of licensed betting offices and by operating Ireland's largest telephone betting service. Online it offers sports betting, online poker, online bingo, online casino games and spread betting...
- Bookmaker - Eoin Ryan - former MEP for Dublin
- Jonathan SextonJonathan SextonJonathan Sexton , is a rugby union player for Leinster Rugby in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup. Sexton is a nephew of former Garryowen, Munster and Ireland rugby player Willie Sexton.Sexton is registered to St...
- Leinster and Irish rugby player - Tony WardTony Ward (rugby player)Anthony Joseph Patrick Ward , commonly referred to as Tony Ward, was an Irish rugby union and soccer player during the 1970s and 1980s. He played rugby as a fly-half for, among others, Munster, Leinster, , the British and Irish Lions and the Barbarians...
- Former Irish and Lions rugby player and League of Ireland footballer, Journalist
Notable staff
- Éamon de ValeraÉamon de ValeraÉamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
- Taoiseach and former President, taught at St. Mary's for a short time in 1915 as a mathematics professor
Sister schools
The following schools were also founded by the Holy Ghost Fathers in Ireland:- Blackrock CollegeBlackrock CollegeBlackrock College is a Catholic voluntary secondary school for boys aged 14–18, located in Williamstown, Blackrock, County Dublin, Ireland. The College was founded by French missionaries in 1860, to act as a school and civil service training centre. Set in of grounds, it has an illustrious...
- Rockwell CollegeRockwell CollegeRockwell College, founded in 1864, is a private Catholic secondary school near Cashel, South Tipperary in Ireland. It offers day as well as full boarding. Rockwell is run by the Holy Ghost Fathers.-Politics:...
- St. Michael's CollegeSt. Michael's College, DublinSt Michael's College is a Catholic boys' school, located on Ailesbury Road in Dublin 4, Ireland. It was founded in 1944 by the Holy Ghost Fathers....
- Templeogue CollegeTempleogue CollegeTempleogue College is a secondary school, located in the Templeogue area of Dublin, Ireland. It is on the R112 and is within walking distance of Terenure, Templeogue and is accessible by numerous Dublin Bus services including: 54A, 15A, 15B, 49, 150, 74/A, and 65/BTempleogue College was founded in...
External links
- St. Mary's College C.S.Sp. – school's official website
- St. Mary's College RFC – rugby club's official website