St Mary's College, Dublin

Infobox Irish school
name = St Mary's College Cssp
irish_name = Coláiste Naomh Mhuire



motto = "Fidelitas in Arduis"
Latin for 'Faithfulness in Difficulty'
established = July 25 1887
location = Rathmines, Dublin 6,
Republic of Ireland
students = 500
keyprole = President
Principal
keypname = Fr John Flavin, CSSp
Mr Liam Noughton
free_label = Staff
Religious order
free = 47 full time, 8 part time
Holy Ghost Fathers
homepage = http://stmarys.schoolspace.ie/
coord|58|18|N|6|11|W|display=title

Saint Mary's College C.S.Sp. (Congregatio Sancti Spiritus) is a 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 whiteThe Senior School Principal is Mr. Liam Naughton and the Senior School Deputy Principal is Mr. Denis Murphy, both took up their positions on February 1 2008. The Junior School Principal is Mrs. Mary O'Donnell

The College Motto is 'Fidelitas in Arduis' - Latin for'Faithfulness 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

At the turn of the new millennium, the College launched an ambitious development programme aimed at improving the quality of services provided to students. The development plan included the construction of a new multi-purpose hall and gymnasium, known as the Fr. Barry Hall in honour of Fr. Frank 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 allowing the physical education programme to be improved.

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 extensively 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 Hickie 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.

Deans

Deans are appointed to look after the disciplinary and pastoral issues in each year in the senior section of the school. The Deans are given considerable autonomy is the running of their respective years.

1st Year Dean = Rachael Donnelan

2nd Year Dean = Deirdre Roche

3rd Year Dean = Gordon Smyth

4th Year Dean = John Nisbet

5th Year Dean = Ronan Kelly

6th Year Dean = Anthony Leahy

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, interest has grown greatly, and the school now field numerous basketball teams competing in many inter-school competitions. In 2007, the senior team overcame challenging opposition to win the inaugural U19 All - Ireland Plate.

Notable alumni

* Denis Hickie - Irish rugby player
* Jonathan Sexton - Leinster and Irish rugby player
* Shane Jennings - Leinster and Irish rugby player
* Rodney O'Donnell - Former Ireland international rugby union player
* Kevin Barry (briefly) - Irish republican (executed in 1920)
* Simon Burke - Executive Chairman, Superquinn
* Frs. Tom and Earnest Farrell - Founders of the Catholic Boy Scouts of Ireland in 1927
* Fred Cogley - broadcaster
* Eamonn and Brian Fallon - founders of Daft.ie
* Larry Gogan - broadcaster
* Eoin Ryan - MEP for Dublin
* Darragh MacAnthony - Chairman of Peterborough United FC
* Éamon de Valera - Taoiseach and former President, taught at St. Mary's for a short time in 1915 as a mathematics professor
* Ronan McCormack - UCD Rugby Player
* Kieran Lewis - Munster Rugby
* Brian Devereux - Irish TV Personality

chool Achievments

* Ray Crotty - Irish 800m Champion Under 19
* St Mary's Rugby Team - Won the 2002 Leinster Senior Cup

ister schools

The following schools were also founded by the Holy Ghost Fathers in Ireland:

* Blackrock College
* Rockwell College
* St. Michael's College
* Templeogue College

ee also

* Holy Ghost Fathers

External links

* [http://www.stmarys.ie/ St. Mary's College C.S.Sp.] – school's official website
* [http://www.stmaryscollegerfc.com/ St. Mary's College RFC] – rugby club's official website