Garbally College

IrishSchoolInfoBox
name = Garbally College
irish_name = Coláiste Ghearrbhaile


5px_|_motto =_ _la. Fide et Fortitudine
("By Fidelity and Fortitude")
established = 1892
location = Ballinasloe, County Galway,
Republic of Ireland
students = c. 500
keyprole = President
Principal
keypname = Fr Colm Allman
Seamus O'Brien
free_label = Staff
free =

homepage = [http://www.garballycollege.com/ www.garballycollege.com]

Garbally College (Irish "Coláiste Ghearrbhaile") is a Catholic, boys-only, secondary school based in Ballinasloe, Co Galway, Ireland. It officially known as St Joseph's College (Irish "Coláiste Sheoseamh").

History

St Joseph's College was founded as a Catholic seminary in 1892 to help educate priests for the Diocese of Clonfert, which owns it. It is managed by the Bishop of Clonfert, Bishop John Kirby and four other governors. It is staffed by priests of the diocese and lay teachers. From the beginning it also provided general secondary education of boarders and day pupils. Since the 1970s, day pupils are in the majority.

The College was established it at Cartron with funds provided by Mgr. James Madden. Due to expansion the college was changed to Esker, near Athenry in 1894. In 1901, it moved to the building known locally as "The Pines", at Creagh, Ballinasloe. In 1923, it moved to its present site at Garbally, once seat of the Earls of Clancarty. The Diocese purchased Garbally Court (built in 1819) and estate from the trustees of the Earls of Clancarty for £6,750 in 1922.

In the 1940s, 50s and 60s two other members of the same Madden family, the brothers Fr. John Madden of Killimor and Dr. George Madden of London bestowed many gifts on Garbally. The present science halls and study hall are one such example of their generosity. The new extension involving extra classrooms and dining hall was made possible as a result of a bequest by Dr Madden.

In November 2005, Garbally College announced that it would wind down its boarding facility by 2008. There are currently six boarders in Garbally in this its final year.

Curriculum

The school offers both the Junior and Leaving Certificate cycles and was one of the first schools to implement a Transition Year programme when it was introduced in 1973.

Extra-Curricular Activities and Sport

Garbally College is well known for its sporting tradition in Rugby Union, Hurling and Gaelic football. The college has many Connacht Schools Senior Cups and Connacht Schools Junior Cups and has produced a number of Irish Rugby Internationals. Garbally have won the Senior Cup 44 times, most recently in 2007. Garbally have won the Junior Cup 41 times, most recently in 2006.

elected alumni

* Patrick Beegan, former Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála
* John Broderick, novelist and critic
* Seán Calleary, former Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála
* Patrick Connolly, former Attorney General of Ireland.
* Ciaran Fitzgerald, former Irish rugby international
* Eamon Gilmore, Leader of the Labour Party and Teachta Dála for Dún Laoghaire
* Brendan Glynn, former Fine Gael Teachta Dála
* Patrick Gullane, MD FRCSC FACS, Professor and Chair, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, University of Toronto
* Brian Hayes, Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Dublin South West
* Desmond Hogan, novelist
* Patrick Hogan, first Minister for Agriculture of the Irish Free State
* Patrick Joseph Kelly, former Bishop of Benin City
* Seán Kenny, Labour Party politician, former Teachta Dála
* Tony Kett, Fianna Fáil member of Seanad Éireann
* William J Davis, Dublin solicitor
* John Kirby, Catholic Bishop of Clonfert
* John Maguire, broadcaster and film critic
* Noel Mannion, former Irish rugby international
* Ulick McEvaddy, businessman
* Colm McLoughlin, Managing Director of Dubai Duty Free
* Ray McLoughlin, former Irish rugby international and Chairman and Chief Executive of The Crean Group
* Patrick Molloy, Chairman of CRH plc, former Group Chief Executive of the Bank of Ireland
* Seán Moncrieff, Broadcaster/presenter
* Johnny O'Connor, Irish rugby international
* Colm Ó Laoghaire, documentary film-maker
* Eoghan Ó Tuairisc, writer, poet, dramatist
* Philip Pettit, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Politics at Princeton University
* Gerry Reynolds, former Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Sligo-Leitrim
* Tommy Tiernan, comedian, actor and writer
* Noel Treacy, Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála for Galway East

elected staff

* Ulick Burke, Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Galway East

ee also

*Connacht Schools Senior Cup
*Connacht Schools Junior Cup
*Ballinasloe

External links

* [http://www.garballycollege.com/ St. Joseph's College website (Colaiste Sheosaimh) Garbally College {Official College Website}]
* [http://www.garbally.ie/ St. Joseph's College Staff website (Colaiste Sheosaimh) Garbally College {Official staff Website}]
* [http://homepage.eircom.net/~garbally/home.htm Garbally College homepage (defunct)]