St. Flannan's College

Infobox Irish school
name = St. Flannan's College
irish_name = Coláiste Naomh Fhlannáin
motto = "Collegium Sancti Flannani"
Latin for 'St. Flannan's
College
established = 1846
location = Ennis, County Clare,
Republic of Ireland
students = c. 1200
keyprole = President
Principal
keypname = Fr Joseph McMahon,
Mr Colm McDonagh
free_label = Staff
Religious order
free = 85+
Roman Catholic
homepage = http://www.stflannanscollege.ie
St. Flannan's College is an Irish secondary school. Formerly a boarding school, it is located in Ennis, County Clare. It was formerly an all boys school but in 2002 they took in their first girl first years. In 2003, they finished a major extension which added over 20 new rooms to the college. In 2005 the boarding school was closed, making the boarders look for alternate accommodation or find a new school. 2006 was "the last of the boys" with the last year of the all boys year finishing.

History

In 1846, the Diocese of Killaloe lent its prestige and patronage to the private academy conducted at Springfield House, Ennis by a Mr. Fitzsimons. Fortified by diocesan support, the school would henceforth function as both a diocesan seminary and as a day and boarding school for Catholic boys. Under this arrangement, the Springfield House school flourished, and by the early 1850s was already enticing pupils away from the noted Erasmus Smith College at College Road. Springfield pupils were conspicuously successful in obtaining scholarships to the Queen's Colleges at Galway and Cork (now NUI Galway and UCC).

In 1859, Fitzsimons added a new wing to the college in order to cater for the increased number of students. The same year, Springfield affiliated to the newly established University of London as a preparatory College. In 1862, financial difficulties caused Fitzsimons to terminate his connection with Springfield, and under his successor the College changed directions sharply. The affiliation with the University of London was dropped for one with Newman's Catholic University in Dublin. Fitzsimons, for his part, embarked on a new career in Argentina, and within the space of a few years set up no less than four schools in that country. Fitzsimons died in 1871 during an outbreak of yellow fever.

The final ingredients were added in 1865 when the diocese broke with Springfield altogether and set up a diocesan college completely under its control at No. 1 Bindon Street, now a solicitor’s office. It shortly became known as St. Flannan’s Literary Institute, under a clerical headmaster, known for the first time as a President. The following year, the Institute was able to acquire the Springfield premises after the school there closed. After a comparatively short interval, a search was begun to find a site on which a larger college campus could be developed. Work finally began in 1879 on land acquired on the Limerick Road, and the College was built to a rather severe neo-Gothic design. Financial problems occasioned by the bankruptcy of the builder led to alterations in the plans, and some of the finishing touches were postponed, never to be completed. Visitors to the college are often shown such features as the plain uncarved label stops around the Gothic windows and the Clock Tower, with no clock - all now part of the fabric of College tradition.

The College tradition of excellence on the hurling field is of a considerably later date. As at Springfield, cricket was the game most successfully played at St. Flannan’s until the national revival at the turn of the century brought Gaelic games to the fore. There is, however, a tradition that hurling was introduced to Maynooth College by seminarians who had played it during their time at St.Flannan’s.

The students refer to the Principal and Vice-Principles as "The Knack" "John Balls" and "Con Rocks"

The school now has over 1000 students.

Calcutta

On March 31 2007, thirteen students and four teachers left for Calcutta. They worked in orphanages and schools. This project was an attempt by the College community to engage with poverty in the developing world.€40,000 was collected to distribute to Calcutta charities, through various fundraising methods. This went directly to charities at local level.

On February 8 2008, 4 students and two teachers travelled to Calcutta with The Hope Foundation, visiting numerous homes, schools, medical centres and creches. Since returning, around €20,000 has been raised for the Hope Foundation.