Ardscoil Rís, Limerick

Ardscoil Rís
Best School in Ireland[citation needed]
Location
North Circular Road, Limerick, Ireland
Information
Type	Christian Brothers secondary
Enrollment	700

Ardscoil Rís is an all boys Catholic secondary school located on the North Circular Road in Limerick, and consistently one of the top 5 non fee-paying boys schools in the Republic of Ireland.^{[citation needed]}

History

Ardscoil Rís was formally opened by the Christian Brothers,in Limerick on the North Circular Road on 1 September 1963, when it welcomed 52 pupils. Classes were held in an old school house until the first purpose-built classrooms were available. This first intake included Pat Cox, then a noted master debater, later a distinguished politician.^{[citation needed]}

From its foundation the school was managed by one of the Christian Brothers. In 1989, a Board of Management, representing trustees, staff and parents, was put in place and a lay Principal was appointed. From small beginnings, the school, augmented by periodic extensions, grew to its present size and now has over 700 students and fifty teachers. The late twentieth century witnessed the contraction of religious orders in Ireland and Ardscoil Rís is now staffed entirely by lay teachers. The Christian Brothers maintain ownership and Trusteeship of the school and are represented on the Board of Management by four lay representatives.

In 2010 the redevelopment of the school went to the construction stage following almost a decade of lobbying and planning. Acting as main contractor for the project, Cordil Construction were responsible for the management of the €5 million plan, which sees the school expand to three times the usable space on completion of all three phases.

Profile

The School encourage all students to become involved in a variety of activities outside of the curriculum. Life skills are reinforced by participation in such activities as Music, Sports, Work Experience Programmes, Enterprise, Foreign Exchange, Drama, Concerts, Charitable Fund-raising and Gaisce. The School won the RTE Television secondary schools quiz programme Blackboard Jungle in 1992. Students from the school achieve high marks in Ireland in the leaving certificate. The school regularly features at the top of The Irish Times league tables, often as the top all boys public school.^{[citation needed]}

Sport

Rugby, hurling, and basketball are the main sporting activities of the school. The Munster Schools Senior Cup and Junior Cup competitions (rugby), the Dr. Harty Cup (Munster 'A' Colleges hurling) and the Dean Ryan Cup (Munster 'A' Colleges Under-16 hurling) (2008 winners) and the Limerick Colleges competitions (GAA) and the South West of Ireland League (basketball) are highlights of the sporting calendar. On March 11, 2010 Ard Scoil Ris became the first Limerick team since 1993 to win the Harty Cup (Munster schools hurling championship). They defeated the 2009 champions Thurles CBS after a third replay and lost to St. Kieran's College in the All Ireland Final later that year.

Alumni

Politics

• Pat Cox (President of the European Parliament 2002–2004)
• Peter Power former (Minister of State (Ireland))(Fianna Fáil TD)

Sports

• Paul O'Connell Munster Rugby, Ireland international, and British and Irish Lions rugby captain).
• Sean Cronin Connacht Rugby and Ireland international player.
• Keith Matthews Connacht Rugby and Ireland A rugby player.
• Michael Sherry Munster Rugby player.
• Sam Lynch, (World Rowing Championships winner with Ireland in Lucerne, 2001 and in Seville, 2002, and medallist in Barcelona, 2003).
• John Galvin (Limerick footballer from 1998 to present).
• Ollie Moran (Limerick hurler from 1997 to 2009).
• Brian Geary (Limerick hurler from 1999 to present).

Music

• Dave Chambers and Bob McGlynn, founders of The Rubberbandits, a comedy hip-hop group.
• Eamon Farrell- Baller, Hundred Dollar Billz

External links

• Ardscoil Ris site - ardscoil.com