St Eunan's College: Difference between revisions
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* Linguist [[Brenda McAllister]] |
* Linguist [[Brenda McAllister]] |
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* [[Grainne Ní Mhaolchallan]], daughter of [[Green Party (Ireland)|Green Party]] politician [[Seán Ó Maolchallann]] |
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Some significant sportspeople are also among the teaching staff: |
Some significant sportspeople are also among the teaching staff: |
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Revision as of 14:19, 27 May 2007
- For the neo-gothic cathedral, see St. Eunan's Cathedral. For the GAA Club, see St. Eunan's (GAA Club).
Saint Eunan's College (Irish: Coláiste Adhamhnáin) is an all-male voluntary secondary school. Located in Glencar, Letterkenny (Leitir Ceanainn), County Donegal (Dún na nGall) in the Republic of Ireland, the building is a three-storey picturesque castle with four round towers at each corner of the building. The school is named after the Abbot of Iona St. Eunan, a native of Donegal and patron saint of the Diocese of Raphoe and celebrated its centenary in 2006.[1]
History
Saint Eunan's College was founded as a boarding school in 1906 by the then Bishop of Raphoe, Dr. Patrick O' Donnell. Originally intended as a minor seminary, it was designed to prepare students for the Roman Catholic priesthood. Diocesan colleges became an increasingly popular feature at the time and were designed to give the best possible Catholic education to boys of every class.
The student population expanded in the 1920s and it was necessary to build a new extension to the College in the early 1930s. The current recreation hall was built in 1958 and the science block in 1968. The 'new building' as it is known by those who frequent the school was opened in 1979 to cater for the 500 students enrolled at the time. Due to the growth of other second level schools in the area the number of boarders dropped extensively and in 1992, the Boarding wing was finally shut down. St. Eunan's College continues to this day as a Catholic School under the trusteeship of the Bishop of Raphoe and aims to equip its students with an education to prepare them for modern day society. The school currently serves approximately 850 students from Letterkenny and its surrounding area, and is one of the few remaining all-male schools in the western part of Ireland. The president, since 1996, is Rev. Michael Carney and the vice principal, since 2001, is Rena O'Herlihy.
Presidents
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Notable Staff
- Paddy Tunney, Fleadh organiser.
- Mathematician Eddie Harvey who led a team of students to a silver medal in a national mathematics competition.
- Linguist Brenda McAllister
- Grainne Ní Mhaolchallan, daughter of Green Party politician Seán Ó Maolchallann
Some significant sportspeople are also among the teaching staff:
- Colm McFadden, Donegal inter-county player.
- Ollie Horgan, Former Republic of Ireland footballer and current Fanad United F.C. manager.
Also on board are:
- Kevin Bowdren (a well known former chef from County Cork).
- Clive O'Sullivan, also a native of Cork.
Building Problems
The college has in recent years undergone an attempt to have an extension built.[1] Two plans were drawn up: one would have seen the current New Building demolished and replaced with playing fields while the extension would have been built in the car park alongside the chapel, the other would have seen the New Building demolished but rebuilt upon.[citation needed] The planning application was at an advanced stage but it was decided by the planning authorities to cease with the completion of the project as it was seen as being too complicated and uneconomical.[citation needed] However it has since been redecided that the building project will get underway after all with An Taoiseach himself, Bertie Ahern, confirming he would provide funding personally on a whirlwind visit to the school in 2007.
In meeting with planning regulations, the school has installed a series of ramps and two chair-lifts for the benefit of those attending or visiting the school who may need them.
A recent change has involved the splitting of the two female secretaries that frequent the school. One of them has been assigned her own office in a small cramped room by the front door of the school whilst the other has remained in the older larger office. This has been more convenient for parents, visitors or tourists to locate the office or to request help.
Academics
St Eunan's currently provides the qualifications of the Junior Certificate and the Leaving Certificate.It also provides the facilities for Transition Year which includes two work experience allotments and a choice between Computer or Sport GCSEs. The college is one of only 18 schools in the county that offers the LCA programme.[2]
At Junior Certificate level, the school offers art, woodwork and technical drawing. The college currently offers two foreign languages, French and German, at Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate levels as well as Transition Year, but Irish is also compulsory, subject to some exemptions, as in all other secondary schools in Ireland.
Transition Year modules (taken on a Friday afternoon) include first-aid, cooking, car maintenance, electronics and, brand new for 2007, yoga. Towards the end of the year, more diverse modules are offered such as tennis, karate and drama (at An Grianán Theatre).
Junior and Leaving Certificate students usually undertake MOCKs every February or March whilst the real exams follow swiftly in June. The school is also proud to host one half of the Latin Leaving Certificate examiners at Higher Level whilst the same person is also the only examiner to correct Latin at Ordinary Level.
Orals
Oral examinations are currently underway for Leaving Certificate students, with European languages the first priority. French orals began on the week starting Monday April 16 while German orals were begun and completed on Thursday April 19. Irish language orals got underway on the week beginning Monday April 23. The orals took place in Fr Dunne's office and the surrounding area. Students, teachers and visitors to the school are instructed to remain silent at all times for fear of upsetting the examiners.
Practicals
Practical examinations for Leaving Certificate students are also underway, with music practicals taking place on Friday April 20 in Room 1. Much inconvenience was caused by the staging of these examinations with teacher Clive O'Sullivan being shunted aside and left classroomless for the day. Having only arrived at the school in October 2006, he spent much of the day wandering the school premises confusedly in search of spare rooms in which to teach his classes. Art practicals were due to be held on Thursday May 3 and Friday May 4. This was the case although due to a teachers' training day that had been scheduled for the Friday, the life-sketching section was postponed until the following Wednesday afternoon, (May 9).
Sport
Physical education and team activities are very important to the school. The college has been one of the top schools in the country for sport, and has won many national titles, particularly in Soccer[3] and Gaelic Football. The preparation and training of such teams is during lunch hour and after school so as not to make demands on the students academic work. However matches tend to be held during school hours, prompting much criticism of some teachers who manange such teams but at this time are supposed to be teaching Leaving Certificate classes.
Soccer
Three out of four All-Ireland Soccer titles were won by the college in 2005, a feat that no other school in the country has ever achieved.[4] Little else has been achieved since with regards to soccer as the focus has been primarily on the successful GAA teams that have represented the College over the last number of years.
Gaelic
The senior Gaelic team has in the past eight years won the prestigious McLarnon Cup twice, the latest occasion being 2007. On Sunday March 25 2007, the College, captained by Paul Thornton, beat Rathmore by 1-09 to 2-03 at Casement Park in Belfast, having travelled there six days earlier only for the match to be postponed. The team was coached by school chaplain Father Paddy Dunne, Neil Gordon (the man who led them to their last McLarnon Cup success in 2000) and Colm McFadden Snr. Help and advice was also offered by Donegal intercounty players who had previously represented the school. The President Father Michael Carney gave the team members and coaches the following day off school as the festivities went into full-swing. The team used this free day to relax in the local swimming pool. The senior team then went on to beat Rice College of Westport in the All-Ireland B Colleges semi-final but were beaten themselves by St.Mary's of Edenderry in the All-Ireland Final at Breffni Park, County Cavan on Saturday April 21 2007. The match went to extra time after a penalty save by St. Eunan's goalkeeper John Carr, but the College eventually lost by 2-12 to 0-14.
St. Eunan's College, with future inter-county footballers Rory Kavanagh and Colm McFadden part of the team, (indeed McFadden himself was to become a future teacher at the school and would be of immense help in the winning of the 2007 McLarnon) also won the McLarnon Cup in 2000 for the first time since 1979,[5] as well as the Ulster Herald Cup in 2004.[6] The Herald Cup win was the school's first in 25 years.
Three students have achieved Ulster All-Stars while playing for the college, Mark McGowan,[7] Hugh Brendan Kerr and Sean McEwen.[8] Rory Kavanagh, Colm McFadden, Neil Gallagher and Michael Boyle, who all previously played with college teams, are now members of the senior Donegal Gaelic team.[9]
Other Sports
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The college is now also the number one athletics and basketball school in the county, with many county titles in various age groups.[citation needed] Golf[10] and swimming[11] are also popular. Even hurling teams, a sport which is not seen as very popular in Donegal, have reached the semi-finals of some competitions.[12] Attempts are being made to organise a school rugby team but these attempts are so far proving unsuccessful.[citation needed]
Extra-curricular activities
Chess
The college also offers chess to its students every Wednesday after school hours.[citation needed] The chess team has competed at national level.[citation needed] The continuation of these classes was cast into some doubt earlier in the year due to the classroom in which they are traditionally held being sealed off as a result of part of the roof caving in.[citation needed] However this matter has since been resolved although the roof may still cave in at any moment.
Music
The college has a rich tradition in producing bands and developing the musical talents of its students. The fruits of this development can be seen every year in the annual Battle of the Bands Competition which is held every May in the local An Grianán Theatre, a venue that has been used since 2002.[13]
Library
The college library is open to students during lunch hours on certain days of the week. It offers a wide selection of encyclopedias, dictionaries, novels and other books as well as a wide selection of magazines such as TIME and National Geographic. The library also doubles up as a music room and thus is home to the school's vast collection of musical instruments and other equipment and bits and pieces. [citation needed] In late February and early March 2007, the school library gave away free book vouchers to prospective readers. However they could not actually be used in the library itself. They could be used in bookshops around the town though to the delight of the school's literate population.
Quizzes
The college has long sent debating teams to competitions across Ireland while maths and science students have taken part in national competitions.[citation needed] A number of students have also taken part in the Young Scientist Award.[14] However none have actually succeeded in winning as of yet. The closest the school has come to winning was when mathematician Edward Harvey entered a maths team in a national competition and returned with a bagful of silver medals. The team, made up of one or two unimportant maths students and one or two more actual maths students, trained vigorously throughout the days.
Drama
The college would regularly hold drama performances in the 1980s and early 1990s but the demand for this has since died out. However a drama module has been offered to Transition Year students in recent years.[citation needed]
School Trips
Foreign Exchange: The college has taken part in a number of foreign exchange programmes involving schools in France and Austria.[15] Many European students have also availed of the college, from as far wide as Spain, France and Austria. A school trip to Berlin is being organised for 2007 by the German teaching staff of the school.
Ski Trip: Every year a selection of teachers and students head for the European ski-slopes.[16] These skiing trips take place during the holidays and have taken in many destinations such as Switzerland, Finland, Italy, Andorra and Austria.
In 2006, plans were at an advanced stage for the next expedition to the Swiss Alps. Places were booked out within three hours such was the demand to visit the village of Leysin. The trip took place in January 2007, during the Christmas holidays (although the trip spilled over into school time and resulted in some students and certain teachers arriving back to Ireland late and in a bedraggled state).[17]
Secret plans are now well under way for a very special intercontinental trip that will see students and teachers alike heading off to Canada for the skiing trip of 2008. It will be the first time the school has taken students (and teachers) on a trip out of Europe and places are expected to go like hotcakes once the trip is officially announced.
Gallery
Classrooms and Staffroom
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Room 35 -
Room 43 -
Room 44 -
Room 46 -
Room 53 -
Room 55 -
Staff Room
Other Areas On School Grounds
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The Courtyard
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General Purpose Area(GPA)
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Staircase At Entrance To College -
St. Eunan's College Entrance -
A Monkey Puzzle Tree Located in Front of The College -
The All-Weather Pitch -
A photograph of the Recreation Hall
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View of The College
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Turret -
Detailed view of gates
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Tower -
Railing
Notable guests
- The following is a list of esteemed and well-known visitors to the school:
- On Thursday March 29 2007, an Taoiseach himself, Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern briefly visited the school as part of a whirlwind tour of County Donegal he was undertaking that day. This followed on from from a visit by Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny one Friday afternoon in late 2006.
- On Sunday April 8 2007, professional golfer Paul McGinley visited the school to formally launch the St. Eunan's College Centenary Golf Classic. His father, Michael McGinley of Sigma Wireless Ltd, is a past student of the College and, having represented the College in the McRory Cup final team of 1956, is sponsoring the prizes for the golf classic. Paul McGinley has also contributed a Taylor Made set of clubs together with a 2006 Ryder Cup jersey. He was photographed at the school with teachers Edward Harvey, Fr. Paddy Dunne and President Fr. Michael Carney.[2]
Selected Alumni
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Politics
Ecclesiastical
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Sport
Arts
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Footnotes
- ^ Information and References
- ^ DN supplement with local newspaper, dated Friday April 13 2007, SPORTS page 7
External links
- St. Eunan's College - official website
- Raphoe Diocese Education page
- Historic Buildings and Sites in Letterkenny
- McLarnon Cup
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Streets: Church Lane · Fortwell · Justice Walsh Lower Main · Market Square (Mount Southwell) · Rosemount Lane · Speer's Lane · Upper Main |  |
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