The King's Hospital
The King's Hospital is a Church of Ireland co-educational fee-paying boarding and day school.
Founded in 1669, it is one of the oldest schools in Ireland and is located in Palmerstown, Dublin.
Although priority is given to those of the main Protestant tradition, as a Christian school other faiths are welcome.
The school's colours are Navy and Gold.
History
Founding
The school was founded in 1669 as The Hospital and Free School of King Charles II and was located in Queen Street in Dublin. From 1783 to 1971 the school was located in Blackhall Place. The Blackhall Place building is currently the headquarters of the Law Society of Ireland.
Morgan's takeover
The take-over of Morgan’s School (1957) contributed to steadily increasing numbers and by 1970, a need for extra space and facilities led to the move from the city centre to a modern purpose-built school set in its own on a hundred acre site on the banks of the River Liffey in Palmerstown, County Dublin 20.
Palmerstown
Since its opening in 1971, the school has expanded its facilities and the Board of Governors, whose members are all volunteers, oversees a development programme aimed at maintaining the highest standards. It is one of the most expensive schools in Ireland.
Traditions
Charter Day
The annual calendar includes a number of special days and events forming part of the school tradition. The most notable of these is Charter Day when academic prizes are presented on the day commemorating the granting of the School's Charter in 1671.
Other traditions
Sports Day, Harvest Festival, Carol Service and Confirmation are other significant occasions to which parents and past pupils are always welcome and there is an open invitation on Sundays to attend worship according to the rites of the Church of Ireland. The robed choir is a particularly important feature, it plays the most important part on Sunday mass through its prayer through song and spiritual meanings.
Structure
Co-educational
As a co-educational school catering for some 700 pupils, the majority of whom are day pupils, The King’s Hospital has students from all over Ireland as well as from overseas with a large amount of German and Spanish students often studying there.
Houses
The School is divided into five houses: Bluecoat, Mercer, Grace, Morgan and Ormonde. Each has its own resident housemaster or housemistress, responsible for the general welfare of the pupils under his or her care and for monitoring their development.
Famous Alumni
- Robin Roe - would go on to be Captain of the Ireland national rugby union team.
- Lisa Hannigan - Irish folk/pop singer famous for her recordings with Damien Rice
References
- Falkiner, Frederick Richard (1906). The foundation of the Hospital and Free school of King Charles II., Oxmantown Dublin: commonly called the Blue coat school. Dublin: Sealy, Bryers and Walker.
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