St. Fintan's High School
St. Fintans High School (Irish: Ard Scoil Naomh Fhionntán) is an all-boys Roman Catholic voluntary-aided secondary school located between Sutton and Baldoyle, Dublin, Ireland.[1]
History
Background
A school originally opened at Bellevue House within the Burrow, Sutton, located on Station Road, between Sutton Cross and Howth village, with access to the beach. The school at Bellevue House, eventually St. Catherine's, comprised primary school facilities for boys and girls, and from 1924, a secondary school for girls, and was run by a Mrs Helen McAlister, a Mrs Watson and some Christian Brothers (it also held a vacation residence for the Christian Brothers during World War 2). Mrs Watson died in 1940 and the whole school passed to the Christian Brothers, who closed the mixed school.
Foundation
St. Fintan's High School was founded at the Burrow premises on 8th September 1943, as a fee-paying secondary day and "prep" school, with 48 students and 5 Christian Brother teachers. Fees were 6 to 12 guineas, depending on academic performance.
State status and new location
Following education reforms in Ireland in the 1960s it became a state-funded school, although like most Irish schools it expects parents and guardians of pupils to make a "voluntary contribution" towards running costs where they can.[2] In September 1972 the school reopened at a new site, that of Baldoyle's Warren House, on the Dublin Road from Sutton towards Dublin city.
Though founded by the Christian Brothers, St. Fintan's has had a fully lay staff for more than a decade. It remains a constituent of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust.
Past principals
The first head was Brother Walsh. The last CB head was Br. Burke, who was succeeded by Mr Bill McCartney from Swords. Later lay principals were Mr Dick Fogarty (English), Mr Ray Quinn (history) and Ms Mary Fox.
Today
The school, which draws pupils primarily from Sutton, Baldoyle, Bayside and Howth, and also from Kilbarrack, Raheny, Portmarnock, Malahide and Clontarf, is greatly oversubscribed, with a student population of over 700,[3]and is known for both academic results and sporting success. While St. Fintan's has in the past had admissions exams, it has a geographically-based admissions policy today, with some provision for family connections.
The school has a long track record of educational trips, to France and Spain, and previously also Russia, social trips, including to Zambia, and sporting trips such as skiing.
Staff
St. Fintan's has nearly 50 teaching staff, led by a principal and two deputy principals.
Facilities
The school has a large gym and substantial sports field with changing rooms, as well as dedicated physics, chemistry and biology laboratories, a computer science room and a library.
Sport
The school rugby team is one of 16 teams entered into the Leinster Schools Rugby Senior Cup, traditionally the most prestigious schools rugby competition in the country, and won the "plate" competition in 2018[4].The senior hurling team reached the division C All Ireland final in 2016 with other success in hurling at all ages and similarly in Gaelic football, tennis, basketball, sailing and several other sports in which the school competes at a high level. It is currently the leading school in Ireland at squash, pioneered by P.E. teacher Andrew Kavanagh, with students having won the schools boys national championship at all three age groups - U15, U17 and U19 - for each of the last three years..[5][6]
Popular culture
The school was the location of one of the first performances by the band 'Feedback' which was later to become U2.[7]. Past pupils include the author Roddy Doyle[8]and the singer Ronan Keating.[9]
Alumni
The current alumni group maintains a Facebook group, and organised a 75th anniversary event in November 2018. Previous Past Pupils Union groups have operated; one ran fund-raising discos in the early 1990s.
Governance
The school is overseen by a Board of Management, and ultimately by the Edmund Rice Schools Trust.
References
- ^ "ST. FINTAN'S HIGH SCHOOL". education.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- ^ "Home". stfintanshs.ie. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- ^ Department of Education and Skills, Whole School Evaluation, 23 September 2015.
- ^ www.dublinpeople.com/news/nothsideeast/articles/2018/04/28/4155127-st-fintans-triumph-to--win-senior--plate-trophy/
- ^ "All Ireland Schools Cup Finals - Results - Irish Squash". Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- ^ leinstersquash.ie/news/schools
- ^ "U2 Setlist Archive - Irish Shows 1976-1978". u2setlists.com. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
- ^ www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/roddy-doyle-the-work-i-ve-done-if-i-wasn-t-me-i-d-be-impressed-1.3194579
- ^ Life is Roller Coaster,Ronan Keating
External links
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