Loreto College, Foxrock
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- For other schools of the same name, see Loreto College.
Loreto College, Foxrock is a voluntary Catholic Secondary School under the direction of the Sisters of Loreto in Dublin, Ireland.
[edit] History
The school was opened in 1941 at the request of the Archbishop of Dublin, John Charles McQuaid and is situated on the Bray Road in Dublin (parish of Foxrock). The Archbishop asked Mother Pauline Dunne, Superior General of Loreto, to open a Junior and Secondary school in Foxrock. The Sisters arrived in the house on September 8, 1941. School began two days later. The pupil numbers were in single digits for the first few weeks, but had grown to 28 by the following Spring.
Work on the construction of the Chapel (now the Staff room) began in January 1942. It must be remembered that these early years of the 1940s marked the end of the World War II, and conditions were difficult for all. When the Architect for the Chapel sought the iron girders needed for the construction, it was found that none could be sourced. He solved the problem by supporting the roof by two rows of pillars, which were considered to add to the dignity of the building.
In September 1942, the school was officially recognised as a Secondary school by the Department of Education & Science.
The Kindergarten/Junior school block was completed and occupied by Christmas 1942, and by May of 1943, there were 50 pupils in the schools. In that year, sports began to play an important part in the curriculum of Loreto, Foxrock. However, the Annals record that wartime travelling conditions prevented participation in the inter-Loreto sports competitions; so friendly matches were arranged between the local schools. In 1952, the Junior Hockey Cup was the first trophy won by the school, under the captaincy of Chela Neary. The Annals record many sporting triumphs and trophies over the following years.
In the school year 1953 – 1954, plans were drawn up for the construction of the Concert Hall and the Science room to the front of the building. The building now known as St. Michaels was originally built in l966.
The Annals of the school include many anecdotes about the earliest pupils who are included by name. It is sad to record that a number of these pupils died at very young ages from illnesses, which would now be treated successfully, given advances in Medical Science. One such pupil was Olga Hick who appears in the records as the very first pupil to arrive in the new Loreto School in Foxrock.
The first member of the Community to die was the well-loved Mother Imelda McInerney who had been in charge of the Kindergarten from its opening until her death in l956 at the age of 37. Many past pupils still recall her care for them and her wonderful sense of humour.
The buildings on campus house the Community residence, the Junior school (now phasing out and due to close in June 2004), the Secondary school and the Loreto Education office. The School buildings have been erected on a phased basis in response to educational needs and student population. In the1980s, with the help of a partial grant from the Department of Education, the old prefabricated building was updated and became known as “St. Michael’s”. Following the Loreto Community contribution and fund-raising, the Sports Hall was added in the late 1980s. In 1999, the Trustees gave the Community Chapel to the Secondary School for development as a Staff room. In response to the increasing student population in the Secondary School the Trustees also agreed to give the Junior School and Kindergarten classrooms for use in the Secondary School. In 2000, a large extension was added to the lunchroom and recreation area. Two additional classrooms and a new fire stairs were also part of this development. A new fully equipped Computer Room with a LAN system was completed. The development of the reception/entrance area awaits development.
The grounds include a recently constructed floodlit astroturf hockey pitch, astroturf tennis/basketball courts and a grass play area. Bicycle and car parking areas were expanded.
The school is a fee-paying secondary day school, and is run by the Board of Management, which was first set up in 1990. It now has an enrolment of six hundred and eighty-four students and provides the Transition Year option. The school celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 1991.
Famous past-pupils of loreto foxrock include Dr. Alannah Maria Gonzalez, acclaimed sex therapist (oooohh yeaaahhh), Laoise Jane Clifford Lynch, All Ireland hockey forward and anti-fur campaigner, Eoina O'Riordan, noted Latino/Irish fashion photographer, Dr. Niamh O'herlihy who is now a widely published and highy regarded botonist, Prof Fiona Bracken who makes regular appearances on Irish television talk shows such as Primetime, Crimeline and Tubirdy tonight providing insight into the pitfalls of liposuction. The most well-known past-pupil from the school is Rachel Sexton who went on to win the 2003 International Panpipe Competition and secured her place in the world panpipe orchestra based in Japan.
The main aim of the school is to be a centre of Christian Education, which cares for the faith, and personal development of each student. The school strives for excellence in providing a holistic education, i.e. religious, academic, cultural, physical, psychological and social. During the past sixty years the school has maintained the educational tradition begun by Mary Ward (1585 - 1645), foundress of the I.B.V.M., and has been enriched by it.
[edit] External links
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