Marian College (Dublin)
Encyclopedia
Marian College is a Marist
Catholic
secondary school
on Lansdowne Road
in Ballsbridge
, Dublin. The school motto is Optimum Optare - the pursuit of excellence. The school was founded in 1954
and has a student population of 413 boys and 12 girls. The main sports played are rugby, basketball and waterpolo.
, had invited the Marist Brothers to open a school in the Sandymount-Ballsbridge area. This was in response to the opening of a co-educational school, Sandymount High School. Co-education was anathema to Archbishop McQuaid, so he wanted to provide a Catholic option beside it. The Marists found a beautiful site at Riverside House on the banks of the River Dodder
and on 8 September 1954 the first pupils entered the Brothers’ house (Brian Nesbitt being the first student to sign up and later became a teacher at the school) to begin their secondary schooling. The Brothers decided to name the school Marian College as an acknowledgment of the special place of Mary in the foundation and traditions of the Marist Brothers and as an acknowledgment that the Church had declared 1954 as the Marian Year.
Until 1999, Sandymount High School
was next door to Marian College.
For the first 34 years, the College was run by Raul Meany's four predecessors, Bro Ligouri, Bro Declan, Bro Fintan and Bro Peter. Over the last 16 years, lay involvement in the management and organisation of the College has grown.
is one of the schools main sports. The college fields teams in both the JCT/SCT competitions with the JCT in the final of the Cup Shield in 2008. The JCT won the Cup Shield in 1968.
Water-polo is the school's most successful sport, the college having won numerous Leinster titles over the past 10 years. In 2010 the senior Gaelic
team won both the Dublin and Leinster schools championships.They also won a Leinster Basketball title in 1989-90,coached by Meany and Nesbitt.The College has also won national soccer cup Captained By Graham Kavanagh
(Irish international)the final was played at Tolka Park
and coached by Robbie Cronin (teacher). Won the bike polo all ireland championship in 2010.
Marist Brothers
The Marist Brothers, or Little Brothers of Mary, are a Catholic religious order of brothers and affiliated lay people. The order was founded in France, at La Valla-en-Gier near Lyon in 1817 by Saint Marcellin Champagnat, a young French priest of the Society of Mary...
Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
on Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union that has been the location of a number of sports stadiums. It was used primarily for rugby union and for association football matches as well as some music concerts...
in Ballsbridge
Ballsbridge
Ballsbridge is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, named for the bridge spanning the River Dodder on the south side of the city. The sign on the bridge still proclaims it as "Ball's Bridge" in recognition of the fact that the original bridge in this location was built and owned by a Mr...
, Dublin. The school motto is Optimum Optare - the pursuit of excellence. The school was founded in 1954
1954 in Ireland
-Events:*January 1 - 1954 is the first Marian year. There are many events and devotions to Our Lady and shrines and statues are erected in public places.*January 11 - The Irish Council of the European Movement is formed in Dublin....
and has a student population of 413 boys and 12 girls. The main sports played are rugby, basketball and waterpolo.
History
In the early 1950s, the then Archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Charles McQuaidJohn Charles McQuaid
John Charles McQuaid, C.S.Sp. was the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland between December 1940 and February 1972.- Early life 1895-1914:...
, had invited the Marist Brothers to open a school in the Sandymount-Ballsbridge area. This was in response to the opening of a co-educational school, Sandymount High School. Co-education was anathema to Archbishop McQuaid, so he wanted to provide a Catholic option beside it. The Marists found a beautiful site at Riverside House on the banks of the River Dodder
River Dodder
The River Dodder is one of the three main rivers of the Dublin region in Ireland, the others being the Liffey, of which the Dodder is the largest tributary, and the Tolka.-Course and system:...
and on 8 September 1954 the first pupils entered the Brothers’ house (Brian Nesbitt being the first student to sign up and later became a teacher at the school) to begin their secondary schooling. The Brothers decided to name the school Marian College as an acknowledgment of the special place of Mary in the foundation and traditions of the Marist Brothers and as an acknowledgment that the Church had declared 1954 as the Marian Year.
Until 1999, Sandymount High School
Sandymount High School
Sandymount High School was a coeducational secondary school on Herbert Road, Sandymount, Dublin 4. Founded in 1947, it was initially controversial because, as a non-denominational school, it wasn't owned by a church but by the Cannon family, who also provided the two headmasters the school had:...
was next door to Marian College.
For the first 34 years, the College was run by Raul Meany's four predecessors, Bro Ligouri, Bro Declan, Bro Fintan and Bro Peter. Over the last 16 years, lay involvement in the management and organisation of the College has grown.
Sport
Rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
is one of the schools main sports. The college fields teams in both the JCT/SCT competitions with the JCT in the final of the Cup Shield in 2008. The JCT won the Cup Shield in 1968.
Water-polo is the school's most successful sport, the college having won numerous Leinster titles over the past 10 years. In 2010 the senior Gaelic
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
team won both the Dublin and Leinster schools championships.They also won a Leinster Basketball title in 1989-90,coached by Meany and Nesbitt.The College has also won national soccer cup Captained By Graham Kavanagh
Graham Kavanagh
Graham Anthony Kavanagh is an Irish footballer. He is assistant manager for Carlisle United, having also played for Home Farm, Middlesbrough, Stoke City, Cardiff City, Wigan Athletic, Sunderland and two loan spells at Sheffield Wednesday...
(Irish international)the final was played at Tolka Park
Tolka Park
Tolka Park is an Irish football ground located in the north Dublin suburb of Drumcondra, on the northern banks of the River Tolka. It is currently the home ground of League of Ireland club Shelbourne...
and coached by Robbie Cronin (teacher). Won the bike polo all ireland championship in 2010.
Distinguished past pupils
- Most Reverend Diarmuid MartinDiarmuid MartinDiarmuid Martin is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland. He was born in Dublin.-Early life and education:...
, Archbishop of DublinArchbishop of Dublin (Roman Catholic)The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the Archdiocese of Dublin. The Church of Ireland has a similar role, heading the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough. In both cases, the Archbishop is also Primate of Ireland...
(2004 - ) - Adrian KennedyAdrian KennedyAdrian Kennedy may refer to:* Adrian Kennedy, journalist and radio presenter * Adrian Kennedy, a character in Hollyoaks...
FM Radio presenter. - The producer and impresarioImpresarioAn impresario is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, plays or operas; analogous to a film producer in filmmaking, television production and an angel investor in business...
Noel PearsonNoel Pearson (film and theatre producer)-Film credits:His film credits include My Left Foot, which received five Academy Award nominations , and won Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress... - Niall O'BrienNiall O'Brien (cricketer)Niall John O'Brien is an Irish cricketer educated at Marian College, Ballsbridge. He is a left-handed batsman and wicket-keeper. O'Brien's brother Kevin plays with him in the Irish team...
and Kevin O'BrienKevin O'Brien (cricketer)Kevin Joseph O'Brien is an Irish cricketer who plays for Railway Union Cricket Club and Gloucestershire. He holds the world record for the fastest century ever scored at a World Cup, coming from 50 balls against England on 2 March 2011. An all-rounder, O'Brien is an aggressive right-handed...
, brothers on the Irish international cricket team. - Louis Magee Immediate past-President of the Leinster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU).
- Declan HughesDeclan Hughes (writer)Declan Hughes is an Irish novelist, playwright and screenwriter. His most widely known crime novels center around the Irish-American detective Ed Loy. Loy is a homage to the character Sam Spade from The Maltese Falcon as a loy is a traditional Irish spade...
, Award winning author and playwright. Founder of the Rough Magic Theatre Company.