Dominican College
School Details
About
Dominican College Wicklow is a Catholic secondary school that embraces the Dominican ethos of “finding truth through the education of the whole person.” The college offers a broad, balanced curriculum that combines academic rigour with a strong emphasis on personal development, spiritual growth and community involvement. Facilities on the historic Bayview campus include the original St Dominic’s wing, St Joseph’s wing for boarders (now repurposed for day‑pupil use), Fatima Hall, and the modern Holy Rosary primary school building. The school also benefits from close links with the Dominican Farm and Ecology Centre, ‘An Tairseach’, which supports a Transition Year “Sustainable Living” module and a range of environmental initiatives. The college’s pastoral care framework reflects its commitment to nurturing each student’s moral and social wellbeing, while a wide array of extra‑curricular activities – from athletics and hockey to basketball – encourages participation in sport, the arts and community service. As a day‑school since the early 1980s, Dominican College welcomes pupils from Wicklow and the surrounding region, providing a supportive environment that prepares young people for further education and lifelong learning.
History
Dominican Sisters arrived in Wicklow in June 1870, opening a primary school at Bayview House on 24 June 1870 and shortly thereafter establishing a day school for girls (St Anne’s) and a private boarding school for young ladies. The first secondary‑level facilities, including St Dominic’s wing (1871‑1878) and St Joseph’s wing (1882), were constructed in the late 19th century. A chapel and St Catherine’s wing were added in 1906‑1907, and St Mary’s Preparatory College for boys operated from 1887 until 1962. Over the 20th century the school expanded with the Holy Rosary primary school (1950), Fatima Hall (rebuilt after a 1940 fire), and the Bethlehem Junior School (1977). The boarding programme ended in 1983, making the college fully day‑based. Lay leadership began in 1994, and the Dominican Farm and Ecology Centre was established in 1998, reinforcing the college’s commitment to sustainable education.