Secondary School

Mount Sion Cbs

Waterford City, Waterford
Gaeltacht Boys

School Details

Address
Barrack Street, Waterford City
Location
Waterford City, Waterford
School Type
Secondary
Total Enrollment (2025/26)
494 students
Enrollment Split
494 Boys
Ethos
Catholic
Irish Classification
No subjects taught through Irish
Gender
Boys
Roll Number
64930I
Latest Inspection Reports
View on gov.ie

Location

About

Mount Sion C.B.S. is a secondary school for boys that forms part of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust network. Situated on a historic site in Waterford, the college has been delivering a Catholic‑based education for over two centuries, emphasising compassion, inclusivity and the holistic development of each learner. The school’s ethos centres on caring for the needs of all students, fostering high academic standards while providing robust pastoral support throughout the six‑year programme. The curriculum is complemented by a wide range of extra‑curricular activities, encouraging pupils to explore sports, music, debating and community service. Recent investment in a new school project, currently in the architectural planning phase, demonstrates a commitment to modern, purpose‑built facilities that will enhance learning environments and accommodate future growth. The college also benefits from strong links with the wider Waterford community and the Edmund Rice educational tradition, promoting values of justice, charity and lifelong learning.

History

Mount Sion C.B.S. traces its origins to the charitable work of Blessed Edmund Rice, who arrived in Waterford in 1779. At the age of forty, Rice sold his business interests and opened a school for poor boys in a stable on New Street, later establishing a permanent monastery and school at Ballybricken. This pioneering institution became the first Edmund Rice school in the world and has continued to provide education to boys from the local area for more than two hundred years. The school’s history is closely linked with Rice’s commitment to justice, compassion and the education of disadvantaged youth, a legacy that remains central to its mission today.