Killina Presentation Secondary School
School Details
Location
About
Killina Presentation Secondary School is a co‑educational, voluntary secondary school situated in Rahan, Tullamore, County Offaly, operating under the trusteeship of Ceist. The school describes itself as an inclusive Christian community that prioritises the holistic development of each pupil, offering a balanced programme of academic, personal and spiritual growth. Curriculum provision covers the Junior Cycle, the Leaving Certificate, the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme and a Transition Year, with dedicated pathways for students with special educational needs through a specialised SEN department and a well‑stocked Resource Centre. The campus has been expanded over several decades and now includes modern classrooms, science laboratories, ICT suites and facilities for practical subjects such as agriculture and home economics, reflecting its historic roots as an agricultural school. A broad range of extra‑curricular activities, sports and clubs are available, supporting the school’s aim to develop well‑rounded individuals prepared for further education and community life.
History
Before the Presentation Sisters arrived, the Rahan area hosted numerous hedge schools operating in makeshift sheds. In 1817, Miss Maria O’Brien funded a purpose‑built school at Killina and invited the Presentation Sisters from Dublin to run it. The original schoolroom measured 18 ft × 22 ft and enrolled over one hundred children on its first day. An 1832 grant enabled a modest extension, and during the famine the school taught lace‑making to support families. The “secondary top” began in 1948, offering free Leaving and Intermediate Certificate exams. New school buildings were erected in 1965 (at the request of Fr Kyne) and the institution achieved full secondary status in 1977, followed by further expansions. A model agricultural school operated locally at the turn of the last century. Additional schools were built in Mucklagh (1951) and Rahan (1986); the Island school closed in 1972, with pupils transported to Rahan and Killina. In 2007 a commemorative plaque marked the 180th anniversary of Maria O’Brien’s death.