Blackwater Community School
School Details
Location
About
Blackwater Community School (BCS) in Lismore, County Waterford is a co‑educational secondary school formed from the amalgamation of Lismore CBS, the Presentation Convent and St Anne’s Secondary School, Cappoquin. The school serves a diverse student body of 951 pupils (as of 2023/24) and delivers a broad, balanced curriculum that aims to develop academic, physical, emotional and spiritual potential. Its mission stresses a safe, caring community where learners are encouraged to build self‑belief, engage with local and wider society and benefit from a welcoming atmosphere for parents and the wider community. The campus has been expanded dramatically since its opening in 2003. Recent developments include a new two‑storey building with modern classrooms, practical‑subject facilities and office space, a staff car‑park, two astro‑turf pitches and a refurbished PE hall. Earlier extensions added six additional classrooms and incorporated the County Library and Council offices into the school grounds. BCS also provides extensive digital resources such as VSware, Office 365, Microsoft Teams and a dedicated school app, supporting both learning and extra‑curricular activities ranging from badminton and basketball to Model United Nations and cross‑country events.
History
Blackwater Community School opened in September 2003 as an amalgamation of Lismore CBS, Presentation Convent Lismore and St Anne’s Secondary School, Cappoquin, built on a greenfield site with an initial enrolment of 400 pupils. Between 2003 and 2015 a six‑classroom extension was added and the County Library and County Council offices were incorporated into the campus. In November 2022 phase one of a major building programme was completed, delivering a new two‑storey block, additional classrooms, practical‑subject rooms, office space, a staff car‑park, two astro‑turf pitches and upgrades to the PE hall. Phase two is underway and is scheduled for completion in the 2024‑2025 school year, bringing the campus to a state‑of‑the‑art education centre for the current roll of 951 students.