CATHERINE MC AULEY SP S
School Details
About
Catherine McAuley School is a specialist post‑primary institution dedicated to pupils with learning difficulties, situated in a tranquil green‑belt setting on the Westbourne Convent grounds in Limerick city. The school serves a wide catchment that includes County Limerick, Tipperary and Clare, and maintains a low pupil‑to‑teacher ratio of 11 : 1, allowing for personalised support and close monitoring of progress. A caring, friendly and inclusive atmosphere is fostered throughout the campus, encouraging each learner to participate fully in academic, social and personal development. The curriculum is broad‑based and balanced, combining core literacy and numeracy with a diverse range of vocational subjects such as horticulture, woodwork, home economics, hair care and information technology. Creative and physical education are also integral, with provision for religious education, art, drama, physical education and social education. Facilities include a purpose‑built classroom block, a dedicated vocational unit and a modern PE hall, all designed to enrich learning experiences and celebrate individual achievement.
History
Catherine McAuley School was founded in 1961 by the Mercy Sisters in response to the need for specialised education for students struggling in mainstream settings. The inaugural class of twelve pupils met in a single room at St John’s Primary School before relocating to a classroom block at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School, Rosbrien. By the 1970s the school catered for both primary and secondary ages, prompting the construction of a purpose‑built campus on the Westbourne Convent grounds, which opened in 1979. Enrollment grew to over two hundred students by the mid‑1980s. Sr Killian Bugler served as the first principal, succeeded by subsequent leaders who expanded the curriculum to include a vocational unit and PE hall in the early 2000s.