Muire Na Mainistreach
School Details
Location
About
Scoil Muire na Mainistreach is a Roman Catholic boys’ national school serving pupils from 2nd to 6th class in the centre of Killarney. The school’s ethos is founded on the Presentation Brothers’ tradition of caring for the whole child, with a balanced programme that promotes academic achievement alongside a wide range of sporting, musical and artistic activities. Environmental stewardship is a core value, reflected in its active Green Schools programme and the close proximity to Killarney National Park, which provides ample opportunities for outdoor learning and ecological awareness. The present campus on New Road was opened in September 1958 and originally comprised six classrooms built by the Galvin Brothers. Over the decades the site has been expanded and modernised: an all‑purpose room and remedial classroom were added in 1980, a major refurbishment in 2009/10 introduced a new interior fit‑out, a basketball court and a rain‑water harvesting system – one of the few schools in the country to use this technology. Current fundraising aims to create two specialist‑needs classrooms, a multi‑sensory room and a purpose‑built hall, further enhancing the school’s capacity to support diverse learning needs.
History
In 1837 the Bishop of Kerry invited the Presentation Brothers to take charge of the boys’ school in Killarney, and under Brother Paul Townsend they began work in 1838. The original school, situated at Fair Hill, was poorly equipped until a grant from the National Board was secured in 1839. After several site proposals, a five‑acre plot at Falvey’s Inch was donated by the Morrough Bernard family and, with the Earl of Kenmare’s sponsorship, the new school opened on 7 January 1861. The brothers moved to the present New Road location in 1958; construction started in 1956 on land donated by the order, and the building, comprising six classrooms, was officially opened in September 1958. An all‑purpose room and remedial classroom were added in 1980, and a €500 000 refurbishment in 2009/10 modernised the interior, added a basketball court and installed a rain‑water harvesting system. Plans for a monument to mark the Presentation Brothers’ 175th anniversary were announced for 2013.