St Brigids Senior Girls
School Details
Location
About
St. Brigid’s Senior Girls’ National School is a vibrant primary school situated on Wellmount Avenue in Finglas West, Dublin. The school provides a holistic education that nurtures the intellectual, physical, cultural, moral and spiritual development of each pupil, guided by the motto “Together let’s live for today and learn for tomorrow”. A strong partnership with parents, guardians and the wider community underpins the school’s ethos, and it operates under the patronage of the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin with DEIS Band 1 funding. The learning environment is well‑resourced, featuring a well‑stocked library, a dedicated computer room where ICT skills are integrated across the curriculum, and modern sports facilities that support swimming, cycling, GAA football, cricket and basketball. The school actively participates in the Green Schools Programme, has earned the Discover Primary Science and Maths Award, and implements the WHO‑recognised Friends for Life programme to promote mental wellbeing and resilience. A focus on multiple intelligences ensures that literacy, oral language, science and the arts are all given priority, with weekly music lessons for all classes. A committed Board of Management and a supportive staff team deliver a safe, caring and inclusive atmosphere. Learning support is provided for pupils with additional needs and for those whose first language is not English, while the school also prepares children for the sacraments in collaboration with local parish clergy. Community links with local GAA clubs, youth organisations and service providers enrich the pupil experience beyond the classroom.
History
St. Brigid’s Senior Girls’ National School traces its origins to 1894 when two Sisters of the Holy Faith took over a small two‑room girls’ school in the grounds of St. Canice’s parish church, enrolling thirty pupils under the patronage of St Brigid. In 1918 the school entered the National Board of Education, and on 18 May 1927 it moved to a new six‑room red‑brick building on the Holy Faith convent grounds (now St Michael’s Secondary School). The present Wellmount Avenue site opened in November 1958, with an official opening in July 1959, and at that time the Holy Faith Sisters managed four schools on the campus for a total roll of 1 800 pupils. Throughout the 1960s the school expanded with additional classrooms, prefabricated units and outdoor porches to accommodate growing enrolments, reaching 3 900 pupils by January 1965. In 1972 the middle and senior girls’ schools were restructured into senior schools, and on 1 October 1989 the two senior girls’ schools amalgamated under a single principal. An Outreach Unit for children with autism spectrum disorder was opened in 1999 by President Mary McAleese. Trusteeship transferred to the St Lawrence O’Toole Trust on 1 October 2001, placing the school under the Archbishop of Dublin’s patronage and ushering in lay leadership. The school celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2019.