St Columbas College
School Details
Location
About
St. Columba’s College is a co‑educational, 7‑day boarding school set on a 140‑acre campus in the Dublin Hills, overlooking the capital. The college combines a strong academic programme with a broad extra‑curricular offering, encouraging pupils to excel in examinations while also developing talents in sport, music, drama and the visual arts. Daily worship in the historic chapel reflects its Church of Ireland foundation, yet the school welcomes children of all faiths and backgrounds, fostering an inclusive community built around the values of kindness, compassion, inclusion, responsibility and determination. The campus blends historic Georgian and Victorian architecture with modern facilities. Pupils have access to a 9‑hole golf course and training centre, a large gym, cricket pitches, an outdoor swimming pool, all‑weather tennis courts, a sports hall, an art centre, a dedicated music and performing‑arts school, and a recently redeveloped science block. Small boarding and day houses, many staffed by on‑site personnel, create a close‑knit, supportive environment where pastoral care and personal development are prioritised alongside academic achievement.
History
Founded in 1843 by the Rev. William Sewell, the Lord Primate of Ireland, the Earl of Dunraven and others, St. Columba’s College has been linked to the Church of Ireland from its inception while embracing an ecumenical ethos. In 1849 the school relocated from Stackallan House, Co. Meath, to its present 140‑acre site on the slopes of the Dublin mountains, centred on the 18th‑century Hollypark House. Notable historic buildings include the Wardens House, the Cloisters, the Argyle building, the Big Schoolroom and the Butterfield‑designed chapel (1880). Over the past two decades the college has expanded its facilities with a library (1994), a 9‑hole golf course (1995), sports hall (1998), art centre (2000), upgraded boarding houses, new all‑weather tennis courts (2006), a second Astroturf hockey pitch (2007), a music and performing‑arts school (2008) and a complete science block redevelopment (2016).