St. Patrick's College
School Details
Location
About
St Patrick’s College, Lacken Cross is a small, vibrant co‑educational secondary school operating under the Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board. The college delivers a broad curriculum from first year through to the Leaving Certificate, placing equal emphasis on academic achievement and the holistic development of each pupil. Modern, state‑of‑the‑art classrooms and specialist teaching spaces – including dedicated areas for art, science, technology and computing – support a contemporary learning environment, while a well‑equipped physical‑education facility and a spacious canteen cater to students’ wider needs. The school benefits from favourable pupil‑teacher ratios, enabling personalised support and strong relationships between staff and learners. A welcoming, inclusive atmosphere is reinforced by an open‑door policy for parents and a commitment to fostering teamwork through a wide range of extracurricular activities, notably in sport and music. Consistently strong examination results across a diverse subject offering reflect the college’s focus on high‑quality teaching and the ambition of its student body.
History
St Patrick’s College opened in 1966 in response to demand from the local farming community, with land donated by Mr James Massey. Initially comprising six rooms and a single classroom, the school expanded with the construction of an old hall in the mid‑1970s. A major extension added new classrooms in 1993, and in 2008 the current school building was inaugurated, providing modern facilities and technology suites. The curriculum grew from the Group Certificate to include the Leaving Certificate in 1973, with an expanding range of subjects, particularly in the sciences. Situated about four miles from Killala and five miles from Ballycastle, the college serves a catchment radius of up to fifteen miles, offering co‑educational secondary education for students of all abilities and backgrounds.