Synge Street CBS, an all-boys secondary school which taught future presidents, taoisigh and other pillars of Irish society for 160 years, is to become a coeducational Gaelcholáiste.
It follows talks with the Department of Education which has been seeking to boost access to the education through Irish at second level, which has been the subject of a long-running campaign in the south Dublin area.
The school’s patron, the Edmund Rice Schools Trust, said the move to admit girls for the first time and switch to an all-Irish teaching model was in response to the changing needs of Dublin 8 in the south inner city.
The changes will commence with the first year intake in September 2026.
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Gerry Bennett, the trust’s chief executive, said the change has come about with the support of the Department of Education following a consultation process with the school community.
He said the development means there will be a “Gaeltacht campus” on the site comprising Synge Street CBS and Bunscoil Sancta Maria, Synge Street.
Mr Bennett said Synge Street CBS will join the trust’s eight all-Irish schools – four Gaelcholáistí and four Gaelscoileanna – and support will be provided to students and staff during the transitionary period.
“Synge Street CBS will remain a vibrant community embracing diversity and inclusivity among staff, students and parents and continue its commitment as an Edmund Rice School to being respectful, being responsible and being ready,” he said.
“It will continue its strong academic tradition which is evidenced by its many successes at the Young Scientist exhibition over the years.”
Minister for Education Norma Foley said the announcement was “great news” for the school and local community.
“I am conscious there has long been a demand for a Gaelcholáiste in Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8 and I am delighted that we now have one in the heart of Dublin 2. This will increase the provision for Irish-medium education at post-primary level in the wider South Dublin city area,” she said.
Ms Foley said it would marks a new era for a school with a deep-rooted history in its community.
Having started with about 400 on the roll in the 1860s, numbers climbed to some 1,500 in the 1950s. Numbers began to fall in subsequent decades, however, due to range of factors such as the depopulation of the inner city and the opening up of new community schools.
Today, enrolments are growing once again and the school has about 300 students. It has also celebrated academic accolades such as winning the BT Young Scientist competition for an unprecedented fourth time in 2022. It previously won in 2012, 2009 and 2004.
In recent years Bunscoil Synge Street – the neighbouring primary school of CBS Synge Street – introduced an Irish language stream – or a sruth lán Ghaeilge – and provides education through Irish for all years.
Among the schools past pupils include notable politicians such as David Andrews, Niall Andrews, Todd Andrews, Eric Byrne, taoiseach Liam Cosgrave, Charlie O’Connor, Richie Ryan, Michael Woods, president Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh and Irish revolutionary Harry Boland.
There have also been well-known figures from the world of media and the arts including broadcasters Eamonn Andrew and Gay Byrne, film director John Carney – who used the school as inspiration for his movie Sing Street – actor David Kelly and author John Connolly.
High-profile sports people also attended including footballers Don Given, Andy Reed and motorsport owner Eddie Jordan.
Parents, students and teachers from five Irish medium primary schools operating in the Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8 areas have campaigned for an Irish medium secondary school for several years.
Speaking on behalf of the Gaelcholáiste 2468 campaign, Gráinne Dollard, principle of Scoil Bhríde, welcomed the announcement.
“We would like to extend our sincere congratulations and commend all those who have been involved and have supported the campaign over the last 3 years. This is a huge development and has huge potential for all our children and our school communities.
“Having said that, we have many questions about the details of this development and what the make-up of the Gaelcholáiste will be and we look forward to discussing these with the Department and the Patron,” she said.
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