De La Salle College Waterford

De La Salle College Waterford is a secondary school in Waterford, Ireland with over 1,000 students and 90 teachers.

For other uses of "De La Salle College", see De La Salle College.

De La Salle College Waterford
Location
Waterford, County Waterford, Republic of Ireland
Coordinates52°15′14″N 7°06′03″W
Information
MottoPraesis Ut Prosis
(Lead in order to serve)
Established1894
PrincipalMichael Walsh
GenderMale
Enrollment1200
Websitewww.delasallewaterford.com/

De La Salle Teachers Training College

The De La Salle Brothers had a presence in Waterford since the 1870s,[1] and opened a teacher training college at Newtown, Waterford in 1894.[2] In 1894 Mr. J.L. Ahearn was appointed professor of irish, the first such appointment in a teacher training college. Students who completed the two year course were awarded the National Teacher(NT) qualification entitling them to teach in primary (national) schools.

In May 1939 lay teacher training ceased (male teacher training centered in St. Patrick's, Drumcondra), however, the De La Salle brothers continued to be trained for another 10 years,[3] along with Marist and Presentation Brothers, in 1972 an agreement was made where brothers were trained alongside the christian brothers in Marino.[4]

Secondary School

A secondary school was opened on the site in the 1940s.[5] In 1948 it officially opened as a Day and Boarding School.[3] The boarding school closed in 1990, and from 1991 operated as a day school only. In 2008 it appointed its first lay principal, and in 2009 The Le Cheile Schools Trust became the trustee body for the school. School management was criticised in a 2012 Department of Education inspection report for taking on €500,000 in debts for refurbishments with little educational benefit, and for teachers teaching subjects for which they were not qualified.[6] On 5 October 2020, the school's current principal will be retiring and will be replaced by Michael Walsh.

Sports and Activities

Gaelic Games

Gaelic games were always a significant sport in De La Salle College, both as a teachers college and secondary school. Seven former GAA presidents trained at De La Salle, and a number of inter-county players and managers have gone to school in the college. In 2007 and 2008 they won the Munster Schools Dr. Harty Cup and All-Ireland Dr. Croke Cup. In football the won the Munster Schools Corn Uí Mhuirí in 1958, 1961, 1962, 1964 and 1965. The school is also strongly linked to De La Salle GAA club.

Soccer

Two former Irish soccer internationals Jim Beglin and John O'Shea are among the school's past pupils. The school has been successful in competitions, winning the FAI Schools minor title in 2002 and in 2009.[7]

Musical Society

The De La Salle College Musical Society which is over 40 years old, performing its first musical in 1979 Joseph and His Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. The annual College Musical performed in the college hall, is a significant event each year.

Principals
  • Br. Severus Harvey - first principal (-1891)
  • Br. Roderick (Thomas) Kane (1891-1911), Assistant Superior-General De La Salle Brothers from 1911.
  • Br. Damien Kellegher (1996-2008)
  • Gearoid O’Brien (2008- 2015) - first lay principal[8]
  • Margaret Betts (2015-2020)
  • Michael Walsh (2020 – present)

Notable alumni

Alumni of the Teachers Training College

References
  1. "1894 – De La Salle College, Waterford, Co. Waterford". Architecture of Waterford. Archiseek. 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  2. "Subject Inspection of Guidance - Report - De La Salle College, Newtown, Waterford". Department of Education and Science. 22 May 2008.
  3. De La Salle College De La Salle GAA Club
  4. 'Teacher Preparation in Ireland: History, Policy and Future Directions' By Thomas O'Donoghue, Judith Harford, Teresa O'Doherty
  5. "School History - De La Salle Brothers in Waterford". Delasallewaterford.com. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  6. "School ran up €500,000 debt on refurbishments". Irish Examiner. 10 October 2012.
  7. De La Salle win FAI Schools Minor Cup by Jamie O'Keeffe Munster Express 8 May 2009.
  8. First lay principal for De La Salle College Munster Express, 23 May 2008.
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