Saint Cronan's Boys' National School

Saint Cronan's Boys' National School (Irish: Scoil Chrónáin Naofa) is a national school located in Vevay Crescent, just off the Vevay Road in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. It is the oldest primary school in Bray, having been founded in 1820 as Bray Male School. The school is named in honour of Saint Cronan, whose feast day falls on 28 April.

St. Cronan's BNS
Address
Vevay Road

Bray
,
County Wicklow

Ireland
Information
School typePrimary
MottoFios Feasa
Irish: Knowledge of Knowledge
Founded1820 (1820)
Staffc. 69
GradesFirst through sixth
GenderMale
Age range6–9
Number of students500 approx.
Colour(s)Blue, yellow
AthleticsGaelic football, hurling
Websitewww.stcronans.ie

As of 2019, there are approximately 500 boys in the school, aged from 6 to 13 years (first through sixth classes).

History
St. Cronan's new building, officially opened on 18 June 2001 by then Minister for Education, Michael Woods.

In 1820, a small number of cottages on Seapoint Road in Bray are believed to have been the site of the first Bray Male Parochial School. It opened on 20 July 1820 and the boys stayed in these premises until 1880. Due to increasing pupil numbers, Bray Male School moved from its original home on Seapoint Road to the Little Flower Hall beside the Holy Redeemer Church off the Main Street in Bray in October 1880. Bray Male School moved again in 1931; this time, the school found a new home in a new building on the Vevay Hill. The school also changed its name at this stage to St Cronan's. On 2 November 1999, St. Cronan's moved to a new building in Vevay Crescent. After the most recent move to the new school building in Vevay Crescent, Gaelscoil Uí Chéadaigh, a Gaelscoil, took up residence in the schoolhouse on the Vevay Hill.

Current activities

Curricular studies

As a national school, St. Cronan's follows the Primary School Curriculum (1999). The school has a Catholic ethos and prepares its students for the sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Communion. The school was also part of the Modern Languages Initiative until 2012,[1] and Spanish was taught in 5th and 6th classes.

Sports
St. Cronan's GAA
Scoil Chrónáin Naofa
Founded:
County:Wicklow
Nickname:The Crows
Colours:Blue, yellow
Grounds:Páirc Chrónáin, Bray
Playing kits
Standard colours

St. Cronan's has both Gaelic football and hurling teams which compete against other schools in the Wicklow area. The school's Gaelic football team have been county champions on several occasions, and have also won the Coughlin Cup on several occasions.[2] The school's team colours are blue, yellow, and white to match the school's uniform. Prior to the year 2000, the school's colours were red and white; this matched the colour of the previous school uniform.

St. Cronan's trophy cabinet.

Gaelic football honours
  • Coughlin Cup; 1998, 2000, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011.
  • Wicklow Schools League; 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004.
  • Wicklow County Championship (Corn Uí Dhochartaigh, English: O'Doherty Cup); 1999, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007.
  • Mini-Sevens Trophy; 2004, 2005.

Hurling honours
  • Mini-Sevens Trophy; 2006.
  • Murphy Cup; 2004.

Choral

St. Cronan's boys choir have performed at local events and also in the National Concert Hall with the National Children's Choir. They have also performed for then President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, in Áras an Uachtaráin. In December 2004, the choir released an album entitled The Magic of Christmas, which included a guest appearance by the late Ronnie Drew of The Dubliners.[3]

On 12 September 2008, St. Cronan's welcomed Liu Biwei, Chinese Ambassador to Ireland. The St. Cronan's choir, along with some musicians from the senior classes in the school performed for the Ambassador and his diplomatic entourage.[4]

Charity
Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes ready for shipping

In the run up to Christmas, students in sixth class take part in the Concern Christmas Fast. In the past, the school has also participated in Operation Christmas Child. This is a project organised by Samaritan's Purse, and involves children putting together a shoebox of simple gifts for distribution among children in desperate situations around the world.[5]

Other awards
St. Cronan's Eircom Junior Spider Website Award 2009

Twinning

St. Cronan's is linked with Edgewood Elementary School in the U.S. state of Minnesota.[6] The school is also twinned with the parish of Ikanga, Kenya[7] and the parish of Bugisi, Tanzania.[8]

Notable alumni

References
  1. MLPSI Spanish Schools MLPSI.com. Retrieved on 11-02-08.
  2. Coughlin Cup report Cumann na mBunscol. Retrieved on 11-02-08.
  3. The Magic of Christmas The Magic of Christmas album. Retrieved on 22-09-08.
  4. Mr Karl Ó Broin's 6th Class Website St Cronan's BNS mini-website. Retrieved on 21-09-08.
  5. Operation Christmas Child Samaritan's Purse. Retrieved on 18-02-08.
  6. US link StCronans.ie. Retrieved on 10-02-08.
  7. "Bray, Ikanga twinning". Catholic Deocese of Kitui. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  8. "Twin parish". Queen of Peace parish. Archived from the original on 22 December 2005. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  9. Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh Archived 27 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine CúplaFocal.ie. Retrieved on 11-02-08.
  10. DiamondValley.ie. Retrieved on 19-02-16.
  11. Come on you Reds! CroNews. Published on 01-05-99. Retrieved on 11-02-08.
  13. Bray Endeavour Awards Bray Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved on 12-08-08.

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