The Schools owned by the Jesuits

Belvedere College

Belvedere College

Situated in the centre of Dublin, it has 950 pupils and 60 teachers, of whom four are Jesuits. Founded in 1832, it draws pupils from all over the city and has a long history of success in rugby. It is fee-paying, but does provide a scholarship scheme.

Gonzaga College

In Ranelagh in south Dublin, the school has a lay principal, Mr Patrick Potts, and about 420 students, with about 40 teachers.

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Founded in 1950 after encouragement from the archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Charles McQuaid. According to Jesuit history he was concerned at the "number of well-to-do parents sending their children to England for secondary education." In 1974 a proposal was turned down by the Department of Education to turn the school into a comprehensive.

Colaiste Iognaid

A co-educational non-fee-paying school founded in 1860. There are 262 girls and 329 boys attending, with up to 40 teachers, four of whom are Jesuits.

The school has a lay principal, Mr Frank Canavan, and takes students from throughout Galway city. Some of the pupils are taught through Irish. There is also an all-Irish primary school, Scoil Iognaid, on the same site with almost 550 pupils.

Clongowes Wood College

Founded in 1814 and situated on extensive grounds near Naas in Co Kildare. About 420 boarders attend the school which has, like most Jesuit schools, a long tradition in rugby.

There are about 40 teachers, of whom eight are Jesuits. According to the order's history, the school has experienced "periods of criticism from inside and outside." Unlike many other boarding schools, it has not scaled back its numbers in recent years.

Crescent College

In Dooradoyle, Co Limerick, this co-educational comprehensive was founded in 1859, but entered the State system in 1971, following encouragement from its former pupil and minister for education, Donogh O'Malley.

The school is run on the basis of a split trust between the Jesuits and the Department of Education. The move to Dooradoyle from Crescent House was made because the old buildings were declared unsafe.