Loreto Convent Secondary School, Letterkenny

The Loreto Secondary School is a Roman Catholic girls secondary school in County Donegal, Ireland. Located beside the Cathedral of St Eunan and St Columba in Letterkenny, it is one of eighteen Loreto secondary schools in Ireland and is the one of the very few schools in Ireland that still have nuns employed in the school and the only Loreto school that has a direct link with the Sisters of Loreto. The Convent secondary school is linked with the primary school for girls, Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal, as they are both part of the greater Loreto College Network. Many of the girls' brothers attend or will have attended St Eunan's College, which is a short distance up the road. In addition, the primary school for boys, Scoil Colmcille, is located across the road.

This article is about Loreto Secondary School, Letterkenny. For other Loreto schools, see Loreto College (disambiguation).
Loreto Secondary School
Meánscoil Loreto
Location
Letterkenny, County Donegal

Ireland
Information
TypeSecondary school
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Established1854
PrincipalSr. Gerardine Mullen
GenderGirls
Enrollment940
LanguageEnglish
Colour(s)Brown and Yellow   
Websiteloretoletterkenny.ie

History

Mary Ward founded The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (better known in Ireland as the "Loreto Order") in England in the 17th century. Mother Frances Teresa Ball brought the Order to Ireland in 1821. In 1854, the then Bishop of Raphoe, Dr McGettigan, invited the religious sisters to set up a secondary school for girls in Letterkenny. The day-school opened with 5 pupils on 4 September 1854. From the 1920s until 1976 it was an all-Irish school. A new wing with a concert hall opened in 1939. Boarding ceased in 1978. Extensions were added in 1972, 1978 and 1986, while an extension (sanctioned by the Department of Education) opened to coincide with the school's 150th anniversary in mid-2004. The first classes began here in September 2005. Noel Ferry became the school's first lay and male headmaster since its opening. Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given attended an event in the Convent as Guest of Honour in 1999, where he was photographed sitting amid a group of delighted young girls.[1] Sister Gerardine Mullen is the current acting principal, after the passing of principal Nora Friel in November 2018.[2]

The Loreto schools share a common educational philosophy and maintain links through inter-school co-operation and extra-curricular activities.

Order is kept by a principal and a board of management. Loreto Trustees are designated legal owners but devolve much of its power to the board. The Loreto Order, parents and teachers elect delegates for a three-year period. A parents' association involves itself in fundraising, sport, study supervision and the environment, with new members invited to join annually and ratified at an A.G.M. A student council represents those attending the school and liaises with other students, staff, board and parents' association.[3] There also exists a Student Leadership Team led by the Head and Deputy Head Girl who are elected each year from the sixth year group.[4]

A school yearbook, 'LorEcho', featuring photos and articles, is out at the end of each school year, funded by sales and advertising space within given to nearby businesses. 'LorEcho' used to be a newspaper out 5 or 6 times per year.

The school participates in the European Youth Parliament,[5] and hosts the Loreto Letterkenny Model United Nations (LKMUN).[6] This is currently the only MUN conference in the North West region.

People

References
  1. "The Way We Were". Donegal News. 23 July 2020. p. 19. Shay Given was the Guest of Honour at a prizegiving in Loreto Secondary School, Letterkenny, back in 1999. (photograph caption).
  2. https://www.donegallive.ie/news/home/416270/sr-gerardine-mullen-appointed-new-principal-at-loreto-letterkenny.html
  3. "Loreto Letterkenny Student Council". www.loretoletterkenny.ie.
  4. "Loreto Letterkenny Student Leadership Page". www.loretoletterkenny.ie.
  5. "Loreto Letterkenny's involvement in EYP". www.loretoletterkenny.ie.
  6. "Donegal Students host hugely successful Model United Nations event". www.donegaldaily.com.

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