Description
St Muredach's College is an all-boys secondary school on the banks of the River Moy in Ballina, County Mayo. It was founded in 1906 to provide a Catholic education for boys in the Killala Diocese.HistoryThe concept of St. Muredach's College was first proposed in 1901 by Dr. John Conmy, who was Bishop of Killala from 1893 to 1911. As there was no secondary school between Belmullet and Sligo, there was a clear need for the facility. The provision of this, however, was a sizeable task, given post-famine poverty in the west of Ireland. The school opened on 10 September 1906.Designed by W.H. Byrne, the contractors were McKee and McNally. The original contract for the building was £11,000, with an additional £11,000 for plumbing and gas. Furthermore, £2,300 was paid for landscaping and enclosing the grounds. Including other additional costs, the final sum came to £16,000.As the original 76 students were boarders, the entire first floor of the current 'old building' was set aside as accommodation. Some teachers and other employees also lived in the college buildings. The annual costs were £3 for day students and £30 for boarders.In 1924, the British Junior, Middle and Senior Examinations were replaced with the newly formed Free State's Intermediate and Leaving Certificate Examinations. Increasing numbers resulted in the construction of a new extension in 1937. The three classrooms and dormitory cost £3,000.There were no new extensions during the 1940s and 1950s but numbers steadily increased and in 1967, an enrolment explosion occurred with the advent of Free Education. This landmark decision also meant that St. Muredachs, and indeed all Irish secondary schools, had to offer technical subjects to cater for all interests and skills.
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