History of Scoil Bhríde Clane
The Presentation Sisters came to Clane from Carlow, Portlaoise and Fair Street, Drogheda and founded a convent in 1839. The foundress was Mother Teresa Brennan. The building to which they came had been used as an orphanage and had been run by the Patrician Society. It was probably built circa 1818.
We do not know the exact date of the opening of the first presentation school in Clane nor when it came under the Department of Education as old registers and roll books were destroyed. However, judging by the roll number 1151, it is assumed that it became a national school at a very early date.
In the beginning, the Sisters taught Reading, Writing, Arithmetic and Spinning. There was also a special emphasis on Religious Instruction. The children were prepared for First Holy Communion and Confirmation.
In 1929 the convent school was renovated with money left by a lady to Fr. Laurence Kehoe who was parish priest at that time. New wooden floors were put in the three main rooms, folding doors divided the largest room and new fireplaces replaced the antiquated ones that had been there for the previous one hundred years. Up to 1929 the school had been the property of the Presentation Sisters but after its renovation it became parochial property. These renovations have stood the test of time enabling the building to function as a school into the 1980’s and from then on as a multi-purpose community resource area. It has recently been refurbished and is used by the community as a Parish Centre and Meeting Point.
In common with many other villages within commuting distance of Dublin, Clane has undergone dramatic demographic and social changes in last twenty years. It has gone from being a rural linear settlement to a bustling satellite town of Dublin. Its population has risen from 1594 in the late seventies to 3126 in 1996. Current estimate of population is 4,012.
Traditional employers such as the farming and bloodstock industries, the defence forces and state companies such as Bord Na Móna and E.S.B. have diminished as a percentage of total employers in the area. The majority of those working have found employment in high-tech computer Intel and Hewlett Packard and light industries and in service industries generally situated outside the village.
Strategic long-term planning on the part of those involved in education provision in the area has played a major part in the expansion of the village. Sr. Perpetua Lonergan R.I.P. was sent to Clane in the early 1970’s. She was a lady of vision and she instigated the purchase of a large field on the Prosperous Road which became the site for three schools – Scoil Bhríde, Scoil Phádraig and Scoil Mhuire Community School. By this time, due to increasing numbers, both primary and secondary school pupils were being taught in prefabs on the convent grounds and on the Prosperous Road.
After much lobbying of Government officials and campaigning, three state of the art schools were built. This was thanks to the tireless efforts of Fr. Bob Thompson, S.J. who worked tirelessly with the parents and the Department of Education to make this dream a reality. Johnny Connolly was the builder and Andy Fitzgerald the foreman. In June 1982 when the building of Scoil Bhride was completed, the pupils and their teachers marched from the convent school to their new premises. The proud principal at the time was Sr. Louise Eustace. She was replaced in September of that year, by Sr. Raphael McDonagh. Sr. Aloysius Barrett became principal in September 1987 and the last religious principal was Sr. Gemma Corcoran who was principal from September 1998 until September 2001.
The first lay principal was Ms. Deirdre Costello who was appointed in the summer of 2001. Mrs. Costello was a former member of staff and taught the senior classes. Ms. Costello oversaw the build of a ten classroom extension and GP halls and the refurbishment of the existing building. Work began on this in March 2014. Stewarts were the company who built our new extension and Mike Connolly was Site Manager. The extension was officially opened by Bishop Denis Nulty on the 9th October 2015.
At the Turning of the Sod Ceremony in March 2014, Deirdre Costello, our Principal handed over a time capsule to Mike Connolly, our Site Manager. This time capsule contains many symbols of life in our school, books, crayons, photos, a St. Brigid’s Cross, holy water and a star of Bethlehem. In June 2014 our Time Capsule was placed in the foundations of this new extension by 6th Class pupils. It is hugely important to us that we do not lose sight of who we are.
Mrs. Eimear Hennessy was appointed Principal in November 2016. Eimear began teaching in Scoil Bhríde in September 1998. She has taught all class levels and was the SEN co-ordinator in the school prior to her appointment as Principal.
In September 2017, we opened a special class for children with Autism to cater for the needs of children within our community. This started as a mixed class for boys and girls. The boys were integrated with the boys in Scoil Phádraig. When the boys school opened their own ASD class in 2020 our class became an all girls ASD class. Our ASD class has been a wonderful addition to our school.
In the summer of 2024, we were sanctioned in the opening of a 2nd Autism class. Works began on the conversion of an existing classroom to a new AS room on the 23rd September 2024. We hope to open the 2nd class in November 2024.
There are no teaching religious sisters on staff but the ethos of the school established by the presentation Sisters is very evident and continues throughout the school. Presentation Day is celebrated with a prayer service in honour of Nano Nagle, the founder of the Presentation sisters, on the 21st November each year.
We, the staff, the Board and the Parents’ Association are very conscious of the legacy we have inherited. We recognise our responsibility to protect, nurture and live out the Presentation ethos on a daily basis. This is an ethos of care and respect, a love and acceptance of all regardless of beliefs or differences . An aspiration to provide the highest standard of education for all our pupils and to prepare them to take their place in the world. This is the ethos which permeates and informs all our deliberations, decisions and work. The lantern is a very relevant and powerful symbol for us, reminding us of the work of Nano Nagle, the foundress of the Presentation Order.
The response of those in education – management, teachers, parents has been to establish a Parent`s Association in 1986 which provides a forum for debate and an opportunity for parents to participate actively in the community of Scoil Bhríde. Our Parents Association has gone from strength to strength over the years.
Our student council which was established in September 2017 allows the student voice to be heard.
All of our partners working together serves to greatly enhance the child`s experience of life in Scoil Bhríde.