History of CCS

The Founding of Cashel Community School

Cashel Community School opened its doors to students for the first time on Monday, 5th September 1994. This was the culmination of a ten-year campaign seeking the best possible school facilities for the young people of Cashel and its hinterland.
In 1984 a Community School, involving the amalgamation of the three existing post-primary schools, was decreed for Cashel. The intention was to replace the three relatively small schools with one which would provide a comprehensive system of education. For each school this meant the end of a long tradition of outstanding education. The management bodies of each school – Presentation Sisters’ Scoil Mhuire, Christian Brothers Secondary, and Vocational School – agreed to the amalgamation. The Presentation Sisters had first come to Cashel in 1830 and opened a primary school for girls at Friar Street. In 1905 they added a secondary school. The Christian Brothers began their teaching work in Cashel for boys in 1869. After occupying several premises over the years, in 1940 they built a new secondary school at Golden Road. In 1934 a new Vocational School was established at Hogan Square in Cashel, providing education, for boys and girls, in technical and practical subjects as well as in general studies.

While awaiting the building of the new school, the existing school staffs engaged in collaboration at subject department level, sharing teaching programmes and professional expertise. The parents councils also took an active hand in promoting the concept of a community school among the local population.
Due to a severe financial recession, the 1980’s was a time of major restrictions on Government spending. Cashel’s promised new school fell victim to these cut-backs and was postponed from year to year. Eventually, the go-ahead was given in 1992 and the first sod was turned by Minister for Education Niamh Bhreathnach in Spring 1993. In the following Spring, the first Principal and Deputy-Principal were appointed: Eddie Morrissey and Martin Quirke, respectively. Joint meetings of staffs were held to plan ahead for the integration of the three student bodies and three staffs into a single, unified, school community. This complex and mammoth task was successfully accomplished thanks to the goodwill, wisdom and enthusiasm of all involved.
Education Minister Niamh Bhreathnach returned to Cashel Community School to perform its Official Opening on 16th January 1997. Staff and students participated in a most memorable Prayer Service, and the building and its community were blessed by Archbishop Dermot Clifford of Cashel and Emly, and by Dean Philip Knowles, Church of Ireland Rector of Cashel. The school received a charted Coat of Arms that proclaims its motto, “Foghlaim `is Firinne” – Learning and Truth. Under this twin headline, the school set its face to the future with confidence, desiring to build on the rich traditions of its predecessors, to provide the very best of Learning, to explore all that is noble and True in this God-given world of ours, and to enable generations of students to find and fulfil their potential.

For news archive from the Nationalist Newspaper on the opening of Cashel Community School please click on the link below

Nationalist news archive from 1994