Clongowes Wood College
Clongowes Wood College
Org 1: HMC
Clane, Co Kildare W91 DN40, Ireland
Telephone: 00 353 45 868202
Motto: Aeterna non Caduca
Age Range: Senior to 18
Day or Boarding: Boarding Only, Full Boarding
Gender: Boys
Clongowes Wood College was founded in 1814 in a rebuilt Pale castle – Castle Brown in North Kildare, about 25 miles from Dublin. A boarding school for boys from 12–18, the school has developed steadily ever since and now has circa 500 pupils on the rolls, all of whom are seven-day boarders.
The College is situated on 150 acres of land, mostly comprising sports fields and a 9-hole golf course. It is surrounded by about 300 acres of farmland. Clongowes is listed as an historic building.
Admission. Application for admission should be made to the Headmaster. There is a registration fee of €50. An assessment day is held in May prior to the year of entry and entry is determined by a variety of factors including: suitability of the student to boarding life, family association, geographical spread including Northern Ireland and abroad, date of registration, and an understanding of the values that animate the College. Normal entry is at the age of 12; entry in later years is possible if a place becomes available.
Curriculum. A wide choice of subjects is available throughout the school and pupils are prepared for the Irish Junior Certificate and the Irish Leaving Certificate. This latter is the qualifying examination for entry to Irish Universities and other third-level institutions. It is acceptable for entry to almost all Universities in the United Kingdom, provided the requisite grades are obtained. All pupils take a Transition Year programme following the Junior Certificate. This programme is recommended by the Department of Education in Ireland. Work experience modules, social outreach programmes, exchanges with other countries and opportunities to explore different areas of study are all included in this programme.
Religious teaching. Clongowes is a Jesuit school in the Roman Catholic tradition and there are regular formal and informal liturgies. Boys are given a good grounding in Catholic theology and are encouraged to participate in retreats, prayer groups and pilgrimages (Taize, Lourdes). Social Outreach is part of the curriculum in Transition Year and is encouraged throughout the school. A small number of boys of other faiths are pupils in the school.
Sport. All boys play rugby in their first year in school. They then have the choice to continue in that game or to play other games. There are several rugby pitches, a golf course, tennis courts, soccer pitches, squash courts, a cross-country track, an athletics and cricket oval, a gymnasium and a new swimming pool; these facilities provide plenty of opportunity for a variety of activities. Athletics, Gaelic football and cricket are popular activities in the third term. Clongowes has a strong rugby tradition and has won the Leinster Championship twice in the last decade.
Other activities. Following the Jesuit tradition, the school has a fine reputation for debating and has won competitions in three different languages (English, Irish, French) in the last decade. A large school orchestra and school choir gives a formal concert at Christmas and another before the summer holidays. Drama productions take place at every level within the school. A large-scale summer project for charity has been undertaken each year. A residential holiday project for children with disabilities takes place in the school each summer and is animated by teachers and pupils. The College has recently created link programmes with schools in Hungary and Romania.
Pastoral care. The school is organised horizontally into Lines. Two ‘prefects’, or housemasters look after each year within a Line, composed of two years, with a Line Prefect in charge of the Line itself. In addition, an Academic Year Head oversees the academic work of each of the 70 pupils within each year. A Spiritual Father or Chaplain is attached to each line. There is a strong and positive relationship with parents and a good community spirit throughout the school. The school seeks to foster competence, conscience and compassionate commitment in each of the boys in its care.
Fees per annum (2023-2024). €23,150. Students with English as a second language pay an additional 10% fee premium per annum. Students entering at Senior Cycle only (Senior Cycle begins at 4th Year) pay an additional 15% fee premium per annum.
Clongowes Union. This association of past pupils of the school can be contacted through: The Secretary, The Clongowes Union, Clongowes Wood College, Clane, Co Kildare; email: development@clongowes.net.
Governors & Staff:
Trustee of the School: Fr Leonard Moloney, SJ, Provincial of the Society of Jesus in Ireland
Chairman of the Board of Management: Mr Daire Keogh
Headmaster: Mr Chris Lumb, BSc, HDip, MEd
Assistant Headmaster: Mr Paul McCormack, BA, HDip Ed
Head of Boarding: Mr Steven Gray, BA, HDip Ed, ATPLs
Director of Studies: Ms Helen Hickson, BA, HDip Ed, MA, MSc