East Glendalough School

The idea of a comprehensive school in the Wicklow area to serve primarily the Protestant community in the Glendalough Diocese was first mooted at the Church of Ireland General Synod in 1977. After much Diocesan surveying, the Department of Education was approached and initial sanction was finally given in 1984 for the first green-field Protestant second-level school in the Republic of Ireland's history, under the patronage of the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin.

Several Diocesan sub-committees worked for many years on plans for transport and finance, curriculum structure and building. In 1986, a Board of Management was appointed and much of this work passed onto their shoulders. By February, 1987, the first Principal had been appointed, and work had begun on the school building. Subsequently, staff were appointed, the curriculum was finalised, and the first East Glendalough School pupils started on Wednesday, 2nd September, 1987. There were 67 pupils (51 in Form 1 and 16 in Form 2) and a total of nine teaching staff.

In February, 1988, the school moved into the bright, modern building it now occupies. This is situated on an open south-facing and gently sloping site of almost 3.2 hectares (8 acres) adjacent to the railway station in Wicklow town. In 1991 a substantial extension was added to the original building to cater for the strong demand for places in the school. The whole structure is a unique and attractive modern building including twelve general classrooms, specialist rooms for Home Economics, Science, Arts and Crafts, Metalwork and Computer Studies, plus a Library, Gymnasium, staffrooms, offices and other ancillary areas. The outside of the building is faced with red brick and the grounds, which contain three playing pitches, are fully landscaped to blend in with the surroundings. The school was officially opened in May, 1989, by His Excellency, Patrick Hillery, President of Ireland, and the extension was officially opened in September, 1991, by the then Minister for Education, Mary O'Rourke.

The final chapters in the building work at East Glendalough School are still being written. Two years ago the 1st and 2nd Year Resource Areas were extended to allow a more spacious common room area for these groups. Then last summer saw a major building programme which included

* completely reroofing of all the main building, including new insulation and attractive Rheinzinc cladding
* substantial extension of the Engineering Room
* construction of a new 5th Year resource area and an extensive 6th Year Centre
* construction of a new Graphics Room with state-of-the-art computer facilities
* complete refurbishment of the Computer Room

In the summer of 2008 the grounds at the western end of the school are being levelled. The new area will then be allowed to settle and consolidate for 12 months, after which time it is hoped that the astroturf pitch will be completed. Meanwhile, funding is currently being sourced for construction of a new sports hall. It is hoped that work on this project will commence in 2010.

However, the history of any school is about much more than just buildings. In the last twenty years East Glendalough School has rapidly and deservedly achieved a terrific reputation for strong academic teaching and learning alongside a close, caring community in which excellence in all areas is encouraged. Talk to anyone who knows the school or knows Wicklow and you'll quickly discover that East Glendalough School is a very special place. The first twenty years of the school's life has been a roaring success story - lets keep it going!