Dublin, Ireland

Ireland's Premier Boarding & Day School

St. Columba's College

Welcome

Welcome to the new website of St Columba’s College, one of Ireland’s leading schools, specialising in providing a high-quality boarding education for its pupils. With a reputation for academic and extra-curricular excellence, our beautiful school is conveniently situated close to the city and the airport, while still maintaining its rural feel. We are a seven-day boarding and day school for boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 18.  Founded in 1843, the College occupies 140 acres in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains overlooking Dublin Bay. Please use our ‘Explore’ menu above to find out more information on all aspects of College life or contact us with any enquiries.

News & Events

Latest News

Tuesday 17th October

The Department of Education has recommended schools remain closed…
October 15, 2017/by sccdublin

House Speech Competition review

Eliza Somerville from Fourth Form reviews the recent TY House…
October 10, 2017/by sccdublin

National poetry competition success

Many congratulations to Tania Stokes, who has been awarded second…
October 10, 2017/by sccdublin

Art History Trip to Newgrange

Caoimhe Cleary reports on a recent art history expedition:

"Recently…
October 9, 2017/by sccdublin

Warden’s Thoughts: diversity, intelligence and league tables

Last week I was at the annual conference of HMC, the Headmasters’…
October 9, 2017/by sccdublin

1920s Photographs of the College

The College thanks sincerely Siobhán Tulloch, who has sent us…
September 27, 2017/by sccdublin

Sports Round-Up

The first four full weeks of term have zipped by and every member…
October 2, 2017/by sccdublin

St. Columba’s Sailing Team News

Well done to the young sailing crew of Tim Norwood, Denis Cully…
September 25, 2017/by sccdublin

Culture Night 2017

A large crowd of 120 people gathered at the College Chapel yesterday…
September 23, 2017/by sccdublin
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Media Gallery

Explore our video series and photo galleries to discover more about life in St. Columba’s College.

A Brief Introduction

Quality BoardingAcademic ExcellenceSporting EndeavourArtistic ExpressionCaring EnvironmentSkilled TeachersWonderful Campus

Over 80% of our pupils board in our traditional yet modern and comfortable boarding houses. There are seven boarding houses (Glen, Gwynn, Stackallan, Tibradden, Hollypark, Iona & Beresford), each with an assigned Housemaster or Housemistress, Assistant Housemaster (or Housemistress) and a team of House Tutors. Every house has a friendly atmosphere but a unique personality and spirit. Day pupils are assigned to a boarding house and are encouraged to take part in inter-house activities.

To find out more about boarding at St. Columba’s click here.

St. Columba’s College provide our pupils with a wide variety of subjects, taught by experienced and dedicated teachers. Class sizes are very small (average of 14) which allows for greater depth of treatment and consolidation of learning. Our pupils have a proud history of academic achievement, both in the Junior & Leaving Certificate (Ireland’s state examinations) but also at third level. The average Leaving Certificate points score in 2016 was 474, with a five year average of 460 – among the very best in the country.

Click here to find out more about the academic structure in St. Columba’s College.

An active body complements an active mind and our extensive sports programme ensures our pupils are balanced in their approach to academic work. At St. Columba’s College there are six days of compulsory sport for all pupils. Rugby, hockey, athletics, cricket, tennis and basketball are the main team sports on offer but pupils also can participate in football, archery, polo-crosse, badminton, volleyball and much more.

Click here for further information on our sports programme at St. Columba’s.

It is our strong belief that allowing our pupils express themselves artistically contributes greatly to their personal development. There is a strong tradition of participation in the arts – through drama, music, painting, photography, crafts, choir, debate and much more. There are, on average, a dozen plays performed each year, over 30 musical performances or concerts and an emphasis on bringing artistic endeavour into all academic subjects. Music, art, drama or public speaking do not detract from academic performance – they enhance it!

To find out more about our co-curricular programme click here.

The pastoral care structures within St. Columba’s College are extensive and provide our pupils with a home away from home. Central to our philosophy is our boarding house structures with each pupil being assigned to a house – even day pupils. Each house has a Housemaster, an Assistant Housemaster and a team of House Tutors, who together provide pupils with the academic and personal support. The house system is complemented by our Matron and her team of nurses, who provide the medical care for pupils, as well as the school counsellor and the Cúram Team (our pastoral care committee).

Click here to find out more about the boarding and pastoral structures in the College.

Highly qualified and dedicated teachers ensure the quality of tuition at St. Columba’s College is second to none. Uniquely, the vast majority of our teachers live on campus and make themselves available to their pupils in the evenings and weekends. Most teachers participate in the school’s sporting programme as well as our extensive extra-curricular programme. In addition, our teachers are also involved in the boarding structures of the College, contributing to excellent pupil / teacher relationships.

Explore all the teaching and support staff in the College here.

Our stunning campus, set on 140 acres on the foot of the Dublin mountains and overlooking the city, is a tranquil yet vibrant learning space. Beautiful gardens, architecturally significant buildings, well maintained playing fields, acres of park land and excellent facilities all contribute to an exceptional learning environment.

Explore our campus here using our interactive campus map or view our aerial campus video on the left.