About Us

St. Declan’s School History

Just a short walk from the Phoenix Park, St. Declan’s was founded by the Christian Brothers in 1960. The first Principal was Br. Tommy O’Dowd. The first lay Principal, Mr. Jack Cleary, was appointed in 1991.

From an initial intake of 120 students, the school has grown to its present size of 650. To cater for this expansion, a major new extension was built between 1978 and 1980, comprising a gymnasium, a library, science laboratories, an art room, workshops for woodwork and metalwork, a large cafeteria, general classrooms and an oratory.

A further extension in 2000 added a modern computer facility, nine new classrooms and changing rooms. An intranet connecting all rooms in the school was installed at this time. With its extensive flower-beds and lawns, the campus provides an aesthetically pleasing environment for learning, with the most up to date equipment available in all classes.

Ethos

St. Declan’s is in the trusteeship of the Christian Brothers and is committed to the fostering of Christian values and personal growth in all its dimensions, spiritual, intellectual, moral, physical, emotional and social. It strives to be a school which has at its core the care and development of each individual student and has as its motto “Cursum Tenere”, “Hold Your Course”.

Religion

St. Declan’s is a Catholic school and strives to have Christian values permeate the entire life of the school.

In the classroom, religion is taught to all classes in all years. In the Junior Cycle, the Junior Certificate Religious Education programme is taught, St. Declan’s being one of the schools piloting this initiative. The boys take the Junior Certificate examination in the subject at the end of third year. There are also classes in Religious Education for Senior Cycle students, though this is not a state examination subject.

The formative aspect of religious knowledge is also promoted by the teachers in the classroom, with the assistance of the school chaplain. The school participates in the various liturgical features of the Church Calendar, such as Advent, Christmas and Easter.

As part of this formation, one day retreats are organised for pupils on an annual basis. St. Declan’s also has a strong link with a Christian Brothers’ Mission in Africa and has sent pupils and teachers to Zambia to deepen and strengthen our links with the developing world.