Ardscoil Rís, Dublin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ardscoil Rís Secondary School Edmund Rice Highschool
Address
Marino (Griffith Avenue) Dublin Ireland
Coordinates	53°22′09″N 6°13′41″W / 53.36924°N 6.22807°W / 53.36924; -6.22807
Information
Motto	"Dilseacht agus Uaisleacht" (Loyalty and Nobility).
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic ()
Established	1972
Category	Catholic, second-level
Oversight	Edumnd Rice Schools Trust (via the Ardscoil Rís Board of Management)
Principal	John McHugh
Faculty	Full time: 34
Grades	1st Year - 6th Year; transition year optional
Gender	Male
Age range	12-19
Enrollment	Approx. 525 students (96 new students per year)
Houses	No student accommodation
Student Union/Association	Student Council with ~20 members
Colour(s)	Navy/Blue
Rival	The Townies
School fees	Public
Feeder to	Dublin City University (DCU)
Affiliations	Edmund Rice Schools Trust; ECDL Training and Certification centre

Ardscoil Rís (which means Rice High School) is a school just for boys in Dublin, Ireland. It's located on Griffith Avenue. About 570 students attend the school each year.

The school used to be run by the Christian Brothers. But in 2006, the school became part of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust. This trust was set up by the Brothers to continue their work in education.

History and Growth of Ardscoil Rís

Ardscoil Rís started in 1969. It grew from the O'Brien Institute, which was a home and school for boys who didn't have parents. The new Ardscoil Rís welcomed the older students from the O'Brien Institute. It also took in day students from the local area. Old dorm rooms were changed into classrooms. A former reception room became the teachers' staff room.

In 1970 and 1971, six temporary classrooms were built. Then, on November 21, 1973, the new school building was officially opened. The Irish president at the time, Éamon de Valera, was there for the opening.

In 1979, the school's football team won the Hogan Cup. This is a big All-Ireland Colleges football title. It was the only time a Dublin school has won it since then!

More improvements came in 1984. A new part of the school was added. It included dressing rooms, showers, a library, and a special room for watching videos. The school's sports teams kept doing well. Most students were also going on to college after finishing school.

In 1998, a modern sports hall was finished. It was opened by the Taoiseach (Ireland's Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern. The Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, was also there. In 1999, six new classrooms were built. A new part for the library was added. More office space was also created, which helped with space issues.

The science labs were updated in 2001. In 2003, a new computer room was completed. The computers have been upgraded many times since then. In 2005, the school got a special room just for art.

The library got a makeover in 2013/2014. It received new bookshelves, tables, comfy chairs, and new blinds. The Students Council helped pay for the chairs and blinds. In 2015, all the computers in the Technical Graphics room were replaced. These new computers are very powerful. They are needed for projects like Computer Aided Design. Also in 2015/2016, the main general purpose area was updated by the Students Council.

Big changes were planned for the sports ground between 2016 and 2018. These included making the ground level and getting new equipment. These changes were expected to cost over €250,000. The project started in Spring 2016 and is still ongoing.

What You Can Study

Ardscoil Rís offers a wide range of subjects. These prepare students for their Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate exams.

Notes:

• Work experience is a very important part of 4th year. Students spend three weeks working during the school year. They can do an extra week if they get permission from the school.
• The optional subjects for the Leaving Certificate depend on how many students want to take them.
• Religion is not an exam subject for the Leaving Certificate. However, it is an exam subject for the Junior Cycle. It is taught as part of the school's Catholic values.
• Social, Personal and Health Education is not an exam subject.
• Construction Studies is a continuation of Woodwork.

Achievements and Successes

Ardscoil Rís has a strong record of success, both in academics and sports.

In 2005, Ardscoil Rís sent more students to Dublin City University (DCU) than any other boys' school on Dublin's Northside. More than two-thirds of all students taking the Leaving Certificate exam that year went on to college. In 2008, the school sent 28 students to DCU. This was more than almost any other school in the country.

In sports, the school has had many recent wins. In 2008, the Under-18 football team became Dublin Senior Football Champions. They won the trophy thanks to a great performance from Aidan Collopy. The team then lost in the Leinster Final. The Under-19 Basketball team reached the 2008 All Ireland Cup Final. This game was even shown on TV! However, they lost by three points to St. Malachy's, Belfast.

In the 2008/2009 school year, the Under-18 "B" Dublin Colleges football team reached the final. Ard Scoil's Under-14 footballers beat Castleknock in the semi-final. They then won the U/14 "A" Dublin Colleges Football title for the first time since 2002, beating Colaiste Eoin in the final.

Ardscoil Rís also reached the semi-finals of the National Senior Concern Debating Competition in 2009, 2012, and 2013.

In 2010/2011, the school's Under-16s won both the Dublin football and hurling titles. This was the first time they had done this in 20 years! The 1st Year Basketballers won the school's first ever Division 1 East Region title. They later finished second in the All Ireland First Year tournament. The winners were later disqualified, but Ardscoil did not get the title due to rules. Ardscoil won the U/16 hurling champions again in 2011. They also won both the Dublin and Leinster Senior B Football titles in early 2012.

Students Going to College

Ardscoil Rís helps many students go on to "third level education," which means college or university.

Percentage of students who continue to college

Numbers attending each college

This table shows how many students from Ardscoil Rís went to different colleges each year.

Computers and Technology

The school has rules for using the internet. All students and their parents must agree to these rules. Teachers can use Wi-Fi in the school.

There are 48 computers available for students to use, always with a teacher watching. Every classroom also has a computer. Teachers can also print documents at school.

Famous Past Pupils

Many well-known people have attended Ardscoil Rís. These include:

• Dublin GAA senior football players like Ciarán Whelan, Tomas Quinn, Cormac Costello, and Diarmuid Connolly.
• Dublin senior football manager Pat Gilroy.
• Dublin senior hurling player Ronan Fallon.
• Footballer Keith Andrews, who played for Blackburn Rovers and the Republic of Ireland.
• Former Shelbourne F.C. player Conan Byrne.
• International Airlines Group chief executive Willie Walsh, who leads a big airline company.
• Labour Party senator Derek McDowell.
• Conor Sweeney, a former reporter for the Irish Times in Moscow.
• Senior civil servant Robert Watt, who works for the government.
• Isaac Byrne, the bassist for the Dublin band Dubh.

School Principal

Pat Reilly was the principal for eleven years, retiring in 2009. He was the longest-serving principal. Mark Neville was the principal from 2014 to 2020. Ciarán O’Callaghan became the acting principal after Mark Neville left in November 2020. The current principal is John McHugh.

Activities and Clubs

Ardscoil Rís offers many activities after school. These include:

• A History Club
• A Drama Club
• A Debating Club – the school has one of the best debating teams in the Concern Debating competition!

For sports, students can play:

• Gaelic football
• Hurling
• Basketball
• Athletics
• Golf
• Badminton