A Time Of Change

Union Day Benediction, a timeless SVC tradition

On August 28th, 1833 a group of Vincentian priests established a school in number 24, Usher's Quay, Dublin. This was a Catholic day-school founded four years after Catholic emancipation. The bust of Daniel O'Connell still stands on a window ledge in the College Refectory as a reminder of that connection. At its peak it had 200 students. Included in the curriculum were - Latin, Greek, Hebrew, English, German, French and Italian. The Vincentian connection lasted until 1839, the school was administered by a layman until 1841. It was then taken over by the Dominican nuns from Cabra who ran a school there until 1867. Sadly the building itself was a victim of demolition in the 1960's.

By 1835 the Vincentian priests had established another school, St Vincent's Ecclesiastical Seminary, in Castleknock. This was a Catholic boarding school, an ecclesiastical seminary. Ironically it had originally been a small Protestant school from 1808 established by a Dr Gwynne and a Mr Swanzy for the sons of clergy who wished to enter Trinity College, Dublin. The annual boarding fee for Castleknock was twenty five guineas and the CoHege was to remain a source of income for the Province for many years.

That boarding tradition was to last until the present. Over those years there were what, at the time, seemed very important debates on the future of the College. While the founders were still alive the debate was whether the College was to be exclusively a seminary or could it also provide for lay pupils. A debate about a century later concentrated on whether Castleknock should remain exclusively a boarding school or should day students be admitted. The Education Office of the Archdiocese of Dublin expressed the keen desire that Castleknock admit dayboys to the College. A commission was established. By 1987 dayboys were being admitted.

By the year 2000 the future of boarding itself was being examined. Fr Kevin Rafferty C.M., now Provincial, faced another difficult decision on the future of boarding in the College. Again consultants were engaged. And so it came to pass that a tradition of boarding begun in 1835 would in a few years come to an end. The statement made by Fr Rafferty on behalf of the Trustees followed over eighteen months of intensive debate and discussion on the future format of Castleknock College. The final decision by the Governing Body was on the acceptance or otherwise of The Strategic View - Final Report presented by Mazars, the consultants appointed the previous year. Their final report presented to a Special Meeting in February 2001 followed an interim report presented at a Board Meeting in November 2000. Also presented to that November meeting was a report from the management of the College A Way Forward. The gap between the two reports provided much food for thought for the Governing Body and the Trustees.

Between November and February there were further intensive discussions. The future of boarding became a focal point. At national level the numbers seeking boarding places was reducing by approximately five per cent per annum. This decline was in line with the UK. experience. In Ireland actual waiting lists for boarding schools had disappeared, although for marketing purposes nominal waiting lists were still proffered. Many boys' schools had announced the closure or reduction of their boarding facilities e.g. Newbridge College, St Peter's Wexford and Blackrock College. Only a few girls' boarding schools remained. Whereas among pastmen who had been boarders in Castleknock College there was latent support for boarding, this had not been reflected in the numbers of pastmen who had chosen Castleknock as a boarding school for their sons. From the time of the introduction of free post-primaly education there had been a significant growth in the number of schools across rural Ireland. Where boarding for many famiIies had previously been a necessity it had now become a matter of choice. By the nineteen eighties these new schools throughout Ireland had become well established, the result was a substantial decline in the number of families opting for boarding.

The number of boarders in Castleknock College had been maintained by accepting more overseas students. This was seen by some critics as a stopgap measure but the management of the College viewed the inclusion of overseas students as not only a making economical sense but also as a major asset in the education of our students for a more culturally diverse society. If boarding was to survive it would need a major injection of capital to provide the necessary accommodation for the twenty first century, and it would have to be financially viable.

Finance was to become a key consideration in the future of boarding. The minimum upgrade for boarding only was estimated at approximately three million pounds. In an uncertain future and with all indicators showing a steady decline in boarding nationally, that amount of money was considered to be an investment with unacceptable risks attached. The figure was also likely to increase as other requirements were factored into the total. One of these requirements was likely to be possible EU directives on the operation of residential homes, including boarding schools. The financial impact of all these costs was likely to push a boarding fee to approximately twelve thousand pounds per annum in order to break even.

The Trustees in part of a statement to the December 2000 meeting of the Governing Body summed up as follows:

If the Trustees invest financially In the long term development of the College we would like guarantees that the money be well invested. Trustees have a legal responsibility to Vincentians in the Irish Province and in the world wide Congregation that the patrimony of the Province which includes the property and lands of Castleknock College be dealt with in the most responsible way.

One view was that such an investment would detract from additional funds necessary for the day school. It had been esti mated that investment in the school buildings and facilities, apart from boarding, would require another six million pounds. Another view was that both boarding and day were so inter-related and interdependent in Castleknock College that it was impossible to separate the two. A cautious view was that any sudden move might destabilise the confidence of parents in the College as they might view the closure of anyone part as a portent for the future. The view of the College management was that a School Impact Study would be a prerequisite for a decision.

At its February meeting the Governing Body accepted by a large majority the final report from the consultants containing the words "the school should focus on a day only model .... " And so the recommendation went to the Provincial, Fr Rafferty. At the March meeting of the Governing Body as part of a formal statement, Fr Rafferty said:

After reflecting on these recommendations the Trustees have decided that the Boarding section of the College be phased out and the option on a Catholic fee-paying Day School be pursued positively and urgently. It is the considered view of the Trustees that the phasing out of the Boarding begin in September 2001 and be completed by June 2004.

The decision had been made but the terms of its implementation were altered after consultation. Following discussions with parents of existing boarding students in first and second year it was decided that all existing boarders could if they so wished complete their education as boarders in the College. This meant that the last boarders were scheduled to leave the College in June 2006.

The College looks forward to a bright future. Already a Development Committee has been established with the task of producing the blueprint for the future. In their task they have been greatly encouraged by the positive report from the consulting engineers on the buildings and the standards of maintenance. It is a fresh challenge but with the air of uncertainty now removed and with the commitment of the Vincentian Province to the future of the College as a fee-paying day school we face that challenge with confidence.

On Union Day this year the Chairman of the Governing Body, Mr Donal O'Brien, gave an update on the planning of the future development of the College. The College has decided to centre the future development of the College on the old College buildings now known as MacNamara House and Cregan House. A feasibility study has been completed, including a full structural assessment of existing buildings. Happily all the old buildings have been given a completely clean structural bill of health. Also completed is the electro-mechanical survey. This specified some necessary work and a full costing has been completed.

The College has appointed an architect for the development project, David jordan of Campbell, Conroy, Hichey. The task has been to prepare plans for future building development centred on the MacNamara-Cregan house axis. A first draft has been completed. A project manager has also been appointed, Mr J. O'Gorman of N.J. O'Gorman and Associates. A sensitive and complicating factor in dealing with the older College buildings is that they are Heritage Buildings. Discussions have begun with the Heritage Section of Fingal County Council. Added to the heritage buildings is the fact that both hills and surrounds are protected archaeological sites. A Schedule of Accommodation has been prepared for the Department of Education and Science. It is hoped that there will be some funding from the Department for the development programme. The imbalance between funding for fee-paying schools under Protestant management and those under Catholic management has left Catholic schools at a serious financial disadvantage.

From a financial perspective we are indebted to the Vincentian Province. It has been made known to us by the Provincial, Fr O'Shea, that the Province will make a substantial contribution to the development programme. Obviously we hope that the College will also attract funding from the Department of Education and Science - in the present economic climate that may prove difficult. Our work, therefore, will also concentrate on a fund-raising plan because despite the generosity of the Vincentian Province there will remain a substantial amount of money to be raised.

The Governing Body has appointed a Development Sub-Committee, chaired by Mr Martin Cahill. This Committee meets regularly and liaises directly with the professionals appointed to assist in the preparation of the Development Plan. It is hoped that the Governing Body will be in a position to publish details of the draft plan on the College Website when they become available.

And so a time of change. The original concept for a school was a day school. The original boarding fee was twenty five guineas. The lunch for boys for much of the nineteenth century was at noon and consisted of bread and beer. Corporal punishment was accepted as normal discipline until abolished in 1982. And the first Mass of Sunday used only be on Sunday. Association Football was replaced as the main field sport in 1909 by rugby. Most people have forgotten that the College won the Leinster Schools' Hurling Championship. And with Independence, the Ministry of Education was replaced by An Roinn Oideachais. The College has seen many changes, it has adapted well to changing circumstances and has a proud record of achievement.

Castleknock College will survive and prosper in the twenty first century living up to the high standards set by generations of Vincentians, lay staff and boys. This College will be a suitable and dynamic memorial to the many benefactors of the College.