KILKENNY COLLEGE

Founded in 1538, 'Kilkenny College' or 'KCK' is a Church of Ireland, fee-paying co-educational secondary school located in the South-Eastern region of Ireland in Kilkenny.
The college is set in over 50 acres (200,000m²) of campus on the outskirts of Kilkenny city.
Founded in 1538 by Piers Butler Earl of Ormond and originally located in the city centre, it moved out to its new location in 1985.

Contents

History

Today

Recent News

Alumni

External links

History

A college of the vicars’ choral was established at St. Canice’s Cathedral in the thirteenth century and in 1538 Piers Butler, Earl of Ormonde and his wife, Margaret, founded a school to the west of the Cathedral, where the library now stands.
When James, first Duke of Ormonde, established Kikenny College in John Street, c.1666, he was following the Butler tradition of promoting education in the city. It soon became a famous school and so, in the 1780s, a new College was built on the same site overlooking the river Nore.The Georgian building, with its elegant facade, now houses the offices of the County Council.

There has been a long list of famous past pupils. The best known are undoubtedly Jonathan Swift, the author and satirist who went on to become Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral, and George Berkeley, the philosopher and Bishop of Cloyne, who gave his name to the University City of Berkeley in California. Other famous names include William Congreve and George Farquhar (both Restoration playwrights), John Banim, Thomas Prior (founder of the Royal Dublin Society) and David Beatty (1st Sea Lord at the Battle of Jutland in 1916).
At one time the College was termed a university. In contrast at the end of the 19th Century, the College was reduced to one pupil.
The amalgamation with the nearby Pococke school was its saving. Twenty nine headmasters of Kilkenny College are recorded. In the 20th Century there were four long-serving men: C.G. Shankey 1917 - 1952; Gilbert Colton 1953-1979; Samuel McClure 1979-1996 and Robert John Black 1996- 2005.
During Gilbert Colton's time the school was amalgamated with the Collegiate School, Celbridge in 1973 and Kilkenny College became co-educational. During Sam McClure's stewardship, the College moved to its new campus and under Canon Black's principalship, more buildings have been constructed.
Life at the school under Mr Colton in the 1950s is described amusingly in Homan Potterton's memoir, 'Rathcormick: a childhood recalled' (2001).

Today

Comprising a complex of classrooms, dormitories, catering and dining facilities, it is set on a landscaped 50-acre site framed by mature trees. Today Kilkenny College attempts to serve a dual purpose role as the largest co-educational boarding school in Ireland and as the local school for a large number of day pupils from the city and surrounding area.
The College motto, ''Comme je trouve'' which in French means (As i find), comes from the Butler family crest, an old local aristocratic family and is intended to mean people taking things as they come and tyring to make the best of things given to them.
The current principal is Philip Gray, a Trinity College, Dublin alumnus with a major in History, he previously taught at The King's Hospital, Dublin, who joined the school in 2005, replacing Canon Robert Black as principal.

Recent News

★ The Senior XV rugby team make it to the semi-final of the Leinster Rugby Senior Cup, losing to St. Michael's in the semi-final, having beaten the reigning champions Blackrock College 14-13.

★ 2007 U-13 Boys Hockey team won the Leinster Cup, beating St.Andrew's.

★ 2005 Inter schools hunter trials champions.

★ September 2007, the newly built ''Jonathan Swift'' building is opened, which includes 11 class rooms and 2 science labs.

Alumni

★ Jonathan Swift 17th century author and satirist.

★ George Berkeley after whom the University of California, Berkeley is named.

★ David Beatty, Admiral of the Fleet at the Battle of Jutland 1917

External links

★ Kilkenny College - Official website