- Friends’ School Lisburn
- Newtown School Waterford
- Drogheda Grammar School
- Rathgar Junior School.
Arnold Marsh, Irish Quaker Educator. 1890 - 1972
In 1668 George Fox wrote “I established a school for teaching boys and ordered a women’s school to be set up to instruct young lasses and maidens in whatsoever things were civil and useful in the creation”. Girls schools as well as boys schools – that was unusual 338 years ago! In Ireland as a whole there are currently 4 schools all co-educational. Added together these schools currently have about 1,900 pupils. This compares with a total membership of the Religious Society of Friends in Ireland of about 1,600, and shows the importance given by Quakers to education.
The schools place emphasis on developing well rounded individuals by providing a wide range of extra curricular activities, sport and outdoor pursuits, in a caring and supportive atmosphere. Particular importance is placed on a lively respect for others, good personal relationships, and a sense of responsibility to the world where we live and the people in it. Pupils are encourage to fulfill their potential both academically and in extracurricular activities. The hope is that when students leave school they will be mature, responsible and confident – “the best type of Irish men and women” to quote Arnold Marsh.
Friends' School Lisburn
Friends School Lisburn had its beginnings in 1774. Originally a boarding school, it is now a day school with 970 pupils aged 11-18 years and 160 Preparatory pupils 4 -11 years. As with all our schools, the majority of pupils are not Friends. There is a broad spectrum of denominations and religious beliefs. Friends’ School Lisburn has a strong academic focus and a rich programme of extra curricular activities, including a wide range of sports, many clubs and societies and community service.
www.friendsschoollisburn.org.uk
Newtown School Waterford
Newtown School in Waterford was founded by Munster Friends in 1798, the year of the uprising. It went through a lean patch at the time of the Civil War in 1921/22, but between 1925 and 1939 under the enlightened and forward looking guidance of Arnold Marsh (who originally came from Belfast) it took on a new lease of life and is now a boarding and day school with 70 students at primary and 356 at post-primary level. Newtown, like Lisburn, has many extra curricular activities alongside its broad and balanced academic curriculum, with classes organised on a mixed ability basis.
Pupils from varied backgrounds and outlooks are welcomed, each contributing to the well-being of the school community. www.newtownschool.ie
Newtown was selected by the The Department of Education to be the first school in the Boarding School sector to participate in a “Whole School Evaluation”. It is designed to provide schools and the Department with reliable information on the effectiveness of teaching and learning in schools. Newtown was commended for the wide range of subjects taught and the “huge range” of extra-curricular activities, including voluntary and charity work, that are accessible to all students. They also stated that the school exhibits a very caring environment with real concern for student needs reflected throughout all aspects of school life.
Newtown Junior School effectively separated from Newtown School above in September 2007 when it joined the National School system, and became the first Quaker National School in Ireland.
Drogheda Grammar School
When Drogheda Grammar School was near closure in 1956 Arnold Marsh suggested that the Society of Friends should take it under their care, as he felt it would be a pity for a school with such a long and rich tradition to be closed.
Friends were supportive of the idea. Now, nearly 50 years later, it is a successful co-educational post-primary boarding and day school with over 200 students. There is now also an “Educate Together” Le Cheile junior school on the same premises with a current enrolment of 250 children.
Rathgar Junior School
In 1919 Isabel Douglas, sister of Senator James G Douglas, was appointed head of Rathgar Junior School. It was, and still is, based on forward-thinking primary school teaching methods in a caring atmosphere. There are 165 pupils.
Former Quaker Schools
Ballitore is the most celebrated Irish Quaker School of former days. It was founded in 1726 by Abraham Shackleton and continued in existence until 1847. There were also Quaker schools at Edenderry, Mountmellick, Clonmel (Suir Island) and Brookfield near Lisburn.