View source for Sancta Maria College, Rathfarnham

{{Short description|Secondary school in County Dublin, Ireland}}
{{For|the school in New Zealand|Sancta Maria College, New Zealand}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=November 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{primary sources|date=March 2008}}

'''Sancta Maria College''' is a girls' Catholic voluntary secondary school in [[Ballyroan (Dublin)|Ballyroan]], [[Rathfarnham]], [[County Dublin]], Ireland. The school is governed by a board of management. There are approximately 525 students and 34 permanent teachers. It is run by the [[Sisters of Mercy]].

==History==

In 1932 the building that now houses the [[Sisters of Mercy]] was given as a gift to the order by the owners, the McCabe sisters. The order's ''Mercy Community'' in ''Carysfort'' near [[Blackrock, Dublin|Blackrock]] were gratified but had no plans for this big building. They decided to make it a holiday home for girls called ''St. Mary's Convent'' and it was blessed and opened on 26 July 1932.

In 1942 [[Archbishop McQuaid]] approached the Superior of the Sisters of Mary believing that the convent would be a good place to treat children in the early stages of [[tuberculosis]]. [[The Red Cross Society]] was looking for a place to treat these children. For 16 years the house served as a [[Preventorium]].

By 1959 tuberculosis was under control but a new need had arisen in this beautiful area of South Dublin, i.e. education. The population of Ballyroan was increasing and a school was needed. On 8 September 1960, Sancta Maria College was opened.

Around the year 1963 the [[assembly hall]] was built.

In the 1960s, The junior school was taught by a staff of three, Sr. Marian Agnes Sr. Regina Assumpta and Sr. Dolores.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sanctamariacollege.com/our-school/our-history/ | title = History of Sancta Maria College | website = sanctamariacollege.com }}</ref>
Boys and girls normally started at three years of age.

==Academics==
{{update section|date=January 2019}}

The school offers students three Leaving Certificate courses: Leaving Certificate, LCVP and LCA.

In 2007, 35% of the students who sat the Leaving Certificate enrolled on a University Course.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

In 2008, 89 out of 90 Leaving Certificate students enrolled on a University Course. Seven of these students were offered places in the National College of Art and Design, with another two on the waiting list. This latter figure made Sancta Maria the school with the highest number of entrants into NCAD in the Republic of Ireland.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

== Co-curricular and extra curricular activities ==
The College hosts a vibrant list of activities, both co-curricular and extracurricular, among them:

* Athletics
* Badminton
* Basketball
* Camogie
* Choir
* Dramatization / theatre
* European football
* Gaelic football
* Hockey
* Workshop debates
* Tennis

==Other programs==
The school introduced a Transition Year programme in 1991. The school also has links with Coláiste Éanna and Butterfield Residents Association, who have funded the school's Green School Committee in the past.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.rathfarnham.com/ | website = rathfarnham.com | title = Rathfarnham Community Website}}</ref>{{nonspecific|date=January 2022}}

==See also==

* [[Abuse scandal in the Sisters of Mercy]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website|http://www.sanctamariacollege.com}}

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{{Schools and colleges in County Dublin}}

[[Category:Girls' schools in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Education in South Dublin (county)]]
[[Category:Catholic secondary schools in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Secondary schools in County Dublin]]
[[Category:Sisters of Mercy schools]]