The end of an educational era for Longford's St Mel's College

The news that one of the best-known secondary schools in the country – Longford's Saint Mel's College – is set to amalgamate brings to an end a Catholic educational era in Longford which has spanned decades.

CEIST and the Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois are to seek approval for the amalgamation of Meán Scoil Mhuire and Saint Mel’s College to create a new co-educational school for 1,200 students known as Coláiste Mel agus Mhuire.

The move follows a six-month consultation process on the future of Catholic education in Longford town which involved the school communities of Meán Scoil Mhuire, Saint Mel’s College and local Catholic primary schools which was embarked on by the Patrons of Meán Scoil Mhuire and Saint Mel’s College, CEIST and the Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois.

The famous boy's school, which opened in September 1865 with 48 boarders and 25 day pupils, announced its plans to amalgamate in a joint statement which was issued today by the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference.

The joint statement said the application to the Department of Education will request that capital funding be provided to faciliate modern school accommodation for an amalgamanted school of 1,200 students which will be based on the Saint Mel's College site.

At the end of the consultation process, which went on from December 2022 to May 2023, and was led by Frank Smith, the views of parents, students, Boards of Management and staff of both post-primary schools and local primary school students were “reflected on and carefully considered both by the patrons of both secondary schools and their respective Boards of Management” according to today's joint statement. The patrons then entered into discussion with the Department of Education, seeking to establish the best option going forward.

Saint Mel's College has a very proud sporting tradition and was also known as a centre for academic excellence. The first lay principal of the college, Denis Glennon, was appointed in 2002, which is the same year that the last boarding students departed, ending a tradition which began on the day the school opened in 1865.