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Knockbeg College
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Knockbeg College is one of the oldest secondary schools in Ireland. It traces its origins back to 1793 when a lay school for boys was established in St.Patrick's College, Carlow in conjunction with the seminary there. In 1847 it was decided that the young pupils in the school should come out to Knockbeg, which had been a gentry estate on the banks of the River Barrow before being purchased by the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin . The initial school had about 40 pupils but the numbers grew as all the lay pupils from St Patrick's transferred out. In 1898 the school became the offical junior semiary for the diocese. To this day the aim of the college is to offer a holistic Catholic education. Through the years the boarding numbers in the school built up to the around 160 mark and has since increaed in the 1980s when Day-Boys were taken in. At present, there are well over 350 pupils attending the school.
Knockbeg College is famous within Ireland, due to it's great sporting tradition. In 2005, Knockbeg claimed the Leinster Senior Football College's title after a gap over over 50 years. Following this, they went on to claim the Hogan Cup for the first time in their history. Knockbeg has produced many quality footballers over the years, playing inter-county football for their respective counties. Knockbeg's hurling and basketball teams have also achieved moderate success over the years.
Knockbeg College has educated many people of note over the years including :
William Hoey Kearney Redmond, Irish nationalist and Irish Parliamentary Party MP for 34 years
Kevin O'Higgins, Irish Nationalist and Pro-Treaty TD for Laois/Offaly, Minister for Home Affair/Vice-President of the Executive Council in the first Dáil
Tommy Murphy, one the greatest Laois footballers of all time
Others include members of the current Laois football team : Brian McDonald, Chris Conway, Ross Munnelly and Donie Brennan
Colm Begley, now playing Australian Rules Football for the Brisbane Lions, also attended the college.
Over the years many people have disputed whether Knockbeg is in Laois or Carlow. Although it's postal address is Carlow, geographically it is in Laois. The River Barrow is the border line between Laois and Carlow and Knockbeg is on the Laois side. However the school has many pupils from both Laois and Carlow as well as borders from Kilkenny, Kildare, Wexford, Wicklow and further afield.
The college's principle is currently Mr Cyril Hughes, a past pupil of Knockbeg and also an excellent footballer for Carlow in his time. The vice principle is Mr Seán Killoran. The boarding school is taken care of by the college's rector, Fr Michaél Murphy.
It has been recently announced that the boarding part of the school will soon be closing. The full details are not yet entirely known, but it is presumed that it will take place after all current boarders have left the school. No more boarders will be admitted to the school. This is surely an end of an era for Knockbeg College.