History of Drimnagh Castle
Drimnagh Castle with 38 acres of land was purchased by the Christian Brothers in 1954 from the Dublin Archdiocese to provide sites for primary and secondary schools and a residence for the community of brothers. To cater for the expanding population of Walkinstown, the Christian Brothers set about building a modern educational facility – a primary school for 648 boys, a secondary school for 500 boys and a monastery to accommodate 24 brothers. The secondary school was to have 16 class rooms, 2 science rooms, an art room and a geography room.
The secondary school opened its doors as an educational establishment in September 1954 with 80 pupils on its rolls. However, the new school building was not yet completed and the first pupils had their classes in the historic castle where the ballroom was converted into two classrooms. All subjects were taught through the medium of Irish except English, Latin and Religion. The first principal of the new secondary school was Brother Callistus Ahearne who served from 1954 to 1957.
Drimnagh Castle quickly established itself as a vibrant successful school. Past pupils of the school have succeeded admirably in many walks of life including the worlds of business, industry, public service and the professions. As well as the pursuit of academic excellence, Sport became an intrinsic part of the life of the school with notable successes in Gaelic Football, Soccer and Athletics.
Drimnagh Castle has been to the forefront in adapting to change over the years. The first Board of Management in the school was established in 1992 and the first law principal was appointed in 2000. The year 2001 saw the completion of a major extension to the school. New state of the art facilities included science laboratories, a technology laboratory, an art and craft room, a multi-media language laboratory, and a demonstration room.
The school celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2004. The occasion was marked by the visit of President Mary McAleese to the school and the official opening of the new extension. This occasion provided the opportunity to look back with pride on the many successes achieved and to look forward with confidence as we face the future.