The Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton T.D. officially opened St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Tulla, Co Clare on Thursday 22nd September 2016.  The school was blessed by Fr. Brendan Lawlor, School Chaplain.  Ms. Margaret O’Brien, the current Principal of the school, the Bishop-elect of Killaloe, Fr. Fintan Monahan, Board of Management members and many dignitaries were present.  It was a day of great rejoicing and celebration for pupils past and present, parents, staff and for all those associated with Education in Tulla and East Clare through the years.  Minister Bruton congratulated the Sisters for their great work in education and glowing tributes were paid to the Sisters of Mercy in Tulla by all the speakers as the history of Secondary Education in Tulla was recalled.  The new school was completed in March 2016 and has twenty six specialist classrooms, ten general classrooms, a physical education hall, special needs facilities, and outdoor playing facilities.

Jordan Cassells & Apryl O’Regan, joint President of the School Council, Fr. Brendan Lawlor School Chaplain, Suzanne Kelly Parents Council, Flan Garvey Chairperson of the Board of Management, Margaret O’Brien, Principal Teacher, Mr. Richard Bruton, Minister for Education and Skills, Dr. Marie Griffin, Ceist C.E.O, Caitríona Dolly, Deputy Principal, The Bishop-elect of Killaloe Fr. Fintan Monahan, Patrick Murphy Piper

Secondary education began in Tulla in 1950, when thirty eight students enrolled in classrooms in the Convent of Mercy National School.  The first Leaving Certificate class graduated in 1954.  Work on a new school began in 1956 and was completed the following year at a cost of £12,000.  At that time one hundred students were on the school rolls.

Due to expanding enrolment as a result of the introduction of free second-level education in 1966, it was decided to move to a new location in 1970.  The school had became co-educational in 1967.  Between then and 1985, when the building was completed, classes were conducted in both the old school in Main Street and the new building at Fogarty’s Cross.  Following the completion of an extension in 1983 the entire school relocated to the new site. However, it’s facilitates were very limited.  Efforts to secure a new school for Tulla had been ongoing for twenty years.  Is fearr go mall ná go brách.  Principal Teachers and Boards of Management of the School are to be commended for their commitment to the enhancement of the educational environment for the pupils of the area and we wish them every success in the future.  Rath Dé orthu de shíor.

Scoil Iósaef Naofa

St. Joseph’s is a Catholic Secondary School under the trusteeship of CEIST with the Mission Statement: “We are a caring community which fosters belonging and self-worth while promoting academic and personal fulfilment”.

Eileen Callinan rsm
South Central Province