Abbey Christian Brothers' Grammar School: Difference between revisions

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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox School | name = The Abbey Christian Brothers Grammar School

{{Infobox school

| image =| motto = "Facere et Docere" (To Do And Teach)

| name = Abbey Christian Brothers' Grammar School, Newry

| established = [[1850]] Current Building - [[1966]]

| native_name = Scoil na Mainistreach, Iúr Cinn Trá

| type = [[Grammar school|Voluntary Grammar]]

| image = Abbeycest2.png

| principal = Dermot McGovern

| caption =

| enrollment = 875

| streetaddress = 77a Ashgrove Road

| free_label2 = Age Range

| established = {{start date and age|df=yes|1851}}, current site – 2010

| free_text2 = 11 to 16(18 volunatarily)

| city = Newry

| ___location = Courtenay Hill<br>[[Newry]], BT34 2ED

| county = County Down

| information/Number = 07852898358

| postcode = BT34 1QN

| website = [http://www.abbeycbs.co.uk/ Official Website]

| country = Northern Ireland

| coordinates = {{Coord|54.172|-6.332|display=inline,title|region:GB_scale:10000}}

| schoolboard = [[Education Authority|Education Authority (South Eastern)]]

| religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic

| gender = Male

| lower_age = 11

| upper_age = 18

| houses = [[Breffni]], [[Slieve Donard|Donard]], [[Iveagh]], [[Airgíalla|Oriel]], [[Slemish]]

| schooltype = Boys Grammar

| principal = Gina Savage

| staff = 80 approx.

| enrollment = 800

| sports = [[Gaelic Football]], [[basketball]], [[rugby football|rugby]]

| school_colours = {{color box|Red}}{{color box|Black}}{{color box|Orange}}

| newspaper = The Abbey Way

| status = Christian Brothers' Grammar School

| homepage = {{URL|https://www.abbeycbs.org}}

}}

The '''Abbey Christian Brothers' Grammar School''' ([[Irish language|Irish]]: ''Scoil na Mainistreach, Iúr Cinn Trá''<ref>{{cite web |title=Welcome to the Abbey Grammar School |url=https://www.abbeycbs.org/ |access-date=4 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125161922/https://www.abbeycbs.org/ |archive-date=25 November 2020}}</ref>) is a voluntary [[day school]] for boys aged 11 – 18 years in [[Newry, County Down]], Northern Ireland.

''' The Abbey Christian Brothers Grammar School''' is a Roman Catholic Grammar school located in Newry, Co. Down, Northern Ireland. It has a strong sporting tradition and won the MacRory and Hogan cups in 2006 and also produced "West Side Story" in Newry City Hall. The school plans to move into new buildings within the next two years. Aye dead on.

== History ==

The school was established in 1851 by members of the [[Congregation of Christian Brothers]]. It was named after a Cistercian Abbey founded on the site by [[St Malachy]] in 1144. Since then the school had been located at several sites around Newry including Chapel Street, Kilmorey Street, the Carstands at Margaret Street and the Mall, then on to Abbey Yard.<ref>{{cite web|last=Boyle|first=Fabian|title=Three Cheers For "The Good Old Abbey Boys"|url=http://www.newrymemoirs.com/stories_pages/goodoldabbeyboys_1.html|work=Newry Memories|accessdate=7 May 2014}}</ref> From 1966 to 2010 it was located at Courtenay Hill. In 2010, it moved to a new £18 million building on the outskirts of Newry. The school gives its name to many streets surrounding the former site such as Abbey Yard and Abbey Heights.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Abbey Grammar School|url=https://www.abbeycbs.org|accessdate=6 December 2019}}</ref>

The [[Congregation of Christian Brothers]] is a world-wide community of brothers in the Catholic church, founded by

Edmund Rice.

In 1934 the citizens of Waterford built a monastery for the young men who had been drawn to assis" Rice. The reputation of the Camp spread and many young men sought to become brothers.. Houses were soon opened in Carrick-on-Suir, Dungarvan, and in 1936, in Cork. In 1937 the Archbishop of Dublin established a community in Dublin. By 1941 there were ten communities in Dublin with in excess of 6,000 brothers. . A community was founded in Limerick in 1956, followed by establishments in many of Ireland's principal towns. The order currently boasts about 1,900 brothers across twenty-nine countries. They have provinces in Europe, North America, Oceania, Africa, Latin America, and India. The order is governed by a superior general, who resides in Rome.

The school was originally entirely run by the [[Irish Christian Brothers]], but in the late twentieth century their numbers declined and the school is now entirely staffed by lay teachers. It is now under the trusteeship of the [[Edmund Rice Schools Trust]] (NI).

After recent searching throughout the area, it was found out that the school was built on the ruins of an old castle founded by monks over 1600 years ago. One of these monks spirits is said to be in the form of local hero Darkey the Dog who knows the ins and outs of every nook and cranney in the ___location.

== Location Academics==

The school provides instruction in a range of academic subjects. In 2018, 94.5% of its entrants achieved five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C, including the core subjects English and Maths.<ref>{{cite web|title=Belfast Telegraph GCSE 2018|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/league-tables/gcse-northern-ireland-school-league-table-2018-36708204.html|accessdate=22 September 2018}}</ref> As of 2019, 77.2% of students who sat the A-level exams were awarded three A*-C grades.<ref>{{cite web|title= Belfast Telegraph A-Level: Northern Ireland School League Tables 2019|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/education/league-tables/2019/alevel-northern-ireland-school-league-table-2019-37935474.html|accessdate=21 March 2019}}</ref>

The Abbey Grammar school is located in Newry, the fourth largest city in Northern Ireland, and ninth in all of Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, forms the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. Notable buildings in the city include Newry Catholic Cathedral of St. Patrick and St. Colman and Newry Town Hall. The town hall is notable for being built over the River Clanrye, the boundary between the counties of Down and Armagh. The building of a city hall is also planned, to celebrate the granting of city status. The city boasts a museum and an arts centre. Newry has a reputation as one of the best provincial shopping towns in Ireland and also has two of the oldest churches in Ireland. One of these is St. Patrick's (Anglican, 1578), Ireland's first Protestant church.

== Achievements ==

The school was founded by The Christian Brothers and the blessed [[Edmund Ignatius Rice]]. It moved from its original site in church street, [[Newry]], in 1968 and is currently situated on Courtney Hill, [[Newry]].

{{Uncategorized|date=April 2007}}

* Winners of the NI Regional [[Schools' Challenge|Senior Schools Quiz Challenge]] (general knowledge quiz) 2011–2018.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Quizzes |url=https://www.abbeycbs.org/quizes/ |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=Abbey CBS Grammar School Newry |language=en}}</ref>

* The [[Hogan Cup|Hogan]] All Ireland Gaelic Schools Cup 2006.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cummiskey |first=Gavin |date=2006-05-02|title=Abbey best in classic clash|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/abbey-best-in-classic-clash-1.997402 |work=The Irish Times |___location=Dublin |access-date=2024-02-21}}</ref>

* Winners of the Senior [[Schools' Challenge|UK Schools Quiz Challenge]] (general knowledge quiz) 2002.

* Winners of the [[MacRory Cup]] (Gaelic football competition): 1954, 1959, 1964, 1987, 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |title=MacRory Cup |url=https://www.danskebankulsterschoolsgaa.com/history/macrory-cup/ |access-date=2024-02-21|website=Ulster Schools GAA |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Football |url=https://www.abbeycbs.org/football/ |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=Abbey CBS Grammar School Newry |language=en}}</ref>

* Runners-up of the BM Quizzing Championships (NI Schools General Knowledge Quizzing Championships) 2022/2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Champions2022 |url=https://www.bmquizzing.com/bmqc/champions2022 |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=bmquizzing.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Notable former pupils==

{{see also|Category:People educated at Abbey Christian Brothers' Grammar School}}

{| class="wikitable sortable"

! Name !! Lifespan !! Description

|-

| [[Leonard Abrahamson]] || 1896-1961 || Irish cardiologist and Professor of Medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

|-

| [[Frank Aiken]] || 1898–1983 || [[Teachta Dála]] (TD), [[Irish Republican Army]] commander, [[Tánaiste]]; [[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]] (1932–1939), [[Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures]] (1939–1945), [[Minister for Finance (Ireland)|Minister for Finance]] (1945–1948), and [[Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ireland)|Minister for External Affairs]] (1951–1954; 1957–1969)

|-

| [[Mickey Brady]] || born 1950 || [[Sinn Féin]] MP for [[Newry and Armagh (UK Parliament constituency)|Newry and Armagh]]

|-

| [[Art Cosgrove]] || born 1940 || Irish historian and writer; Chancellor, [[University College Dublin]]

|-

| [[Denis Donoghue (academic)|Denis Donoghue]] || 1928–2021 || Irish writer

|-

| [[Joe Kernan (Gaelic footballer)|Joe Kernan]] || born 1954 || [[Gaelic football]]er

|-

| [[Seamus Mallon]] || 1936–2020 || [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Newry and Armagh (UK Parliament constituency)|Newry & Armagh]] (1986–2005), [[Social Democratic and Labour Party|SDLP]] Deputy Leader (1979–2001), and [[Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland]] (1998–2001)

|-

| [[Kevin McKernan]] || born 1987 || [[Down GAA]] [[Gaelic football]]er

|-

| [[Oisín McConville]] || born 1975 || [[Gaelic football]]er

|-

| [[Peter McVerry]] || born 1944 || Poverty campaigner

|-

| [[Gerard Murphy (actor)|Gerard Murphy]] || 1948–2018 || Actor

|-

| [[Turlough O'Donnell]] || 1924-2017 || Lord Justice of Appeal of Northern Ireland

|-

| [[Eunan O'Neill]] || born 1982 || Television presenter (RT / [[Russia Today]])

|-

| [[Seán O'Neill]] || born 1938 || [[Gaelic football]]er

|-

| [[Connor Phillips]] || || Broadcaster

|-

| [[Ronan Rafferty]] || born 1964 || Irish professional [[golf]]er

|-

| [[Patrick Shea (civil servant)|Patrick Shea]] || 1908–1986 || [[Northern Ireland]] civil servant

|}

== See also ==

* [[List of secondary schools in Belfast]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

==External links==

* [http://www.abbeycbs.org/ Abbey Christian Brothers' Grammar School]

* [https://www.bmquizzing.com/bmqc BM Quizzing Championships]

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Congregation of Christian Brothers secondary schools in Northern Ireland]]

[[Category:Education in Newry]]

[[Category:Catholic secondary schools in Northern Ireland| ]]

[[Category:Secondary schools in County Down]]

[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1851]]

[[Category:Boys' schools in Northern Ireland]]

[[Category:Grammar schools in County Down]]