Facilities

Bellarmine Centre – The Bellarmine Centre is a bold statement that reflects the Clongowes philosophy on the future of learning and acknowledges that the needs of students in this era have changed. The light filled and fluid space easily accommodates the varied learning styles of our students.

The James Joyce Library – our modern and spacious library with over 9,000 titles including books, research papers, e-books, periodicals and DVDs – The James Joyce Library

Science, Art and Technology Building – Completed in 2010, this comprehensive facility is one of the finest in Irish secondary education and provides a resource of third level standard.

Classroom Space – Each of the 24 classrooms has Internet access and interactive whiteboards. There is also a 130 seat lecture theatre, an Audio Visual Theatre and a Co-Operative Learning Centre.

Extra Learning Resources – Dedicated rooms specially designed for students with extra learning needs provide students with facilities that allow them to learn in a relaxed and enjoyable environment.

Music – There are two choirs in the school, a full orchestra and an active traditional Irish music group. In addition to our modern rehearsal rooms, there are pianos located throughout the school and there is even a dedicated room where students may practice drumming!

Technology -We have two separate state of the art computer laboratories along with Wi-Fi throughout the school and in the living areas. Access to the Internet is limited according to the time of day or evening, the age of the student and the type of site being accessed.

Dining Facilities – The dining room (refectory), which can comfortably seat over 500 people is where students meet for breakfast, dinner, tea and supper. Higher line students have a kitchen adjacent to their bedrooms. Read more about nutrition here.

Recreation Rooms – Each year group has its own recreation room with TV and these rooms are also used to host debates and guest speakers.

Accommodation – Accommodation from 1st to 4th year is provided in shared or individual cubicles. An ambitious redevelopment of accommodation in these areas began in summer 2017 with 1st Year (Elements) dorms and continues in summer 2018 with 2nd (Rudiments) and 4th year (Syntax).  Higher Line students (5 and 6th years) have their own rooms, complete with individual study facilities.

Mass is celebrated in the Boys’ Chapel, the People’s Church and the Ignatian Chapel while the Sports Hall transforms into a chapel on Sundays to facilitate school Masses.

In addition, the Manresa Room, close to the concourse, is a quiet space where boys can spend time reflecting and meditating.

The Bellarmine Learning Centre opened in May 2019 as a study and homework area for the younger boys in the College, Elements (First Year) and Rudiments (Second Year). The vision behind the development of the Centre is to provide a space that is both flexible and functional to accommodate the different learning styles of our students.

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The James Joyce Library is named after world renowned writer James Joyce, who attended Clongowes from 1888-1891. Officially opened by his nephew, Mr Ken Monaghan in 2009, the Library is an inclusive space with programmes and events designed to inspire an interest and passion for reading.

The library, which is staffed by a fulltime librarian, has become a dynamic space for learning and serves multiple purposes including reading for pleasure, study and co-operative learning as well as being a venue for school events and activities. It has more than 9,000 titles including fiction, non-fiction books and magazines, with a further 1,000 audio and e-books.

Reading for pleasure is strongly encouraged in Clongowes and fiction in particular is emphasised. Stepping into someone else’s life through story fosters an understanding of how others live and how circumstances and culture will affect their choices and actions. The library has developed an empathy theme: ‘Step into someone else’s story, walk in their shoes’ which echoes the Jesuit ethos of ‘men for others’.

The library hosts a range of activities throughout the year including book clubs, reading challenges, book character dress up days, author visits and storytelling events.  The role of the James Joyce Library in Clongowes has been acknowledged through the awarding of ‘Wellread’ recognition to the school by the PDST in June 2016 for creating a reading community.

Our state of the art Science, Art and Technology Building opened in 2010 and is the center for the teaching and STEAM subjects at Clongowes.

The impressive 2 storey building, located at the back of the campus houses the Biology, Chemistry and Physics laboratories and classrooms.  The labs are extremely well equipped and spacious and all have adjoining classrooms.

There has been significant investment in Science at Clongowes in terms of facilities, resources and programmes in recent years.  Many of our students have a keen interest in the sciences and many in Syntax and Poetry take part in our Mathematics Modelling programme in conjunction with the University of Limerick.

The Art Room at Clongowes is a truly creative space.  Located in the Science, Art and Technology building, in a large, bright  space designed to inspire creativity.

From pottery wheels, to a kiln, dark room and graphics studio, the custom built classroom is very well equipped to support students in their art studies from 1st to 6th Year (Elements to Rhetoric).

The modern design with fully retractable glass walls brings great natural light in and brings nature in during the warmer months.

The Art Room is a relaxing space where students can get creative in beautiful surroundings.

Computer science as a Leaving Certificate subject was introduced in recent years. The computer science classroom was built as part of the Bellarmine Learning Centre development to provide a modern and comfortable space for students taking computer science classes.

The classroom is very well equipped with IT equipment and students can also choose to use their own laptops.

Alongside the Computer Science classroom a ‘maker space’ has been developed to allow for hands-on learning.

The Refectory (the Ref) at Clongowes is bright, airy and spacious.  The Ref is designed to allow boys to sit together with their Year Group friends.  The ‘House Table’ is a banquet style table where members of  each House eat together once every ten days – a great way for boys to get to know everyone in their House.

The garden adjoins the Ref with picnic tables to give the boys the option of eating outdoors.

Meals are served 4 times per day in the Ref with students and staff eating together.  Breakfast in the morning is followed by lunch in the middle of day and the main meal is served between 5pm and 6pm, before study starts.  Self service supper is available after 8pm.

Food plays a very important role at Clongowes so the Ref is a central area in the College and one that is bright and comfortable.

The Betagh Room at Clongowes for the Irish Jesuit, Thomas Betagh SJ, is a state of the art classroom located close to the Bellarmine Learning Centre.

Modular furniture allows for easy collaborative learning in groups in this bright and airy space. The walls also serve as huge whiteboards and wipe clean after use.  Technology is seamlessly integrated into the classroom and into the learning experience.

The glass wall retracts full to allow for fresh air in fair weather. The room also has a viewing gallery behind a two way mirror to allow for teacher peer observation.

Computer science as a Leaving Certificate subject was introduced in recent years. The computer science classroom was built as part of the Bellarmine Learning Centre development to provide a modern and comfortable space for students taking computer science classes.

The classroom is very well equipped with IT equipment and students can also choose to use their own laptops.

Alongside the Computer Science classroom a ‘maker space’ has been developed to allow for hands-on learning.