{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=March 2021}} {{Infobox school | name = St Finian's College | native_name = | latin_name = | image = Entrance gate - geograph.org.uk - 786359.jpg | alt = | caption = Entrance gate | town = [[Mullingar]] | county = [[County Westmeath]] | country = Ireland | coordinates = {{coord|53|32|20.466|N|7|21|18.999|W|display=inline,title}} | religious_affiliation = [[Christianity|Christian]] | oversight = | affiliation = [[Diocese of Meath]] | trustee = | founder = Patrick Plunkett, [[Bishop of Meath]] | head_label = | head = | chairperson = | principal = John McHale | president = Paul Connell | principal2 = Aisling Ryan, Emma Carey | principal_label2 = Vice Principal | dean = | administrator = | rector = | chaplain = Mark English | director = | custodian = | staff = | USNWR_ranking = | faculty = | teaching_staff = | enrollment = | classes = | classes_offered = | avg_class_size = 31 | ratio = 1:30 | graduates = | gender = Co-educational | lower_age = | upper_age = | houses = | schooltype = [[Secondary school]] | fundingtype = | type = | system = | fees = | tuition = | revenue = | endowment = | budget = | enrolment = | products = | grades = | age_range = from 12 years<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stfinianscollege.ie/parents/admissions-policy-2021/|title=Admissions Policy 2023 |website= St Finians College}}</ref> | language = | classrooms = | campus = | campus_size = | campus_type = | hours_in_day = | athletics = | athletic_conference = | slogan = Deus Spes Mea | song = | fight_song = | motto = | accreditation = Scientiae Fidimus | rival = | mascot = | mascot image = | sports = | patron = [[Finnian of Clonard|St Finian]] | team_name = | nickname = Finians | colours = Yellow and Brown/Black | colors = | yearbook = | publication = | newspaper = | established = {{Start date|1802|5|2|df=yes}} | status = | closed = | sixth_form_students = | alumni = | enrollment_as_of = | other = | communities = | feeder_schools = | free_label = | free_text = | free_label1 = | free_text1 = | free_label2 = | free_text2 = | footnotes = | picture = | website = {{URL|https://www.stfinianscollege.ie/}} }}
'''St Finian's College''' is a [[secondary school]], the diocesan [[school]] of the [[Diocese of Meath]].<ref name="scholacantorum.ie">{{cite web |url=http://www.scholacantorum.ie/foundation.html |title=Foundation | publisher=Schola Cantorum |access-date=2021-03-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721130408/http://www.scholacantorum.ie/foundation.html |archive-date=2011-07-21 }}</ref> It is located in [[Mullingar]], [[County Westmeath]], [[Ireland]], and is under the patronage of The Most Reverend [[Thomas Deenihan]], [[Bishop of Meath]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Diocese of Meath |title=Secondary Education |url=https://dioceseofmeath.ie/24-2/ |website=Diocese of Meath |accessdate=30 November 2019}}</ref> Rev. Dr. Paul Connell is its president. John McHale is the principal. Aisling Ryan and Emma Carey are the deputy principals.
==History== ===St Finian's College, Navan (1802-1908)=== St Finian's College was founded in [[Navan]], County Meath as the Meath Diocesan College, by the [[Bishop of Meath]], [[Patrick Joseph Plunkett]]. It opened on 2 May 1802.<ref>[http://www.navanhistory.ie/index.php?page=st-finians-college St. Finian's College] Navan History Website.</ref> Fr. Eugene O’Reilly as its first president, serving until 1827. Fr. Patrick O'Connor became the second president, retiring due to ill health, succeeded by Fr. Nicholas Power who served until 1967. From 1867 until 1884 the future Australian Bishop [[Joseph Higgins (bishop)|Joseph Higgins]] served as president. Rev. Bernard Duff served as president from 1884 until 1886 and Fr. John Cassidy was appointed president and continued in office until 1891. From 1891 until 1903 Fr. Michael Dooley was president, Fr. Denis Flynn was the president for the final years the college was in Navan. The college moved to Mullingar, County Westmeath, at the beginning of the twentieth century.
===St Finian's College, Mullingar (1908-Today)=== The present college building built by J.J. O'Callaghan was opened in February 1905. With students from Navan moving to Mullingar in 1908 and officially opened by Bishop of Meath Lawrence Gaughran. From 1948 to 1982 there were always two Sisters from the Sisters of Mercy, in ministry in the college, one Sister was a registered nurse, who served as ‘Matron’ to the students with the other Sister was skilled in catering/housekeeping. In 1970, St Finian's was selected by the Irish Catholic hierarchy as the location for the music school (Schola Cantorum). [[Radharc]] made a documentary about the first graduates to complete the programme at the Schola Cantorum in 1975.<ref>[https://www.rte.ie/archives/category/education/2015/0413/693724-a-schola-cantorum-for-young-church-musicians/ St. Finians an Experiment in Church Music Education 1975] RTE Archives, 2015.</ref> <ref>[https://www.westmeathexaminer.ie/2015/04/13/rtes-forty-year-old-footage-from-st-finians-schola-cantorum/ RTEs forty year old footage from st finians schola cantorum] Westmeath Examiner, 13 April 2015.</ref> 2002 marked the bicentenary of the founding of St Finian's College. In 2003 it opened to girls, and in 2007 the last boarding class graduated.<ref>[http://www.irishidentity.com/extras/gaels/stories/finians.htm Seat of Learning] www.irishidentity.com</ref> The school also began offering transition year to students in 2017, thanks to the work of Sinéad Garvin and David Andrews. This transition year program introduced laptops into the school, beginning an era of technology for the school.
In 2015, the St Finian's Diocesan crest was removed and replaced with a secular logo with the inclusion of a textbook.
Mass from St Finian's on St Patrick's Day 2016, was broadcast on RTE, with the participation form the school staff and pupils, choirs and musicians.<ref>[https://dioceseofmeath.ie/st-patricks-day-mass-at-st-finians-college-on-rte/ Mass from St Finian's College on St Patrick’s Day] Diocese of Meath</ref>
Rev. Dr. Paul Connell has served as President of the College from 1998.
==Sports== The school offers a number of sporting choices in its sports facilities. These include [[Gaelic football]], [[soccer]], [[hurling]], [[handball]], [[basketball]], [[Rugby union|rugby]] and [[golf]].{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}
The Mullingar Cricket Club plays in the grounds of St. Finian's College.<ref>[http://www.mullingarcricketclub.com/map.html Location ] Mullingar Cricket Club - Official Website.</ref>
A chess club is also operated in St Finian's College.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}
==Schola Cantorum== The school is also the site of the Schola Cantorum, best described as a "miniature music conservatoire at St Finian’s College, Mullingar" <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scholacantorum.ie/|title=Schola Cantorum | St. Finian's College, Mullingar}}</ref> There are 29 Schola students.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web |url=http://www.scholacantorum.ie/pupils&staff.html |title= Schola Cantorum, St Finian's College, Mullingar|website=www.scholacantorum.ie |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721130509/http://www.scholacantorum.ie/pupils%26staff.html |archive-date=2011-07-21}}</ref> Gerard Lillis is the current director, taking the position in 2003.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> The Schola has performance at diverse locations across Ireland, including [[Áras an Úachtaran]], Feis Ceoil (Dublin), [[Glenstal Abbey]] and the National Principals Conference held in Killarney. Instruments taught at the school include organ, piano, violin, trumpet, clarinet, flute, as well as singing.
Students currently come all over the country Dublin, Kildare, Laois, Longford, Sligo, Meath and Roscommon as part of the Schola Cantorum.
Directors of Schola Cantorum, Fr. Frank McNamara (1970-1984), Shane Brennan (1984-2013), and Gerard Lillis (2013-present).
==Staff== *[[Barry Kelly (referee)|Barry Kelly]], hurling referee
==People educated at St Finian's College== {{alumni|date=June 2023}} * Msgr. John Coghlan, C.B.E., Croix Militare De Guerre, a chaplain in the first and second world war. * Dean [[Dean Cogan|Anthony Cogan]], historian * Archbishop [[Patrick Cronin (bishop)|Patrick Cronin]] [[Missionary Society of St. Columban|S.S.C.M.E.]], [[Doctor of Divinity|D.D.]], served as [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro|Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro]]. * Rev. Dr. [[Dermot Farrell]], served as President of [[Maynooth College]], Bishop of Ossory, and Archbishop of Dublin * Bishop [[Mathew Gaffney]], Bishop of Meath * Bishop [[Joseph Higgins (bishop)|Joseph Higgins]], Bishop of Rockhampton and the Bishop of Ballarat, Australia. President of St. Finnian's, Navan(1867-1884) * Bishop [[John Anthony Kyne]], Bishop of Meath (1947–66) * [[Paul McGrath (politician)|Paul McGrath]], former TD for Westmeath * Bishop [[Thomas Nulty]], D.D., served as Bishop of Meath, and acting St. Finians president in mid/late 19th century * Bishop [[Eugene O'Connell]], served as Bishop in California, studied at St Finians, also taught in the college * Bishop [[Michael O'Farrell (bishop)|Michael O'Farrell]] DD CM, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia * Dr. John O'Keeffe KSG, Schola Cantorum graduate, organist, director of sacred music [[Maynooth College]], and for the Papal mass in the phoenix park in 2018.<ref>[https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/two-irishmen-receive-catholic-church-s-highest-honour-for-services-to-music-1.4741120 Two Irishmen receive Catholic Church’s highest honour for services to music] by Patsy McGarry, Irish Times, November 28, 2021.</ref> * Bishop [[Bernard O'Reilly (bishop of Liverpool)|Bernard O'Reilly]], Bishop of Liverpool commenced his studies in Navan. * Gavan Reilly, broadcaster with Virgin Media and Newstalk * Bishop [[Joseph Shiel]] (1873–1931),(attended St. Finians, Navan) Bishop of Rockhampton (1913-1931). * Rev. [[Paul Walsh (priest)|Paul Walsh]], priest and historian * Prof. [[Harry White (musicologist)|Harry White]], Schola Cantorum graduate, musicologist and university professor.
==See also== * [[Irishtown, Mullingar]] (townland the college stands on)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20071129133936/http://www.scholacantorum.ie/index.html Schola Cantorum official website] *[http://www.stfinianscollege.ie/ Official College website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Finian's College}} [[Category:Boys' schools in the Republic of Ireland]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Mullingar]] [[Category:Secondary schools in County Westmeath]] [[Category:1802 establishments in Ireland]] [[Category:Educational institutions established in 1802]]