I'm a 5th Year and I have to say that the school is a very unique school compared to others in the…read morearea. It has a sense of community and generally everybody gets to know eachother eventually. During my 4yrs in the college, I enjoyed every day of it. St. Mac Daras is the type of school that you would naturally want/like to get up and go to every day. The kindness and respect that students and teachers have for eachother adds to the inviting atmosphere of the school. Teachers are extremly dedicated to helping students and are willing to give up their own free time in order to allow students to grasp difficult material or tackle any problems/issues that students may have with certain topics . The school is very strict on bullying and can be seen through the attitude that students of the college have towards it. Students have 0% tollerance for bullying so much so that if bullying were to occur in the corridors or at lunch (which is extremly rare) students of all years stand up and defend the student/s who is being bullied. This is a unique bond that students of the college develope with eachother in 1st Year. As a conclusion I would like to strongly recommend St. Mac Daras to all those who are considering a secondary school to select for their son/daughter. I would like to take this oppertunity to thank St. Mac Daras for all its help through my Junior Cert and in advance for my Leaving Cert. I have developed a lot of skills in St. Mac Daras that I will carry on in life so thanks again. The saying is very true; Your school days are the best days and most memorable of your life

If your looking for a school that combines great teachers and gives your child a chance to come…read moreinto their own this is the perfect school. I attended this school for 8 years and I enjoyed every single year. I never once complained about the teachers, well, maybe once! They have a really well balanced curriculum, joining loads of sports and outdoor activities with school work, made it not too hard to actually do the work! After school activites included hurling, camogie, cookery class, speech and drama, and im sure they have added more since. I was part of the school choir and the choir teacher, is the best around. We took part in 2-3 competitions a year, and won every single one. It is such a great community to be a part of, and i have some of my fondest, most tresured memories. :)

This group of 2 schools, St Patricks Cathedral Grammar School and the St Patrick's Cathedral Choir…read moreSchool, are really cool and unique for two reasons. 1. The Cathedral School was founded in 1432 and has been nearly continuously run since that time. It's the oldest school in all of Ireland. I mean if you think about it, that school was founded 60 years before Columbus sailed the ocean blue and accidentally found the New World. 2. The main focus of this school is choir music. Every boy that attends the choir school is a chorister and for the most part the girls who attend are involved in the girls choir. The grammar school also emphasises choral music. It's an amazing opportunity for someone how loves singing and wants to advance themselves further, plus they cover all the other standard education requirements.

Trinity College is a beautiful and spacious campus (50 acres) founded in 1592…read more It's considered to be the Harvard of Ireland. My beloved Oscar Wilde is an alumni. The 18th century architecture is a mashup of Victorian Gothic, Neoclasical, Georgian, etc. It's wonderful campus for strolling to take in the architecture, green spaces, and people. The Trinity Trails walking tour is student-led and about an hour long. It's a great way to take in all of the campus.

Trinity College is Ireland's top university and most historical and is an unmissable attraction in…read morethe Irish capital. It is also the home of the famed Book of Kells One of the most prestigious universities in the world, Trinity College Dublin, was packed with both students and visitors, leisurely walking or rushing through the main campus. Once inside, you find yourself in the enclosed Parliament Square with several impressive buildings surrounding you. They all date from different centuries with none of them surviving since the first days of the college. You are free to stroll the grounds at your own liberty but to visit the Long Library Room and the Book of Kells you need to pay an admission fee. it is located in College Green at the top of Dublin's Dame Street. The street is perhaps Dublin's finest, a stroll down takes you past the Bank of Ireland (the world's first purpose-built Parliament House), City Hall, Dublin Castle and up towards Christchurch Cathedral. Along the way, you will find lots of high street shops, and charming restaurants and pubs.

The Ranelagh Multi Denominational National School is groundbreaking and remarkable for a plethora…read moreof reasons. When they decided to close the St. Columba's Church of Ireland National School in 1988, a two teacher denominational outfit, the parents and teachers banded together to re-launch the school as a democratically run, multi denominational and co-educational national school, a pretty far thinking ethos for schooling when the plans were written in 1988. The new school was originally housed in a collection of prefabs, a church hall and a caretakers house. A type of early nineties hedge school in some ways. The Department of Education granted backdated recognition for the school in 1989. The new building was designed by O'Donnel and Tuomey architects, these guys are big boys on the scene, and they did a top notch job. The design of the school has the contrivance of being 'internal and external spaces which interlock to make one block of interdependent components.' This, obviously, reflects the philosophy of the school quite succinctly and has made the school something of a landmark on Dublin's architectural scene. So, four stars for Ranelagh Multi Denominational National School, I can't vouch for quality of education, or anything practical like that, but the concept appeals to me greatly. Now make it a Gael scoil too, and I'll enrol all my future artsy, bleeding heart pinko progeny there tomorrow.

Let me just start this review by categorically stating that I have no, as yet, genetic sequels…read more(children :) ). But I would just like to say that i support multi-denominationalism in this area. This school proves how forward thinking and open minded the people of Ranelagh are and it should be held up as an example to all surrounding areas with only christian schools. idiot areas.

Tucked away on London bridge road - which I thought was Irishtown but what do I know is the…read moreincredibly inviting facade of the Sandymount school of art. The fact that I couldn't draw a bucket of water didn't stop me wandering in to see what it is all about and to see if maybe they did a toddlers session or something to distract junior. Turns out they don't cater for toddlers (and I really can't blame them) but they do a whole range of courses including short ones for children over the summer. The ethos seems to be using art as a medium for helping children and adults cope with life as a whole - teaching patience and planning while guiding you through. I don't know how usual it is to have this sort of ethos but I like the idea, might be something to look at for the cold winter months!

From the owner: Adult Classes : Day and Night classes Children's Classes:…read moreAfter school, Saturdays, Mid-terms and Summer

A first class school, providing a first class education. A catholic school yes, but in no way…read morereligiously forceful. Belvedere's grade A academic faculty has a lot to do with why I am soon to begin an Msc. in e-business. The misconception that belvedere is a 'sandbox for rich kids', as said to me by an ex teacher, is total BS! The school is built on the ethos of being 'men for others', the statement sounds a bit cheesy today, true, but charity and putting others before yourself is more important than superficial grades for the superficial leaving cert in the eyes of this school, thus giving the pupil a greater view on what really is important in life, and allowing exams to be approached with less intensity, making them all the easier. The annual 6 figure sum raised for the homeless by students sleeping rough ('the sleep out') at the GPO on the days building up to Christmas is just one great example of theory put to practice, and I stress just one example of mission and values being executed. The school is one of, if not the, most technically up to date schools in the country, while boasting James Joyce as a past pupil and having world class teachers. The opportunities in sport, societies and facilities are in abundance. Yes belvedere is on the perceived 'upper tier' (whatever that means) of this, deemed by some, unfair school ladder Ireland is guilty of having. But take schools such as Belvedere or Blackrock out of the system and eradicate their right to seek fees from pupils, and then watch these schools 'hands on' approach toward enhancing society which is made by the schools active students. (Goal, St. Vincent de Paul, Irish Guide Dog society, CRC... the list goes on) So Please, put away that evening herald or equivalent rag you read bashing such schools, and turn off the BS that is Joe 'your phone call really is important and will make a difference' Duffy, and understand that fee paying schools and this so called "2 tier" education system, is in fact, far more beneficial to society than a total state controlled education system. Last time I checked there wasn't a hammer and schical defacing the tricolour anyway. To conclude, if you are lucky enough to have the chance to send your son to Belvedere jump on it. It was great when I was there, and with the recent complete modernization of the school and I.T. Upgrade, it is even better. Dave (sick of people failing to see the bigger picture) E. p.s. This review was written mainly in response to a radio argument I heard recently. Belvedere was singled out a lot for some reason on this Joe Duffy 'debate' (more an opportunity to vent opinion on why private schools are evil for middle aged women) hence my meagre attempt to offer a rebuttal... Great school all the same...