Saint Cronan's Boys' National School

St. Cronan's BNS
Address
Vevay Crescent, Vevay Road

Bray
,
County Wicklow

Ireland
Information
School typePrimary
MottoFios Feasa
Irish: Knowledge of Knowledge
Founded1820; 204 years ago (1820)
Staffc. 45
GenderMale
Age range6–13
Number of students420 approx.
ClassesFirst through sixth
Colour(s)Blue, yellow
SportsGaelic football, hurling
Websitewww.stcronans.ie

Saint Cronan's Boys' National School (Irish: Scoil Chrónáin Naofa) is a national school located in Vevay Crescent, just off the Vevay Road in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. It is the oldest primary school in Bray, having been founded in 1820 as Bray Male School. The school is named in honour of Saint Cronan, whose feast day falls on 28 April.

As of 2022, there are approximately 420 boys in the school, aged from 6 to 13 years (first through sixth classes).

History

St. Cronan's new building, officially opened on 18 June 2001 by then Minister for Education, Michael Woods.

In 1820, a small number of cottages on Seapoint Road in Bray are believed to have been the site of the first Bray Male Parochial School. It opened on 20 July 1820 and the boys stayed in these premises until 1880. Due to increasing pupil numbers, Bray Male School moved from its original home on Seapoint Road to the Little Flower Hall beside the Holy Redeemer Church off the Main Street in Bray in October 1880. Bray Male School moved again in 1931; this time, the school found a new home in a new building on the Vevay Hill. The school also changed its name at this stage to St Cronan's. On 2 November 1999, St. Cronan's moved to a new building in Vevay Crescent. After the most recent move to the new school building in Vevay Crescent, Gaelscoil Uí Chéadaigh, a Gaelscoil, took up residence in the schoolhouse on the Vevay Hill.

Curricular studies

As a national school, St. Cronan's follows the Primary School Curriculum (1999). The school has a Catholic ethos and prepares its students for the sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Communion. The school was also part of the Modern Languages Initiative until 2012,[1] and Spanish was taught in 5th and 6th classes.

Sports

St. Cronan's GAA
Scoil Chrónáin Naofa
County:Wicklow
Nickname:The Crows
Colours:Blue, yellow
Grounds:Páirc Chrónáin, Bray
Playing kits
Standard colours

St. Cronan's has both Gaelic football and hurling teams which compete against other schools in the Wicklow area. The school's Gaelic football team have been county champions on several occasions, and have also won the Coughlin Cup on several occasions.[2] The school's team colours are blue, yellow, and white to match the school's uniform. Prior to the year 2000, the school's colours were red and white; this matched the colour of the previous school uniform.

St. Cronan's trophy cabinet.

Gaelic football honours

  • Coughlin Cup; 1998, 2000, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011.
  • Wicklow Schools League; 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004.
  • Wicklow County Championship (Corn Uí Dhochartaigh, English: O'Doherty Cup); 1999, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007.
  • Mini-Sevens Trophy; 2004, 2005.

Hurling honours

  • Mini-Sevens Trophy; 2006.
  • Murphy Cup; 2004.

Choral

St. Cronan's boys choir have performed at local events and also in the National Concert Hall with the National Children's Choir. They have also performed for then President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, in Áras an Uachtaráin. In December 2004, the choir released an album entitled The Magic of Christmas, which included a guest appearance by the late Ronnie Drew of The Dubliners.[3]

On 12 September 2008, St. Cronan's welcomed Liu Biwei, Chinese ambassador to Ireland. The St. Cronan's choir, along with some musicians from the senior classes in the school performed for the ambassador and his diplomatic entourage.[4]

Charity

Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes ready for shipping

In the run up to Christmas, students in sixth class take part in the Concern Christmas Fast. In the past, the school has also participated in Operation Christmas Child. This is a project organised by Samaritan's Purse, and involves children putting together a shoebox of simple gifts for distribution among children in desperate situations around the world.[5]

St. Cronan's also has a relationship with Bray Lions Club, and works on many charitable programmes in conjunction with them.[citation needed]

Other awards

St. Cronan's Eircom Junior Spider Website Award 2009

Twinning

St. Cronan's is linked with Edgewood Elementary School in the U.S. state of Minnesota.[6] The school is also twinned with the parish of Ikanga, Kenya.[7][failed verification]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ MLPSI Spanish Schools MLPSI.com. Retrieved on 11-02-08.
  2. ^ Coughlin Cup report Cumann na mBunscol. Retrieved on 11-02-08.
  3. ^ The Magic of Christmas The Magic of Christmas album. Retrieved on 22-09-08.
  4. ^ Mr Karl Ó Broin's 6th Class Website St Cronan's BNS mini-website. Retrieved on 21-09-08.
  5. ^ Operation Christmas Child Samaritan's Purse. Retrieved on 18-02-08.
  6. ^ "US link". stcronans.ie. Archived from the original on 18 November 2007. Retrieved 10 February 2008.
  7. ^ "Bray, Ikanga twinning". Catholic Deocese of Kitui. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  8. ^ Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh Archived 27 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine CúplaFocal.ie. Retrieved on 11-02-08.
  9. ^ Come on you Reds! CroNews. Published on 01-05-99. Retrieved on 11-02-08.