The High School, Dublin

The High School
Address
Zion Road, Rathgar

Dublin
,
County Dublin
,
D06YR68

Ireland
Coordinates53°18′21″N 6°16′23″W / 53.305872°N 6.272937°W / 53.305872; -6.272937
Information
TypeIndependent secondary school
MottoWe are faithful to our trust
Religious affiliation(s)Church of Ireland
Established1870 (1870)
OversightThe Erasmus Smith Trust
PrincipalG A Forrest[1]
GenderMixed
Age range12–18
LanguageEnglish
Colour(s)Black and Red   
YearbookThe Erasmian and Diocesan Times[2]
Websitewww.highschooldublin.com

The High School is a 12–18 mixed, Church of Ireland, independent secondary school in Rathgar, Dublin, Ireland.

It was established in 1870 at Harcourt Street before moving to Rathgar in 1971. It amalgamated with The Diocesan School for Girls in 1974, becoming co-educational. The school offers a range of sports including badminton, cricket, cross country, hockey, rugby and tennis, and extracurricular activities including model United Nations, junior and senior debating, chess, LEGO and robotics, choir and orchestra, junior and senior drama, radio, film, literary and poetry societies and student government.[3] In 2009, it was noted as the school with the highest rate of progression to third-level education.[4]

It is owned and overseen by the Erasmus Smith Trust.[5] The school hosts the W.B. Yeats Library, named for the former pupil, and the Reynolds Hall gathering centre named for former principal Ralph Reynolds. The modern site in Rathgar was built on the Danum estate, purchased by Ernest Bewley of the Bewley family in 1904. The site also holds an all weather rugby pitch, two full size hockey pitches, six basketball courts, an apiary, a croquet lawn and land suitable for tennis, athletics, badminton and shotput. The all weather pitch was a donation from former pupil Dennis O'Brien.[6]

The new school building in Rathgar on the Bewley estate was formally opened on the 26th of November, 1971, by former Taoiseach Jack Lynch and dedicated by Reverend Alan Buchanan. The schools's Technical and Crafts Building ("T Block"), Pavillion, Music Centre ("M Block") and the Archive of the Erasmus Smith Trust were opened on the 26th of April 2002 by former Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald. Plaques in the school offices commemorate both events. In 2021 the school constructed Prefabs ("P Block") at the back of the building. The school has three storeys, known as the A Floor, B Floor and C Floor respectively. Inside the building the school hosts multiple large student murals, a Demonstration Theatre, a large gymasium and sports centre, a canteen, student and staff common rooms, a photography dark room, a sensory room, two art studios, two woodworking labs, six science labs, four official meeting rooms and an infirmary. Two computer labs were replaced with classrooms in 2024.

The High School has strong ties with Zion Parish, where school services are hosted at Easter and Christmas. Annual parish fêtes from both Zion and Rathfarnham Parish are held on school grounds. The High School's primary feeder schools include Zion Parish N.S., as well as Rathfarnham Parish N.S., Booterstown N.S., Rathmichael N.S., Taney, Monkstown, Dalkey and others. The High School itself is a feeder school to many third level education institutions in both Ireland and the United Kingdom.[7]

Yearbook

The school's yearbook, The Erasmian and Dioscean Times, is an annual publication that has been in operation since 1899.[8] It is named to honor both the roots of the High School with Erasmus Smith and the incorporated girls' school, The Diocesan School for Girls.[9] The 1937 edition marked the first public publication of the poem 'What Then?' by former pupil W.B. Yeats. In the 1916 edition students published an opinion piece on the Easter Rising, which they described as "inconvenient" when trying to travel to school.[10]

Notable former pupils

Headmasters and Principals of The High School Dublin

The following individuals have served as Headmasters and Principals of The High School:[14]

  • Rev Dr Samuel Cresswell, 1870-1879
  • Mr William Wilkins, 1879-1908  
  • Mr John Thompson, 1908-1927
  • Mr John Bennett, 1927-1951
  • Dr Ralph Reynolds, 1951-1970
  • Mr Allan Brook, 1971-1994
  • Mr Brian Duffy, 1994-2011
  • Mr George Andrew Forrest, 2011-present

See also

References

  1. ^ "The High School, Dublin – Staff". highschooldublin.com. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Erasmian and Diocesan Times". highschooldublin.com. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  3. ^ "Sports Calendar".
  4. ^ "High School ranks top in State, says new league table". The Irish Times. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  5. ^ "The High School, Dublin – Background". highschooldublin.com. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  6. ^ "From bell boy to billionaire, O'Brien had real business flair". Irish Independent. 23 March 2011. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  7. ^ "High School ranks top in State, says new league table". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  8. ^ "The High School, Dublin - Erasmian and Diocesan Times". www.highschooldublin.com. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  9. ^ "The High School, Dublin - Erasmian and Diocesan Times". www.highschooldublin.com. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  10. ^ website, The High School, Dublin. "History". The High School, Dublin. Retrieved 8 June 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ "The High School, Dublin – Hockey". highschooldublin.com. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  12. ^ "Player profile: Roland Henry Shortt". CricketEurope. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  13. ^ "Mr Rory Montgomery". Royal Irish Academy. 30 April 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  14. ^ website, The High School, Dublin. "History". The High School, Dublin. Retrieved 8 June 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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