The North Monastery (

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

: ''An Mhainistir Thuaidh''), commonly known as The Mon,Official website
/ref> is a co-educational education campus comprising Scoil Mhuire Fatima Primary School, North Monastery Co-educational Secondary and Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG located at Our Lady's Mount,

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

History

The North Monastery was founded on 9 November 1811 when Brother Jerome O'Connor and Brother John Baptist Leonard were given charge of a school in Chapel Lane by the Bishop of Cork, Rev Dr Moylan. Seventeen students attended on the first day. In 1814, a 14-acre sloping site was acquired from a wealthy

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

businessman, Sir George Goold,

Baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14t ...

, and a new school was built. The North Monastery had found its permanent home. An outbreak of typhus fever in the city in 1816 saw the school being used as a temporary hospital. Brother Griffin, a poet and novelist, became a member of the North Monastery in 1839. He died on 12 June 1840 in his 37th year. His remains are interred in the cemetery in the grounds of the school. It was shortly after the death of Griffin that

Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell (I) ( ga, Dónall Ó Conaill; 6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847), hailed in his time as The Liberator, was the acknowledged political leader of Ireland's Roman Catholic majority in the first half of the 19th century. His mobilizat ...

visited with the Founder of the Order,

Edmund Ignatius Rice Edmund Ignatius Rice ( ga, Éamonn Iognáid Rís; 1 June 1762 – 29 August 1844) was a Catholic missionary and educationalist. He was the founder of two religious institutes of religious brothers: the Congregation of Christian Brothers and t ...

. In 1857, Brother James Burke arrived at the North Monastery and under his guidance the students began the study of natural philosophy (science). At this time

John Philip Holland John Philip Holland ( ga, Seán Pilib Ó hUallacháin/Ó Maolchalann) (24 February 184112 August 1914) was an Irish engineer who developed the first submarine to be formally commissioned by the US Navy, and the first Royal Navy submarine, ''H ...

( inventor of the submarine) studied under the guidance of Br. Burke. In 1879, Patrick J. Kennedy, a past pupil, was installed as Lord Mayor of Cork, the first of a long and distinguished list of past pupils to hold this office. In 1901 the Lord Mayor of Cork, Edward Fitzgerald, organised an Industrial Exhibition. The school represented the Department of Education and Br. Burke and his students built an electric tramway which was the high point of the exhibition. Burke died on 23 March 1904 as the result of an accident and was accorded a public funeral with a procession through the streets of Cork city. He was buried in the cemetery at the North Monastery. In 1911, the school celebrated its centenary and the Br. Burke Memorial Extension, was formally opened in 1913. On the advent of the First World War the British army confiscated lathes, drilling machines and other machinery from the school. They closed and sealed the wireless room and cut down the aerial mast. These precautions were carried out under the Defence of the Realm Act. In March 1920, Lord Mayor

Tomás Mac Curtain Tomás Mac Curtain (20 March 1884 – 20 March 1920) was an Irish Sinn Féin politician who served as the Lord Mayor of Cork until he was assassinated by the Royal Irish Constabulary. He was elected in January 1920. Background Tomás Mac Curt ...

, a past pupil, paid an official visit to the school and addressed the boys in Irish. Shortly afterwards he was murdered at midnight by a gang of armed assassins. He was given a public funeral at which nearly 2,000 North Monastery boys marched in procession.

Terence McSwiney Terence James MacSwiney (; ga, Toirdhealbhach Mac Suibhne; 28 March 1879 – 25 October 1920) was an Irish playwright, author and politician. He was elected as Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Cork during the Irish War of Independence in 1920. He ...

, who was also a past pupil, was his successor. He died in October 1920 in

Brixton Brixton is a district in south London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th cent ...

prison after 74 days on hunger strike. The school continued to flourish and produced many more past pupils who distinguished themselves in all walks of life including business, politics, sport, the arts and academia, including former Taoiseach and sportsman

Jack Lynch John Mary Lynch (15 August 1917 – 20 October 1999) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979, Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1966 to 1979, Leader of the Opposition from 1973 to 1977, Ministe ...

who formally opened a new secondary school building in 1967.

Notable former pupils

Academic

Tadhg Begley Tadhg P. Begley is an Irish chemist and Distinguished Professor, Robert A. Welch Foundation Chair and Derek Barton Chair of Chemistry at Texas A&M University, and also a published author of books. His honors include Elected Fellow of the American ...

, Professor at Cornell and Texas A & M universities *

Patrick F. Fottrell Patrick F. Fottrell was President of the University of Galway between 1996 and 2000. He was appointed Chair of Biochemistry in December 1976. A lecture theatre in the Arts Millennium Building on the university campus is named after him. He became ...

, Professor and President at NUI Galway *

Vincent Barry Vincent Christopher Barry (1908–1975) was a scientist and researcher from Ireland. He is known for leading the team which developed the anti-leprosy drug clofazimine. Early life and education Barry was born in Sunday's Well, Cork. He was ...

, credited with the development of the compound used to cure leprosy.

Arts

Jonathan Rhys Meyers Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe; 27 July 1977) is an Irish actor, model and musician. He is known for his roles in the films ''Michael Collins'' (1996), '' Velvet Goldmine'' (1998), ''Titus'' (1999), '' Bend It Like ...

, actor * Edward Mulhare, actor *

Niall Tobin Niall is a male given name of Irish origin. The original meaning of the name is unknown, but popular modern sources have suggested that it means "champion" (derived from the Old Irish word ''niadh''),. According to John Ryan, Professor of Early a ...

, actor *

Frank O'Connor Frank O'Connor (born Michael Francis O'Donovan; 17 September 1903 – 10 March 1966) was an Irish author and translator. He wrote poetry (original and translations from Irish), dramatic works, memoirs, journalistic columns and features on a ...

, short story writer * Joe Lynch, actor *

Donal Farmer Donald is a masculine given name derived from the Gaelic name ''Dòmhnall''.. This comes from the Proto-Celtic *''Dumno-ualos'' ("world-ruler" or "world-wielder"). The final -''d'' in ''Donald'' is partly derived from a misinterpretation of th ...

, actor *

Rory Gallagher William Rory Gallagher ( ; 2 March 1948 – 14 June 1995) was an Irish guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer. Due to his virtuosic playing, but relative lack of fame compared to some others, he has been referred to as "the greatest ...

, blues rock guitarist * Matt Cooper, journalist and radio presenter *

Seán Ó Ríordáin Seán Pádraig Ó Ríordáin (3 December 1916 – 21 February 1977), sometimes referred to as an Ríordánach, was an Irish language poet and later a newspaper columnist. He is credited with introducing European themes to Irish poetry, and is wi ...

, poet

Politicians

Taoiseach The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Ireland. The office is appointed by the president of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legislature) and the of ...

and Cork hurler *

Lord Mayor of Cork The Lord Mayor of Cork ( ga, Ard-Mhéara Chathair Chorcaí) is the honorific title of the Chairperson ( ga, Cathaoirleach) of Cork City Council which is the local government body for the city of Cork in Ireland. The office holder is elected annu ...

, Lord Mayor of Cork *

Donal O'Callaghan Donal O'Callaghan (23 June 1891 – 12 September 1962) was an Irish Sinn Féin politician and Lord Mayor of Cork from 1920 to 1924. He was born in Peacock Lane, Cork in 1891, and was educated at Eason's Hill primary school and the North Mona ...

, Lord Mayor of Cork

Sport

Johnny Clifford John Clifford (1934 – 19 October 2007) was an Irish hurler and hurling coach. After All-Ireland Championship victories as a player and manager during a five-decade association with the Cork senior hurling team, he is regarded as a "Cork le ...

, hurler *

Paddy Collins Paddy "Fox" Collins (12 April 1903 – 17 February 1995) was an Irish hurler who played as a left corner-back for the Cork senior team. Born in Kinsale, County Cork, Collins first played competitive hurling during his schooling at The North M ...

, hurler * Con Murphy, hurler *

Mick Kennefick Michael Kennefick (14 July 1924 – 20 December 1984) was an Irish people, Irish Hurling, hurler who played as a left wing-forward at senior level for the Cork county hurling team, Cork county team. Kennefick joined the team during the All-Ir ...

, hurler * John Buckley, hurler *

Dónal O'Grady Dónal O'Grady (born 31 December 1953) is an Irish former hurler and manager. O'Grady had a successful playing career as a full-back at senior level with the Cork county team throughout the early 1980s. In a brief career he won one All-Irelan ...

, hurler *

Tomás Mulcahy Tomás Mulcahy (born 26 June 1963) is an Irish former hurler and Gaelic footballer who played as a right corner-forward at senior level for the Cork county team. Born in Blackpool, Cork, Mulcahy first played competitive Gaelic games during ...

, hurler and footballer *

Tony O'Sullivan Anthony "Tony" O'Sullivan (born 7 January 1963) is an Irish retired hurler and Gaelic footballer who played as a right wing-forward for the Cork senior hurling team. Born in Farranree, Cork, O'Sullivan first played competitive Gaelic games du ...

, hurler and footballer * Kieran McGuckin, hurler *

Teddy McCarthy Thaddeus "Teddy" McCarthy (born 1 July 1965) is an Irish former hurler and Gaelic footballer who played as a midfielder at senior level for the Cork county football and hurling teams. In an eleven-year senior inter-county playing career, McCa ...

, hurler and footballer *

Seán Óg Ó hAilpín Seán Óg Ó hAilpín (; born 22 May 1977) is a Fijian-Irish hurler and Gaelic footballer. In an inter-county playing career that spanned three decades, Ó hAilpín played for the Cork senior hurling and football teams, winning major honours ...

, hurler *

Setanta Ó hAilpín Setanta Ó hAilpín (born 18 March 1983) is a Fijian-Irish sportsman. He played hurling at senior level for the Cork county team before becoming a professional Australian rules footballer. Ó hAilpín is of mixed Irish and Rotuman backgroun ...

, hurler * Aisake Ó hAilpín, hurler *

Patrick Horgan Patrick Horgan (born 5 May 1988) is an Irish hurler who plays for Cork Senior Championship club Glen Rovers and at inter-county level with the Cork senior hurling team. He usually lines out as a forward. Playing career Glen Rovers Minor and ...

, hurler * Mark Carroll, Olympic athlete * Ciaran Teehan , Darts

Notable former teachers

, inventor of the submarine *

, former hurler and manager

References

External links

Primary School Official SiteSecondary School Official SiteGaelscoil website
{{Cork City Secondary schools in County Cork Boys' schools in the Republic of Ireland 1811 establishments in Ireland Educational institutions established in 1811