Mission Statement

The Presentation Secondary School, Kilkenny is a Catholic Voluntary School. It is a community of staff, parents, pupils and management who share a Christian vision in life.

Our school seeks to ensure that students are enable to reach their full potential – academic, spiritual, physical, social, cultural and creative – encouraging them to face life with optimism, self-confidence and an appreciation of excellence at all levels.

Inspired by the vision of Nano Nagle, this school shows special concern for the disadvantaged and is committed to promoting a just society.

Recognising the uniqueness of each individual, we strive to develop an awareness of personal dignity and to foster mutual respect and a sensitivity to the environment.

In keeping with the evolving nature of society our response must be creative and relevant to the needs of our time.

We acknowledge that this vision can only become a reality through the positive co-operation of all partners in the school and the wider community.

School History

In 1797 two very young Kilkenny women, Catherine Meighan and Isabella MacLoughlin traveled to South Presentation Convent, Cork to train as Presentation Sisters. In 1800 they returned to Kilkenny and founded the first Presentation Convent in the city. On 18th October 1800 the first Presentation School opened its doors to 60 pupils. This school was housed within the convent.

To comply with the legal requirements at the time, permission was obtained from Bishop Hamilton of the Church of Ireland to open a school for Catholic children. In 1817 a new school was built to accommodation the large numbers of pupils who had already taken over the parlour, the diningroom and even the Chapel. Evening classes for adults were equally well attended. Religious instruction was the cornerstone of the curriculum. Literacy and numeracy opened up a new world to the poor of the city while vocational skills gave them the dignity of earning a living. In modern times the school was divided into primary and secondary schools.

The primary school still operates just around the corner from the original convent in James’s Street. In 1985 the Secondary School moved to a new Greenfield site on the outskirts of the city at Loughboy. In subsequent years additional accommodation was built to enhance the provision and to cater for the increased student population.