Scoil Muire agus Padraig

History of Scoil Muire agus Padraig Swinford.

The Sisters of Mercy first arrived in Swinford in 1855 and set up the Convent of Mercy.

Mother Evangelist McCarthy from Kerry set up the first secondary school in 1906. The first twelve girls began their second level education in an Improvised Intermediate School in the novitiate of Swinford Convent since there was no proper school building at the time.There was no pressure put on any student to pay the term fee of £1.00 if her family could not afford it.

In 1910 due to an increase in numbers, the school was extended in the form of a soldier's hut - an iron and wood structure.

In 1912, the Sisters established a boarding school, called after Our Lady of Good Counsel (L.G.C). St. Mary's Secondary School was built in the thirties.

In 1927, Pat Durkan together with James Conway put an annex on to the existing hut. This building was standing until 1970 when the present Secondary School was built. It had five classrooms, music rooms, a library, where the works of Charles Dickens, Scott, Thackeray and Shakespeare could be found on the shelves, and a shop.

In the nineteen thirties, S. Joseph's Hall was built parallel to the five classroom. It was here the Sisters taught cookery, needlework, opera, art, dancing and singing. In later years St. Joseph's Hall was used as a classroom as the number of students had increased. A small class was taught on the stage and a commercial class operated in a small room behind the stage.

The 1940's brought with them a new science laboratory, a new domestic science kitchen and needlework room and accommodation for the overflow of sisters from the convent was constructed over this building.

Boys first received second level education after the Second World War in 1945. St. Patrick's College was founded by Fr. Jack O' Neill. Staffed by Diocesan priests and a lay staff, classes were originally taught in the town hall. The school moved to St. Patrick's College in 1947.

In 1956, the Mayo Vocational Education Committee established Swinford Vocational School.

A great spirit of co-operation between St. Mary's and St. Patrick's led to an amalgamation of the two schools in 1985 forming Mean Scoil Muire agus Padraig.

In September 1992, the Staff and students of Swinford Vocational School joined with Mean Scoil Muire Agus Padraig to form the school we have today, Scoil Muire agus Padraig.