Summerhill College

The College of the Immaculate Conception was founded by the then Bishop of Elphin, Dr Gillooly in Summerhill, Athlone in 1857. It was transferred to Sligo in 1880 and provided with temporary accommodation in Quay Street, pending the building of a new school.

This, the present college, was formally opened in 1892. Popularly, the college has always remained known as "Summerhill". For many decades the College catered for both boarders and dayboys and operated essentially as a junior seminary for the diocese of Elphin. With the introduction of Free Education in 1967, there followed an explosion in student and staff numbers. The number of dayboys soon exceeded the number of boarders and thus a new dynamic resulted.

The boarding school itself was closed down in the 1980's as changing circumstances meant that it was no longer economically viable.In recent times the number of subjects on offer in the college has expanded to the extent that Summerhill now offers greater choice than almost any other secondary school in Ireland. Gradually, new courses have been introduced and these are now operating alongside more traditional ones.

The Leaving Certificate Applied Programme and the Transition Year Option, for example, are now an integral part of the Summerhill curriculum. The college has a very proud tradition and is known far and wide, not only for its academic excellence but also for its achievements in the sporting and cultural areas.Our past pupils have distinguished themselves in many fields of human endeavour, from medicine to law and from business to journalism. Summerhill lists among its past pupils such luminaries as Fr Flanagan of Boys' Town fame, whose case for sainthood is currently being promoted.

The internationally renowned tenor, Count John McCormack made his first stage appearance as a Summerhill student. In the political field, former Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds and former EU Commissioner Ray McSharry are noted past pupils.Countless bishops and priests, as well as a host of other professionals received their secondary education in the college. In more recent years the college had on its roll the Westlife superstars and the members of the very successful traditional music group, Dervish. Countless sporting stars have passed through the college, particularly in the areas of Gaelic football and soccer. Recently we rejoiced in the successes of former Junior World Champion cyclist, Mark Scanlon and World Judo Champion, Jonathan Sweeney.Since its foundation the college was always presided over by a succession of diocesan priests until a break with tradition came in 1999 with the appointment of Mr. Michael Murphy as the first lay principal.

Roscommon native and life long Summerhill teacher Mr. Tommy Mc Manus was appointed principal in 2010 after Mr. Murphy’s retirement. In recent years a Board of Management has overseen the affairs of the college. This board is composed of parent and teacher representative as well as four representatives of the trustees of the college.