Our History

The Marist Convent Secondary School, Tobercurry, Co Sligo. Ireland.

Our Location:

Nestling at the foot of the scenic Ox mountain range Tobercurry is located about 35 Km south of Sligo town. Tobercurry is easily accessed from the N17, the road made famous by the Tuam pop band, the Sawdoctors, and which links Sligo and Galway via Charlestown, Claremorris and Tuam. With a population of about 1200 Tobercurry is becoming an increasingly popular resort. It is a continually growing business and industrial centre and its strategic location provides comfortable access to the rest of the West of Ireland.

History Of Our School:

The Marist Sisters came to Tobercurry about 1904 and set up a primary school at the intersection of the N17 and the Clooneen road. Later they saw the need for a Secondary School and established a Boarding School for girls. These students travelled from various parts of Ireland for their education. They followed the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate Courses as prescribed by the Department of Education and they followed in the footsteps of the Marist Sisters philosophy. New buildings were added in 1955 with the opening of the Marian wing. When free education was introduced in 1967, the need for this type of school began to ease off. In the 1970's the need for a different approach to local education meant that boys were allowed to join the school and the boarding school was phased out some time later. Many practical subjects were introduced when the local VEC school ceased to cater for the State examinations as a post-primary school. The board of management was introduced in 1991 and in 1994 the first lay principal was appointed. In the last three years, two new programmes have been added to the school curriculum viz. Transitional Year and the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme(LCVP). In April 1997, the Marist trustees and the Bishop of Achonry, Dr Thomas Flynn, agreed to discuss an amalgamation of the Marist School in Tobercurry with Benada Abbey Secondary School. The new Community School will cater for 675 pupils in the catchment area when completed in the near future.

Local History:

Achonry: The 1823 Church of Ireland building occupies the site of a 6thC monastic foundation by St Finian. The church is called after his disciple St Nathy.

Ballymote: This market town has an early 14thC castle built by Richard De Burgo. The Book of Ballymote was compiled in this castle in the 15th C and gives the key to the Ogham inscriptions which can be seen on many standing stones in the country. The caves of Keash are located 6Km to the east of Ballymote.

Ballysadare: This village is located at the mouth of the river Owenmore about 9 Km south of Sligo town. W.B.Yeats's poem "Down By The Sally Gardens" was composed from the lines of a song the poet heard from an old woman in the village.

Hungary Rock, Cloonacool: This large rock on the top of a hill in the Ox mountains got its name from the number of people who died on the nearby route during the Great Famine in the 1840's.

Knochnashee, Tobercurry: This hill is located about 6Km north of Tobercurry. It has many associations with megalithic times and ancient folklore. Knocknashee means "the Hill of the Fairies".

Mass Hill, Cloonacool: Off the road between Tobercurry and Ballina and about 7Km west of Tobercurry there is a secluded spot at the foot of the Ox mountains known locally as Mass Hill. This area was used in the 17thC/Penal times as a safe place where mass was celebrated away from the hostile eyes of enemy forces.

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