Gaelcholáiste Synge, the State’s newest Irish-language secondary school, has asked the Department of Education to consider buying a former Christian Brothers monastery beside its Dublin 8 campus. School leaders say the additional space is needed to support projected enrolment, improve wheelchair access and eventually provide facilities for students with additional educational needs.
Key facts about the Dublin school expansion
- Gaelcholáiste Synge opened its first cohort of students this month.
- The school currently operates in a building shared on the Synge Street campus with CBS Synge Street.
- Its current building has 13 classrooms and is not wheelchair accessible.
- The former monastery extends to approximately 2,188 square metres and includes 22 bedrooms, large multifunctional rooms, a former education centre and a garden.
- The property was marketed for €3.75 million and has recently gone sale agreed.
Breaking News: why Gaelcholáiste Synge needs more space
Correspondence released under Freedom of Information legislation shows that school management warned the Department of Education that its existing accommodation would not be sufficient for the school’s planned development.
Gaelcholáiste Synge is expected to grow as CBS Synge Street gradually winds down. The Edmund Rice Schools Trust, which acts as trustee for the former Christian Brothers schools, anticipates that the Irish-medium school could eventually have approximately 400 students. The transition is expected to be complete by 2032, when the campus is intended to be fully Irish-speaking.
School leaders say the present 13-classroom building leaves little flexibility. Expanding the number of students would require additional teaching rooms, while the absence of practical rooms could restrict the range of subjects available to pupils.
Accessibility and additional educational needs
In correspondence with senior department officials, deputy principal Medb Ní Fhearghail highlighted the school’s current accessibility limitations. The existing building cannot accommodate wheelchair users adequately, while the former monastery has ground-floor access that could allow the school to support students who use wheelchairs.
The school also does not currently have an additional educational needs unit. Management said the monastery’s extra rooms and garden could provide suitable space for such a facility, giving students with additional needs a more appropriate learning environment.
Former Christian Brothers monastery goes sale agreed
The 1863 Gothic Revival-style building was placed on the market through property agents Bannon with an asking price of €3.75 million. The agent has confirmed that the property went sale agreed in recent weeks but has not disclosed the buyer or the final price.
Designed by architect John Bourke, the building was originally used as a monastery and school. Between 2022 and earlier this year, it operated as accommodation under the International Protection Accommodation Services system.
The property contains around 2,188 square metres of internal space, including 22 bedrooms, a former education centre and several large rooms that could potentially be adapted for education or support services. Its position directly beside the school makes it particularly attractive from a planning and campus-management perspective.
Campaigners call for State intervention
Campaigners and several TDs have urged the Department of Education to acquire the building. They argue that purchasing the property would demonstrate a long-term commitment to Irish-medium education and protect the school’s ability to grow on its existing campus.
Gaelcholáiste Synge has six feeder primary schools, known as bunscoileanna, within its catchment area. Supporters of the campaign say the school needs dependable accommodation if it is to meet demand from pupils progressing through Irish-language primary education.
The correspondence now available under freedom of information confirms that the school itself sought the department’s involvement. However, neither the department nor the Edmund Rice Schools Trust had provided a comment on the proposed purchase at the time of reporting.
What happens next?
The immediate uncertainty concerns the future of the monastery now that it is sale agreed. The identity of the purchaser and whether the Department of Education was involved in the transaction have not been confirmed.
If the State does not acquire the building, the school may need to examine other ways to address its accommodation requirements. Those needs include:
- More classrooms for a projected student body of about 400.
- Accessible facilities for wheelchair users.
- Space for an additional educational needs unit.
- Practical rooms to support a broader curriculum.
- Outdoor space that could benefit students with additional needs.
The school’s growth will take place as the existing CBS Synge Street arrangement changes. Decisions about the adjoining property could therefore shape the campus for decades and influence how effectively the new school can deliver its planned Irish-language programme.
Frequently asked questions
What is Gaelcholáiste Synge?
Gaelcholáiste Synge is a new Irish-language secondary school based on Synge Street in Dublin 8. It opened its first group of students in September 2026.
Why does the school want the former monastery?
The school says it needs additional classrooms, practical rooms, wheelchair-accessible accommodation and space for an additional educational needs unit as enrolment increases.
How large is the former monastery?
The building has approximately 2,188 square metres of space. It includes 22 bedrooms, a former education centre, multifunctional rooms and a garden.
Has the Department of Education bought the property?
There is no confirmed indication that the department bought the building. The property has gone sale agreed, but the buyer and final sale price have not been disclosed.
The wider significance for Irish-medium education
The development highlights the practical pressures facing expanding Irish-language schools. Demand for places is only one part of the challenge; schools also need accessible buildings, specialist facilities and enough room to provide a full secondary curriculum.
For Gaelcholáiste Synge, the adjoining monastery represented a rare opportunity to secure a larger, connected campus at the moment the school is beginning its development. The central question now is whether another solution can meet its needs after the property’s sale agreed status.
The key takeaway is clear: Gaelcholáiste Synge’s future growth depends not only on student demand, but also on securing accommodation that is accessible, spacious and suitable for a modern Irish-medium school.
