Bandon Grammar School () is a

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the second ...

secondary school situated in

Bandon, County Cork Bandon (; ) is a town in County Cork, Ireland. It lies on the River Bandon between two hills. The name in Irish means 'Bridge of the Bandon', a reference to the origin of the town as a crossing point on the river. In 2004 Bandon celebrated its ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. Established in 1642, it is one of the oldest schools in Ireland.

General

Bandon Grammar School is a co-educational, boarding and day school founded in 1642, with an historic association with the Church of Ireland. It is managed by a local Board of Directors under the auspices of The Incorporated Society as patron and held from that body under a Lease "as a secondary school recognised as such by the Minister for Education under the rules of the Department of Education for secondary schools, primarily for Protestant pupils".

History

Bandon Grammar School was founded in 1642 by

Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork (13 October 1566 – 15 September 1643), also known as the Great Earl of Cork, was an English politician who served as Lord Treasurer of the Kingdom of Ireland. Lord Cork was an important figure in the continuing ...

Sport

Field hockey

With a team that included future Ireland men's field hockey internationals,

David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

and

Conor Harte Conor Harte (born 3 April 1988) is an Ireland men's field hockey international. He played for Ireland at both the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2018 Men's Hockey World Cup. He was also a member of the Ireland team that won the bronze medal at ...

, Bandon Grammar School won the 2005

All Ireland Schoolboys Hockey Championship The All Ireland Schoolboys Hockey Championship is an annual competition involving the strongest schools affiliated to Hockey Ireland. The competition is held in the Autumn term of each school year. Banbridge Academy, Down, are the current champio ...

Rugby

Bandon Grammar School competes in the Munster Schools 'A' competitions. Notable past players include Darren Sweetnam, James French, Gavin Coombes and Jack Crowley. Régis Sonnes spent two years coaching at the school, alongside coaching at Bandon R.F.C.

Fiona Hayes Fiona Hayes (born 13 September 1982) is an Irish former rugby union player. She was a member of the Ireland teams that won the 2013 and 2015 Women's Six Nations Championships, and that defeated New Zealand at the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup. ...

currently coaches girls rugby at the school.

Notable past students

Gavin Coombes Gavin Coombes (born 11 December 1997) is an Irish rugby union player for United Rugby Championship and European Rugby Champions Cup side Munster. Coombes made his international debut for Ireland in 2021. He plays primarily as a number 8, but ...

, Ireland and Munster Rugby player *

, Ireland field hockey international * David Harte, Ireland field hockey international *

Graham Norton Graham William Walker (born 4 April 1963), better known by his stage name Graham Norton, is an Irish actor, author, comedian, commentator, and presenter. Well known for his work in the UK, he is a five-time BAFTA TV Award winner for his comedy ...

, TV chat show host and actor; finished his Leaving Certificate in 1981 *

Lennox Robinson Esmé Stuart Lennox Robinson (4 October 1886 – 15 October 1958) was an Irish dramatist, poet and theatre producer and director who was involved with the Abbey Theatre. Life Robinson was born in Westgrove, Douglas, County Cork and raised in ...

, playwright and director *

Darren Sweetnam Darren Sweetnam (born 5 May 1993) is an Irish rugby union player for French Pro D2 club Oyonnax. He plays as a wing but can also play fullback. Sweetnam is also a former inter-county hurler with Cork and has played underage hockey for Ireland. ...

, Ireland and Munster Rugby player and former Cork senior hurler

References

1641 establishments in Ireland Bandon, County Cork Private schools in the Republic of Ireland Boarding schools in Ireland Co-educational boarding schools Educational institutions established in the 1640s Secondary schools in County Cork Anglican schools in the Republic of Ireland {{Ireland-school-stub