The Le Chéile Schools Trust in 2009, the management and ownership of Dominican secondary schools in Ireland was passed to a lay trust. This was a significant development in Irish education as the Catholic Church and the individual religious congregations renew and reformulate their commitment to Irish education. One secondary school, Old Bawn Community School Tallaght, remains in the Trusteeship of the Dominican Sisters.
The main objective of Le Chéile Schools Trust is to carry on the legal, financial and inspirational role of trusteeship that had been done by individual Congregations. Now comprising 14 religious Congregations, the development of a vision of Catholic education and overseeing its implementation in the schools is a core aim of the Trust.
The Trust also encourages the preservation of key aspects of the evangelical heritage of their founding Congregation and facilitates the opening of new schools if and where the need arises and resources permit.
The Le Chéile Schools Trust is currently responsible for 52 voluntary secondary schools and are trustees in 7 Community Schools. Nine of these secondary schools were originally Dominican Secondary Schools as follows:
Dominican College, 204 Griffith Ave, Dublin 9: www.dominican-college.com
Dominican College, Wicklow www.dominicanwicklow.net
Dominican College, Taylor’s Hill, Galway. www.taylorshill.ie
Muckross Park College, Donnybrook, Dublin 4 www.muckrossparkcollege.com
Saint Dominic’s Secondary School, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 www.stdominicsballyfermot.ie
Scoil Chaitriona, Bothar Moibhí, Dublin 9 www.scoilchaitriona.ie
Sion Hill Dominican College, Blackrock, Co. Dublin www.sionhillcollege.ie
St Dominic’s College, Cabra, Dublin 7 www.stdominics.ie
St Dominic’s High School, Santa Sabina, Dublin 13 www.santasabina.ie
Le Chéile Schools Trust office is located in St Mary’s Donnybrook. Further information can be viewed on the Le Chéile website.