North/South Schools Link
The Technology used in the recent schools link up during the visit of the Prime Minister and Taoiseach to St.
Aidans brings to mind a technological break through which occurred on the site of this school in the early part of
the 20th century.
Both St Aidans and Dublin City University were built on the site of the old Albert College,
Glasnevin. Originally the college was an Agricultural Model School and eventually it became part of the Agriculture
Faculty of University College, Dublin. In the early 20th century Professor Paul Murphy made a significant scientific
breakthrough in the study of Phytophthera infestans, the fungus which causes blight in potatoes. In the definitive
work on the Irish Famine - The Great Hunger - the author Cecil Woodham Smith states that in view of the fact that
Ireland suffered so much from the blight it was 'by a stroke of poetic justice that it was in Ireland that much of
the final research was carried out… at the Albert College in Glasnevin, Dublin". |
Potato Famine 1847 |
In the 6th Century St Mobhi founded a monastery at Glasnevin (just behind the present Meteorological Office). He numbed
among his students the Saints Columba (also known as Columcille) Canice, Kieron and Comgoll.
Since then, the area
around St Aidans has become noted for the number of academic establishments. Beside us on Collins Avenue is Dublin City
University (1989) which developed from the National Institute for Higher Education (NIHE, 1980). DCU was built on the
grounds of the Albert College. Nearby St Patrick's College Drumcondra which was founded in 1875 moved to its present
location 1883. St Mary's College, Marino (1904) was founded by the Christian Brothers to train its members as primary
school teachers. Both of these institutions are linked with universities and offer degree courses. All Hallows College
(1842) was founded by the Vincentian Fathers as a seminary and has become a third level institution in recent years offering
degree courses. The Mater Dei Institute was founded in the 1970s to train teacher of religion to degree level. In addition
to these academic institutions, the Meteorological Office and the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards offer high
level scientific information for the benefit of the country.
 |
The Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern was the first pupil on the roll book when St Aidans CBS first opened its doors in
1964. Since then Bertie has returned to the school on a number of occasions. In 1982,when he was Chief Whip to the
Government, he returned to his old school to plant a tree in the school grounds (the tree is alive and well!!). Bertie
was leader of the Fianna Fáil opposition when St Aidans new school building was officially opened by the Minister for
Education Ms Niamh Bhreatnach and Archbishop of Dublin, Most Reverend Desmond Connell in October 1996.
In November
1997,Mr Ahern as Taoiseach launched Schools IT 2000 which opened up the Internet to schools nation-wide. The North-South
Schools Link in November 1998 gave the Taoiseach a chance to show off his old school to the British Prime Minister Mr
Tony Blair.
T.P. Ward |
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St Aidan's CBS, Whitehall, Dublin, Ireland