Welcome
Welcome to our new school website. We invite you to browse through our school’s activities, curriculum, photos and policies to get a sense of who the school community at St Mary’s CBS really are. This website is in its early stages and we hope you will watch it grow, as our school does, year on year.
Here, in St Mary’s, we have a long and vibrant link with Portlaoise town, the surrounding townlands and in particular, with our original school in Tower Hill. For those interested in our history, the original corner stones of the Tower Hill school, which were removed in 2010, are now part of our school entrance in the Borris Road.
In 2010, we opened the doors of the Borris Road site with 500 students. Since then we have steadily grown to nearly 800 students in September 2015 and seem set to continue growing, although at a slower pace in the future. Our facilities, which include the impressive Rice Nagle Sports Facility, several soccer, GAA and basketball hard courts, are among the best in the country and our students and staff enjoy state of the art facilities in which to learn and work within our new school building.
However a school facility merely provides a venue in which to provide the opportunities our students deserve in which to grow, gain experience and skills to leave our school with. We have shown over the years that our students are cared for as individuals. True to the Edmund Rice tradition, which underpins all our policies and curricula, we endeavour to
- Provide excellent teaching and learning,
- Promote partnership with the wider school community,
- Create a caring school community
- Nurture faith, Christian spirituality and Gospel-based values
- Provide leadership opportunities for students and staff alike
I hope you will enjoy browsing this website and learning about life in St Mary’s CBS.
Latest News
- Strike Action October 14th October 8, 2026Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s), The ASTI, TUI and FÓRSA have informed the Board of Management that their members have been directed to take strike action on Wednesday, 14 October. Pickets will be placed on all schools, colleges and education centres where ASTI, TUI ...Read more
- Important – Issue with today’s Junior Cert Results! October 7, 2026Dear Principal/Deputy Principal, The SEC has informed us of a technical issue with the template for printing Junior Cycle certificates. Students’ grades are correct, but the grade bands shown on the certificates are incorrect. For example, Distinction is shown as 90–100 ...Read more
- An Gaisce Bronze and Silver Awards 🏅 October 2, 2026We were delighted to welcome Mary Yore, a representative from An Gaisce, to our school to give a presentation on the An Gaisce Awards and to present our students with their Bronze and Silver Awards. The awards recognise young people for ...Read more
- Correction Junior Cert Results next Wednesday 7/10 October 2, 2026Our current TY’s and a good number of current 5th years will receive their Junior Cert Results next Wednesday, October 7th. The students will be invited to the GPA at 10.45 where they will receive their results. All TY’s and ...Read more
- 3rd Year Parent Teacher Meeting Thursday October 2, 2026Dear Parents/Guardians, Due to Industrial action set to begin this Monday, teachers are advised by their union not to comply with anything outside of their normal contractual duties. All meetings, both staff and parent teacher meetings that exist outside of school ...Read more
- Young Irish Filmmakers Workshop October 2, 2026Our students had a fantastic three days exploring the world of filmmaking! 🎥 They learned about camera work, sound, lighting, acting, storytelling, directing and editing, while working together to create their own film projects. A brilliant hands-on experience full of creativity, teamwork ...Read more
- Upcoming TY Activities October 2, 2026Hi all, Please see below the TY activities and arrangements for the week ahead. October Monday 5th TY classes as normal. Tuesday 6th TY classes as normal. Wednesday 7th Junior Cert Results Day Information to follow on the plan for the JC results day. Thursday 8th – TY Av Con All ...Read more
- TY BOGATHON 2026 September 30, 2026A great day out for our TY students at the Bogathon in Lisduff Farm! Plenty of mud, plenty of laughs and some great teamwork as the lads took on the different challenges throughout the day. Fair play to everyone for getting stuck ...Read more
- Pope John Paul II Awards September 29, 2026On Friday evening, September 25th, young people from across the diocese gathered in Carlow Cathedral to receive their Pope John Paul II Awards. Among them was a group of young men from our school. 🏅 Over the past year, 14 TY ...Read more
- Temple Street and Meitheal Fundraiser this Friday September 29, 2026Read more
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