About Ringsend College

Ringsend College is a multi denominational secondary school and further education college run by the City of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB). The college operates under a local Sub Committee which is representative of parents, staff, community, local primary schools and industry.

The college offers a range of courses including Junior Cert, Transition Year, Leaving Cert, FIT/VTOS and BTEI Adult programmes.

Ringsend College History

In 1892 the original Pembroke Technical and Ringsend Fisheries School was built by the Earl of Pembroke as a Fishery and Nautical School in Ringsend. Its motto was ‘PER MARE VIVIMUS – BY THE SEA WE LIVE’.

It was opened on Saturday 7th October 1893 and quickly became known as the ‘The Technical School’. And eventually from that becoming the Ringsend Technical Institute.

Throughout its years it has changed direction many times, as society changed and new opportunities presented themselves. First as a school for fishermen, then of automotive engineering, a trade’s school, then as a Matriculation centre, metalwork teacher training centre, a co-educational junior cycle and senior cycle, incorporating a major and hugely successful pre – University sector and night school. Recent years have seen the inclusion of adult education and FETAC programmes.

The foundation stone for the new school, on the current site, was laid on Friday 23rd March 1979 and the first cohort of students began in September 1980. The school was officially opened on 15th April 1983 by the then Taoiseach Dr. Garret Fitzgerald.

In 2011 the name of the school was changed from Ringsend Technical Institute to Ringsend College.

The college is still proudly and firmly based in the Ringsend and surrounding communities, to best serve their educational needs, by offering an inclusive, progressive, co-educational experience to the young people of Dublin South Inner City and further afield.

In the 1980’s and 1990’s Ringsend Technical Institute became a major centre for Repeat Leaving Certificate students with students queuing around the block to register for the RLC classes. At its height the Institute had over 300 RLC students.

Ringsend College currently runs a Second Level School catering for students from 1st Year to 6th Year which includes a compulsory 4th Year Transition Year Programme. The importance of the past is not forgotten as we offer technical subjects as options including Metalwork and Engineering, Woodwork, Home Economics and Technical Graphics.

There are also full-time Further Education courses which consiste of full-time FIT/VTOS and part-time courses for BTEI students. There is a vibrant Night School offering a wide and varied choice of classes to take. We have a strong IT focus across all of our courses with important links to industry.

Principal: Mr Paul Ryder

Deputy Principal: Ms Sharon Kiely