Kilkenny College
Kilkenny College is a Church of Ireland co-educational day and boarding secondary school located in Kilkenny, in the South-East of Ireland. It is the largest co-educational boarding school in Ireland. In 2013 it transferred to the state/public sector and no longer charges fees for schooling. The school's students are mainly Protestant (Church of Ireland), although it is open to other denominations.
| Kilkenny College | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
Castlecomer Road , , R95 CF61 | |
| Coordinates | 52.6674°N 7.2501°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Co-educational Day and Boarding School (Public) |
| Motto | Comme Je Trouve (As I Find) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Church of Ireland |
| Established | 1538 |
| Founder | Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond |
| Board of Governors | Right Revd. Michael A.J. Burrows, Bishop of Cashel and Ossory |
| Headmaster | Emma Raughter |
| Staff | Approx 100 |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Age | 12 to 18 |
| Enrolment | ca. 920 (ca. 500 boarding) |
| Houses | 4 |
| Colour(s) | Red, Black |
| Publication | The Swift Review |
| Athletics | Rugby, hockey |
| Website | http://www.kilkennycollege.ie |
The college motto Comme je trouve, which means "As I find" in French, comes from the family coat of arms of the Butlers, an aristocratic family in the area and former patrons of the school. It is intended to encourage grit, striving through adversity and taking life's challenges head on.
It was founded in 1538 to replace the School of the Vicars Choral, which had been founded in 1234. Piers Butler the Earl of Ormond located it in the city centre. It was moved to its current location on the outskirts of Kilkenny in 1985.