The History of Our Lady’s Secondary School Belmullet

In 1894 the Parish Priest of Binghamstown, where he belmullet workhouse (current hospital)  was located, asked The Sisters of Mercy in ballina to take charge of the workhouses. Three Sisters came that year, Sister Benignus as a teacher, Sister Assisi as matron and Sister Vincent as housekeeper. As well as improving conditions each day in the workhouse, these sisters did heroic work during the 1918 ‘flu pandemic’, risking their own lives to look after those who were infected. At the abolition of the workhouse system in 1921, the people in it were sent to Castlebar and the Sisters then opened a school.In 1924 the sisters rented a house in Logmore from Mr Carter with a view to the Sisters returning to the hospital, but that did not materialise. Instead, they started a Commercial and Music school and later a private Junior School.

In 1943, at the request of the Belmullet people a Secondary School was opened. Sister Catherine McGoohan was in charge with Sister Annunciata Browne and Sister Aquinas McNulty as assistants. In 1946 as accomodation was inadequate a boarding school was built on the grounds - just one wing.

In 1953 a further extension was made to add new classrooms. In 1962 a large extension was built on to the convent. The extension included a large hall where many operettas, plays and musicals were produced annually. The year 1959 saw the introduction of co-education. Between 1967 and 1973 further extensions were made and game facilities, pitches, basketball courts and a ball alley were provided. The Sisters taught in the school from its opening until 2002 and today, the high standards of education are still maintained in the context of the traditional Mercy charism. In May 2015, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny opened our new school building.