Past Pupils Union

In the early 1950’s, the then Archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Charles McQuaid, had invited the Marist Brothers to open a school in the Sandymount-Ballsbridge area. The Marists found a beautiful site at Riverside House on the banks of the Dodder and on 8th September 1954 the first pupils entered the Brothers’ house to begin their secondary schooling. The Brothers decided to name the school Marian College as an acknowledgement of the special place of Mary in the foundation and traditions of the Marist Brothers and as an acknowledgement that the Church had declared 1954 as the Marian Year.

For the first 34 years, the College grew and developed under the leadership of four Marist Brothers, Bro Ligouri, Bro Declan, Bro Fintan and Bro Peter. In 1988, lay involvement in the management and organisation of the College significantly developed with the formation of the Board of Management and the appointment of the first lay Principal, Mr Paul Meany. Since that time, as a result of this fruitful partnership between Brothers, Staff and Parents, the College has continued to maintain a high standard of education for pupils of all backgrounds and means in the south side of Dublin.