History
The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, better known in Ireland as the Loreto Order, was founded in England by Mary Ward in the 17th century. The Order was introduced into Ireland in 1821 by Mother Frances Teresa Ball. In 1854, the then Bishop of Raphoe, Dr. McGettigan, invited the Order to set up a secondary school for girls in Letterkenny and gave them the house which still forms the nucleus of the Convent. The day-school opened on September 4, 1854 with five pupils.
A new wing with a Concert Hall was built in 1939 and further extensions were added in 1972, 1978 and 1986, bringing the school to its present standard of accommodation and facilities. An extension was sanctioned by the Department of Education and was opened to coincide with the 150th anniversary celebrations in mid 2004. The first classes took place there in September 2005.
From the 1920s until 1976 Loreto Letterkenny was an all-Irish school. It ceased to be a boarding school in 1978.
The Loreto schools share a common educational philosophy and maintain links through inter-school co-operation and extra-curricular activities.
Read more about this topic: Loreto Convent
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