Dominican College
Wicklow
Key facts
- Girls
- Pupils enrolled
- 461 smaller than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 61860V the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Dominican College Wicklow is a Catholic secondary school that embraces the Dominican ethos of “finding truth through the education of the whole person.” The college offers a broad, balanced curriculum that combines academic rigour with a strong emphasis on personal development, spiritual growth and community involvement. Facilities on the historic Bayview campus include the original St Dominic’s wing, St Joseph’s wing for boarders (now repurposed for day‑pupil use), Fatima Hall, and the modern Holy Rosary primary school building. The school also benefits from close links with the Dominican Farm and Ecology Centre, ‘An Tairseach’, which supports a Transition Year “Sustainable Living” module and a range of environmental initiatives. The college’s pastoral care framework reflects its commitment to nurturing each student’s moral and social wellbeing, while a wide array of extra‑curricular activities – from athletics and hockey to basketball – encourages participation in sport, the arts and community service. As a day‑school since the early 1980s, Dominican College welcomes pupils from Wicklow and the surrounding region, providing a supportive environment that prepares young people for further education and lifelong learning.
History
Dominican Sisters arrived in Wicklow in June 1870, opening a primary school at Bayview House on 24 June 1870 and shortly thereafter establishing a day school for girls (St Anne’s) and a private boarding school for young ladies. The first secondary‑level facilities, including St Dominic’s wing (1871‑1878) and St Joseph’s wing (1882), were constructed in the late 19th century. A chapel and St Catherine’s wing were added in 1906‑1907, and St Mary’s Preparatory College for boys operated from 1887 until 1962. Over the 20th century the school expanded with the Holy Rosary primary school (1950), Fatima Hall (rebuilt after a 1940 fire), and the Bethlehem Junior School (1977). The boarding programme ended in 1983, making the college fully day‑based. Lay leadership began in 1994, and the Dominican Farm and Ecology Centre was established in 1998, reinforcing the college’s commitment to sustainable education.
Applying to Dominican College
For a September 2027 place, a school's formal admissions process cannot begin before 1 October 2026. The school sets its own opening and closing dates in its annual admission notice.
National term dates 2026/27
View Dominican College's own calendar (2026/2027 school year)
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide post-primary school dates apply broadly to Dominican College. The school publishes its own calendar, linked above, and that is the authoritative source for its reopening date and discretionary closure days.
- October Mid-Term Break: Mon 26 Oct – Fri 30 Oct 2026
- Christmas Holidays: Wed 23 Dec 2026 – Tue 5 Jan 2027
- February Mid-Term Break: Mon 15 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027 (primary schools: Thu 18 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027)
- Easter Holidays: Mon 22 Mar – Sun 4 Apr 2027
Primary schools close for the last two days of the February mid-term week and may use discretionary days to take the full week, so their break can be shorter than post-primary schools'.
Frequently asked questions about Dominican College
How many pupils attend Dominican College?
Dominican College has 461 pupils enrolled. That makes it smaller than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is Dominican College a DEIS school?
No. Dominican College is not part of DEIS, the Department of Education programme of additional supports for schools serving communities at risk of educational disadvantage. Not holding DEIS status says nothing about how good a school is, only about the profile of the community it serves.
What is the ethos of Dominican College?
Dominican College has a Catholic ethos. It is a girls' post-primary school.