Our Lady's Bower
Athlone, Westmeath
Key facts
- Girls
- Pupils enrolled
- 630 about the same size as the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 63210P the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Our Lady’s Bower is a voluntary secondary school for girls situated on Retreat Road in Athlone, County Westmeath. The school delivers a Catholic‑based education that balances high academic standards with a strong emphasis on personal, spiritual and social development. Pupils follow the Junior Cycle, Senior Cycle and a richly‑varied Transition Year programme that includes musical, drama, scientific and entrepreneurial projects such as Junk Kouture, Young Scientist and Young Social Innovators. A dedicated guidance service supports students with personal, educational and career planning, while a wide range of sports, arts and cultural activities encourage holistic growth. The campus is fully equipped with modern classrooms, specialist laboratories, a library and extensive sports facilities, reflecting the school’s evolution into a leading educational centre in the Midlands. With an enrolment of over 650 girls drawn from the midlands, Europe and overseas, the community is cosmopolitan and supportive. The school’s ethos, encapsulated in the motto “Each for all and all for God”, underpins a nurturing environment where responsibility, respect and inclusion are actively promoted.
History
Our Lady’s Bower was founded in May 1884 by the Sisters of La Sainte Union des Sacrés Cœurs, who took possession of a newly‑built convent on the eastern edge of Athlone. The congregation originated in Douai, France, in 1826 and expanded across Europe before establishing schools in Ireland. Originally a residential and day school, it accommodated up to 130 boarders until June 2014. Today the school is a girls‑only voluntary secondary institution with more than 650 students, maintaining its Catholic ethos while embracing a modern, fully‑equipped educational setting.
Applying to Our Lady's Bower
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
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide post-primary school dates apply broadly to Our Lady's Bower. Individual schools set their own discretionary closure days, confirm exact dates with the school.
- 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 Our Lady's Bower
How many pupils attend Our Lady's Bower?
Our Lady's Bower has 630 pupils enrolled. That makes it about the same size as the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is Our Lady's Bower a DEIS school?
No. Our Lady's Bower 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 Our Lady's Bower?
Our Lady's Bower has a Catholic ethos. It is a girls' post-primary school.