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Wilson's Hospital School

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Coordinates: 53°36′43″N 7°25′01″W / 53.612°N 7.417°W / 53.612; -7.417
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Wilson's Hospital School
Main school building in 2006
Location
Map
Multyfarnham, County Westmeath

Ireland
Coordinates53°36′43″N 7°25′01″W / 53.612°N 7.417°W / 53.612; -7.417
Information
School typeBoarding school
MottoRes Non Verba
(Deeds, not words)
Founded1761
FounderAndrew Wilson
Enrollment410[1] (2019)

Wilson's Hospital School is a Church of Ireland, co-educational boarding school located in a protected Georgian building in Multyfarnham, County Westmeath, Ireland, outside of Mullingar.[2][3] Founded in 1761, it is "Westmeath's oldest school".[4] A private fee paying school for most of its history, in 2011 it transferred to the voluntary aided sector and does not charge fees for schooling but retains fees for boarding and extra curricular activities.[5]

History

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Wilson's Hospital School was founded in 1761 by Andrew Wilson as a school for young Protestant boys and also as a hospital for old men.[6] The school's main Georgian building, including its 220-seater chapel, was designed by architect John Pentland and completed between 1759 and 1761.[7][8] It is listed, together with other structures on the grounds, on the Record of Protected Structures for County Westmeath.[3]

The school grounds were the site of a battle preceding the Battle of Ballinamuck during the 1798 rebellion in which 150–300 rebels were killed.[8][9]

Over time the school ceased functioning as a hospital but still retained this title within its name.[2] Operating as an all-boys school for 200 years, it became co-educational in 1969 when it was amalgamated with the Preston School from Navan which was established by John Preston in 1686.[6] This connection is reflected in the name of a newer classroom block, The Preston Building.[6]

In September 2022, the High Court ordered the jailing of a suspended teacher, Enoch Burke, for refusing to comply with a court order preventing him from attending the school.[10][11] This followed his rejection of disciplinary procedures after reputedly interrupting school business to object to its guidelines on addressing transgender students.[12] Sanctioning his release in December 2022, the High Court judge noted that the teacher was "exploiting his imprisonment for his own ends".[13] Following a disciplinary hearing in January 2023, the teacher was dismissed from his role at the school.[14]

Teaching

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The school caters for approximately 400 students.[1] While many of the school's students are boarders, a number of day pupils also attend the school.[2][15] As the diocesan secondary school of the Diocese of Meath and Kildare, Wilson's Hospital School operates under a Church of Ireland ethos.[16]

The school operates a five-day boarding week and teaching schedule. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a seven-day boarding week which allowed boarders the option of returning home at weekends or remaining at the school to avail of the weekend activity programmes.[citation needed] Academically, the school offers a range of subjects up to higher Leaving Certificate standard.[17]

Sport

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Wilson's Hospital fields schoolboy rugby teams in "Section A" of the Leinster Branch's schools competitions.[18][19] Former sportspeople, associated with the school, include Andrew Thompson and Joe Schmidt (who coached at the school in the 1990s).[4][20]

The school also fields hockey teams, and has a "partnership" with Mullingar Hockey Club.[21]

Notable people

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Subject Inspection Report - Wilson's Hospital School". gov.ie. Department of Education. 14 February 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b c "Iconic school looking to the next 250 years". irishtimes.com. Irish Times. 29 March 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027 - Volume 8 - Record of Protected Structures" (PDF). Westmeath County Council. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "Stint at a Westmeath school changed Joe Schmidt's life". independent.ie. Independent News & Media. 14 March 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  5. ^ "Wilsons Hospital School website". 23 November 2023.
  6. ^ a b c "About Us - Heritage". whs.ie. Wilson's Hospital School. Archived from the original on 27 November 2009.
  7. ^ "Georgian school chapel to return to its former glory in £200,000 project". irishtimes.com. Irish Times. 25 March 1999. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Wilson's Hospital School, Heathland, Multyfarnham, Westmeath". buildingsofireland.ie. National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  9. ^ "1798 - Calendar of Events". 1798 National Visitor Centre. Archived from the original on 5 February 2005 – via iol.ie.
  10. ^ "Court orders arrest of Enoch Burke for alleged contempt". irishtimes.com. The Irish Times. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  11. ^ "Teacher Enoch Burke sent to prison after being found guilty of contempt of court". thejournal.ie. Journal Media Ltd. 6 September 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  12. ^ O'Faolain, Aodhan (30 August 2022). "Court injunction against teacher Enoch Burke attending school after he opposed addressing student with pronoun 'they'". independent. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  13. ^ Carolan, Mary (21 December 2022). "Judge releases Enoch Burke from prison on 'open-ended basis'". irishtimes.com. Irish Times. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  14. ^ a b "Burke family says Enoch Burke formally dismissed from teaching role". thejournal.ie. Journal Media Ltd. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  15. ^ "Wilson's Hospital School". schooldays.ie. Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  16. ^ "About Us - Ethos". whs.ie. Wilson's Hospital School. Archived from the original on 27 November 2009.
  17. ^ "Welcome to Wilson's Hospital School". demo5.schoolspace.ie. Archived from the original on 28 April 2013.
  18. ^ "Extra-Curricular - Rugby". wilsonshospitalschool.com. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  19. ^ "Fr Godfrey Plate success for Wilson's Hospital School side". westmeathexaminer.ie. Westmeath Examiner. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  20. ^ a b "'I was blessed to join Shannon at that time. The crowds in the AIL were massive'". the42.ie. Journal Media Ltd. 12 April 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  21. ^ "Principal Mrs McShane leaving Wilson's Hospital School". westmeathexaminer.ie. Westmeath Examiner. 2 June 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  22. ^ "Living in a state of siege". The Irish Times. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
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