Great Denmark Street, Dublin 1. | Tel: (01) 858 6600 | Fax: (01) 874 4374 | www.belvederecollege.ie CONTENTS School Information, Address & Contacts 1 School Mission Statement 2 Characteristics & Aims of a Jesuit Education 4 Prayer Of Saint Ignatius of Loyola 5 A Parent’s Guide to the Child Protection Guidelines for Post-Primary Schools 6 Welcome 8 Your Handbook 8 Year & Class Names 9 Year Heads 9 Contact Information 10 Key Information 11 Co-Curricular Activities 31 Sports 35 College History, Campus and Buildings 42 Events 44 Parent Matters 45 Communications 47 Miscellaneous 48 Past Pupils 51 Child Protection Policy 53 Great Denmark Street, Dublin 1. | Tel: (01) 858 6600 | Fax: (01) 874 4374 | www.belvederecollege.ie BELVEDERE COLLEGE S.J. Situated in the heart of Dublin City, Belvedere College SJ is a school for boys founded in 1832. It continues today in a tradition rooted in the Jesuit approach to education. The school has over 1000 pupils enrolled and has a number of famous alumni in the world of the arts, politics, science, sports and business Belvedere College SJ Great Denmark Street, Dublin 1, Ireland Phone 01-8586600 | www.belvederecollege.ie *Please Note: For the Parents’ Association blog please click on the Wordpress icon on our homepage. Belvedere College S.J. is located on the corner of Temple Street & Denmark Street 1 BELVEDERE COLLEGE S.J. MISSION STATEMENT The College is a Catholic school under the trusteeship a rich and diverse curriculum catering for the of the Society of Jesus. Set in the centre of Dublin needs of each individual student. It strives for city, it continues today a tradition since 1832 in excellence also in areas of sport and culture, social the Jesuit approach to education. concern, and spiritual values, wherein students are encouraged and challenged to realise their The school is fee-paying but provides a bursary full potential as human beings. scheme, independently funded, out of a desire to be socially just. The mission of the Belvedere Community - The family, as the primary educator, through its Jesuits, Board, Staff, Parents, Present Students commitment to the values of the school, shares and Past Pupils - is to ensure that graduates the responsibility for the students’ education. of the College by their relationship with Jesus Christ and through living Gospel values, shall be Belvedere has dedicated teachers who are committed persons for others in leadership and example in to high academic standards. The College provides the pursuit of a just world. AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM 2 THE COLLEGE ARMS The College Arms combine emblems associated The wolves and the hanging cauldron are taken with St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, from the Loyola family arms. Wolves were common St. Francis Xavier, patron of the College and in the Basque districts of Spain and were often Lord Belvedere to whom we owe the existence of represented as emblems in heraldry. Fr. Murphy Belvedere House. The motto Per Vias Rectas was rejects the common belief that the name Loyola adopted by Fr. Morris, Rector of the College, in derives from the contracted Lobo - y - olla - the 1934. The arms were designed by the Genealogical wolf and the pot. He cites Fr. Broderick’s “The Office, Dublin Castle and assigned to the college Pilgrim Years” as authority for the more prosaic on 10th March, 1962 by the Chief Herald of Ireland, explanation that ‘Loi’ is the Basque for loam, ‘ol’ is Gerard Slevin, Esquire. a suffix meaning ‘profusion’ and ‘a’ is the definite article.” Hence Loyola means ‘abundance of loam’. The In heraldic terms, the arms are described as wolves are more likely to have owed their place follows: Argent; two wolves counterrampant on the Loyola escutcheon to their roles as victims supporting a cauldron with hook sable, between of some family hunting exploits than to any connection three crescents reversed, two in chief and one in with the Loyola name. base gules, with the Crest: A lion rampant gules holding between the paws a crescent reversed or, mantled gules doubled argent and with the The cauldron, it seems, was a symbol of hospitality. motto Per Vias Rectas. Fr. Edmund Murphy, S.J., The crescents come from a certificate of arms in a typically thorough and erudite article for the granted to the family of St. Francis Xavier in 1535. 1962 Belvederian renders this in plain language. They are said to commemorate prowess in the war against the Moors. The lion is from the arms “On the silver field two black wolves upright and of Lord Belvedere. facing, supporting a black cauldron with hook, between red inverted crescents two above and For fuller information and an account of the gradual one below. The Crest, placed on a wreath of colours, evolution of the College Arms until they took the is a red lion rampant holding an inverted gold form we now accept as permanent, see the article crescent. The motto Per Vias Rectas means ‘by “The Belvedere Arms” by Fr. E. Murphy, S.J. in the straight ways or paths’.” 1962 Belvederian. 3 Great Denmark Street, Dublin 1. | Tel: (01) 858 6600 | Fax: (01) 874 4374 | www.belvederecollege.ie THE AIM OF JESUIT EDUCATION We aim to form leaders in service, in imitation of In Service of the Church Christ Jesus; men and women of Competence, Jesuit schools are part of the Church’s mission to Conscience and Compassionate commitment! serve and humanise the world and give glory to God. Competence (The Head) – embraces a broad The ‘Magis’ – Striving for Excellence spectrum of abilities; academic proficiency Jesuit Education seeks to elicit great desires and (including the ability to reason reflectively, encourages students to strive for great things for logically and critically), technological and God. vocational skills, an appreciation of the creative arts and sports, and effective communication skills. Working as a Community All involved in Jesuit Education collaborate in the Conscience (The Heart) – a person of conscience service of shared values. A common task, and an discerns what is right, good and true and has the overarching vision. courage to act according to those values. Adaptable and Open to Growth Compassion (The Hands) – a compassionate To nurture a capacity to adapt flexibly to the heart recognises Christ present in the faces of those in greatest need, and walks with them in demands of new circumstances and challenges, solidarity and empathy. intellectual and existential. Characteristics of Jesuit Education Belvedere College S.J. - Ideologies Finding God in All Things AMDG Facilitating the discovery of and encounter with Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam. A Latin phrase, it translates God is its core value. as “To the greater glory of God”. Students must write AMDG on every piece of written work. Cura Personalis Caring for the individual and inviting them on CURA PERSONALIS their unique journey of personal, moral and Personalised care and concern, lies at the core of the spiritual development. mission of Belvedere College SJ and is taken to mean that staff are deeply involved in developing the intel- Growth Towards Freedom and Responsibility lectual, social and spiritual growth of each student. Jesuit pupils are to be men and women of conscience, able and willing to stand up and be counted in the name of truth and justice. PER VIAS RECTAS A Latin phrase, it translates as, ‘By straight ways/ Christ is The Model for Human Life paths’ and is the College motto. Jesus is at once the face of God and the model of compassion love. “MEN (&WOMEN) FOR OTHERS” - FR PEDRO ARRUPE S.J. A Faith That Does Justice A key dimension of Jesuit education is developing Forming men and women for a life of active social each students awareness of their responsibility to commitment. engage in social justice activity. 4 1 Only I SCn God PRAYER OF SAINT IGNATIUS Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous; teach me to serve You as You deserve; to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labour and not to ask for reward save that of knowing I am doing Your Will. 5 6 Great Denmark Street, Dublin 1. | Tel: (01) 858 6600 | Fax: (01) 874 4374 | www.belvederecollege.ie A PARENT’S GUIDE TO THE CHILD PROTECTION GUIDELINES FOR POST-PRIMARY SCHOOLS Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2011) is the most recent guidance published which outlines the process for responding to and managing child protection and welfare and it concerns responsibilities of key statutory agencies in this regard. Introduction The purpose of this information is to advise parents/guardians of post-primary school children about the responsibilities and duties which schools, teachers and other school employees have in protecting children and dealing with allegations or suspicions of abuse. Background The Child Care Act was passed into law in 1991. It was designed to promote the welfare and protection of children (0-18 years). This Act covers the rights and responsibilities of parents/guardians, the protection of children in emergencies, children in care, the supervision of pre-schools and the duty of The Child and Family Agency (Tusla)to promote the welfare of children who are not receiving adequate care and protection. The Act states that, in all situations, the safety and protection of the child, is of paramount importance. Children First: National Guidelines for the Protection and Welfare of Children In recent years Irish society has become very aware of child abuse. We know that children can be severely damaged by abuse and that the effects can last for years even after the abuse has stopped.