History of Coláiste Cholmcille

Coláiste Cholmcille is a co-educational multi-denominational post-primary school under the joint patronage of the Bishop of Raphoe and Clogher and Donegal ETB.  

Community Schools provide a comprehensive system of post-primary education open to all the children of the local community. An innovative approach to the delivery of a wide-ranging curriculum contributes to the spiritual, moral, mental, physical and social well-being of students within their community. Community Schools may also provide for life-long learning within their local community through the provision of adult education programmes.  

Our school was established under the Deed of Trust and opened on 26 April 2002. Coláiste Cholmcille is an amalgamation of the De La Salle College, the Sacred Heart Secondary School and Ballyshannon Vocational School, built on a greenfield site in the centre of the town of Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal. 

The values of Donegal ETB as a multi-denominational State Body and the inherited traditions, Christian values and founding intentions of the Mercy Sisters and the Bishops of Raphoe and Clogher are enshrined in the characteristic spirit and in the life of our school and are respected and cherished. 

Coláiste Cholmcille represents decades of excellence in education, serving students from South Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim and Sligo. As a community school, we are part of a wider group of community schools nationwide. 

In 2022, we were granted DEIS status. DEIS status means that our school qualifies for a range of extra resources which help us to support all students on a daily basis.