North Mon female students create school history at State exams

As the Junior and Leaving Certificate examinations began across the country yesterday, a group of students became the first females in their northside school’s 200-year history to sit State exams.

The North Monastery Secondary School, now the North Monastery Co-Educational Secondary School, was established in Cork in 1811, and is one of the oldest schools in Cork.

Principal Jim Boyle told The Echo that the school has a long tradition of educating in Cork’s northside.

“It presents with an immense historic importance to Cork city and has many well-known and successful past pupils,” he said.

“The sporting heights are widely acknowledged and have been the topic of conversation on many occasions.

“Hurling, basketball, athletics have all been lauded on the national stage of related competitions.

“However, from an education standpoint, it was a boy’s-only school until 2023.

“From then, we saw the expansion of the school’s remit to girls also.

“A successful and seamless transition, the girls started their own history, as well as expanding the history of the North Mon.”

A group of 17 students, who started in the school in 2023, are now in third year and sitting their Junior Certificate, which began yesterday morning with English.

Dr Boyle said: “It is historic to have the first junior cycle female group going forward for the State examination this year in June 2026, and it will in time be realised by the girls that they are a first.

“A group of girls showing the changing nature of education in Cork city, in the North Mon and in general.

“These girls have shown dedication and effort towards the North Mon and are a standout example of adaptation to the male dominated institution of the past,” Mr Boyle added.