Secondary education was introduced to Clane in 1963 when the Presentation sisters established Scoil Mhuire in the convent building beside the church in the village’s main street, to fulfil the educational needs of girls in the Clane area. The first boys were admitted in 1967 and as the school enrolment increased further buildings in the village were utilised and land along the Prosperous Road was used to house prefabs.

After much campaigning and fundraising a brand new building was opened in 1983. This involved changing from a conventional type secondary school to a community school administered by a Board of Management, thus formally bringing into existence Scoil Mhuire Community School. Since 1983 much has changed with the opening of a new extension and gym in September 2001.

Throughout the school’s existence their have been many noteworthy days. In 1971 Peter Shortt achieved the highest honour available to science students in Ireland when he won the “Young Scientist of the Year” award. Two former pupils of the school, Willie and Ted Ryan, represented Ireland at the Moscow Olympics in 1980. In 1988 the school senior football team became the fi st Kildare team to win an All-Ireland Colleges title. The Kildare team that contested the All-Ireland final ten years later, in 1998, were backboned by members of that team. In 2010, the Senior footballers reached the All-Ireland Final again, losing narrowly after a great campaign that brought a Leinster title to the school.

Many prominent people attended the school including the Hall of Fame inductees who grace the walls of the Assembly Area. Dr. Elizabeth Higgins who graduated from Scoil Mhuire in 1978, has worked throughout the developing world, particularly in the area of education. She is Head of Development Cooperation Ireland. Dr. Frank Mulligan was a member of the class of 1974 and went onto study physics before becoming Vice President of NUI Maynooth between 1998 and 2006. Eoghan Corry is a respected author and journalist who has written widely about the GAA. He graduated from Scoil Mhuire in 1978.

Other graduates have included drummer Graham Hopkins and bassist Joe Doyle, Cheltenham winning jockies Kieran Kelly (RIP) and Mark Walsh, and famous television journalist Donal Mac Intyre.

With over 1200 students and more than 80 staff and with an adult education enrolment that runs into thousands, Scoil Mhuire continues to meet the educational needs and play a key role in the life of the community of Clane and the surrounding areas.