Glenstal Abbey Scholarship Award

INTRODUCTION | ORIGINS | THE AWARD | CRITERIA | SELECTION | CONFIDENTIALITY | FINANCE

INTRODUCTION

The Glenstal Abbey Scholarship is to be awarded on an annual basis to a student for the duration of his secondary schooling in Glenstal. The award will be made to a candidate who displays an enthusiasm to develop his potential as much for others as for himself, and who would not, in the absence of the award, be in a position to attend the School. It is hoped that through such a scholarship the Christian educational experience in Glenstal will be made available to a wider number of people, and that as a consequence the social fabric of the School will be enriched.

“We seek to provide a joyous, balanced and disciplined environment in which
all students may learn the good zeal that leads to God.”

ORIGINS OF THE AWARD

Glenstal Abbey School began with eight boys in September 1932 with the aim of educating young Christian gentlemen. Over seventy years later the School, with more than two hundred boys, continues to provide an education for those who can afford to attend. However in recent years, the community in Glenstal Abbey has become keenly aware of the trend towards mass participation in education. The monks realise that, given its origins, Glenstal School has need of a new perspective on its role in Irish education. A report recently commissioned by the community focused on this question. Among its findings, the Arthur Report proposed that a number of scholarships be awarded to those who would not ordinarily be in a position to attend the School.

THE SCHOLARSHIP

INTRODUCTION | ORIGINS | THE AWARD | CRITERIA | SELECTION | CONFIDENTIALITY | FINANCE

While Glenstal is a fee paying boarding school of only two hundred boys and therefore limited in what it can achieve, a well-funded scholarship programme is a practical way of playing a small part in the drive to improve educational services nationally. The schooling in Glenstal is designed to prepare students for the Leaving Certificate and for third level education and will therefore provide a scholarship student with an environment that is dedicated to nurturing his academic ability.

The mission statement of the School states, however, that:

Glenstal Abbey is a monastic community committed to searching for God. The Benedictine tradition is characterised by patient listening, moderation, mutual respect and the service of God. We seek to provide a joyous, balanced and disciplined environment in which all students may learn the good zeal that leads to God.

A scholarship student in Glenstal School, in addition to being encouraged to develop his academic ability and to participate in a range of extra-curricular activities, will be asked to be open to the influence of this educational philosophy.

CRITERIA FOR THE AWARD

INTRODUCTION | ORIGINS | THE AWARD | CRITERIA | SELECTION | CONFIDENTIALITY | FINANCE

• Incapable of attending the school without the benefit of the scholarship . As has been outlined above the award is designed, in part, to broaden the social base of the school. Therefore any potential scholarship student must be incapable of attending the school without the benefit of the scholarship.

• Willing to embrace the ethos of the school . The school provides an environment in which a person is asked to embrace Christ as part of his life, by balancing his individual needs with the needs of the community around him and by developing his potential as much for others as for himself. Boys are also obliged to attend prayers daily and to attend mass on a weekly basis. Any potential scholar would need to be comfortable with this environment.

• The parents or guardians of the boy must be fully supportive of his application . The school in no way substitutes itself for any child’s parents and expects every parent to be fully supportive and engaged in their child’s education. Parents therefore would be expected to play a primary role in all important decision making relating to their child and to attend at parent teacher meetings, the annual parents’ weekend held in Glenstal itself and other such events in the academic calendar year. Parents must be just as open to the ethos that the school seeks to promote as the applicant himself.

• Capable of adapting to life in a boarding school . Glenstal Abbey School is a seven day boarding school where a child lives in close proximity with two hundred other boys. Home visits only occur every fourth weekend and during official school holidays. As a consequence a certain minimum degree of independence and maturity will be expected of any potential scholar.

• Open to the social and extra curricular activities in the school . While the main sports played in Glenstal are rugby in the winter months and athletics in the summer months, the school does provide facilities for other sports such as tennis and soccer. The school has a vibrant musical department which not only offers individual tuition in certain instruments but combines the talents of all of the boys weekly at mass in the school choir and in the annual musical. There are also other activities available such as bridge and debating. A scholarship student would not be expected to engage in all of these activities but he would have to be open to trying some during his six years in the school.

Although the criteria outlined above are necessary prerequisites to any successful application, the scholarship is an award and like any award will be as much about recognizing the achievements of the successful applicant to date in all aspects of their lives as what they are going to do in the future.

SELECTION PROCESS

INTRODUCTION | ORIGINS | THE AWARD | CRITERIA | SELECTION | CONFIDENTIALITY | FINANCE

A scholarship student will be chosen after a home interview and taking part in the group assessment procedures of the school.

For more detailed information on this process and to secure an application form for this current year, please communicate directly with:-

Br. Luke Macnamara
Scholarship Coordinator
Glenstal Abbey School
Murroe
Co. Limerick

Tel: 061 386103 ext 199

CONFIDENTIALITY

INTRODUCTION | ORIGINS | THE AWARD | CRITERIA | SELECTION | CONFIDENTIALITY | FINANCE

Save where an applicant and his parents desire otherwise, an applicant’s identity and all information that could identify either him or his parents as participants in the scheme shall remain confidential to those with responsibility for the scholarship scheme

FINANCE

The scholarship scheme is independently financed and not subsidised by existing parents. It is administered by the Board of Management through its delegates.

Parents of a scholarship student are invited to make a contribution, where possible towards their child’s miscellaneous expenses, such as books, travel etc.