History of the School

Our school was established by the De La Salle order in 1889 in a building directly across the road where John Street meets the N2. An original stone with the school name remains as part of the pavement outside that building there today. The current school building and national school was opened in 1938 by the De la Salle Brothers. It replaced the former Monastery school on John Street which had become too small for the increasing number of pupils on roll. The Irish independent covered the opening and described it as “one of the finest schools in the country”. The De La Salle brothers taught in the school until 1975, when they withdrew from Ardee.

Br Ultan Sherlock was the last De La Salle Principal. The first lay Principal was Billy Hennessy who had been teaching in the school since 1960. When he died in 1994, Maura Melia, who was a member of staff was appointed Principal. Maura retired in 2009 and the current Principal is Mr Jim Mc Gee.

Monastery NS admitted girls for the first time in it's 132 year history on August 31st, 2022. 

School Crest

The four quadrants represent the four areas of education- academic, artistic, physical and spiritual. The star at the centre is the De la Salle motif. The school motto is, "Mol an Óige agus Tiocfaidh Sí" (Encourage the young and they will prosper).