St. Aloysius’ College
School of Sanctuary
A ‘School of Sanctuary' is a school that is committed to creating a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment that benefits all community members but especially our student refugees and asylum seekers.
The focus of the initiative is to raise awareness of what some of our students faced travelling to and settling in Ireland.
The three Sanctuary principles are to learn, share and act and our school pledge is the first step in our commitment to uphold the principles of the Sanctuary.
St. Aloysius' College is working towards the School of Sanctuary Award.
Every school member was invited to sign our school pledge which promises to welcome and include all students who come to our school.
Students whose 1st language is not English or whose parents have a different 1st language were invited to fill in a Google Form with the word Welcome in their native language. We received 45 different ways of saying Welcome!!
Our 1st and 2nd year students worked with our caretaker Mr. Burke in creating a welcome footpath which welcomes students in languages from around the world as they enter the main school office door.
Our 1st, 2nd and 3rd year students are currently learning about human rights, the right to asylum, refugee status and democracy.
Later in the term, we will invite Dr. Manizha Khan, School of Sanctuary Ambassador and recent guest on the Tommy Tiernan Show, to an audience with our students.
Our MultiCultural Day will take place in March. This is a student-led initiative which will celebrate the diversity of all our students in St. Aloysius' College and showcase their cultures, foods and music.
Intercultural Day 2026
Thursday, 30th April marked a memorable day in St Aloysius’ College as we celebrated our first whole-school Intercultural Day as part of the School of Sanctuary Initiative.
Students representing over 20 countries created vibrant stands showcasing their culture, cuisine, history, and traditions. Each year group visited Glenmary Hall to explore the displays, learn about different cultures, and enjoy a variety of delicious foods.
The day was brought to life with fantastic dance performances from our Indian and African students, who also encouraged others to join in.
We were delighted to welcome local TD Liam Quaide, who spoke with students about their experiences growing up in Ireland. He was so impressed that he invited the students to visit the Dáil next year.
The event also welcomed parents of our multicultural students, providing a valuable opportunity for families to connect, share experiences, and celebrate the rich diversity within our school community.
Intercultural Day was a great success, highlighting the richness of cultures within our school and promoting inclusion and understanding.
