Blackrock ‘old boys’ appeal new entry policy

Former students at one of the country’s top schools are being urged to join a campaign against "unjust state interference" in pupil admissions policy.

Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan has signalled her intention to bring in new laws in the coming months to combat what she claims is inequality in school admissions. But ex-pupils of Blackrock College, including leading figures in the law courts, business, politics, sport and entertainment, are being told elements of the proposals are unjust and threaten their traditions.

In a letter to members of the Blackrock College Union, known as ‘Rockmen’, union president and senior barrister, Shane Murphy warned former students that the legislation would allow for the State to take control of the admission policies for all secondary schools.

“The admissions policy (at Blackrock) has engendered a positive community spirit through many generations of ‘Rockmen’ and has never before been so unjustly challenged by the State,” he writes.

Past pupils of Blackrock College in south Dublin include former education minister, Ruairí Quinn, broadcaster, Ryan Tubridy, rugby star, Brian O’Driscoll, Celtic Tiger financier, Derek Quinlan as well as several High Court judges.

Mr Murphy says: “Anything that potentially threatens the tradition where brothers and sons of past students can follow in the footsteps of their brothers and fathers through Blackrock College is a threat to that which many of us hold so dear,” he writes.

Parents of pupils attending Blackrock College pay fees of up to €17,250 a year.

Ms O’Sullivan has said the proposed legislation, to be enacted before the end of the year, would ensure schools have an open-door policy to all children.

The pledge followed a report by think-tank the ESRI, which highlighted that children at working-class schools were less likely to go on to university.

But in his letter to former students, Mr Murphy insists the school’s admissions policy is fair and transparent “without unjust State interference”. The union is talking to past-pupil organisations of other schools and is considering how best to respond to the Government’s proposal, he says.