Convent Road, Letterkenny

Convent Road (Irish: Bóthar an Chlochair)^[1] is located to the north of Letterkenny, County Donegal, in the parish of Conwal and Leck, Ireland.

It is situated beside the Cathedral of St Eunan and St Columba and Cathedral Road forms a link with Convent Road south of Glencar and north of Oldtown. Residential areas on Convent Road include West Hill (Irish: Cnoc an Thiar).^[2]

Several schools are nearby, including St Eunan's College.

Kernan's is a local newsagent which has been in operation since the 1920s.^[3] There is also a Dunnes Stores grocery outlet in the area.^{[citation needed]}

A Chinese restaurant, Tin Tai, is located at the bottom of Convent Road, on the turn towards Lower Main Street.^[4][5][6]

Letterkenny Regional Sports and Leisure Complex is a short distance away.

A convent was founded here in 1854. It houses a Roman Catholic girls secondary school, one of 18 Loreto secondary schools in Ireland and one of the few schools in Ireland that stills employs nuns as teachers.^{[citation needed]} The convent secondary school is linked with the primary school for girls, Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal,^[7] as they are both part of the greater Loreto College Network. Boys from the area attend St Eunan's College, which is a short distance up the road. In addition, the primary school for boys, Scoil Colmcille, is located across the road.

Mary Ward founded the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (better known in Ireland as the "Loreto Order") in England in the 17th century. Mother Frances Teresa Ball brought the Order to Ireland in 1821. In 1854, the then Bishop of Raphoe, Patrick McGettigan, invited the religious sisters to set up a secondary school for girls in Letterkenny. The day-school opened with 5 pupils on 4 September 1854. From the 1920s until 1976 it was an all-Irish school. A new wing with a concert hall opened in 1939. Boarding ceased in 1978. Extensions were added in 1972, 1978 and 1986, while an extension (sanctioned by the Department of Education) opened to coincide with the school's 150th anniversary in mid-2004. The first classes began here in September 2005. Noel Ferry became the school's first lay and male headmaster since its opening.^{[citation needed]}

The school management is overseen the principal and a board of management. Loreto Trustees are designated legal owners but devolve much of its power to the board. The Loreto Order, parents and teachers elect delegates for a three-year period. A student council represents girls at the school and liaises with other students, staff, board and the school's parents' association.^[8] A Student Leadership Team is led by the Head and Deputy Head Girl, elected annually from the 6th year group.^[9] The school participates in the European Youth Parliament,^[10] and hosts the Loreto Letterkenny Model United Nations (LKMUN).^[11]

Joe McHugh, the Fine Gael TD for Donegal and Minister for Education and Skills from 2018, taught here before entering national politics. His constituency office is located near the foot of Convent Road.^{[citation needed]}

Former pupils include the sisters Caitriona Jennings, a runner, and Sinéad Lynch; née Jennings, a rower. Ciara Grant, a footballer, also attended the school.^{[citation needed]}