Coláiste Muire Máthair (English: Mother Mary College) is a co-educational secondary school, located on St. Mary's Road in Galway, Ireland. Founded in 1912, it is a diocesan college. The main school building is included on the Record of Protected Structures maintained by Galway City Council. As of 2026, the school had approximately 760 pupils enrolled.
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History
It was founded in 1912 as the junior seminary of the Roman Catholic Galway and Kilmacduagh dioceses. St Mary's College retains the status of diocesan college although it ended its boarding provision in 1999. The college currently caters to approximately 400 students, offering a wide and varied range of curricular subjects and many co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.
The school celebrated its centennial in 2012, celebrating the completion of its main building in March 1912. The building is faced with granite and limestone, the two predominant stones of County Galway's geology.
Merger
St Mary's College merged with Our Lady's College, Galway to become Coláiste Muire Máthair a co-educational secondary school in September 2021. Following the merger with Our Lady's College, the school's enrolment has risen to over 1,000 students.
Notable alumni
Sport
Séamus McHugh, Gaelic footballer
Fergal Moore, hurler
Stephen O'Donnell, former footballer for Falkirk and Dundalk; current assistant manager for Bohemians
Joe Connolly, all-Ireland winning hurler
Paul Conroy, Gaelic footballer
Vinny Faherty, former footballer for Galway United and St Patrick's Athletic
Tadhg Haran, hurler
Gareth Bradshaw, Gaelic footballer
Tony Óg Regan, hurler
Arts and media
Mick Lally, actor
Politics
Seán Kyne, Fine Gael TD for Galway West
Noel Grealish, independent TD for Galway West and Minister of State
Derek Nolan, former Labour Party TD
Frank Fahey, former Fine Gael TD and Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources
Other
James McLoughlin, former Bishop of Galway