Royal Hibernian Military School in Dublin

The Royal Hibernian Military School (or Military Asylum, as it was first known) was founded in Dublin by the Hibernian Society to educate orphaned children of members of the British army in Ireland. It opened in 1769 on 3 acres, with 90 boys and 50 girls and by 1816 had over 600 students. In 1853 the girls got their own Drummond School for the Daughters of Soldiers in Chapelizod, Dublin.

Mid 20th Century view of the schoolbuilding in the Phoenix Park

The Royal Hibernian Military School was a feeder for the British Army, where children could enlist at the age of 12, but most waited until the age of 14. By the 1900s approximately half the students went in the army. By this time it was not only orphans, but many sent their sons there for military training.

In 1922 the school moved to Folkestone, Kent and later merged with the Duke of York Military School. The Dublin campus, now over 33 acres, is now part of St Mary’s Hospital.

List of Officers etc..

Below is a link for Royal Hibernian Military School War Memorial at Find a Grave. Clicking on a name will take you to that persons memorial. 

Relevant Links

Return of names of Officers, Teachers and Officials in Royal Hibernian Military School

Return of names of Posts and Control of Management at Royal Hibernian Military School 1879

Regulations for the establishment and government of the Royal Military Asylum 1819

Records of Royal Hibernian Military School at FMP $

Nominal roll of boys joining the Royal Hibernian Military School is at UK Archives

Hibernia. Quarterly magazine of the Royal Hibernian Military School 1885

Hibernian School, Phoenix Park : seventh report from the Commissioners of Board of Education in Ireland 1810

Royal Hibernian Military School WWI War Memorial at Find a Grave

Royal Hibernian School Cemetery, Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland