found exemplary standards of teaching and learning. The Irish Times placed the college in the "Top Ten" schools in the state, based on the proportion of students who accept a place in higher or further education. There are dedicated facilities for home economics and materials technology. College buildings The college consists mainly of two buildings, the junior cycle and transition year building and the more modern senior cycle building. These two buildings are connected via the central St. Patricks Corridor and the entrance corridor. Several other wings contain community facilities as well as other classrooms and subject-specific rooms. The quadrangle or "quad" is a large green area surrounded by the senior wing, the chapel and St. Mary's Corridor. The campus is and contains nine rugby pitches, a cricket lawn, an athletics track, an indoor swimming pool, a gym, six tennis courts, basketball courts, hammer throw field and indoor halls. Apart from classrooms and three study halls, there are nine science laboratories, a woodwork room, a radio studio, three computer rooms, digital communications and graphics room, an art room, a choir hall, a multimedia room and a home economics kitchen. The college also contains a refectory, chapel, creative arts and digital learning centre, lecture halls and a stage which hosts student-run dramatic productions. The college is undergoing an extensive modernisation programme, currently, the pitches are being transformed and roads around the school rerouted. Boarding school The boarding school is housed in Williamstown Castle (known by students as "The Castle"). Williamstown Castle was built around 1780 on lands rented by the Fitzwilliams, later Pembrokes, to Counsellor William Vavasour. It resembled other spacious houses in the area including Willow Park and Castledawson, but a later owner, Thomas O'Mara, extensively redeveloped the building and its surrounds, adding the castellated finish, hence making it into a 'castle'. O'Mara had acted as an election agent for Daniel O'Connell, who dined in the castle on occasion, and for years a portrait of O'Connell adorned the room which is now the oratory. Niall MacDermott is the director of boarding in the college. The boarding school contains around 100 students. Boarding is available from first year up to sixth year. Some day boys join the boarding school in 6th year in preparation for their Leaving Certificate. Boarders are allowed to leave the castle with permission. Extra curricular activities Field sports Sport is viewed as an integral part of a