Building upon years of success supporting students in Dublin, City Connects is now expanding to 25 more schools across Ireland. In August, the Government of Ireland announced that City Connects—an evidence-based model of integrated student support that fosters the strengths and addresses the needs of students—will be implemented in 13 schools in Limerick City and 12 schools in Tallaght, Dublin this year.
“We’re really excited that this opportunity will now be available to more children in areas where there is significant need,” said Eucharia McCarthy, Director of the National Centre for City Connects Ireland. “We know that once children have been part of the City Connects ecosystem of support, their trajectory for the future can be significantly improved. So to think we could offer that possibility to the children in these two new areas is really exciting. It’s really about improving the life chances for children.”
This decision comes six years after City Connects was first implemented in Dublin’s North East Inner City, where it is now finding success in 18 schools. While originally launching in primary schools in Dublin, last year City Connects extended to eight post-primary schools, working with students who are at a similar grade to middle school students in the United States.
“Our outcomes in Dublin are mirroring the outcomes that Boston College has identified through their research,” said McCarthy. “We have children who typically might not have come to school on a Monday or a Friday who are now in school those days because of the opportunities they’re getting through City Connects. Access to in-school and community-based services has grown year over year. Our satisfaction rates from principals and community partners are 100%, and 98% from teachers. It’s almost unheard of to have a program with such high levels of satisfaction on a sustained basis.”
The positive impacts of City Connects have been well documented in the United States, with more than two decades of data linking the program to increased attendance, engagement, academic achievement, and post-secondary educational attainment. The evidence-based approach addresses out-of-school factors that can impact student success by creating individualized support plans linking students to in-school and community-based supports.
“We are delighted that the government of Ireland has chosen to expand City Connects to new communities, extending meaningful supports and opportunities to students there,” said Mary Walsh, City Connects Executive Director and Daniel E. Kearns Chair of Urban Education and Innovative Leadership Emerita at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College. “This expansion reflects the visionary approach of the Department of Education and Youth to continue its commitment to schools with high concentrations of students experiencing educational disadvantage. Our partners there, including Mary Immaculate College, work tirelessly to ensure every student is seen and their needs, strengths, and interests are supported.”
Boston College partnered with Mary Immaculate College, the Irish Department of Education and Youth, and Tusla Education Support Service to bring City Connects to Ireland in 2020. In 2024, the Department of Education and Youth in Ireland established the National Centre for City Connects Ireland (NCCCI). The NCCCI at Mary Immaculate College now leads the implementation and research of City Connects in Ireland.
“City Connects is a richly collaborative endeavor involving multiple stakeholders,” said McCarthy. “There’s been a shared commitment and excitement as we see the growing benefits of City Connects in Dublin. We have meetings where we discuss what’s going on on the ground and every week, without fail, there’s an inspiring story of a community whose lives are being positively impacted. Those real-life stories combined with the robust body of evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of the intervention have really been the impetus for everybody to work together to grow City Connects. We all know that it is making a difference in children’s lives.”
This expansion more than doubles the number of schools implementing City Connects in Ireland. This school year, City Connects will serve more than 8,000 students across Ireland.
“Many children in Limerick City and Tallaght face significant challenges, including homelessness and a lack of basic cooking facilities at home. Their health and wellbeing may require additional support. They may also have limited access to extracurricular opportunities such as swimming, dance, sports, cookery, gymnastics, writing clubs, jujitsu, cycling or music. City Connects helps bridge this gap by providing access to experiences that can uncover a child’s talents, interests, and potential. Ultimately, the program is about ensuring these children have the support and opportunities they need to thrive and achieve the best possible outcomes,” said McCarthy.
