Saint Mary's Christian Brothers School

Four-bay two-storey school, dated 1847, corner building of the CBS school complex with an attached monastery building to the north and a later school extension to the west (12504117), three-bay gable end to Church Street and a blocked entrance at the north-east corner. Slate roof with red clay crested ridge tiles, raised coping to gable with cross finial to apex, cast-iron rainwater goods. Long side elevation has ruled and lined ashlar effect render on a low rendered plinth course, the gutters above a brick cornice with saw-tooth lower course, the end gable has plainly rendered walls with brick string courses at sill level and at window arch springing level, square-headed window openings with rendered surrounds and stone sills to long side elevation and to gable elevation raised brick block-and-start surrounds, segmental headed arches to ground floor windows with brick piers between and drop arches to upper storey windows, blind middle light raised up into the gable, raised brick Gibbs surround to entrance doorway wall mounted post box to gable elevation. Replacement multiple-pane casement windows. Low side wall to north with doorway, narrow passageway to side elevation.

The earliest of the CBS school complex on Church Street. It is the most visually prominent on the northern side of the street, its gable rising above the roofline of the adjacent buildings. It has a finely detailed gable elevation with confident brick detailing. It is an important component in the social and educational history of Portlaoise and an integral part of the streetscape of the religious and educational quarter of the town.