Edmund Rice Schools Trust

Edmund Ignatius Rice (1 June 1762 – 29 August 1844) was a Roman Catholic missionary and educationalist, and the founder of two religious institutes of brothers: the Congregation of Christian Brothers and the Presentation Brothers.

Rice was born in Ireland at a time when Catholics faced oppression under the Penal Laws enforced by the British authorities. He devoted his life to the education of the poor, opening his first school in Waterford in 1802 at a time when most of the Irish poor had no access to education.

His legacy lives on in the Edmund Rice Schools Trust, which supports over 90 schools across Ireland, continuing his mission of providing quality education rooted in Gospel values, with a special concern for those who are disadvantaged.