St. Joseph’s Secondary School is situated by the sea in Ballybunion, Co. Kerry, 10 miles from Listowel and 14 miles from Tarbert. It first opened its doors in September 1952, and offered second-level education to girls from Balllybunion and the surrounding townlands.
In 1966, St. Joseph's became a co-educational secondary school, and was attached to the neighbouring convent. The school was managed solely by the Mercy Sisters until the late 1980s, when Boards of Management were introduced nationally.
The Mercy Sisters have been members of staff since the founding of the convent over one hundred years ago, right up to 1998. Once the Sisters withdrew from the school staff, the convent closed, and the remaining Sisters took up residence in another house.