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  CBS is an abbreviation for Christian Brothers School. The Christian Brothers are a religious order founded by Edmund Rice in the early 1800's. Edmund Rice was a rich merchant of the time but when his wife died in 1798 he decided to turn his wealth to the teaching of the poor of Waterford. His first school was Mount Sion in Waterford City. The Christian Brother schools were to spread throughout Ireland and to many other parts of the world.The New Ross school was opened on Monday 29th. October in 1849-just two years after the famine. It consisted of a two roomed thatched cottage on the present site. It was the 20th. foundation of the Christian Brothers in Ireland. The first brother to live in New Ross was Brother Glynn . He was soon joined by Brother Kearns who helped him get the first school up and running. 200 boys/young men turned up to be enrolled. It must be remembered that prior to this it was virtually impossible for a person from a poor family to get an education and most people would have been unable to read or write.The school was funded by an annual collection taken from the people of New Ross.The school was extended slightly in 1901 and a detached 'science room' was built in 1902. This building was to become know as the 'tin shed' and was still in use as an office and classroom until 1987. It was finally demolished in 2002. The second storey was added to the school in 1925 and a new toilet block and indoor stairs was added in 1987. Prior to that , the stairway was open to the elements as were the urinals which were situated behind the 'tin shed' .

Up until the late 1960's the CBS in New Ross catered for primary school pupils and secondary school pupils in the same building. The secondary school was upatairs and the primary school was down stairs. With the advent of free secondary education in 1966, the building could not cope with the numbers and a new secondary school was built. While Christian Brothers still lived in New Ross, close relations existed between the two schools. However, the Christian brother order has been on the decline since the mid 1970's and lay principals were appointed the the secondary school in 1987 (Billy O'Shea) and to the primary school in 1988 (Jackie Stacey). Both schools now exist as totally separate entities- the CBS secondary school is still a Christian Brother School although Christian Brothers no longer work there while the CBS Primary is now a Parish School under the auspices of the Bishop of Ferns.

Within the next few years , the CBS Primary will cease to exist as it is scheduled for amalgamation with St. Joseph's Girls school. Staff in the CBS have sought co-education since the 1990's. Agreement was finally reached on a plan for primary education in New Ross with the publication of the McCarthy Report in 2003. Under the plan, the CBS Primary, St. Joseph's GNS and Michael Street Junior primary school for boys will amalgamate into one senior and one junior co-ed school. Each school will be housed in a new building -both of which will be built side by side in the Irishtown area of New Ross. Staff and parents look forward to this major development with relish.