The academy, which is funded by a Catholic foundation based in Virginia in the United States, also runs a home-schooling initiative known as "Mater Dei Education".

[2] The school, which is parent-run,[3] was originally based at St. Mary's Dominican Church and Priory on Popes Quay, Cork.

[7][8] The Saints and Scholars Foundation, which describes the school as its main project,[8] is associated with the American religious conservative political activist Connie Marshner.

[12] Mater Dei's students take courses in theology, philosophy, the Irish language, English, Latin, mathematics, science, history and culture, geography, music, and art.

[13] According to its website, students from the Mater Dei Academy can "sit the Irish Leaving Certificate examination as external candidates".