A wealthy Quaker couple, James and Mary Ellis, moved to Letterfrack in 1849 from the north of England, bought a large tract of land, developed it, built a residence and also a school for local children.

[5][7] The Archbishop wrote to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Earl Spencer suggesting that the property was 'admirably suited for a boys’ industrial school so sadly needed in that district'.

[12] A revised certificate doubling the number of boys the school could care for was issued in April 1889 and in November 1912, the accommodation limit was increased to 190.

[18] Until 1954, there were three classes of boy at Letterfrack:[19] In 1954 the Christian Brothers decided to close one of their schools and chose Carriglea Park in Dún Laoghaire.

[21] The report concluded that corporal punishment in Letterfrack was "severe, excessive and pervasive, and created a climate of fear", that it "was the primary method of control" and that unavoidable because "it was frequently capricious, unfair and inconsistent".

[23] The handling of members of the order who committed abuse suggested "a policy of protecting the Brothers, the Community and the Congregation at the expense of the victims".