Belvedere College in Dublin has become the second school in Ireland to officially unveil a "Confucius classroom".
The title is given by the Confucius Institute to schools that teach Chinese language and culture.
Three more Irish schools will get Confucius classrooms next year.
Twenty-seven first and second-year students are learning Mandarin, and a further 20 transition year students are studying Chinese cultural studies at Belvedere College.
Belvedere’s Headmaster Gerry Foley said the students have been putting their skills into practice.
Dr Wang Li-Ming, Director of the Confucius Institute at UCD, which oversees the Confucius classroom programme, says more and more Irish schools are getting involved.
