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School patron in Carlow

Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin

Schools in County Carlow under this patron.

Other patrons in Carlow Not reported · 1 Educate Together · 1 Bishop of Cashel, Ferns & Ossory COI · 3 Bishop of Limerick, Killaloe & Ardfert COI · 1
Schools
36
of 42 in Carlow
Pupils
5,856
81% of Carlow's pupils
Average school size
162.7
Carlow: 172.4
Average class size
22.18
Carlow: 21.79

Growing and falling since 2015/16

Each school's change in pupils over 10 years, from 2015/16 to 2025/26. A change of 10% or more either way counts as growing or falling.

Every school's change

36 schools with figures for both years

17fell by 10% or more
14within 10%
5grew by 10% or more
Down 25% or more · 7Down 10 to 25% · 10Within 10% · 14Up 10 to 25% · 2Up 25% or more · 3

Average class size in these schools went from 26.2 in 2015/16 to 22.2 in 2025/26. 15 of the 17 schools that fell by 10% or more kept or added classes. A fall in pupils can mean smaller classes rather than fewer children wanting places. Smaller classes

Grown most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

  1. 1 Fr Cullen Memorial N STinryland, Co. Carlow 165 → 231 +40.0%
  2. 2 Ballyconnell N STullow, Co. Carlow 163 → 199 +22.1%
  3. 3 Baile an Chuilinn N SMuinebeag, Co. Carlow 109 → 126 +15.6%
  4. 4 S N Naomh FhiachGraiguecullen, Co. Carlow 529 → 570 +7.8%
  5. 5 S N Cluain na nGallClonegal, Co. Carlow 138 → 146 +5.8%

Fallen most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

  1. 1 Bishop Foley Memorial School Boys SNR SCHStation Road, Co. Carlow 263 → 165 −37.3%
  2. 2 Scoil Nais Iosef NaofaSt. Joseph's Road, Co. Carlow 172 → 111 −35.5%
  3. 3 S N Phadraig NaofaTullow, Co. Carlow 228 → 150 −34.2%
  4. 4 Scoil Nais MhuireBagenalstown, Co. Carlow 89 → 59 −33.7%
  5. 5 S N Treasa NaomhaKiltegan, Co. Carlow 71 → 52 −26.8%

Ranked by percentage change. Only schools with 50 or more pupils in 2015/16 are ranked, leaving out any still filling their classes then, because a few pupils make a big percentage in a small or new school. An amalgamation, a new school nearby or smaller classes can also explain a big rise or fall.

Class sizes

Mainstream class groups only. The source does not identify which standard/year group each class group belongs to.

Average class size
22.18
Mainstream classes
254
Classes of 30 or more
17
Schools with a class of 30+
10

Teachers

Teachers in the 36 mainstream primary schools here, 2006/07 to 2025/26. Class teachers are counted every year; all teaching posts where they're known.

How we count teachers
Class teachers in 2025/26
254
Up 52 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 13%
Teaching posts in 2025/26
about 419
Estimate: 254 class teachers, 25 principals and deputies, 101 special education and 39 special class teachers
Teachers in 2015/16
334
The Department's last count of every teacher
Since 2024/25
2 / 4
2 schools gained a class teacher, 4 lost one

Class teachers since 2006/07

One for each mainstream class, every school year

What parents would prefer

1,615 of the 4,134 households with children at the 36 schools here answered the Department of Education and Youth's Primary School Survey, November–December 2025. These are preferences, not applications.

About these figures
The Department's own results: Interactive mapSummary report with county figures (PDF)
Prefer a multi-denominational patron
33%
Parents of children at school · Ireland 44%
Prefer teaching through Irish
20%
Parents of children at school · Ireland 20%
Prefer single-sex
7%
Parents of children at school · Ireland 5%
  • 2 schools where half or more of parents would prefer a multi-denominational patron
  • 7 schools where a quarter or more would prefer teaching through Irish
  • 6 of 7 single-sex schools where most parents would prefer co-educational

Source: Department of Education and Youth, Primary School Survey results, published 23 June 2026. Figures here add up the parents at each school with its own results.

Schools

36 schools, largest first.

Change over

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Roll number
S N Naomh FhiachGraiguecullen 19958C 570
+7.8%
+54.1%
23 24.78 30 3
Gaelscoil Eoghain Uí ThuairiscCeatharlach 19811S 444
−7.3%
−5.5%
19 22.74 31 3
Bennekerry National SchoolBennekerry 17501Q 377
−12.9%
+47.3%
16 23.56 28 0
S N Muire gan SmalCarlow 18363M 345
−21.1%
−18.1%
16 21.56 29 0
Queen of Universe N SMuinebeagh 18183K 253
−11.2%
+18.2%
11 21.91 31 1
S N Peadar agus PolBallon 14837L 239
−14.9%
+46.6%
10 21.90 27 0
Fr Cullen Memorial N STinryland 16938E 231
+40.0%
+60.4%
9 24.33 32 2
St Patricks N SRathvilly 17663T 207
+1.0%
+24.7%
8 25.12 30 1
Ballyconnell N STullow 00977B 199
+22.1%
+29.2%
8 23.38 27 0
Borris MXD N SBorris 00651R 196
−7.1%
+16.7%
8 24.50 28 0
S N Muire LourdesTullow 13507I 195
−11.8%
+6.0%
9 21.67 32 1
Scoil Nais BhrideTullow 04077I 190
−2.1%
+233.3%
8 22.25 27 0
Ballinabranna MXD N SMilford 17756D 184
+5.1%
+58.6%
7 25.43 30 2
St Laserians MXD NSLeighlinbridge 19784S 182
+2.8%
+0.6%
7 24.29 30 2
Rathoe NSRathoe 01415K 175
−5.9%
+76.8%
7 22.43 31 1
Bishop Foley Memorial School Boys SNR SCHStation Road 17053P 165
−37.3%
−30.4%
8 19.88 27 0
S N Phadraig NaofaTullow 16080N 150
−34.2%
−26.1%
8 18.75 26 0
St Josephs NSHacketstown 17127S 149
+4.2%
+20.2%
6 23.00 29 0
S N Cluain na nGallClonegal 17514C 146
+5.8%
+25.9%
6 22.50 28 0
Newtown Dunleckney MXDMuinebheag 01215C 144
+5.1%
+69.4%
6 22.00 29 0
St Bridgets Monastery Boys Senior SchoolMuinebheag 13105L 134
+1.5%
+27.6%
5 24.40 30 1
Baile an Chuilinn N SMuinebeag 01116A 126
+15.6%
+34.0%
5 25.20 28 0
Scoil Nais MolaiseOld Leighlin 02124E 123
−10.9%
+9.8%
5 22.20 27 0
Scoil Nais Iosef NaofaSt. Joseph's Road 18424G 111
−35.5%
−34.7%
6 15.50 18 0
S N Fhoirtcheirn/FhininBagenalstown 17994T 106
−6.2%
+29.3%
5 18.80 29 0
S N Cill DamhainVia Enniscorthy 18090D 87
−13.9%
0.0%
4 21.75 25 0
Scoil Muire gan SmalArdattin 18024N 61
−14.1%
+17.3%
3 20.33 24 0
Scoil Nais MhuireBagenalstown 09320Q 59
−33.7%
+1.7%
3 17.67 21 0
S N Treasa NaomhaKiltegan 17669I 52
−26.8%
+85.7%
3 17.33 20 0
Scoil N Moling-GlynnSaint Mulllins 17330P 51
−7.3%
−10.5%
3 17.00 20 0
Scoil Nais MhichilBorris 17462J 42
−16.0%
+50.0%
2 21.00 23 0
S N Fiontain NaofaTullow 18609S 41
+105.0%
−10.9%
2 20.50 23 0
S N NMH FhinginMuinebheag 17096K 34
−12.8%
+54.5%
2 17.00 17 0
St Patrick's National SchoolBorris 18510W 32
−31.9%
−20.0%
2 16.00 19 0
St Brendans N Svia Kilkenny 17481N 30
+114.3%
+25.0%
2 15.00 15 0
Our Lady's National SchoolCarlow 17796P 26
−39.5%
−23.5%
2 13.00 18 0