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School patron in Donegal

Bishop of Derry

Schools in County Donegal under this patron.

Other patrons in Donegal Bishop of Raphoe · 96 Bishop of Derry & Raphoe COI · 17 Bishop of Clogher · 3 Educate Together · 1 Presbytery of Derry & Donegal · 9 Joint patronage between Bishop of Derry & Raphoe COI and the Presbytery of Derry & Donegal · 2 An Foras Pátrúnachta · 4 Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland · 2 Joint patronage between the Bishop of Derry & Raphoe COI & the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland · 1
Schools
36
of 171 in Donegal
Pupils
4,887
26% of Donegal's pupils
Average school size
135.8
Donegal: 110.4
Average class size
22.58
Donegal: 21.47

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

20fell by 10% or more
10within 10%
6grew by 10% or more
Down 25% or more · 7Down 10 to 25% · 13Within 10% · 10Up 10 to 25% · 3Up 25% or more · 3

Average class size in these schools went from 25.4 in 2015/16 to 22.6 in 2025/26. 11 of the 20 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 Scoil Treasa NaofaMalin, Co. Donegal 81 → 137 +69.1%
  2. 2 Naomh BodainCuldaff, Co. Donegal 77 → 108 +40.3%
  3. 3 Scoil Náisiúnta Muire gan SmálLifford, Co. Donegal 95 → 124 +30.5%
  4. 4 Scoil Naomh ColmchilleCarndonagh, Co. Donegal 149 → 186 +24.8%
  5. 5 Scoil CholmcilleMoville, Co. Donegal 108 → 133 +23.1%

Fallen most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

  1. 1 Gleneely N SKillygordon, Co. Donegal 97 → 45 −53.6%
  2. 2 SN Naomh SamhthannCastlefin, Co. Donegal 84 → 40 −52.4%
  3. 3 Scoil Naomh IósafBuncrana, Co. Donegal 63 → 45 −28.6%
  4. 4 S N Gleann CoimheadBallybofey, Co. Donegal 79 → 57 −27.8%
  5. 5 S N Naomh EighneachBuncrannach, Co. Donegal 103 → 75 −27.2%

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
22.58
Mainstream classes
210
Classes of 30 or more
24
Schools with a class of 30+
16

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
210
Up 18 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 4%
Teaching posts in 2025/26
about 350
Estimate: 210 class teachers, 17 principals and deputies, 97 special education and 26 special class teachers
Teachers in 2015/16
296
The Department's last count of every teacher
Since 2024/25
1 / 2
1 school gained a class teacher, 2 lost one

Class teachers since 2006/07

One for each mainstream class, every school year

What parents would prefer

1,311 of the 2,943 households with children at the 34 schools here answered the Department of Education and Youth's Primary School Survey, November–December 2025. 2 more schools had too few answers for their own results. 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
22%
Parents of children at school · Ireland 44%
Prefer teaching through Irish
15%
Parents of children at school · Ireland 20%
Prefer single-sex
2%
Parents of children at school · Ireland 5%
  • 0 schools where half or more of parents would prefer a multi-denominational patron
  • 5 schools where a quarter or more would prefer teaching through Irish

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
Scoil IosagainBuncrana 19967D 778
+5.0%
+23.9%
29 24.69 30 1
S N an Droim MorLifford 16349I 229
+9.0%
+52.7%
9 22.11 31 1
St Orans N SBuncrana 16789N 228
−4.2%
+25.3%
9 25.33 32 3
S N Naomh AonghusBridge End 19359D 218
+6.3%
+7.4%
8 25.00 30 1
Scoil EoghanMoville 20054L 212
−15.5%
+5.5%
9 23.56 32 2
Scoil Naomh FionanQuigley's Point 19959E 199
−20.4%
−15.7%
8 24.88 32 1
Scoil Naomh BridLifford 19280N 196
−12.5%
+2.1%
8 24.50 32 3
St Muras N SLifford 15627F 189
−12.5%
−12.9%
8 23.62 31 1
Scoil Naomh ColmchilleCarndonagh 16880W 186
+24.8%
+195.2%
7 26.57 30 1
S N Seiseadh Ui NeillBallybofey 17607J 167
−20.1%
+9.2%
8 20.88 30 1
Scoil Naomh PadraigCarndonagh 18605K 163
−1.2%
−3.0%
7 22.86 28 0
St Patricks N SLifford 16054M 162
−11.0%
+30.6%
6 26.00 31 3
St Mary's National SchoolLifford 14910S 155
+1.3%
−28.2%
6 25.00 35 1
Scoil Treasa NaofaMalin 17721H 137
+69.1%
+61.2%
5 25.00 28 0
Scoil CholmcilleMoville 18791K 133
+23.1%
−2.9%
6 22.17 32 2
St Francis' National SchoolLifford 16642G 132
−5.7%
−15.4%
5 24.40 28 0
Scoil Náisiúnta Muire gan SmálLifford 18076J 124
+30.5%
+12.7%
6 20.67 33 1
Scoil Chroí Naofa, CarndomhnachCarndonagh 16821G 124
−24.4%
−34.4%
7 17.71 26 0
Scoil PhadraigClonmany 18520C 121
−20.9%
+19.8%
5 24.20 28 0
Scoil MhuireGleneely 18517N 118
+10.3%
+73.5%
5 23.60 32 1
Naomh BodainCuldaff 19614Q 108
+40.3%
+31.7%
4 27.00 31 1
S N na gCluainteClonmany 17180W 96
−19.3%
−2.0%
4 24.00 28 0
Naomh BridhidCarndonagh 16836T 92
−9.8%
+119.0%
4 23.00 28 0
Scoil CholmchilleMalin 14631O 77
−20.6%
−3.8%
4 19.25 25 0
S N Naomh EighneachBuncrannach 18114O 75
−27.2%
−1.3%
4 18.75 24 0
S N Naomh PadraigDrumfries 01572D 64
−17.9%
+14.3%
3 21.33 26 0
S N Gleann CoimheadBallybofey 17575W 57
−27.8%
−20.8%
3 19.00 20 0
Scoil Naomh MhuireMalin 18446Q 57
−14.9%
−13.6%
3 19.00 20 0
Scoil Naomh Treasa CLifford 16108J 52
−5.5%
−17.5%
3 17.33 20 0
Gleneely N SKillygordon 18172F 45
−53.6%
−55.4%
3 15.00 16 0
Scoil Naomh IósafBuncrana 01574H 45
−28.6%
−51.6%
3 15.00 16 0
S N an Iorball RiabaighMalin Head 07626H 40
−18.4%
+5.3%
2 20.00 25 0
SN Naomh SamhthannCastlefin 17040G 40
−52.4%
−32.2%
3 13.33 16 0
Scoil Cuilm CilleLifford 17469A 38
+5.6%
+65.2%
2 19.00 21 0
Scoil Cholmcille NaofaCastlefin 17956L 17
−63.8%
−70.7%
2 8.50 11 0
Glentogher Con N SCarndonagh 16611S 13
−61.8%
−27.8%
2 6.50 7 0