School patron in Galway

Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh & Kilfenora

Schools in County Galway under this patron.

Other patrons in Galway Archbishop of Tuam · 89 Bishop of Clonfert · 41 Educate Together · 5 Bishop of Elphin · 11 An Foras Pátrúnachta · 4 Minister for Education & Skills · 1 Galway and Roscommon ETB · 1 Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry COI · 1 Bishop of Limerick, Killaloe & Ardfert COI · 1

Schools: 63; of 217 in Galway
Pupils: 12,887; 44% of Galway's pupils
Average school size: 204.6; Galway: 135.5
Average class size: 21.93; Galway: 21.46

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

59 schools with figures for both years

Schools still filling their classes in 2015/16, and schools opened since, are listed separately.

27fell by 10% or more

17within 10%

15grew by 10% or more

Down 25% or more · 12Down 10 to 25% · 15Within 10% · 17Up 10 to 25% · 6Up 25% or more · 9

Average class size in these schools went from 24.6 in 2015/16 to 21.9 in 2025/26. 13 of the 27 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 S N Ard RaithinArdrahan, Co. Galway 109 → 176 +61.5%
2 Naomh Colman Mac DuaighGort, Co. Galway 76 → 109 +43.4%
3 S N Aine NaofaGort, Co. Galway 69 → 92 +33.3%
4 Scoil an Linbh IosaGalway, Co. Galway 180 → 236 +31.1%
5 Gaelscoil Mhic AmhlaighGaillimh, Co. Galway 502 → 643 +28.1%

Fallen most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

1 S N Caladh na MucRosscahill, Co. Galway 58 → 18 −69.0%
2 SN ColmcilleCastlegar, Co. Galway 106 → 70 −34.0%
3 S N Baile NuaMaigh Cuilinn, Co. Galway 91 → 62 −31.9%
4 S N MhuireArdrahan, Co. Galway 85 → 58 −31.8%
5 S N Naomh ThomaisGaillimh, Co. Galway 78 → 55 −29.5%

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.

Newer schools

4 schools still filling their classes in 2015/16 or opened since, with 1,550 pupils between them. They aren’t in the figures above.

Scoil ÍosaOranmore · figures start 2024/25 770
Merlin Woods Primary SchoolGalway · opened 2010/11 383
Radharc na Mara National SchoolMervue · figures start 2020/21 353
St Columba's National SchoolGort · opened 2016/17 44

Class sizes

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

Average class size: 21.93
Mainstream classes: 574
Classes of 30 or more: 45
Schools with a class of 30+: 23

Teachers

Teachers in the 63 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: 574; Up 179 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 32%
Teaching posts in 2025/26: about 938; Estimate: 574 class teachers, 40 principals and deputies, 271 special education and 53 special class teachers
Teachers in 2015/16: 746; The Department's last count of every teacher
Since 2024/25: 3 / 8; 3 schools gained a class teacher, 8 lost one

Class teachers since 2006/07

One for each mainstream class, every school year

What parents would prefer

3,386 of the 8,346 households with children at the 60 schools here answered the Department of Education and Youth's Primary School Survey, November–December 2025. 3 more schools had too few answers for their own results. These are preferences, not applications.

About these figures

The Department's own results: Interactive map Summary report with county figures (PDF)

Prefer a multi-denominational patron: 43%; Parents of children at school · Ireland 44%
Prefer teaching through Irish: 34%; Parents of children at school · Ireland 20%
Prefer single-sex: 3%; Parents of children at school · Ireland 5%

20 schools where half or more of parents would prefer a multi-denominational patron
20 schools where a quarter or more would prefer teaching through Irish
2 of 2 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

63 schools, largest first.

Change over

Select a column heading to sort

	Roll number
Scoil ÍosaOranmore	20584R	770	–	–	29	25.59	31	3
Gaelscoil Mhic AmhlaighGaillimh	19994G	643	+28.1%	+96.6%	27	23.81	31	2
S N IognaidGaillimh	19371Q	480	−17.1%	−5.9%	20	24.00	31	2
Gaelscoil DaraGaillimh	19858V	419	−3.0%	+52.9%	17	24.65	29	0
St. John the Apostle, Knocknacarra NSGalway	20108I	400	−9.9%	–	16	24.62	28	0
Gaelscoil de hIdeUarán Mór	19998O	399	−0.5%	+137.5%	16	24.94	28	0
Scoil MhuireMaigh Cuilinn	19529C	396	+4.2%	+13.8%	16	24.75	30	1
Merlin Woods Primary SchoolGalway	20350P	383	–	–	16	23.19	26	0
Bushy Park N SGalway	13856K	366	−8.5%	+3.4%	16	22.88	25	0
SN Caitriona SinsearRenmore	19468I	365	−3.9%	+8.3%	15	23.27	26	0
Radharc na Mara National SchoolMervue	20554I	353	–	–	21	15.67	22	0
S N Caitriona SoisRenmore	19401W	350	−19.5%	−9.1%	19	17.16	21	0
Tirellan Heights N SGalway	19795A	330	−26.7%	−22.2%	21	15.71	20	0
S N Naomh IosefKinvara	15523Q	324	−0.6%	+85.1%	14	22.50	29	0
S N CreachmhaoilCraughwell	05754G	318	−6.7%	+42.6%	13	23.54	27	0
S N Chlair na GaillimheClaregalway	16804G	311	−9.1%	+5.1%	13	23.92	29	0
Scoil Náisiúnta RóisGalway	19241D	297	−21.2%	−44.4%	13	21.92	28	0
Scoil Chuimín & CaitríonaOughterard	20199O	265	+25.0%	–	11	23.00	32	2
Niochlas N SGalway	16943U	262	−18.4%	+37.9%	14	17.00	22	0
Ainbhthin NaofaRosscahill	14590D	261	+10.1%	+17.0%	10	24.90	33	2
Scoil MhuireClarinbridge	19965W	256	+2.8%	+16.4%	11	23.27	33	3
Scoil IdeGalway	18634R	244	−16.7%	−18.7%	11	22.18	32	2
Scoil an Linbh IosaGalway	04515G	236	+31.1%	+76.1%	13	17.77	27	0
Scoil Naomh MhuireOranmore	18089S	233	+8.4%	+6.4%	9	25.89	31	4
S N na bhForbachaCo.na Gaillimhe	17668G	229	+27.2%	+56.8%	8	28.62	32	4
Scoil MhuireCastlegar	17845C	223	−6.7%	+0.9%	10	21.10	30	3
S N Seamus NaofaBearna	19803T	221	−21.1%	−24.6%	10	22.10	32	2
S N Padraic NaofaGalway	17784I	214	−5.3%	−28.4%	9	22.44	34	1
Gort National SchoolGort	20465J	197	+3.1%	–	9	21.89	30	2
S N CillininGalway	18268S	195	−16.7%	+26.6%	8	24.38	31	1
S N Bride NaofaGalway	17782E	187	−18.3%	−49.0%	10	18.00	25	0
Scoil Naomh IosefBearna	13914V	183	−4.7%	+63.4%	8	21.00	28	0
Ballinderreen MXD N SKilcolgan	07551C	182	−1.1%	+70.1%	7	24.29	29	0
S N Ard RaithinArdrahan	17007I	176	+61.5%	+107.1%	7	25.14	31	2
SN Cearn MorÓrán Mór	19828M	174	+4.2%	+6.7%	7	24.86	31	2
Scoil EinneAn Spidéal	20115F	171	−21.2%	+15.5%	7	24.43	30	1
S N BrighdeAn Caisleán Gearr	17759J	130	−22.2%	+14.0%	6	19.67	26	0
Scoil Croi IosaGalway	01013N	122	+22.0%	−22.8%	7	17.43	20	0
Scoil Naomh EindeGalway	18929N	119	−15.0%	+72.5%	5	21.40	27	0
S N Cill TartainGort Inse Guaire	17789S	117	+27.2%	+207.9%	5	23.40	31	1
Kilchreest Central SCHLoughrea	19544V	110	+15.8%	+4.8%	4	27.50	33	2
Naomh Colman Mac DuaighGort	19377F	109	+43.4%	+113.7%	4	27.25	30	1
Ballymana N SCraughwell	10675O	108	−27.0%	+30.1%	5	21.60	28	0
S N Aine NaofaGort	17475S	92	+33.3%	+50.8%	4	21.50	30	1
Lurga N SGort	12574S	91	+18.2%	+203.3%	4	22.75	29	0
SN TuairiniMaigh Cuilinn	13415D	84	−22.2%	−1.2%	4	21.00	25	0
SN ColmcilleCastlegar	17221K	70	−34.0%	+7.7%	4	16.00	18	0
S N Cill FheicinGort	14394D	69	+11.3%	+27.8%	3	23.00	28	0
S N Ciarain NaofaKinvara	17869Q	67	−28.7%	−21.2%	3	21.00	22	0
SN Tullach Ui ChadhainMaigh Cuilinn	08446K	65	−11.0%	−3.0%	3	21.67	29	0
S N Brighdhe NaofaCinn Mara	17772B	64	−22.9%	+39.1%	3	21.33	33	1
S N Baile NuaMaigh Cuilinn	15331H	62	−31.9%	−21.5%	3	20.67	23	0
S N Coilm CilleBaile na hAbhann	12946G	59	+22.9%	+40.5%	3	18.00	23	0
S N CronainKilcolgan	17645R	59	−27.2%	+3.5%	3	19.67	28	0
S N MhuireArdrahan	14642T	58	−31.8%	−4.9%	3	19.33	25	0
S N Naomh ThomaisGaillimh	17502S	55	−29.5%	−1.8%	3	18.33	21	0
St Columba's National SchoolGort	20491K	44	–	–	2	22.00	23	0
S N MhuireRosmuc	11373D	31	+29.2%	−8.8%	2	15.50	18	0
S N BriocainRos Muc	17463L	19	−47.2%	−42.4%	2	9.50	12	0
S N Muire gan SmalCamus	11290W	19	−20.8%	−5.0%	2	9.50	10	0
S N Caladh na MucRosscahill	17655U	18	−69.0%	−48.6%	2	9.00	10	0
S N ColmcilleLeitir Móir	13699U	17	−48.5%	−37.0%	2	8.50	9	0
Scoil MhuireSraith Salach	18252D	16	−44.8%	−48.4%	2	8.00	9	0