Local authority in Kilkenny

Kilkenny County Council

Schools in County Kilkenny in this local authority.

Schools: 68; of 68 in Kilkenny
Pupils: 10,483; 100% of Kilkenny's pupils
Average school size: 154.2; Kilkenny: 154.2
Average class size: 22.53; Kilkenny: 22.53

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

64 schools with figures for both years

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

25fell by 10% or more

27within 10%

12grew by 10% or more

Down 25% or more · 10Down 10 to 25% · 15Within 10% · 27Up 10 to 25% · 4Up 25% or more · 8

Average class size in these schools went from 25.6 in 2015/16 to 22.6 in 2025/26. 17 of the 25 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 Scoil Naomh IosephJenkinstown, Co. Kilkenny 67 → 127 +89.6%
2 S N Chiaran NaofaStoneyford, Co. Kilkenny 95 → 142 +49.5%
3 Scoil Iognaid de RisKilkenny, Co. Kilkenny 208 → 278 +33.7%
4 Lisdowney N SBallyragget, Co. Kilkenny 75 → 96 +28.0%
5 Scoil Mholainge Listerlinvia Waterford, Co. Kilkenny 116 → 148 +27.6%

Fallen most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

1 Templeorum N Svia Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Kilkenny 67 → 38 −43.3%
2 Burnchurch National SchoolCuffesgrange Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny 72 → 44 −38.9%
3 Clontubrid Mixed N SFreshford, Co. Kilkenny 63 → 43 −31.7%
4 The Rower Mixed N SThomastown, Co. Kilkenny 167 → 115 −31.1%
5 S N CholmcilleInistioge, Co. Kilkenny 145 → 104 −28.3%

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 986 pupils between them. They aren’t in the figures above.

St. John's National SchoolKilkenny · figures start 2025/26 441
Scoil MhuireMooncoin · figures start 2016/17 261
Ballyragget National SchoolBallyragget · figures start 2018/19 163
Scoil ÍosagáinCastlecomer · figures start 2025/26 121

Class sizes

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

Average class size: 22.53
Mainstream classes: 453
Classes of 30 or more: 24
Schools with a class of 30+: 16

Teachers

Teachers in the 68 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: 453; Up 147 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 36%
Teaching posts in 2025/26: about 694; Estimate: 453 class teachers, 32 principals and deputies, 162 special education and 47 special class teachers
Teachers in 2015/16: 518; The Department's last count of every teacher
Since 2024/25: 3 / 7; 3 schools gained a class teacher, 7 lost one

Class teachers since 2006/07

One for each mainstream class, every school year

What parents would prefer

2,728 of the 6,880 households with children at the 66 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 map Summary report with county figures (PDF)

Prefer a multi-denominational patron: 42%; Parents of children at school · Ireland 44%
Prefer teaching through Irish: 18%; Parents of children at school · Ireland 20%
Prefer single-sex: 3%; Parents of children at school · Ireland 5%

17 schools where half or more of parents would prefer a multi-denominational patron
8 schools where a quarter or more would prefer teaching through Irish
4 of 4 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

68 schools, largest first.

Change over

Select a column heading to sort

	Roll number
St Canices Central N SKilkenny	19626A	648	−1.2%	+24.4%	24	26.25	30	1
St. John's National SchoolKilkenny	20600M	441	–	–	20	21.15	28	0
Gaelscoil OsraiCill Chainnigh	19856R	438	+0.5%	+8.7%	18	24.00	29	0
Bunscoil McAuley RiceCallan	20255V	406	+6.8%	–	17	23.53	28	0
Scoil MhuireKilkenny	19925K	400	−7.0%	+0.3%	17	22.53	29	0
St Mary's National SchoolThomastown	20272V	398	−13.5%	–	17	23.12	29	0
S N Padraig NaofaKilkenny	17854D	331	−4.3%	+0.9%	14	22.36	28	0
Scoil Naomh Eoin DeaKilkenny	17314R	330	−2.1%	−4.3%	14	23.57	32	2
Scoil Iognaid de RisKilkenny	17867M	278	+33.7%	+56.2%	11	24.73	32	1
Scoil MhuireMooncoin	20492M	261	–	–	11	22.64	32	2
S N Baile an PhiullPiltown	17357M	254	−23.5%	+13.9%	11	22.00	27	0
Kilkenny School ProjectKilkenny	19905E	236	−1.3%	+1.3%	9	26.22	28	0
Scoil an Chroí Ró-Naofavia Thurles	19930D	223	−5.9%	+6.7%	9	24.11	31	1
Scoil Bhride B7CKilkenny	18078N	217	−7.7%	+36.5%	8	26.38	30	1
Slieverue Mixed N SSlieverue	12476S	208	−4.6%	+3.0%	9	23.11	30	2
Bennettsbridge National SchoolKilkenny	16406R	206	+6.7%	+23.4%	8	25.75	30	1
S N Naomh ColmainClara	16116I	204	−6.0%	+8.5%	8	24.75	29	0
S N Naomh Padraighvia Waterford	16875G	202	+3.1%	+143.4%	8	25.25	28	0
Scoil LachtainFreshford	00796U	201	+6.3%	+24.8%	8	22.88	31	1
Kilkenny Mixed N SKilkenny	17218V	198	+20.0%	+19.3%	8	24.75	28	0
S N MuireGowran	18064C	197	−25.4%	+5.3%	8	23.12	27	0
Church Hill Mixed N SCuffesgrange	05927L	192	+20.0%	+146.2%	8	22.50	25	0
S N Bhreandain NaofaBallyfoyle	17093E	192	−12.3%	+39.1%	8	24.00	27	0
St. Senan's National SchoolVia Waterford	20443W	176	−9.3%	–	7	25.14	31	2
St Aidans N SKilmanagh	19344N	175	−5.9%	+8.7%	7	25.00	34	3
St Beacons N SMullinavat	19976E	175	−11.2%	+19.9%	7	25.00	33	2
S N Naomh Padraig MXDBaile Haol	17628R	173	−2.8%	+33.1%	7	24.71	35	2
Ballyragget National SchoolBallyragget	20506U	163	–	–	6	25.17	30	1
S N Muire gan SmalGraigenamanagh	17224Q	148	−8.6%	−6.9%	6	21.67	25	0
Scoil Mholainge Listerlinvia Waterford	18748J	148	+27.6%	+111.4%	6	24.67	29	0
S N Chiaran NaofaStoneyford	17589K	142	+49.5%	+86.8%	6	21.33	26	0
S N an Moinin RuaCastlecomer	16204F	127	+25.7%	+28.3%	5	25.40	33	1
Scoil Naomh IosephJenkinstown	18607O	127	+89.6%	+149.0%	5	24.20	35	1
Carigeen N SCarrigeen	15340I	123	−25.0%	+25.5%	5	22.40	26	0
Scoil ÍosagáinCastlecomer	20591O	121	–	–	7	17.29	26	0
S N San NioclasWindgap	18660S	120	+16.5%	+44.6%	5	22.80	27	0
Scoil San LionardDunnamaggin	16827S	115	−9.4%	+30.7%	5	23.00	27	0
The Rower Mixed N SThomastown	15160G	115	−31.1%	−1.7%	5	22.00	24	0
S N CholmcilleInistioge	17073V	104	−28.3%	−18.1%	5	20.80	24	0
Owning National SchoolPiltown	16430O	100	+4.2%	+6.4%	4	25.00	26	0
Lisdowney N SBallyragget	00788V	96	+28.0%	+68.4%	4	22.50	27	0
S N Seamus NaofaGlenmore	18158L	91	−27.8%	−28.9%	4	20.00	24	0
S N Tulach RuainTullaroan	18670V	91	+1.1%	−15.0%	4	22.75	24	0
S N Naomh ChiarainJohnstown	17339K	90	+8.4%	−4.3%	4	22.50	27	0
Skeaghvastheen N SSkeaghvasteen	16140F	85	−20.6%	+3.7%	4	21.25	24	0
Holycross N.S.Castlecomer	18643S	72	−24.2%	+18.0%	4	18.00	22	0
Goresbridge N.S.Goresbridge	19944O	68	−22.7%	−46.5%	4	17.00	25	0
Graig na Manach BuacGraignamanagh	16311G	68	−20.9%	−2.9%	3	21.67	26	0
St Michaels National SchoolDanesfort	01300Q	63	+34.0%	+142.3%	3	21.00	22	0
S N Mhichil NaofaGalmoy (via Thurles)	17222M	62	0.0%	+8.8%	3	20.67	27	0
St Patricks NSCastlecomer	16445E	57	−24.0%	−55.5%	3	19.00	27	0
S N Moin Ruadh MixedKnocktopher	17590S	56	0.0%	+64.7%	3	18.67	23	0
S N Baile an Fhasaighvia New Ross	18257N	54	−10.0%	+68.8%	3	18.00	24	0
Wandesforde Mixed N SCastlecomer	14476F	52	−23.5%	+4.0%	3	17.33	19	0
St Brendans Mixed N SHuggsintown	16485Q	50	−12.3%	−23.1%	3	16.67	20	0
S N BhrighdeCarlow	17174E	46	−8.0%	−8.0%	3	15.33	19	0
S N Tobair Eoin BaisdeJohnswell	17905R	45	−18.2%	−10.0%	3	15.00	20	0
Burnchurch National SchoolCuffesgrange Kilkenny	17675D	44	−38.9%	+18.9%	3	12.67	17	0
Clontubrid Mixed N SFreshford	16865D	43	−31.7%	−14.0%	2	21.50	26	0
Templeorum N Svia Carrick-on-Suir	19267V	38	−43.3%	−45.7%	2	19.00	23	0
Ringville National Schoolvia Waterford	06621P	35	−20.5%	−40.7%	3	11.67	16	0
S N LisnafunchinCastlecomer	16230G	32	−33.3%	−8.6%	2	16.00	18	0
S N Chrion Choillvia Thurles	17374M	28	+12.0%	+16.7%	2	14.00	18	0
S N BhridheKells	17566V	27	+8.0%	−6.9%	2	13.50	16	0
Kilmoganny Mixed N SKilmoganny	07481H	23	−8.0%	−25.8%	2	11.50	13	0
Colmcille Mixed N SMullinavat	17911M	20	+100.0%	−33.3%	2	10.00	12	0
S N ColmainJenkinstown	17200C	20	−13.0%	−28.6%	2	10.00	13	0
Scoil Mhichil NaofaJohnstown	17758H	14	−51.7%	−41.7%	2	7.00	8	0