School patron in Offaly

Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin

Schools in County Offaly under this patron.

Other patrons in Offaly Bishop of Meath · 22 Bishop of Killaloe · 11 Bishop of Ardagh & Clonmacnoise · 9 Educate Together · 1 Bishop of Meath & Kildare COI · 2 An Foras Pátrúnachta · 2 Bishop of Limerick, Killaloe & Ardfert COI · 1 Bishop of Clonfert · 1 Bishop of Ossory · 1

Schools: 17; of 67 in Offaly
Pupils: 2,811; 30% of Offaly's pupils
Average school size: 165.4; Offaly: 138.7
Average class size: 21.29; Offaly: 20.89

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

17 schools with figures for both years

9fell by 10% or more

7within 10%

1grew by 10% or more

Down 25% or more · 3Down 10 to 25% · 6Within 10% · 7Up 10 to 25% · 1Up 25% or more · 0

Average class size in these schools went from 25.2 in 2015/16 to 21.3 in 2025/26. 8 of the 9 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 Daingean N SDaingean, Co. Offaly 223 → 261 +17.0%
2 Shinchill N SKilleigh, Co. Offaly 265 → 286 +7.9%
3 S N PhadraigRhode, Co. Offaly 117 → 124 +6.0%
4 Geashill 1 N SGeashill, Co. Offaly 120 → 126 +5.0%
5 S N Sheosaimh NaofaTullamore, Co. Offaly 184 → 193 +4.9%

Fallen most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

1 S N Mhuire NaofaRhode, Co. Offaly 174 → 91 −47.7%
2 Clonaghadoo N SGeashill, Co. Offaly 115 → 81 −29.6%
3 Scoil BhrideRhode, Co. Offaly 92 → 70 −23.9%
4 S N Naomh BrogainRathanagan, Co. Offaly 90 → 72 −20.0%
5 Clonbullogue N SClonbullogue, Co. Offaly 104 → 84 −19.2%

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: 21.29
Mainstream classes: 126
Classes of 30 or more: 7
Schools with a class of 30+: 4

Teachers

Teachers in the 17 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: 126; Up 32 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 15%
Teaching posts in 2025/26: about 214; Estimate: 126 class teachers, 9 principals and deputies, 57 special education and 22 special class teachers
Teachers in 2015/16: 170; The Department's last count of every teacher
Since 2024/25: 2 / 3; 2 schools gained a class teacher, 3 lost one

Class teachers since 2006/07

One for each mainstream class, every school year

What parents would prefer

648 of the 1,932 households with children at the 17 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 map Summary report with county figures (PDF)

Prefer a multi-denominational patron: 31%; Parents of children at school · Ireland 44%
Prefer teaching through Irish: 14%; Parents of children at school · Ireland 20%
Prefer single-sex: 1%; Parents of children at school · Ireland 5%

1 school where half or more of parents would prefer a multi-denominational patron
1 school 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

17 schools, largest first.

Change over

Select a column heading to sort

	Roll number
Scoil Bhríde Primary SchoolEdenderry	20267F	480	−13.0%	–	21	21.10	27	0
Edenderry Convent N SEdenderry	16013V	429	+1.2%	−20.0%	17	24.53	28	0
Shinchill N SKilleigh	17031F	286	+7.9%	+36.2%	12	22.83	30	2
Daingean N SDaingean	16620T	261	+17.0%	+21.4%	11	22.64	30	2
S N Sheosaimh NaofaTullamore	17637S	193	+4.9%	+17.7%	8	22.62	29	0
St Patrick's Primary SchoolCo.Offaly	18364O	192	+1.1%	−2.0%	10	19.20	29	0
Geashill 1 N SGeashill	09191I	126	+5.0%	+38.5%	6	18.67	27	0
S N MhuireTullamore	18115Q	124	0.0%	+34.8%	5	23.60	30	2
S N PhadraigRhode	18328K	124	+6.0%	+4.2%	5	24.80	32	1
St Colmans N STullamore	19354Q	97	−11.0%	+14.1%	4	24.25	28	0
S N Mhuire NaofaRhode	18335H	91	−47.7%	−39.7%	5	18.20	26	0
Clonbullogue N SClonbullogue	15325M	84	−19.2%	−22.2%	4	21.00	28	0
Naomh Mhuire N SGeashill	17616K	83	−13.5%	+15.3%	4	19.25	25	0
Clonaghadoo N SGeashill	16160L	81	−29.6%	+30.6%	4	17.25	23	0
S N Naomh BrogainRathanagan	15983E	72	−20.0%	−1.4%	4	16.75	19	0
Scoil BhrideRhode	18690E	70	−23.9%	−23.1%	4	17.50	26	0
Cloneyhurke N SPortarlington	15923J	18	−37.9%	−62.5%	2	9.00	12	0