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School patron in Sligo

Bishop of Elphin

Schools in County Sligo under this patron.

Other patrons in Sligo Bishop of Achonry · 21 Bishop of Killala · 12 Joint patronage of Bishop of Kilmore Elphin & Ardagh COI , the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and the President of the Methodist Church in Ireland · 1 An Foras Pátrúnachta · 1 Bishop of Ardagh & Clonmacnoise · 1 Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry COI · 2 Sligo School Project · 1 Bishop of Kilmore Elphin & Ardagh COI · 1 Bishop of Kilmore · 1
Schools
21
of 62 in Sligo
Pupils
3,910
52% of Sligo's pupils
Average school size
186.2
Sligo: 121.4
Average class size
22.01
Sligo: 21.56

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

20 schools with figures for both years

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

3fell by 10% or more
9within 10%
8grew by 10% or more
Down 25% or more · 1Down 10 to 25% · 2Within 10% · 9Up 10 to 25% · 6Up 25% or more · 2

Average class size in these schools went from 24.9 in 2015/16 to 22.0 in 2025/26. 1 of the 3 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 Cliffoney N SCliffoney, Co. Sligo 59 → 96 +62.7%
  2. 2 St Brendans NSSligo, Co. Sligo 120 → 177 +47.5%
  3. 3 Carraroe N SCarraroe, Co. Sligo 320 → 389 +21.6%
  4. 4 St Edwards N SSligo, Co. Sligo 185 → 207 +11.9%
  5. 5 S N Realt na MaraSligo, Co. Sligo 105 → 117 +11.4%

Fallen most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

  1. 1 S N Padraig NaofaBallinfull, Co. Sligo 96 → 75 −21.9%
  2. 2 S N ClochogBoyle, Co. Sligo 78 → 61 −21.8%
  3. 3 Sooey N SBoyle, Co. Sligo 117 → 112 −4.3%
  4. 4 Scoil Naomh MolaiseGrange, Co. Sligo 277 → 274 −1.1%
  5. 5 St Patricks NSSligo, Co. Sligo 183 → 182 −0.5%

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

1 school still filling its classes in 2015/16 or opened since, with 97 pupils. It isn’t in the figures above.

Class sizes

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

Average class size
22.01
Mainstream classes
174
Classes of 30 or more
12
Schools with a class of 30+
8

Teachers

Teachers in the 21 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
174
Up 41 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 19%
Teaching posts in 2025/26
about 262
Estimate: 174 class teachers, 11 principals and deputies, 64 special education and 13 special class teachers
Teachers in 2015/16
208
The Department's last count of every teacher
Since 2024/25
2 / 1
2 schools gained a class teacher, 1 lost one

Class teachers since 2006/07

One for each mainstream class, every school year

What parents would prefer

977 of the 2,572 households with children at the 21 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
45%
Parents of children at school · Ireland 44%
Prefer teaching through Irish
15%
Parents of children at school · Ireland 20%
Prefer single-sex
3%
Parents of children at school · Ireland 5%
  • 5 schools where half or more of parents would prefer a multi-denominational patron
  • 6 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

21 schools, largest first.

Change over

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Roll number
Our Lady of Mercy N SSligo 19985F 449
+8.7%
−13.0%
24 17.96 22 0
S N UrsulaSligo 18979F 439
+8.7%
+38.9%
18 24.06 29 0
Carraroe N SCarraroe 14636B 389
+21.6%
+36.5%
16 24.31 28 0
Scoil Eoin NaofaSligo 19974A 289
+11.2%
+84.1%
15 17.80 25 0
Scoil Naomh MolaiseGrange 18575E 274
−1.1%
+23.4%
11 24.45 32 2
Scoil AsicusStrandhill 15004P 252
+6.3%
+31.9%
10 25.20 30 2
Ransboro New CentralKnocknahur 19635B 247
+7.9%
+32.8%
10 23.50 32 2
Rathcormack N SDrumcliffe South 19408N 244
+0.4%
+1.7%
10 24.40 30 1
St Edwards N SSligo 17277O 207
+11.9%
+23.2%
11 18.27 21 0
St Patricks NSSligo 19942K 182
−0.5%
−17.6%
7 26.00 32 2
St Brendans NSSligo 19826I 177
+47.5%
+9.9%
7 23.57 31 1
S N Realt na MaraSligo 17641J 117
+11.4%
+7.3%
5 23.40 29 0
Sooey N SBoyle 18053U 112
−4.3%
+60.0%
5 22.40 27 0
Ardkeerin N SRiverstown 15217J 111
0.0%
+35.4%
5 22.20 30 1
S.N. Naomh AilbheVia Boyle 20575Q 97 – – 4 24.25 28 0
Cliffoney N SCliffoney 16136O 96
+62.7%
+10.3%
4 24.00 31 1
S N Padraig NaofaBallinfull 17021C 75
−21.9%
+33.9%
3 25.00 28 0
S N ClochogBoyle 18543O 61
−21.8%
−18.7%
3 20.33 22 0
Kilross N SBallintogher 16044J 42
+23.5%
−27.6%
2 21.00 24 0
S N BhrideMoneygold 17725P 35
+12.9%
+25.0%
2 17.50 18 0
S N MhuireCliffoney 15337T 15
−67.4%
−58.3%
2 7.50 10 0