Irish classification
Some subjects through Irish
Schools grouped by how much of the curriculum is taught through Irish.
- Schools
- 26
- No change on 2024/25
- Pupils in 2025/26
- 5,349
- −111 on 2024/25 · 1.0% of all pupils
- Average school size
- 205.7
- −4.3 on 2024/25
- Average class size
- 21.47
- −0.43 on 2024/25
Trends since 1975/76
History of the 26 schools in this group today. Dotted lines bridge 1983/84 to 1992/93, and 1974/75 is left out because that year's source file is missing five counties.
Pupils
5,349
−111 on 2024/25
Schools
26
9 in 1975/76
Average pupils per school
205.7
151.1 in 1975/76
Average class size
21.47
−0.43 on 2024/25
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.
21 schools with figures for both years
Schools still filling their classes in 2015/16, and schools opened since, are listed separately.
Average class size in these schools went from 24.0 in 2015/16 to 21.4 in 2025/26. 6 of the 6 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 Sancta Maria C B SDublin 8, Co. Dublin 65 → 103 +58.5%
- 2 Scoil Naomh CualánThurles, Co. Tipperary 144 → 198 +37.5%
- 3 Edenmore N.S.Emyvale, Co. Monaghan 127 → 159 +25.2%
- 4 St Coleman's National SchoolStradbally, Co. Laois 255 → 318 +24.7%
- 5 St Benedicts and St Marys National SchoolDublin 5, Co. Dublin 133 → 165 +24.1%
Fallen most
Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26
- 1 Scoil RoisinAn Clochán Liath, Co. Donegal 61 → 51 −16.4%
- 2 St John's Senior SchoolArklow, Co. Wicklow 375 → 323 −13.9%
- 3 St Mary's National SchoolThomastown, Co. Kilkenny 460 → 398 −13.5%
- 4 SN Tullach Ui ChadhainMaigh Cuilinn, Co. Galway 73 → 65 −11.0%
- 5 Scoil an Athar TadhgCarraig na bhFear, Co. Cork 353 → 317 −10.2%
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.
Newer schools
5 schools still filling their classes in 2015/16 or opened since, with 1,043 pupils between them. They aren’t in the figures above.
- St Christopher's NSDublin 4 · figures start 2019/20 598
- Réalt na Mara National SchoolDunmore East · figures start 2021/22 196
- St. Catherine of SiennaKildare · figures start 2021/22 151
- Ardagh National SchoolBallina · figures start 2023/24 73
- Lacken National SchoolBallina · opened 2018/19 25
Where the pupils are
Top 10 counties by pupils, 2025/26
Class sizes
Mainstream class groups only. The source does not identify which standard/year group each class group belongs to. Figures for 2025/26.
- Average class size
- 21.47
- Mainstream classes
- 239
- Classes of 30 or more
- 6
- Schools with a class of 30+
- 6
Teachers
Teachers in the 26 mainstream primary schools here, 2006/07 to 2025/26. Class teachers are counted every year; all teaching posts where they're known.
- Class teachers in 2025/26
- 239
- Up 176 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 252%
- Teaching posts in 2025/26
- about 400
- Estimate: 239 class teachers, 19 principals and deputies, 104 special education and 38 special class teachers
- Teachers in 2015/16
- 252
- The Department's last count of every teacher
- Since 2024/25
- 5 / 6
- 5 schools gained a class teacher, 6 lost one
Class teachers since 2006/07
One for each mainstream class, every school year
What parents would prefer
1,387 of the 3,625 households with children at the 26 schools here answered the Department of Education and Youth's Primary School Survey, November–December 2025. These are preferences, not applications.
- Prefer a multi-denominational patron
- 42%
- Parents of children at school · Ireland 44%
- Prefer teaching through Irish
- 16%
- Parents of children at school · Ireland 20%
- Prefer single-sex
- 3%
- Parents of children at school · Ireland 5%
- 10 schools where half or more of parents would prefer a multi-denominational patron
- 3 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
26 schools, largest first.
Select a column heading to sort
| Roll number | Gaeltacht | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Christopher's NSDublin 4 | 20545H | Dublin | No | 598 |
−0.8%
–– |
– | 24 | 24.67 | 27 | 0 |
| Bunscoil Chriost RiCork | 20388R | Cork | No | 453 |
−2.2%
−7.9%
– |
– | 20 | 21.70 | 30 | 1 |
| St Mary's National SchoolThomastown | 20272V | Kilkenny | No | 398 |
−12.5%
−13.5%
– |
– | 17 | 23.12 | 29 | 0 |
| Scoil MhuireMaigh Cuilinn | 19529C | Galway | Yes | 396 |
−1.7%
+4.2%
+13.8%
|
+13.8%
|
16 | 24.75 | 30 | 1 |
| Watergrasshill N SWatergrasshill | 16271U | Cork | No | 391 |
−3.2%
+20.7%
+103.6%
|
+103.6%
|
17 | 22.29 | 30 | 1 |
| St John's Senior SchoolArklow | 20469R | Wicklow | No | 323 |
−22.9%
−13.9%
– |
– | 14 | 21.79 | 29 | 0 |
| St Coleman's National SchoolStradbally | 20353V | Laois | No | 318 |
+17.8%
+24.7%
– |
– | 13 | 23.54 | 30 | 1 |
| Scoil an Athar TadhgCarraig na bhFear | 19415K | Cork | No | 317 |
−3.6%
−10.2%
+23.8%
|
+23.8%
|
14 | 20.50 | 28 | 0 |
| Naomh Oliver PlunkettLoughmourne | 19469K | Monaghan | No | 255 |
+9.4%
+15.4%
+72.3%
|
+72.3%
|
9 | 25.22 | 34 | 1 |
| Scoil ÍosaBallina | 20275E | Mayo | No | 242 |
+29.4%
+21.0%
– |
– | 13 | 17.62 | 22 | 0 |
| Scoil Naomh CualánThurles | 20451V | Tipperary | No | 198 |
+3.1%
+37.5%
– |
– | 8 | 23.25 | 29 | 0 |
| Réalt na Mara National SchoolDunmore East | 20556M | Waterford | No | 196 | ––– | – | 8 | 24.50 | 28 | 0 |
| Scoil Naomh IosefBearna | 13914V | Galway | Yes | 183 |
−26.2%
−4.7%
+63.4%
|
+63.4%
|
8 | 21.00 | 28 | 0 |
| St Benedicts and St Marys National SchoolDublin 5 | 20281W | Dublin | No | 165 |
+15.4%
+24.1%
– |
– | 9 | 17.67 | 22 | 0 |
| Edenmore N.S.Emyvale | 20337A | Monaghan | No | 159 |
−4.2%
+25.2%
– |
– | 7 | 22.29 | 35 | 1 |
| St. Catherine of SiennaKildare | 20558Q | Kildare | No | 151 | ––– | – | 8 | 18.12 | 27 | 0 |
| Scoil Mhuire Agus ChormaicKilcormac | 20387P | Offaly | No | 109 |
+1.9%
−0.9%
– |
– | 5 | 19.40 | 24 | 0 |
| Sancta Maria C B SDublin 8 | 17893N | Dublin | No | 103 |
−3.7%
+58.5%
−14.9%
|
−14.9%
|
6 | 16.17 | 21 | 0 |
| Ardagh National SchoolBallina | 20576S | Mayo | No | 73 | ––– | – | 4 | 18.25 | 23 | 0 |
| SN Tullach Ui ChadhainMaigh Cuilinn | 08446K | Galway | Yes | 65 |
−14.5%
−11.0%
−3.0%
|
−3.0%
|
3 | 21.67 | 29 | 0 |
| SN Gleann A ChaisilBallina | 13222P | Mayo | Yes | 64 |
+8.5%
+12.3%
+18.5%
|
+18.5%
|
3 | 16.33 | 18 | 0 |
| Scoil RoisinAn Clochán Liath | 17328F | Donegal | Yes | 51 |
−10.5%
−16.4%
0.0%
|
0.0%
|
3 | 17.00 | 18 | 0 |
| S N Achaidh an GhlaisinBeal An Mhuirthead | 18594I | Mayo | Yes | 48 |
0.0%
+23.1%
+20.0%
|
+20.0%
|
3 | 16.00 | 21 | 0 |
| S N Naomh TreasaCashel | 17660N | Galway | No | 39 |
0.0%
+18.2%
−2.5%
|
−2.5%
|
2 | 19.50 | 21 | 0 |
| Geesala Central SchoolBallina | 19776T | Mayo | Yes | 29 |
−40.8%
−34.1%
−42.0%
|
−42.0%
|
2 | 14.50 | 15 | 0 |
| Lacken National SchoolBallina | 20512P | Mayo | No | 25 | ––– | – | 3 | 8.33 | 9 | 0 |
No schools match that filter.