School planning area
Dundalk
29 primary schools and 7,128 pupils in 2025/26, in County Louth.
- Pupils in 2025/26
- 7,128
- +125 on 2024/25
- Since 2015/16
- +9.8%
- 6,489 pupils in 2015/16
- Schools
- 29
- No change on 2024/25
- Average class size
- 22.66
- Average school size: 245.8
Trends in Dundalk
Each year counts the schools in this planning area today, plus any that closed from 2023/24. Dotted lines bridge 1983/84 to 1992/93. 1974/75 is left out because that year's source file is missing five counties.
The Department's files only record planning areas from 2023/24, so schools that closed or amalgamated before then aren't counted in any area. The further back you go, the more pupils are missing, and an amalgamation can look like a sudden rise. Across County Louth, schools with no planning area had 3.7% of pupils in 2015/16, 14.8% in 2005/06 and 22.2% in 1975/76. Known data issues
Pupils
7,128
+125 on 2024/25
Schools
29
23 in 1975/76
Average pupils per school
245.8
238.5 in 1975/76
Average class size
22.66
+0.23 on 2024/25
Pupils in these schools
Junior infants, girls and boys, and Irish-medium schools over time, for the same schools as the trends above.
Junior infants
Pupils starting school each year. Class-by-class figures start in 2020/21. 879 in 2025/26, +96 on 2024/25.
Girls and boys
From 1976/77: earlier files don't split every school's pupils into girls and boys.
Irish-medium schools
Pupils in schools that teach all subjects through Irish (1 school today). 214 pupils in 2025/26, 3.0% of the area's pupils, against 3.3% in 2015/16. Each school counts under its current classification for every year.
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.
29 schools with figures for both years
Average class size in these schools went from 24.9 in 2015/16 to 22.7 in 2025/26. 3 of the 5 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 St. Francis National SchoolDundalk, Co. Louth 196 → 441 +125.0%
- 2 S N an Tslanaitheora BDundalk, Co. Louth 84 → 169 +101.2%
- 3 Faughart Community National SchoolDundalk, Co. Louth 59 → 102 +72.9%
- 4 S N an Tslanaitheora CDundalk, Co. Louth 100 → 160 +60.0%
- 5 S N N Maolmhaodhagh BDundalk, Co. Louth 201 → 246 +22.4%
Fallen most
Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26
- 1 Dulargy Mixed N SRavensdale, Co. Louth 194 → 150 −22.7%
- 2 SN Chill SarainCastlebellingham, Co. Louth 201 → 161 −19.9%
- 3 Bellurgan N SDundalk, Co. Louth 139 → 112 −19.4%
- 4 Scoil Dairbhre MixedDundalk, Co. Louth 86 → 71 −17.4%
- 5 S N N Maolmhaodhagh NDundalk, Co. Louth 253 → 220 −13.0%
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
- 22.66
- Mainstream classes
- 304
- Classes of 30 or more
- 20
- Schools with a class of 30+
- 11
Teachers
Teachers in the 29 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
- 304
- Up 78 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 24%
- Teaching posts in 2025/26
- about 480
- Estimate: 304 class teachers, 25 principals and deputies, 110 special education and 41 special class teachers
- Teachers in 2015/16
- 376
- The Department's last count of every teacher
- Since 2024/25
- 5 / 5
- 5 schools gained a class teacher, 5 lost one
Class teachers since 2006/07
One for each mainstream class, every school year
Special schools and special classes
1 special school in the Dundalk planning area, and the special classes in its 29 mainstream schools. Special schools aren't counted in the pupils, class sizes or teachers above.
- Pupils in special schools
- 104
- In 1 school, up from 103 in 2015/16
- Special classes in 2025/26
- 41
- In 18 of 29 schools. 17 in 2020/21
- Allocated for 2026/27
- 44
- In 20 schools: 3 new classes, 2 schools with their first
- Autism classes
- 33
- 80% of special classes
Special classes since 2020/21
In the Dundalk planning area's mainstream schools, from the NCSE's yearly lists
- 2020/21 17
- 2021/22 19
- 2022/23 23
- 2023/24 29
- 2024/25 37
- 2025/26 41
- 2026/27 44
2026/27, dashed: allocated for next year.
| Special school | Pupils | Since 2015/16 | Teaching posts | SNAs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Brighids Special SCHDundalk · Mild general learning disability | 104 |
+1.0%
|
15 | 21 |
Sources: Department of Education enrolment lists; NCSE special class lists and special school allocations (CC BY 4.0).
What parents would prefer
2,609 households answered the Department of Education and Youth's Primary School Survey for the Dundalk planning area: 1,812 with children at its schools and 797 with children not yet at school. Each said whether they would prefer co-educational or single-sex schooling, a denominational or multi-denominational patron, and teaching through Irish or English.
- Households that answered
- 2,609
- 41% of households asked
- Prefer a multi-denominational patron
- 35% / 43%
- Children at school / not yet at school
- Prefer teaching through Irish
- 17% / 20%
- Children at school / not yet at school
- Prefer single-sex
- 6% / 8%
- Children at school / not yet at school
Preferences beside what the schools offer now
Share of pupils in schools of each kind in the area, and share of parents who would prefer it
- Pupils in such schools now
- Parents: children at school
- Parents: children not yet at school
Multi-denominational patron
102 pupils (1%) in 1 school
Teaching through Irish
214 pupils (3%) in 1 school
Single-sex
1,163 pupils (16%) in 6 schools
Bars run from 0 to 50%.
Each school's parents
Parents of children at each school. Bold marks the school's set-up now.
| Scoil Mhuire na nGaelDundalk | 624 | 177 of 459 | ±6.1 | 37% | 13% | 1% | 65 answered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Josephs N SDundalk | 574 | 84 of 386 | ±8.8 | 32% | 13% | 5% | – |
| C.B.S. PrimaryDundalk | 524 | 167 of 384 | ±6.3 | 38% | 9% | 2% | 86 answered |
| Scoil na gCreagacha DubhaBlackrock | 503 | 162 of 344 | ±6.4 | 47% | 14% | 1% | 62 answered |
| Réalt na Mara SchoolDundalk | 467 | 119 of 362 | ±7.5 | 36% | 11% | 3% | 59 answered |
| St. Francis National SchoolDundalk | 441 | 133 of 304 | ±7.1 | 49% | 15% | 1% | 71 answered |
| Knockbridge Mixed N SDundalk | 285 | 80 of 183 | ±9 | 24% | 12% | 1% | – |
| S N N Maolmhaodhagh BDundalk | 246 | 88 of 215 | ±8.6 | 36% | 11% | 18% | – |
| Dromiskin Mixed N SDundalk | 234 | 65 of 158 | ±10 | 43% | 23% | 5% | – |
| S N N Maolmhaodhagh CDundalk | 233 | 91 of 202 | ±8.5 | 43% | 11% | 30% | – |
| Scoil FhursaDundalk | 229 | 59 of 166 | ±10.5 | 24% | 10% | 0% | – |
| S N N Maolmhaodhagh NDundalk | 220 | 84 of 194 | ±8.8 | 35% | 18% | 11% | 34 answered |
| Gaelscoil Dhun DealganDún Dealgan | 214 | 87 of 157 | ±8.7 | 25% | 86% | 1% | 41 answered |
| Scoil Phadraig NaofaDundalk | 206 | 62 of 139 | ±10.2 | 18% | 11% | 0% | – |
| Castletown RD ConventDundalk | 191 | 37 of 162 | ±13.1 | 35% | 8% | 51% | – |
| Scoil Mhuire gan SmálDundalk | 189 | 63 of 122 | ±10.1 | 43% | 14% | 0% | 32 answered |
| St. Mochta's National SchoolLouth Village | 181 | 33 of 120 | ±13.8 | 24% | 12% | 3% | – |
| S N an Tslanaitheora BDundalk | 169 | 53 of 139 | ±11 | 17% | 9% | 40% | – |
| S.N Eoin BaisteDundalk | 164 | 31 of 103 | ±14.2 | 26% | 19% | 6% | – |
| St Nicholas Monastery NSDundalk | 164 | 37 of 130 | ±13.1 | 22% | 16% | 32% | – |
| SN Chill SarainCastlebellingham | 161 | 31 of 118 | ±14.2 | 39% | 23% | 10% | – |
| S N an Tslanaitheora CDundalk | 160 | 49 of 134 | ±11.4 | 20% | 14% | 41% | – |
| Dulargy Mixed N SRavensdale | 150 | 37 of 96 | ±13.1 | 43% | 32% | 3% | – |
| S N San NioclasDundalk | 148 | 15 of 104 | ±19.5 | 47% | 7% | 27% | – |
| Bellurgan N SDundalk | 112 | 38 of 75 | ±12.9 | 26% | 24% | 0% | – |
| Faughart Community National SchoolDundalk | 102 | 19 of 70 | ±17.7 | 63% | 26% | 0% | – |
| Dun Dealgan N SDundalk | 84 | 24 of 58 | ±15.9 | 42% | 17% | 0% | – |
| Scoil BhrideHackballscross | 82 | 8 of 44 | ±25.1 | 38% | 12% | 0% | – |
| Scoil Dairbhre MixedDundalk | 71 | 19 of 30 | ±17.7 | 32% | 5% | 0% | – |
Grey margins of error are 15 points or more: so few parents answered that the figures could be well off. “Too few to publish”: the Department held back the school's results, but its parents' answers still count in the area figures. Not yet at school: how many parents of children not yet at school chose the school, shown where 30 or more did. Special schools in the area are counted in the area figures above.
Source: Department of Education and Youth, Primary School Survey results, published 23 June 2026. The area figures count each household once, including parents at schools too small for their own results, so they aren't the school figures added up. About these figures
Schools
29 schools, largest first. A dash in the change column means the school had no pupils recorded in that year, usually because it opened later or took a new roll number after an amalgamation.
Select a column heading to sort
| Roll number | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scoil Mhuire na nGaelDundalk | 19598V | 624 |
−3.4%
−9.6%
−9.2%
|
−9.2%
|
26 | 23.08 | 30 | 1 |
| St Josephs N SDundalk | 19673J | 574 |
−0.2%
+10.4%
+31.7%
|
+31.7%
|
26 | 21.58 | 25 | 0 |
| C.B.S. PrimaryDundalk | 17195M | 524 |
+14.9%
+18.8%
+72.9%
|
+72.9%
|
21 | 24.67 | 30 | 3 |
| Scoil na gCreagacha DubhaBlackrock | 15285D | 503 |
+12.0%
+19.5%
+16.7%
|
+16.7%
|
19 | 26.16 | 33 | 5 |
| Réalt na Mara SchoolDundalk | 20339E | 467 |
+0.4%
+6.1%
– |
– | 19 | 23.00 | 29 | 0 |
| St. Francis National SchoolDundalk | 20259G | 441 |
+31.2%
+125.0%
– |
– | 16 | 26.81 | 30 | 1 |
| Knockbridge Mixed N SDundalk | 15101N | 285 |
−10.1%
+0.7%
+5.9%
|
+5.9%
|
13 | 21.92 | 32 | 1 |
| S N N Maolmhaodhagh BDundalk | 18504E | 246 |
+14.4%
+22.4%
+24.9%
|
+24.9%
|
10 | 24.60 | 32 | 2 |
| Dromiskin Mixed N SDundalk | 16760M | 234 |
−3.3%
+2.6%
+35.3%
|
+35.3%
|
9 | 24.11 | 33 | 1 |
| S N N Maolmhaodhagh CDundalk | 15259C | 233 |
−6.8%
+9.9%
−6.4%
|
−6.4%
|
9 | 25.89 | 35 | 3 |
| Scoil FhursaDundalk | 17550G | 229 |
−6.1%
+20.5%
+29.4%
|
+29.4%
|
9 | 24.78 | 32 | 1 |
| S N N Maolmhaodhagh NDundalk | 15260K | 220 |
−16.7%
−13.0%
−22.8%
|
−22.8%
|
9 | 24.44 | 26 | 0 |
| Gaelscoil Dhun DealganDún Dealgan | 19892V | 214 |
−3.6%
0.0%
+4.4%
|
+4.4%
|
12 | 17.33 | 27 | 0 |
| Scoil Phadraig NaofaDundalk | 18186Q | 206 |
+2.5%
−6.4%
+35.5%
|
+35.5%
|
8 | 25.75 | 29 | 0 |
| Castletown RD ConventDundalk | 14651U | 191 |
+0.5%
+16.5%
−9.9%
|
−9.9%
|
10 | 19.10 | 23 | 0 |
| Scoil Mhuire gan SmálDundalk | 16749B | 189 |
−10.0%
−9.1%
+43.2%
|
+43.2%
|
8 | 23.62 | 29 | 0 |
| St. Mochta's National SchoolLouth Village | 01553W | 181 |
+24.8%
+6.5%
+84.7%
|
+84.7%
|
8 | 21.12 | 29 | 0 |
| S N an Tslanaitheora BDundalk | 19246N | 169 |
+38.5%
+101.2%
+20.7%
|
+20.7%
|
8 | 19.62 | 28 | 0 |
| S.N Eoin BaisteDundalk | 20163Q | 164 |
−10.9%
−5.7%
−23.4%
|
−23.4%
|
8 | 19.75 | 28 | 0 |
| St Nicholas Monastery NSDundalk | 16469S | 164 |
−5.2%
−3.0%
−20.4%
|
−20.4%
|
8 | 19.75 | 25 | 0 |
| SN Chill SarainCastlebellingham | 14207B | 161 |
−12.5%
−19.9%
−4.7%
|
−4.7%
|
7 | 19.57 | 28 | 0 |
| S N an Tslanaitheora CDundalk | 19247P | 160 |
+37.9%
+60.0%
−3.0%
|
−3.0%
|
8 | 16.38 | 19 | 0 |
| Dulargy Mixed N SRavensdale | 13670T | 150 |
−18.5%
−22.7%
0.0%
|
0.0%
|
6 | 25.00 | 30 | 1 |
| S N San NioclasDundalk | 18347O | 148 |
−4.5%
+22.3%
+46.5%
|
+46.5%
|
6 | 22.83 | 24 | 0 |
| Bellurgan N SDundalk | 16249E | 112 |
−13.2%
−19.4%
+28.7%
|
+28.7%
|
5 | 20.00 | 27 | 0 |
| Faughart Community National SchoolDundalk | 18391R | 102 |
+85.5%
+72.9%
+39.7%
|
+39.7%
|
4 | 25.50 | 31 | 1 |
| Dun Dealgan N SDundalk | 14069P | 84 |
−7.7%
0.0%
−9.7%
|
−9.7%
|
4 | 21.00 | 26 | 0 |
| Scoil BhrideHackballscross | 18382Q | 82 |
+164.5%
+203.7%
+100.0%
|
+100.0%
|
4 | 19.00 | 24 | 0 |
| Scoil Dairbhre MixedDundalk | 17315T | 71 |
−22.8%
−17.4%
−34.3%
|
−34.3%
|
4 | 17.75 | 24 | 0 |
No schools match that filter.