SN Chonaill
Bun Beag · Roll number 18219F
- Catholic ethos
- DEIS
- Ordinary with Special Classes
- All subjects through Irish
- Gaeltacht
- Pupils in 2025/26
- 107
- −3 on 2024/25
- Over 10 years
- +53%
- Up 37 from 70 in 2015/16
- 4 classes in 2015/16, 5 now; average class 15.0 → 18.4
- Over 20 years: +9% from 98 in 2005/06
- Girls and boys
- 49 / 58
- 46% girls
Pupils since 1974
Total enrolment each school year
Shaded: the last 10 years, 2015/16 to 2025/26. 1983/84 is left out because its source file is incomplete, and no files exist for 1984/85 to 1992/93. Known data issues
Pupils by class
Published for each class from 2020/21.
This year, 2025/26
107 pupils across 8 classes
Every class, every year
Darker cells have more pupils. A group of pupils moves down one class and right one year.
| 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | 2025/26 | Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Infants | 14 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 16 | 13.2 |
| Senior Infants | 12 | 13 | 15 | 11 | 7 | 15 | 12.2 |
| 1st Class | 8 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 10 | 9 | 11.8 |
| 2nd Class | 5 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 9 | 11.2 |
| 3rd Class | 10 | 7 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 12.5 |
| 4th Class | 9 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 10.8 |
| 5th Class | 7 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 14 | 9.7 |
| 6th Class | 9 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 9.5 |
JI and SI are Junior and Senior Infants.
Started Junior Infants in 2024/25
14 in Junior Infants (2024/25), 15 in Senior Infants (2025/26): 1 pupil more.
- 14Junior Infants2024/25
- 15Senior Infants2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2023/24
10 in Junior Infants (2023/24), 9 in 1st Class (2025/26): 1 pupil fewer.
- 10Junior Infants2023/24
- 7Senior Infants2024/25
- 91st Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2022/23
10 in Junior Infants (2022/23), 9 in 2nd Class (2025/26): 1 pupil fewer.
- 10Junior Infants2022/23
- 11Senior Infants2023/24
- 101st Class2024/25
- 92nd Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2021/22
15 in Junior Infants (2021/22), 18 in 3rd Class (2025/26): 3 pupils more.
- 15Junior Infants2021/22
- 15Senior Infants2022/23
- 171st Class2023/24
- 162nd Class2024/25
- 183rd Class2025/26
Started Junior Infants in 2020/21
14 in Junior Infants (2020/21), 14 in 4th Class (2025/26): no change.
- 14Junior Infants2020/21
- 13Senior Infants2021/22
- 141st Class2022/23
- 132nd Class2023/24
- 143rd Class2024/25
- 144th Class2025/26
In Senior Infants in 2020/21
12 in Senior Infants (2020/21), 14 in 5th Class (2025/26): 2 pupils more.
- 12Senior Infants2020/21
- 131st Class2021/22
- 142nd Class2022/23
- 143rd Class2023/24
- 134th Class2024/25
- 145th Class2025/26
In 1st Class in 2020/21
8 in 1st Class (2020/21), 12 in 6th Class (2025/26): 4 pupils more.
- 81st Class2020/21
- 102nd Class2021/22
- 123rd Class2022/23
- 124th Class2023/24
- 115th Class2024/25
- 126th Class2025/26
In 2nd Class in 2020/21
5 in 2nd Class (2020/21), 8 in 6th Class (2024/25): 3 pupils more.
- 52nd Class2020/21
- 73rd Class2021/22
- 84th Class2022/23
- 75th Class2023/24
- 86th Class2024/25
In 3rd Class in 2020/21
10 in 3rd Class (2020/21), 11 in 6th Class (2023/24): 1 pupil more.
- 103rd Class2020/21
- 94th Class2021/22
- 105th Class2022/23
- 116th Class2023/24
In 4th Class in 2020/21
9 in 4th Class (2020/21), 10 in 6th Class (2022/23): 1 pupil more.
- 94th Class2020/21
- 95th Class2021/22
- 106th Class2022/23
In 5th Class in 2020/21
7 in 5th Class (2020/21), 7 in 6th Class (2021/22): no change.
- 75th Class2020/21
- 76th Class2021/22
Biggest one-year changes in a class
- +8Senior Infants in 2025/26 (7 to 15)
- −71st Class in 2024/25 (17 to 10)
Class sizes
Mainstream class groups, 2006/07 to 2025/26.
Why these won't match pupils by class
Mainstream class groups only. The source does not identify which standard/year group each class group belongs to. So these figures won't match the pupils-by-class figures exactly.
In 2025/26. Choose a figure to chart it.
Class sizes over time
Average class size, 2006/07 to 2025/26
Teachers
Who teaches at SN Chonaill, 2006/07 to 2025/26.
How we count teachers
Class teachers come from the Department of Education's class sizes: one for each mainstream class. Special education and special class teachers are the posts the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocates. We add a principal who doesn't teach a class where the Department's rules give the school one. These are posts, not people: part of a post can be a teacher shared with another school. Up to 2015/16 the Department counted every teacher itself. Known data issues
In 2025/26
10.8teaching posts
Our estimate: about 11 teachers.
- Class teachersOne for each of the 5 mainstream classes 5
- PrincipalDoesn't teach a class: schools with two or more special classes have a full-time principal 1
- Special education teachers45 hours of support teaching a week 1.8
- Special class teachersFor an early intervention class, an autism class and a multiple disabilities class 3
10.49 special needs assistants (SNAs) also work with pupils. 15 pupils are in special classes, which the class sizes leave out.
The NCSE has allocated 1.8 special education teachers, 3 special class teachers and 10.49 SNAs for next year.
Teachers since 2006/07
Teachers each school year, by role
To 2015/16: the Department of Education's count of every teacher. From 2019/20: our estimate, from class sizes and the NCSE's allocations. Dashed boxes: no special education figures were published for those years, so only class teachers and the principal are shown. Where there's no principal bar, the principal also taught a class. Known data issues
Sources: Department of Education class sizes and teacher counts; NCSE school allocations and special classes (CC BY 4.0).
Nearby schools
The 6 primary schools closest to SN Chonaill, measured in a straight line. Pupil numbers are for 2025/26.
| Number on map | School | Distance | Pupils | Since 2015/16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SN ChonaillThis school | – | 107 |
+52.9%
|
|
| 1 | Scoil Mhuire B&C2.0 km · Leitir Ceanainn · Gaelscoil · DEIS · Gaeltacht | 2.0 km | 97 |
−32.6%
|
| 2 | S N Olibhear Pluinceid2.8 km · Anagaire · Gaelscoil · DEIS · Gaeltacht | 2.8 km | 61 |
−26.5%
|
| 3 | Scoil Phadraig3.7 km · Leitir Ceanainn · Gaelscoil · DEIS · Gaeltacht | 3.7 km | 103 |
+15.7%
|
| 4 | S N Adhamhnain4.3 km · Leitir Ceanainn · Gaelscoil · DEIS · Gaeltacht | 4.3 km | 131 |
−6.4%
|
| 5 | S N Dhubhthaigh4.4 km · Leitir Ceanainn · Gaelscoil · DEIS · Gaeltacht | 4.4 km | 91 |
0.0%
|
| 6 | S N Loch an Iubhair6.4 km · Leitir Ceanainn · Gaelscoil · DEIS · Gaeltacht | 6.4 km | 25 |
−43.2%
|
What parents would prefer
In the Department of Education and Youth's Primary School Survey (November–December 2025), parents said whether they would prefer this school to be co-educational or single-sex, to have a denominational or multi-denominational patron, and to teach through Irish or English. These are preferences, not applications or enrolments.
Children at this school
Their parents: 8 of 39 households answered (20%). The true figures are likely within 25.1 points either way.
Patron
Teaching language
Boys and girls
Children not yet at school
Fewer than 30 parents of children not yet at school chose this school, so the Department didn't publish their answers.
The bracket shows the margin of error the Department published for this school: 25.1 points either way.
| Parents of | Multi-denominational | Through Irish | Single-sex |
|---|---|---|---|
| This school · children at school | 38% | 75% | 0% |
| Gweedore planning area · children at school | 26% | 75% | 2% |
| Gweedore planning area · children not yet at school | 32% | 92% | 1% |
| Ireland · children at school | 44% | 20% | 5% |
| Ireland · children not yet at school | 47% | 26% | 6% |
Source: Department of Education and Youth, Primary School Survey results, published 23 June 2026. Planning-area and Ireland figures also count parents at schools where too few answered for the school to get its own results. About these figures
About this school
Inspection reports open on gov.ie, under the name the school had when it was inspected. They describe specific areas of the school's work rather than giving an overall grade. Newer schools may not have one yet.
Contact
- Principal
- Pádraig Mac Grianna
- Phone
- 0876685115
- [email protected]
- Address
- Machaire Chlochair, Bun Beag, Co. Dhún na nGall, F92 DD30
School
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Patron
- Bishop of Raphoe
- School type
- Ordinary with Special Classes
- School level
- All Through
- DEIS
- DEIS
Language and area
- Irish classification
- All subjects through Irish
- Gaeltacht
- Gaeltacht
- Island
- Not on an island
- Local authority
- Donegal County Council
- Planning area
- Gweedore
Each detail is the latest one the Department of Education has recorded for this school. If a detail was left blank in 2025/26, we show it from an earlier year, so some details may be older than the pupil numbers. Known data issues
Data by year
42 school years from 1974/75 to 2025/26. Class figures start in 2020/21.
| Year | Total | Girls | Boys | JI | SI | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | 107 | 49 | 58 | 16 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 12 |
| 2024/25 | 110 | 50 | 60 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 8 |
| 2023/24 | 111 | 50 | 61 | 10 | 11 | 17 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 7 | 11 |
| 2022/23 | 103 | 45 | 58 | 10 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| 2021/22 | 93 | 43 | 50 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 |
| 2020/21 | 86 | 40 | 46 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 9 |
| 2019/20 | 87 | 36 | 51 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2018/19 | 81 | 29 | 52 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2017/18 | 73 | 26 | 47 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2016/17 | 69 | 24 | 45 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2015/16 | 70 | 27 | 43 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2014/15 | 66 | 24 | 42 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2013/14 | 72 | 26 | 46 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2012/13 | 74 | 30 | 44 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2011/12 | 78 | 33 | 45 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2010/11 | 90 | 35 | 55 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2009/10 | 90 | 31 | 59 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2008/09 | 92 | 34 | 58 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2007/08 | 100 | 44 | 56 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2006/07 | 98 | 47 | 51 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2005/06 | 98 | 46 | 52 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2004/05 | 102 | 47 | 55 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2003/04 | 107 | 49 | 58 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2002/03 | 100 | 50 | 50 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2001/02 | 124 | 64 | 60 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2000/01 | 118 | 59 | 59 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1999/00 | 125 | 60 | 65 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1998/99 | 125 | 59 | 66 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1997/98 | 119 | 56 | 63 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1996/97 | 118 | 63 | 55 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1995/96 | 107 | 59 | 48 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1994/95 | 109 | 61 | 48 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1993/94 | 116 | 64 | 52 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1982/83 | 193 | 93 | 100 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1981/82 | 188 | 91 | 97 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1980/81 | 179 | 82 | 97 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1979/80 | 176 | 86 | 90 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1978/79 | 200 | 94 | 106 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1977/78 | 195 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1976/77 | 197 | 94 | 103 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1975/76 | 182 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1974/75 | 155 | 75 | 80 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |