Abbey Community College
Ferrybank, Kilkenny
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 1,004 larger than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 481 girls, 523 boys
- Ethos
- Inter Denominational
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 76082H the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
About
Abbey Community College is a co-educational secondary school in Ferrybank, Kilkenny, under the direction of Kilkenny Carlow Education and Training Board. The college operates in partnership with the RSHM sisters and reflects the values and ethos of both founding partners. The campus includes modern classrooms, technical rooms, laboratories with up-to-date IT facilities, and three student canteens. The curriculum includes Junior Cycle, Transition Year, Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied, Leaving Certificate: Life, Community and Work, Level 1 and Level 2 Learning Programmes, and a Pod Programme. The school also offers a range of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities including music, choir, student leadership programmes and an LGBTQ+ Allies Group. The college's motto is "Together Towards Excellence."
Applying to Abbey Community College
For a September 2027 place, a school's formal admissions process cannot begin before 1 October 2026. The school sets its own opening and closing dates in its annual admission notice.
National term dates 2026/27
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide post-primary school dates apply broadly to Abbey Community College. Individual schools set their own discretionary closure days, confirm exact dates with the school.
- October Mid-Term Break: Mon 26 Oct – Fri 30 Oct 2026
- Christmas Holidays: Wed 23 Dec 2026 – Tue 5 Jan 2027
- February Mid-Term Break: Mon 15 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027 (primary schools: Thu 18 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027)
- Easter Holidays: Mon 22 Mar – Sun 4 Apr 2027
Primary schools close for the last two days of the February mid-term week and may use discretionary days to take the full week, so their break can be shorter than post-primary schools'.
Frequently asked questions about Abbey Community College
How many pupils attend Abbey Community College?
Abbey Community College has 1,004 pupils enrolled, 481 girls and 523 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is Abbey Community College a DEIS school?
No. Abbey Community College is not part of DEIS, the Department of Education programme of additional supports for schools serving communities at risk of educational disadvantage. Not holding DEIS status says nothing about how good a school is, only about the profile of the community it serves.
What is the ethos of Abbey Community College?
Abbey Community College has an Inter Denominational ethos. It is a mixed post-primary school.