Ardagh National School
Ardagh, Limerick
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 82 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 37 girls, 45 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 14075K the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
St. Molua’s National School is a small, co‑educational Catholic primary school serving the village of Ardagh in West Limerick. With an enrolment of around 84 pupils, the school provides a structured, caring and secure environment that nurtures intellectual, spiritual, physical, moral and cultural development. The curriculum is complemented by a strong emphasis on digital literacy through the use of G Suite and Google Classroom, allowing pupils to collaborate on projects and develop essential ICT skills. The school benefits from a range of facilities and extracurricular programmes. A community playing field, donated by John T. Langford, supports outdoor activities, while partnerships with local organisations enable swimming lessons at Askeaton Leisure Centre and regular coaching for Gaelic games and soccer. Creative and scientific pursuits are encouraged through weekly tin‑whistle tuition, a Discover Primary Science programme that focuses on STEM, and a literacy initiative. These opportunities aim to build confidence, teamwork and a love of learning beyond the classroom.
History
The present school is the fourth National School in Ardagh. The first, dating from the 1830s, stood at Ardvone and was later replaced by a Garda barracks. A second school operated opposite Drews, with a possible private school at Danaher’s Stables. The third school, built in 1894 at Ministerland, closed in 1964 and now serves as Ardagh’s Community Hall. The current school opened in 1964 on land and a playing field donated by John T. Langford, initially comprising five classrooms, a staff room, an office and separate shelters for boys and girls. In 1969 it amalgamated with Ballyloughane NS, adding three classrooms, and until 1972 functioned as separate boys’ and girls’ schools each with its own principal.
Applying to Ardagh National School
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 primary school dates apply broadly to Ardagh National School. 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: Thu 18 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027 (post-primary schools: Mon 15 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 Ardagh National School
How many pupils attend Ardagh National School?
Ardagh National School has 82 pupils enrolled, 37 girls and 45 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Ardagh National School a DEIS school?
No. Ardagh National School 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 Ardagh National School?
Ardagh National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.