Ardscoil Rath Iomgháin
Kildare
Key facts
- DEIS
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 751 larger than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 380 girls, 371 boys
- Ethos
- Multi Denominational
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 70730J the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Ardscoil Rath Iomgháin is a co‑educational secondary school situated in Rathangan, County Kildare, operating under the Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB). The school follows the ETBI ethos, placing the five key values of Care, Respect, Community, Equality and Excellence in Education at the heart of its daily life. A holistic approach is evident through a balanced focus on academic achievement and a wide range of extra‑curricular activities, including Gaelic football, basketball, athletics, golf, debating, choir, traditional music, photography, guitar lessons and Zumba classes. The campus combines modern and purpose‑built facilities: a main building opened in 1986, a library (1993), a sports hall added in 2006, and further extensions completed in 2011. Outdoor fields and additional prefabricated classrooms support both sport and flexible learning spaces. The school also maintains strong community links, organising fundraising events, a yearly road race in memory of a former pupil, and collaborative projects with local day‑care centres and senior citizens, fostering responsibility and social awareness among students.
History
1971 – Sisters of Mercy convent amalgamated with Kildare VEC, operating from two buildings to provide an Inter Cert. 1975 – First senior cycle introduced; school operated from three buildings (Convent, old vocational school, old primary boys school). 1977 – First Leaving Certificate exam held. 1986 – Relocated to a new purpose‑built building on a new site. 1989 – Development of school fields. 1993 – Construction of a dedicated library. 2006 – New extension added, including a sports hall. 2011 – Current extension built. Additional prefabricated classrooms added from the early 1990s, with further units erected as recently as 2009.
Applying to Ardscoil Rath Iomgháin
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 Ardscoil Rath Iomgháin. 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 Ardscoil Rath Iomgháin
How many pupils attend Ardscoil Rath Iomgháin?
Ardscoil Rath Iomgháin has 751 pupils enrolled, 380 girls and 371 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is Ardscoil Rath Iomgháin a DEIS school?
Yes. Ardscoil Rath Iomgháin is part of DEIS, the Department of Education programme called Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools. DEIS schools serve communities at risk of educational disadvantage and receive additional supports, which can include smaller classes, extra teaching posts and funding for books and meals.
What is the ethos of Ardscoil Rath Iomgháin?
Ardscoil Rath Iomgháin has a Multi Denominational ethos. It is a mixed post-primary school.