Ballinlough National School
Roscommon
Key facts
- DEIS
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 35 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 19 girls, 16 boys
- Ethos
- Church Of Ireland
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 11943S the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Ballinlough N S is a mixed Church of Ireland primary school in County Roscommon with 35 pupils enrolled. The school has DEIS status. It is located in the village of Ballinlough, which sits in the ancient parish of Kiltullagh near the borders of Mayo and Galway. The village has a population of approximately two hundred people. The area has a long history, with a Bronze Age dugout canoe recovered from nearby Lake O'Flynn dated to 1000BCE. The village developed as a market town, with the Roscommon Journal of 1922 reporting a post office, banks, a hotel, grocers, and various other businesses. Markets were held every Friday. The train station and market square made the town an important stop for political rallies. No subjects are taught through Irish at the school.
History
The village of Ballinlough, originally known as Baile Locha Ui Fhlionn, has a history dating back to the Bronze Age. A crannóg on Lake O'Flynn was inhabited until the middle of the 13th century, when dwellers moved ashore and built a ring fort. The O'Flynn family, close allies of the O'Connor high kings, were prominent Gaelic chieftains until the 16th century, when they were dispossessed by Elizabethan forces. Their castle was destroyed by Cromwell's army in 1650. The town's fortunes declined until the 1750s, when the Sandford family became landlords and began developing the town. The area suffered during the famines of 1845-47 and 1879. During the War of Independence, three local men were killed in an ambush at the RIC barracks.
Applying to Ballinlough 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 Ballinlough 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 Ballinlough National School
How many pupils attend Ballinlough National School?
Ballinlough National School has 35 pupils enrolled, 19 girls and 16 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Ballinlough National School a DEIS school?
Yes. Ballinlough National School 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 Ballinlough National School?
Ballinlough National School has a Church Of Ireland ethos. It is a mixed primary school.