Ballyconneely National School
Galway
Key facts
- DEIS
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 15 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 5 girls, 10 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 19290Q the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Ballyconneely National School is a small, mixed‑gender primary school situated in the rural heart of Connemara, County Galway. With a current roll of 27 pupils and two class teachers supported by a shared Special Education Teacher, the school delivers a holistic, Catholic‑ethos education that nurtures the social, emotional, moral, spiritual and intellectual development of each child. The learning environment is described as happy, safe and fun, encouraging pupils to reach their full potential while being respected and cherished. The school is equipped with modern teaching resources, including interactive flat‑screen displays in every classroom and access to iPads, supporting a digital‑focused curriculum. Extensive sports facilities comprise a basketball court, a full‑size pitch, a junior pitch and access to a community hall, complemented by newly purchased PE equipment. Additional amenities feature a new library (with classroom libraries), a modern kitchen, an Aistear room for early childhood learning, and dedicated spaces for gardening and sensory planting. A wide range of extracurricular activities, such as yoga, sean‑ós, drama, traditional music, golf, horse‑riding, chess, computer coding, Lego robotics, FitKids, Gaelic football, handball and swimming, further enrich the pupils’ experience. The school also participates in health‑promoting initiatives with the HSE, holds Green Flag and Blue Shield anti‑bullying awards, and engages in Erasmus and digital school projects.
Applying to Ballyconneely 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.
School-published admissions links
These links come from the school's published admissions material. Check the school year shown before relying on dates or place numbers.
National term dates 2026/27
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to Ballyconneely 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 Ballyconneely National School
How many pupils attend Ballyconneely National School?
Ballyconneely National School has 15 pupils enrolled, 5 girls and 10 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Ballyconneely National School a DEIS school?
Yes. Ballyconneely 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 Ballyconneely National School?
Ballyconneely National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.