Ballyhea National School
Rathluirc, Cork
Key facts
- DEIS
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 141 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 78 girls, 63 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 17112F the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
About
Ballyhea National School is a co-educational Catholic primary school in the village of Ballyhea in North Cork, with 141 pupils enrolled. The school has DEIS status. Facilities include interactive whiteboards, classroom resources, a small garden and a large outdoor play area. Pupils take part in sporting competitions, school quizzes and French lessons. The school motto is "Oideachas agus Cairdeas" (Education and Friendship). The curriculum follows the Primary School Curriculum introduced in 1999 and the Primary Language Curriculum introduced in 2019. Religious knowledge is taught daily using the Grow in Love series. Infant classes use Aistear, the early childhood curriculum framework, with an hour of play each day focused on active learning and oral language development. Irish is taught daily and supported by Irish-language signs and posters around the school.
Applying to Ballyhea 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 Ballyhea 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 Ballyhea National School
How many pupils attend Ballyhea National School?
Ballyhea National School has 141 pupils enrolled, 78 girls and 63 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Ballyhea National School a DEIS school?
Yes. Ballyhea 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 Ballyhea National School?
Ballyhea National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.