Barna National School
Limerick
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 35 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 18 girls, 17 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 16439J the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Barna National School is a small, co‑educational rural primary school located in the parish of Pallasgreen & Templebraden, County Limerick, with the Galtee Mountains providing a scenic backdrop. The school serves around 60 pupils from the local community and surrounding areas, offering a nurturing environment that balances academic rigour with the spiritual, moral, physical and cultural development of each child. Its mission is to create a caring, happy and secure setting where pupils can explore their talents, become confident learners and active members of the wider community. The school benefits from recent upgrades, including a new wing with indoor toilets and a modern cloakroom, and a 2011 refurbishment that transformed the original three‑room layout into two bright, spacious classrooms for junior and senior classes. Facilities also include a dedicated ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) class opened in 2026, hot lunch provision, and a range of extracurricular programmes such as debating, science blasts, a Junior Entrepreneur Project, choir and peace prom. The school’s commitment to holistic education is reflected in its attainment of the Green Flag, Active School Flag, 5‑Star GAA Centre award, Pieta House Amber Flag and Health‑Promoting School status.
History
Barna National School was built in 1929 with three rooms – two classrooms and a combined lunchroom/hall – and external cloakrooms and a shed for outdoor toilets. Electricity arrived in 1953 under the Rural Electrification Scheme. In 1965 the Parent Association installed flush toilets and wash basins in an outdoor block. A major fundraising effort in 1994 saw the middle room converted into a third classroom, the addition of a telephone, carpet laying and various repairs. A new wing with indoor toilets and a cloakroom was added in 1998, repurposing the old outdoor block for storage. Summer 2011 works removed the original wooden partitions, creating two bright, spacious rooms for junior and senior classes.
Applying to Barna 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 Barna 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 Barna National School
How many pupils attend Barna National School?
Barna National School has 35 pupils enrolled, 18 girls and 17 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Barna National School a DEIS school?
No. Barna 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 Barna National School?
Barna National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.