Barnacogue National School
Swinford, Mayo
Key facts
- DEIS
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 18 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 7 girls, 11 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 15113U the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
At Barnacogue, Swinford, Co. Mayo, this small Catholic primary school is also known as St James' National School, or S.N. Shéamais. Enrolment is 18 pupils, taught in a junior and a senior room, and the school has DEIS status. It was nominated to the DCU Changemaker Schools Network in 2021 and works with other schools in that network on research and classroom practice. Science and maths run through the year, with activities during Science Week, Engineers Week and Maths Week, IZAK 9 maths sessions, and a science challenge day where parents joined groups of pupils to build a parachute from a bag, string and straws that could bring an egg to the ground unbroken. Biodiversity is a further strand of the work: pupils have mapped habitats on the school grounds, built a bug hotel, fed birds and gardened, planting bulbs and taking cuttings from willow, gooseberry and rose. The school has also taken part in the Creative Schools programme, making a short film called 'No Ordinary Onion'.
Applying to Barnacogue 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 Barnacogue 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 Barnacogue National School
How many pupils attend Barnacogue National School?
Barnacogue National School has 18 pupils enrolled, 7 girls and 11 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Barnacogue National School a DEIS school?
Yes. Barnacogue 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 Barnacogue National School?
Barnacogue National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.