Cappabue National School
Kealkill, Cork
Key facts
- DEIS
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 20 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 9 girls, 11 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 17011W the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Cappabue National School is a mixed, two‑teacher primary school under the patronage of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Cork, situated at the foot of the Shehy Mountains, about eleven miles north‑east of Bantry in County Cork. As the sole DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) school in the Bantry area, it benefits from additional funding that supports a range of initiatives for all pupils, including free school textbooks, free hot lunches and snacks, and a supervised 1:30 pm club for the infant classes together with a weekly after‑school club for the senior room. The school maintains a favourable pupil‑teacher ratio and provides extra learning support, as well as visiting specialists for drama, art, music and French, fostering a broad and balanced curriculum. The school places a strong emphasis on inclusive, caring community values and aims to empower pupils academically, personally and socially. Recent programmes include a LEGO robotics project funded in partnership with Cork Institute of Technology, which introduces coding to junior classes and enables senior pupils to design and programme their own robots. Staff also receive training in the Incredible Years and Friends for Life programmes, promoting resilience and lifelong coping skills. Facilities such as a safe‑matting area in the yard (An Cuan), regular swimming sessions, and creative projects like the Lighthouse Project and Art in Action exhibitions further enrich the learning environment and encourage creativity, confidence and critical thinking.
Applying to Cappabue 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 Cappabue 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 Cappabue National School
How many pupils attend Cappabue National School?
Cappabue National School has 20 pupils enrolled, 9 girls and 11 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Cappabue National School a DEIS school?
Yes. Cappabue 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 Cappabue National School?
Cappabue National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.