Carrickleck National School
Kingscourt, Meath
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 26 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 12 girls, 14 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 14348T the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Carrickleck National School is a small rural primary school located in north County Meath, approximately five kilometres from Kingscourt. The school serves a close‑knit community and operates with a modest staff complement that includes two teachers, a shared Learning Support teacher, a shared Resource teacher and a school secretary. Its educational ethos centres on providing high‑quality teaching and learning experiences, fostering strong partnerships with parents and the wider community to support pupil development. The school benefits from a range of modern facilities despite its rural setting. Recent enhancements include a dedicated SEN classroom, an upgraded car park equipped with an electronic gate, a new playing field with a separate astro‑turf pitch, and interactive SMART boards in the classrooms. These resources aim to create an engaging and inclusive learning environment that caters to the diverse needs of its pupils while encouraging active recreation and technology‑enhanced instruction.
History
Education in Carrickleck dates back almost two centuries. An early school, likely overseen by the Irish Society, was closed when the Society’s motives were questioned. A new school opened on 19 May 1856 in a thatched stone house along the north wall of the present site. In 1896 (plaque reads 1893) Fr Flood commissioned a purpose‑built school; the land was donated free of charge by landlord Mr Riordan, with the site purchased for £5 by tenant Frank Smith. Local craftsmen, including contractor Anthony O’Reilly, stonemasons Dan and James McConnon, carpenter Mick Ward and the Smith family who quarried stone, constructed the building. The first teacher was Mr Patterson. Over the decades the school weathered emigration, two World Wars and the Civil War, maintaining modest enrolments. A 1976 community‑led fundraising drive enabled extensive repairs and upgrades, leading to a new water supply (1978), concrete frontage, enlarged classrooms and lowered ceilings. Significant developments since 1983 include a prefabricated junior classroom (1983), window replacements (1987), full refurbishment and heating upgrades (1991), a major extension with new facilities (1993), tarmacked rear yard (1997), painting and appointment of a caretaker (2002), and the addition of a 24 m × 21 m astro‑turf pitch under the Summer Works Scheme (2010).
Applying to Carrickleck 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 Carrickleck 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 Carrickleck National School
How many pupils attend Carrickleck National School?
Carrickleck National School has 26 pupils enrolled, 12 girls and 14 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Carrickleck National School a DEIS school?
No. Carrickleck 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 Carrickleck National School?
Carrickleck National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.