Cashelshanaghan National School
Letterkenny, Donegal
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 28 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 13 girls, 15 boys
- Ethos
- Presbyterian
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 15170J the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Cashelshanaghan National School is a small, two‑teacher primary school situated four miles outside Letterkenny on the R245 (Letterkenny‑Ramelton Road). Operating under the patronage of the Presbytery of Derry & Donegal, the school maintains a low pupil‑to‑teacher ratio that enables a child‑centred approach, encouraging both challenge and support to foster a lifelong love of learning. The curriculum blends the Irish national programme with the Aistear framework for early years, and integrates digital learning through shared tablets, allowing pupils to develop ICT skills across subjects. The school’s facilities comprise two classrooms: the historic senior room housed in the original 1897 building and a modern junior room added in 2005, both described as airy and welcoming spaces. A strong emphasis is placed on holistic development, with a wide range of extracurricular activities including swimming, gymnastics, music, drama, paired reading, and participation in the Green Schools, Peace IV, and Active Schools programmes. These initiatives promote environmental awareness, shared education, and physical wellbeing, creating a vibrant, inclusive community for pupils.
History
Cashelshanaghan National School was built in 1897 and operated as a one‑teacher school until 1996. The original building now accommodates the senior classes. In 2005 the school was extended with a new classroom for junior classes, sympathetically linking the old and new structures to provide a warm, colourful environment for pupils and staff.
Applying to Cashelshanaghan 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.
School-published admissions links
These links come from the school's published admissions material. Check the school year shown before relying on dates or place numbers.
National term dates 2026/27
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to Cashelshanaghan 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 Cashelshanaghan National School
How many pupils attend Cashelshanaghan National School?
Cashelshanaghan National School has 28 pupils enrolled, 13 girls and 15 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Cashelshanaghan National School a DEIS school?
No. Cashelshanaghan 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 Cashelshanaghan National School?
Cashelshanaghan National School has a Presbyterian ethos. It is a mixed primary school.