Castletown Girls School
Dundalk, Louth
Key facts
- DEIS
- Girls
- Pupils enrolled
- 191 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 14651U the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Castletown Girls' School is an all‑girls primary school situated on Castletown Road in Dundalk, County Louth. With a roll of roughly 190 pupils, the school provides a close‑knit learning community supported by a dedicated team of teachers, special‑needs assistants and support staff. The curriculum is enriched by a range of specialist programmes, including Reading Recovery, Literacy Lift‑Off, English as an Additional Language, Ready Set Go Maths, Maths Recovery, Friends for Life and the Weaving Wellbeing initiative, all designed to develop literacy, numeracy and personal wellbeing from an early age. The school benefits from modernised facilities such as a fully equipped preschool, specialist classrooms for music and practical subjects, and a recently resurfaced school yard. It is recognised as a School of Sanctuary and has earned Active Flags and Greenschool Flags, reflecting its commitment to inclusion, environmental awareness and community spirit. Extra‑curricular opportunities, notably a long‑standing school band and music instruction, encourage pupils to develop confidence and talent beyond the classroom.
History
Castletown Girls' School traces its origins to 14 September 1896 when Castletown National School opened for boys and girls on the northern side of Dundalk, blessed by Archbishop Dr M McSharry. The original building housed boys upstairs and girls downstairs, with teaching provided by the Sisters of Mercy, the De La Salle Brothers and lay staff. In 1915 a new building became the De La Salle Boys' Primary School, and the original premises were designated Castletown Girls' School. Subsequent renovations include a 1936 front‑area conversion to concrete footpaths, a 1942‑43 extension using 25 000 locally‑made bricks, the installation of electric heating (replaced by oil heating in 1982), ceiling lowering in 1980 and a tarmac‑surfaced yard in the 1980s. Historically the school offered cookery and laundry lessons and fostered a strong musical tradition, with its band achieving national competition success. Today the school continues to thrive, operating a preschool and maintaining its heritage of academic and practical education.
Applying to Castletown Girls 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 Castletown Girls 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 Castletown Girls School
How many pupils attend Castletown Girls School?
Castletown Girls School has 191 pupils enrolled. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Castletown Girls School a DEIS school?
Yes. Castletown Girls 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 Castletown Girls School?
Castletown Girls School has a Catholic ethos. It is a girls' primary school.