Coláiste Abhainn Rí
Callan, Kilkenny
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 706 larger than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 283 girls, 423 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 68425P the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Coláiste Abhainn Rí is a co-educational Catholic secondary school in Callan, County Kilkenny. The school is under the trusteeship of CEIST and the Edmund Rice Schools Trust. Enrolment stands at 706 students. The school offers the Junior Certificate, Leaving Certificate and Transition Year programmes. Transition Year students take modules across a broad range of subjects including Agricultural Science, Business, Chemistry, Construction, Engineering, English, French, Gaeilge, Geography, History, Home Economics, Music, Physics, Politics, Spanish and others. Students also participate in workshops and activities covering areas such as music, forensics, rugby, team-building, acting, barbering, hairdressing and law. The year includes an annual musical, a trip abroad and work towards the GAISCE President's Award. The school describes itself as rooted in the values of Catherine McAuley and Blessed Edmund Rice. A building project is listed among the school's current developments.
Applying to Coláiste Abhainn Rí
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 post-primary school dates apply broadly to Coláiste Abhainn Rí. 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: Mon 15 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027 (primary schools: Thu 18 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 Coláiste Abhainn Rí
How many pupils attend Coláiste Abhainn Rí?
Coláiste Abhainn Rí has 706 pupils enrolled, 283 girls and 423 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is Coláiste Abhainn Rí a DEIS school?
No. Coláiste Abhainn Rí 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 Coláiste Abhainn Rí?
Coláiste Abhainn Rí has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed post-primary school.