Coláiste Mhuire
Galway
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 306 smaller than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 160 girls, 146 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 62900M the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
About
Coláiste Mhuire in Ballygar, Co. Galway, is a mixed Catholic secondary school with an enrolment of 306 students. The school describes itself as a voluntary secondary school that originated within the local community and remains run in trust by community members. It is not a diocesan school nor part of a Catholic educational trust. The curriculum includes the Junior Cycle, Transition Year and Senior Cycle. The school also highlights extracurricular activities such as sport, music and a student council. Its stated approach to education is about fostering a lifelong love for learning. The school is located beside Aghrane forest in the centre of Ballygar.
History
Coláiste Mhuire was established through the efforts of Tadhg O'Connor, a visiting Department of Agriculture civil servant, who saw that local children had little opportunity to progress to second level education. Working with others in the Ballygar community, he helped bring about the opening of the school in September 1948. In 2016, the school community held a celebration honouring O'Connor's legacy, and a memorial in his name was unveiled and now hangs in the school.
Applying to Coláiste Mhuire
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 Mhuire. 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 Mhuire
How many pupils attend Coláiste Mhuire?
Coláiste Mhuire has 306 pupils enrolled, 160 girls and 146 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is Coláiste Mhuire a DEIS school?
No. Coláiste Mhuire 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 Mhuire?
Coláiste Mhuire has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed post-primary school.