Coláiste Muire Máthair
Galway
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 738 larger than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 316 girls, 422 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 68405J the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Coláiste Muire Máthair is a co-educational Catholic secondary school in Galway city, formed through the amalgamation of two existing schools. Enrolment is approximately 738 students. The school operates under the joint trusteeship of CEIST and the Galway Diocese. The curriculum includes the Junior Cycle, Transition Year, Senior Cycle and the Leaving Certificate Applied programme. The school also offers a range of extracurricular activities including athletics, soccer, basketball and science events. Support services include counselling, pastoral care and a Home School Community Liaison. The school has been designated a School of Sanctuary and has an active student council. The name Coláiste Muire Máthair was chosen by the Joint Patrons to reflect the historical and cultural traditions of the two schools that came together to form it.
Applying to Coláiste Muire Máthair
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 Muire Máthair. 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 Muire Máthair
How many pupils attend Coláiste Muire Máthair?
Coláiste Muire Máthair has 738 pupils enrolled, 316 girls and 422 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is Coláiste Muire Máthair a DEIS school?
No. Coláiste Muire Máthair 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 Muire Máthair?
Coláiste Muire Máthair has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed post-primary school.