Coomhola National School
Bantry, Cork
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 85 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 39 girls, 46 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 15646J the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Coomhola National School is a small, four‑teacher, co‑educational primary school situated in the picturesque Borlin Valley, midway between Bantry and Glengarriff in County Cork. The school forms an integral part of the Coomhola/Borlin community, lying adjacent to St Joseph’s Church and the Coomhola Playgroup, and benefits from close links with local families and community groups. Its rural setting provides a tranquil learning environment while still offering a full programme of extracurricular activities. The school follows a balanced educational approach that combines a strong academic curriculum with a wide range of cultural and sporting events. The published academic calendar for 2025‑2026 highlights regular activities such as a sports day, book fairs, concerts, and community‑focused days like Grandparents’ Day and World Book Day. These events reflect the school’s commitment to fostering personal development, creativity and social responsibility alongside core subjects. Small class sizes enable personalised attention, and the school’s location near the playgroup and local church supports a vibrant, community‑centred ethos.
History
The origins of education in the Coomhola area date back to the early 19th century, when the parish of Kilmocomogue hosted numerous “pay schools” and a few “free schools”. In 1848 the District Inspector of National Schools applied for state support for Coomhola School, noting the dense local population of small farmers, cottiers and labourers. On 1 January 1849 the famine‑time school at Drumduff, then a modest stone‑and‑mud building with poor ventilation, was transferred to Cooryleary, about half a mile west of the present site. The new premises, a thatched farmhouse‑style structure, accommodated 70 pupils, most of whom attended gratuitously. After the dismissal of the first teacher, Mr Purcell, in 1851, Mr Michael Breen took charge, teaching children from up to three miles away. The mixed school welcomed pupils of all denominations and offered a broad curriculum that included reading, spelling, writing, arithmetic, grammar, geography, needlework and agriculture. The school served the community for nearly three decades before evolving into the modern Coomhola National School.
Applying to Coomhola 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.
National term dates 2026/27
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to Coomhola 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 Coomhola National School
How many pupils attend Coomhola National School?
Coomhola National School has 85 pupils enrolled, 39 girls and 46 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Coomhola National School a DEIS school?
No. Coomhola 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 Coomhola National School?
Coomhola National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.