Holy Spirit Girls National School
Ballymun, Dublin
Key facts
- DEIS
- Girls
- Pupils enrolled
- 249 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 19209H the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Holy Spirit Girls National School is a Catholic primary school situated on Sillogue Road in Ballymun, Dublin 11, providing education for girls from Junior Infants through to Sixth Class. The school’s ethos is rooted in Christian values and a child‑centred philosophy that seeks to nurture the spiritual, emotional, moral, cognitive, social and imaginative development of each pupil. A supportive and inclusive environment is promoted, with a strong emphasis on partnership with parents and the wider community, ensuring that every child is encouraged to reach her full potential. The curriculum is complemented by a broad range of extra‑curricular activities, including sport, music, art, crafts and dance, allowing pupils to explore interests beyond the classroom. Facilities have been progressively developed: the campus now comprises modernised classrooms, a dedicated cookery room, an All‑Purpose Room, a refurbished school hall and administration block linked by a glass‑walkway, as well as dedicated spaces for learning support. With a team of qualified teachers, special needs assistants and ancillary staff, the school is well‑equipped to deliver a balanced, holistic education in a caring, secure and well‑ordered setting.
History
Holy Spirit GNS was founded in 1968 under the patronage of the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Charles McQuaid, originally operating from St Pappin’s School. While the permanent building was under construction, temporary prefabricated classrooms were erected on the current playground site. The school hall served as the parish church until 1979. Initial facilities included 16 classrooms and a cookery room; in 1973 an additional six classrooms and an All‑Purpose Room were added, expanding enrolment to 1,052 pupils and 30 staff. A learning support teacher was appointed in 1976 and a special class introduced in 1977 (disbanded in 2011). Major refurbishments occurred in 1993 (main building) and 2004‑2005 (administration block and hall, linked by a glass walkway). Today the school employs 23 teachers, four SNA’s and ancillary staff, continuing its tradition of a friendly, caring, child‑centred community.
Applying to Holy Spirit Girls 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 Holy Spirit Girls 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 Holy Spirit Girls National School
How many pupils attend Holy Spirit Girls National School?
Holy Spirit Girls National School has 249 pupils enrolled. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Holy Spirit Girls National School a DEIS school?
Yes. Holy Spirit Girls National 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 Holy Spirit Girls National School?
Holy Spirit Girls National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a girls' primary school.