Kilmagner National School
Fermoy, Cork
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 52 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 22 girls, 30 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 11337W the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Kilmagner National School is a Catholic co‑educational primary school under the patronage of the Bishop of Cloyne. Its ethos is built around respect for people and property, fostering a sense of belonging and a welcoming environment for all pupils. The school currently educates around sixty‑three children with a dedicated team of staff, and it places a strong emphasis on holistic development, integrating intellectual, physical, cultural, moral and spiritual growth in line with its Catholic values. The campus combines modern learning facilities with a traditional façade. There are three mainstream classrooms, two Special Educational Needs (S.E.T.) rooms and a sensory room, each equipped with interactive whiteboards and laptops to extend learning. Outdoor provision includes tarmac and grass playing fields, an all‑weather soft‑surface area for younger children, a school garden and a polytunnel. Recent refurbishments have added a multi‑purpose room, learning support and resource rooms, adult disabled‑access toilets, and a light‑filled corridor linking the old and new buildings, all complemented by a car park.
History
Kilmagner National School opened on 17 June 1878 with two separate classrooms for boys and girls. The first principal was Patrick Walsh (1878‑1911), assisted by Mary K. Walsh, and local tradition suggests a hedge school may have operated nearby before this date. Throughout its history the school has served as a community hub, hosting dances, plays and, today, the annual Christmas show “Seo na Nollag”. A major redevelopment began in May 2008, adding three new classrooms, a storage room, new toilets and cloakrooms, two Learning Support and Resource Rooms, adult disabled facilities, a multi‑purpose room, office and staffroom, all linked by a bright corridor while preserving the original façade. The building was further extended and refurbished in 2009 and again in 2022, resulting in a modern school with excellent facilities.
Applying to Kilmagner 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 Kilmagner 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 Kilmagner National School
How many pupils attend Kilmagner National School?
Kilmagner National School has 52 pupils enrolled, 22 girls and 30 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Kilmagner National School a DEIS school?
No. Kilmagner 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 Kilmagner National School?
Kilmagner National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.