Mercy Convent
Killarney, Kerry
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 345 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 248 girls, 97 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 19487M the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Holy Cross Mercy School is a co‑educational Catholic primary school situated on New Road in Killarney, County Kerry. It welcomes children from Junior Infants to First Class in a mixed‑gender setting, after which the school continues as a girls‑only institution from 2nd to 6th Class. The school operates under the patronage of the Bishop of Kerry and embraces a strong Catholic ethos, centred on the guiding principle “Be Kind”, which underpins a culture of empathy, inclusion and respect for every pupil. The curriculum blends traditional teaching with contemporary methods and technology. As a Digital School of Distinction, every classroom is equipped with digital teaching devices and pupils have access to iPads to enhance learning. A pronounced focus on STEM education has earned the school multiple Curious Minds Awards. In addition, the school provides early‑intervention autism and language‑support teaching, promoting inclusive education for all learners. Holy Cross Mercy is also committed to the wider development of its students. It is recognised as an Active School, encouraging health, movement and wellbeing, and as a Green School, championing environmental responsibility. The school’s facilities support a vibrant, supportive environment where children can thrive academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.
History
Holy Cross Mercy School has been delivering education in Killarney since its foundation in 1888. Established under the patronage of the Bishop of Kerry, the school has grown from a small convent‑run institution to a modern primary school that retains its Catholic values while embracing contemporary teaching practices and technology.
Applying to Mercy Convent
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 Mercy Convent. 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 Mercy Convent
How many pupils attend Mercy Convent?
Mercy Convent has 345 pupils enrolled, 248 girls and 97 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Mercy Convent a DEIS school?
No. Mercy Convent 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 Mercy Convent?
Mercy Convent has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.