Muire Gan Smal C
Cork
Key facts
- DEIS
- Girls
- Pupils enrolled
- 297 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 293 girls, 4 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 17105I the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Glasheen Girls Primary School (C) is a Catholic‑patronage primary school situated on School Avenue, Glasheen, Co. Cork. The school’s mission is to holistically develop pupils to their full potential within a happy, safe and inclusive community, placing respect for the individual and a love of lifelong learning at the heart of everyday life. While rooted in the Catholic tradition, the school recognises and welcomes pupils of all faiths and promotes Irish as the language of communication throughout the school day. Its motto, *Imirt, foghlaim agus fas le chéile* – “Let us play, learn and grow together” – reflects a balanced emphasis on play‑based learning, academic rigour and personal development. The learning environment is modern and well‑equipped. Each classroom contains an interactive whiteboard, and the school boasts specialised spaces such as a resource room, a cookery room, an outdoor classroom, a newly built infant playground, a school garden and an indoor sensory room. Recent upgrades have also improved disabled access, ensuring the premises are welcoming to all pupils. In addition to the core curriculum, the school integrates early coding through Beebot robots, supports a range of extracurricular activities, including football, drama and local history trips, and participates in national programmes such as the Blue Star Initiative, fostering broader educational experiences beyond the classroom.
History
Scoil Mhuire gan Smál (C) first opened its doors on 1 September 1897 at the junction of Glasheen Road and Clashduv Road (now the Glenarden housing estate). In 1937 the school relocated to its present site on School Avenue, a short distance up the hill. The original premises were re‑opened in the late 1960s to meet the growing demand for places following new housing developments. A further expansion occurred in 1972 with the construction of a two‑storey building containing six classrooms and a school hall. In recent years the school has been upgraded with resource rooms, a cookery room, an outdoor classroom, a new infant playground, a school garden, interactive whiteboards in every classroom, an indoor sensory room and enhanced disabled‑access facilities.
Applying to Muire Gan Smal C
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
View Muire Gan Smal C's own calendar (2026/2027 school year)
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to Muire Gan Smal C. The school publishes its own calendar, linked above, and that is the authoritative source for its reopening date and discretionary closure days.
- 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 Muire Gan Smal C
How many pupils attend Muire Gan Smal C?
Muire Gan Smal C has 297 pupils enrolled, 293 girls and 4 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Muire Gan Smal C a DEIS school?
Yes. Muire Gan Smal C 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 Muire Gan Smal C?
Muire Gan Smal C has a Catholic ethos. It is a girls' primary school.