New Quay National School
BURRIN, Clare
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 31 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 19 girls, 12 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 19043W the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
About
New Quay National School (St Colman’s) is a Catholic primary school situated in the heart of the Burren, County Clare. It provides education for children from Junior Infants to Sixth Class and also hosts the Burren Preschool, an early childhood care and education (ECCE) programme. The school follows the Primary Schools’ Curriculum, placing equal emphasis on spiritual, moral, cognitive, emotional, imaginative, aesthetic, social and physical development. A safe, caring environment underpinned by a Catholic ethos is maintained, while respect for all other beliefs is actively promoted. The school operates with two full‑time teachers and a shared Special Educational Needs (SET) teacher, supported by a dedicated after‑school programme and a range of extracurricular activities. Facilities include a school greenhouse used for hands‑on science and environmental learning, and regular STEM mornings in the senior room. Creative pursuits are encouraged through art, music, drama, and digital platforms such as Minecraft and Scratch, while sport and community involvement form an integral part of the pupils’ experience. The school’s ethos fosters values of respect, honesty, courtesy, responsibility, tolerance and consideration, encouraging strong partnerships with parents and the wider community.
Applying to New Quay 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 New Quay 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 New Quay National School
How many pupils attend New Quay National School?
New Quay National School has 31 pupils enrolled, 19 girls and 12 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is New Quay National School a DEIS school?
No. New Quay 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 New Quay National School?
New Quay National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.