O'connell School
Dublin 1, Dublin
Key facts
- DEIS
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 222 smaller than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 60440R the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
O'Connell Secondary School is a Catholic voluntary secondary school on North Richmond Street in Dublin's north inner city. Enrolment is 222 students. The school has DEIS status and operates under the Edmund Rice Schools Trust (ERST) charter. Students come mainly from the local area, including recent immigrants from Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia. The school is co-educational at repeat Leaving Certificate level. The curriculum includes the Junior Certificate, the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP), the Leaving Certificate Applied and a repeat Leaving Cert programme. Facilities include science labs, a games room, an outdoor sports arena, horticulture gardens, an aquaponics laboratory and a school library. The school also runs a P-Tech programme and a homework club with evening study. Past pupils have pursued careers in business, politics, the media, academia, music, sport and the Civil Service.
History
The school was founded in 1828 by Blessed Edmund Rice and the Congregation of the Christian Brothers, during the campaign for Catholic Emancipation. Daniel O'Connell laid the foundation stone on 9 June 1828. The school is named after him. Originally an all-boys school, it was established at a time when Penal Laws were still in statute and education opportunities were limited. The school joined the Edmund Rice Schools Trust (ERST) charter when it was launched in June 2008. A book titled "To the Cause of Liberality" by the Allen Library Project documents the school's history, including its early building development, life in the 1800s, and school times during rebellion and war in the 1900s.
Applying to O'connell 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 post-primary school dates apply broadly to O'connell 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: Mon 15 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027 (primary schools: Thu 18 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 O'connell School
How many pupils attend O'connell School?
O'connell School has 222 pupils enrolled. That makes it smaller than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is O'connell School a DEIS school?
Yes. O'connell 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 O'connell School?
O'connell School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed post-primary school.