Ransboro National School
Knocknahur, Sligo
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 247 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 115 girls, 132 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 19635B the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Ransboro National School is a mainstream primary school serving children from Junior Infants to 6th class, with two special classes that cater for a range of learning needs. The school fosters an inclusive environment where kindness, respect and safety are central to daily life. A collaborative partnership between pupils, parents, the Board of Management and the Parents’ Association underpins a rich educational experience aimed at helping every child reach their full potential, both academically and personally. The campus combines the original six‑classroom layout with a series of extensions that now provide a spacious hall/gym, a modern library and computer room, dedicated learning‑support facilities and a well‑equipped staff area that overlooks the playground. Additional provisions include a disabled‑access toilet, a teachers’ servery and a principal’s office. The school’s Catholic ethos is celebrated through regular masses, assemblies with religious themes and a school choir, while children of all faiths and none are warmly welcomed and encouraged to develop intellectually, physically, culturally, morally and spiritually. Located in Knocknahur, Co. Sligo, the school benefits from close ties to the local community and the nearby Star of the Sea (Ransboro) Church, offering a supportive setting for both curricular and extra‑curricular activities such as sports, visual arts and karate.
History
Ransboro National School (Scoil Réalt na Maidne) was constructed in 1980‑81 as a six‑teacher school, replacing the smaller Knocknarea (four‑teacher) and Kilmacowen (two‑teacher) schools. Its name derives from the historic “Mass Rock” known as “Wrens Burrow”, later Anglicised to Ransboro. The original building comprised six classrooms, a hall/gym, kitchen, staff room and a library/medical room. In 1985 the library/medical room was extended to create a seventh classroom; a part‑time learning‑support teacher was added in 1993. A major refurbishment in 2001 added a new classroom, a spacious learning‑support room, a library/computer room and a resource‑teacher classroom, while the former staff room was converted into an upgraded staff area with playground observation facilities, a teachers’ servery, a disabled‑access toilet and the principal’s office.
Applying to Ransboro 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 Ransboro 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 Ransboro National School
How many pupils attend Ransboro National School?
Ransboro National School has 247 pupils enrolled, 115 girls and 132 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Ransboro National School a DEIS school?
No. Ransboro 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 Ransboro National School?
Ransboro National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.