Rockchapel National School
Rockchapel, Cork
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 38 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 18 girls, 20 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 17763A the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
About
With 38 pupils, this mixed rural primary school serves the parish of Rockchapel in the north west of Co. Cork, and takes girls and boys from 4 to 12 years of age. Rockchapel National School, also known as Scoil Náisiúnta Séipéal na Carraige, sits within the diocese of Cloyne, with the Catholic Bishop of Cloyne as patron. The village it overlooks lies in the Mullaghereirk mountains near the river Feale, on the R576 regional road. Staffing covers mainstream class teachers and support teachers, along with a part-time secretary, a caretaker and a cleaner. Converted classroom space now holds a library and a staff room. Gaelic football and traditional music are prominent in the surrounding area, which forms part of the barony of Duhallow and the Sliabh Luachra district, where the GAA and Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Eireann are both active. The school gives its motto as Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí.
History
The current school building dates from 1951. It took the place of an earlier school in the village, which was later demolished, and houses now stand on that site. An extension in 1974 added three classrooms. The older rooms were then taken out of use as classrooms and reworked into a single large Purpose Room, and that space has since been converted again to provide a library and a staff room.
Applying to Rockchapel 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 Rockchapel 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 Rockchapel National School
How many pupils attend Rockchapel National School?
Rockchapel National School has 38 pupils enrolled, 18 girls and 20 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Rockchapel National School a DEIS school?
No. Rockchapel 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 Rockchapel National School?
Rockchapel National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.