Scoil Náisiúnta Muire
Blessington, Wicklow
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 237 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 110 girls, 127 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 17091A the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
About
St Mary’s Junior National School in Blessington, Co. Wicklow, provides a Catholic‑based primary education for children from Junior Infants to Second Class. The school cultivates an atmosphere of fairness, respect and inclusion, encouraging independence, self‑confidence, honesty and resilience. Spiritual development is nurtured through a growing knowledge and love of God, while equality and diversity are celebrated to create a supportive community where pupils feel safe, loved and appreciated. The school operates a single‑stream, mixed‑ability model with three Junior Infant classes, two Senior Infant classes, and three First and Second Class classes. A dedicated team of special education teachers and special needs assistants supports inclusive learning, complemented by a secretary, caretaker and cleaning staff. Facilities include a modern classroom block opened in 1984, a refurbished protected building housing a computer laboratory, library and a first‑class room, as well as a GP room and kitchenette. Recent curricular innovations such as updated phonics schemes, Power‑Hour and station teaching have driven significant improvements in reading assessment outcomes.
History
St Mary’s Junior National School was founded in 1882 following a remarkable community demonstration in which 160 local farmers supplied stone for the original building. A new school was erected in 1936 on the former Royal Irish Constabulary barracks, featuring four classrooms, separate entrances for boys and girls, and coal‑fired heating. The building was consecrated as a church in 1946 by Archbishop John Charles McQuaid. After the parish opened a new church in 1982, the old school returned to educational use, and in 1984 a new extension added ten mainstream classrooms, a GP room and a kitchenette. The original structure was refurbished in 1997 to provide a computer lab, library and a classroom. In September 2007 the school split into separate Senior and Junior schools, with the Senior school situated across the road in a state‑of‑the‑art facility. Pupils from the Junior school automatically qualify for a place in the Senior school for third class.
Applying to Scoil Náisiúnta Muire
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 Scoil Náisiúnta Muire. 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 Scoil Náisiúnta Muire
How many pupils attend Scoil Náisiúnta Muire?
Scoil Náisiúnta Muire has 237 pupils enrolled, 110 girls and 127 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Scoil Náisiúnta Muire a DEIS school?
No. Scoil Náisiúnta Muire 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 Scoil Náisiúnta Muire?
Scoil Náisiúnta Muire has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.