Salesian Primary School
Limerick
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 361 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 261 girls, 100 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 20496U the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Salesian Primary School is a Catholic primary school in Limerick that follows the Salesian tradition founded by St John Bosco. It provides a person‑centred, inclusive and holistic education for children from Junior Infants to Sixth Class, with mixed‑gender provision up to First Class and a girls‑only stream from Second to Sixth Class. The school is part of a worldwide network of Salesian schools and operates under the Rules for National Schools, the Education Act and related legislation, delivering the national curriculum while placing strong emphasis on relationships, personal development and community spirit. The school’s facilities support a broad range of learning experiences. Recent investments funded a Nurture Room, Chromebooks for after‑school clubs, a well‑equipped PE programme and the ‘Books for Pleasure’ reading initiative. The Salesian Sisters remain actively involved, contributing to art‑therapy sessions and other enrichment activities that reinforce the school’s ethos of care, creativity and faith. With a staff complement that includes specialist learning support and special needs assistants, the school is equipped to meet the needs of pupils of all abilities.
History
The Salesian Sisters first arrived in Ireland in 1920 after Bishop Denis Hallinan secured their foundation in 1918, following his encounter with Don Bosco in Turin. Initially they offered evening classes for factory girls before establishing a primary school, later named Fernbank, on a site purchased in 1924. Despite opposition from other orders and the turbulence of the Irish War of Independence, the Sisters persisted, expanding the school alongside the growth of Limerick city. In 2016 the school merged with Maria Auxiliatrix and Scoil Críost an Ró Naofa, uniting three communities under the Salesian vision of relationship‑based, holistic education. The legacy of Don Bosco and Mary Mazzarello continues to shape the school’s mission and programmes.
Applying to Salesian Primary 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
View Salesian Primary School's own calendar (2026/2027 school year)
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to Salesian Primary School. The school publishes its own calendar, linked above, and that is the authoritative source for its reopening date and discretionary closure days.
- 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 Salesian Primary School
How many pupils attend Salesian Primary School?
Salesian Primary School has 361 pupils enrolled, 261 girls and 100 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Salesian Primary School a DEIS school?
No. Salesian Primary 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 Salesian Primary School?
Salesian Primary School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.