Scoil Bhride
Bandon, Cork
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 187 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 94 girls, 93 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 13375R the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Scoil Bhríde is a friendly, progressive primary school that nurtures each child’s individuality within a warm, caring Catholic ethos. Situated on a two‑acre campus on the Clonakilty side of Bandon Parish, the school offers spacious outdoor areas planted with trees, shrubs and bulbs, providing a safe and stimulating environment for play and exploration. Recent extensions, completed in 2014 under the Prefab Replacement Scheme, have added modern classrooms and specialist spaces, enhancing the school’s capacity to deliver a broad curriculum. The learning programme blends traditional academic subjects with a strong emphasis on creative and physical development. Pupils regularly engage in Irish dancing, team sports, art projects such as origami and button‑tree crafts, and hands‑on science experiments like growing salt crystals. The integration of technology is evident through the use of Chromebooks in junior infants, supporting digital literacy alongside literacy and numeracy. Scoil Bhríde’s inclusive approach welcomes children of all backgrounds, fostering a sense of belonging and encouraging every learner to reach their full potential.
History
Documentary evidence shows a school existed at Crossmahon as early as 1826, initially operating in a slated house with Jeremiah Cronin as master and serving twenty‑eight Roman‑Catholic pupils. The first dedicated schoolhouse stood at the crossroads opposite the local pub, taught by Johnny Crowley, and was replaced in 1887 by a new national school for boys and girls, which charged fees ranging from one to twenty shillings per pupil. In 1983 the present school building was officially opened by Minister of State Jim O Keefe, T.D., accommodating 120 pupils and costing IR£170,000. An extension was added in 2013–2014 under the government’s Prefab Replacement Scheme and officially opened by Minister Simon Coveney on 8 September 2014, further expanding the school’s facilities.
Applying to Scoil Bhride
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 Scoil Bhride's own calendar (2026/2027 school year)
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to Scoil Bhride. 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 Scoil Bhride
How many pupils attend Scoil Bhride?
Scoil Bhride has 187 pupils enrolled, 94 girls and 93 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Scoil Bhride a DEIS school?
No. Scoil Bhride 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 Bhride?
Scoil Bhride has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.