Scoil Eoin
Tralee, Kerry
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 589 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 305 girls, 284 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 13615L the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Scoil Eoin is a Catholic primary school in Balloonagh, Tralee, dedicated to providing a happy, secure environment where children can thrive emotionally, spiritually and academically. The school’s mission stresses a balanced education that nurtures self‑confidence, a positive self‑image and high academic standards while respecting each child’s background, circumstances and abilities. A strong Christian ethos underpins pastoral care, ensuring the moral and spiritual welfare of pupils is central to everyday life, and the school actively welcomes international learners and those with special educational or physical needs. The campus combines historic charm with modern facilities. Recent developments include a 2013 infant block with six classrooms and a SET room, and a major 2021 extension housing the school offices, an ASD suite, multiple first‑, second‑, fifth‑ and sixth‑classrooms, three additional SET rooms, a staff room and an archive. Earlier additions such as a Cookery Room, Assembly Hall and purpose‑built playgrounds support a broad curriculum and extracurricular activities. The school’s inclusive policies and wheelchair‑friendly design ensure that every pupil can participate fully in school life.
History
The Sisters of Mercy arrived in Tralee in 1854 and laid the foundation stone for Balloonagh Convent on 17 May 1855; the building was completed in 1858 and opened on 24 June, the feast of St John the Baptist. St John’s School opened on 19 March 1890, funded by the Mulchinock family, and was expanded in 1927 and again in 1958 with a new block containing a Cookery Room and Assembly Hall. Playgrounds were added in 1985, and in September 2000 the school began offering classes for students with ASD. A new infant block was constructed in 2013, and a major extension opened in 2021, providing additional classrooms, specialist rooms and administrative facilities. The school celebrates St John’s Day (24 June) and Mercy Day (24 September) each year.
Applying to Scoil Eoin
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 Eoin's own calendar (2026/2027 school year)
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to Scoil Eoin. 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 Eoin
How many pupils attend Scoil Eoin?
Scoil Eoin has 589 pupils enrolled, 305 girls and 284 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Scoil Eoin a DEIS school?
No. Scoil Eoin 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 Eoin?
Scoil Eoin has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.