Scoil Mhuire Agus Ide
Newcastle West, Limerick
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 754 larger than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 372 girls, 382 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 64170L the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Scoil Mhuire agus Íde is a lay‑owned, co‑educational Voluntary Catholic secondary school situated on Bóthar Buí, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick. The school welcomes students transitioning from primary to second‑level education and delivers the curriculum prescribed by the Department of Education and Science, enriched by a strong Catholic ethos. Its mission is to nurture educated, mature and committed Christians, combining academic excellence with a caring community where personal faith is developed. The school offers a broad range of programmes across the Junior Cycle, Transition Year and Senior Cycle, supported by a comprehensive suite of policies covering everything from special educational needs and anti‑bullying to health and safety and digital use. Extra‑curricular activities, student voice initiatives and community engagement are integral to school life, providing pupils with opportunities to develop sporting, cultural and leadership skills. Recent investment in a new extension has enhanced learning spaces, ensuring modern facilities that support both classroom teaching and specialised activities.
History
Scoil Mhuire agus Íde was established in 1992 through the amalgamation of two historic institutions. Scoil Mhuire originated from an 1850 orphanage run by the Sisters of Mercy, evolving into a convent secondary school that taught through Irish before switching to English in the 1960s; it expanded significantly after the introduction of free post‑primary education in 1967. St Ítás began in 1935 as a boys’ secondary school founded by the Newcastle West Protective and Town Traders Association and the parish priest, initially housed in the Carnegie Library hall and later expanding its premises. By the early 1990s both schools served hundreds of pupils, and their merger created the present co‑educational voluntary Catholic secondary school, governed by a Board of Trustees and a Board of Management.
Applying to Scoil Mhuire Agus Ide
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 Mhuire Agus Ide's own calendar (2026/2027 school year)
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide post-primary school dates apply broadly to Scoil Mhuire Agus Ide. 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: Mon 15 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027 (primary schools: Thu 18 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 Mhuire Agus Ide
How many pupils attend Scoil Mhuire Agus Ide?
Scoil Mhuire Agus Ide has 754 pupils enrolled, 372 girls and 382 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is Scoil Mhuire Agus Ide a DEIS school?
No. Scoil Mhuire Agus Ide 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 Mhuire Agus Ide?
Scoil Mhuire Agus Ide has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed post-primary school.