Scoil Náisiúnta Róis
Taylor's Hill, Galway
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 297 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 176 girls, 121 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 19241D the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
A co-educational Catholic primary school on Taylor's Hill in Salthill, Galway, Scoil Róis enrols 297 pupils in classes from Junior Infants to sixth class. It stands in the Dominican tradition, and the school uniform carries the Veritas crest, veritas meaning truth, which the school links to the teaching of St Dominic. The uniform is navy, with a crested jumper or cardigan worn over a check shirt, and a navy tracksuit with a red polo shirt is worn for PE. Physical activity is organised through the Active School Flag programme, with pupils from fourth to sixth class eligible to apply for places on an Active School Committee that plans activities for the rest of the school. An astroturf surface is used for games including hurling. A traditional music group also operates at the school. Scoil Róis is one of two Dominican schools in Galway, alongside Dominican College, a secondary school.
History
Ireland's first community of Dominican nuns was established at Galway, guided by the Dominican priests whose priory stood in the Claddagh. When Cromwell's forces took the city the sisters left for Spain in 1652. Two of them, Julian Nolan and Mary Lynch, returned in 1686 and were given a stone cottage in Kirwins Lane by the mayor of the time. After Catholic clergy and religious were banished in 1698, the community stayed on in the town in lay clothes, regrouping by 1702 and running a school while presenting themselves as dressmakers. A fire at the Kirwins Lane convent in 1842 led them to buy Seaview, a house with land at Taylor's Hill. A boarding school followed in 1859, a Montessori school in 1932 and a junior school in 1952. Scoil Róis opened in 1976, the year after the boarding school closed. Dominican sisters no longer teach in the school.
Applying to Scoil Náisiúnta Róis
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 Róis. 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 Róis
How many pupils attend Scoil Náisiúnta Róis?
Scoil Náisiúnta Róis has 297 pupils enrolled, 176 girls and 121 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Scoil Náisiúnta Róis a DEIS school?
No. Scoil Náisiúnta Róis 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 Róis?
Scoil Náisiúnta Róis has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.