Scoil Náisiúnta Colmcill Naofa
ATHY, Kildare
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 129 about the same size as the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 67 girls, 62 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 17787O the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Scoil Náisiúnta Colmcill Naofa is a mixed primary school in the rural parish of Moone, South Kildare, serving families from the surrounding villages of Athy and Castledermot. The school operates under a Catholic ethos with patronage from the Archbishop of Dublin and the Department of Education and Skills, while also recognising the faith traditions of all pupils. It offers a progressive, community‑focused learning environment where pupils, parents, staff and the Board of Management collaborate to foster academic achievement and personal development. The campus comprises spacious classrooms, a dedicated resource room, a special‑education room, a disabled‑access toilet and a modern learning‑support suite that was created from former cloakrooms. Extensive outdoor facilities include a basketball court, a playing pitch and generous green areas for recreation. Recent investment through the Irish National Recovery and Resilience Plan has provided high‑speed broadband and a range of iPads and laptops, supporting a robust digital learning programme. A broad extracurricular programme encourages participation in Gaelic football, basketball, soccer, tag rugby, swimming, music generation, debating, drama, chess and a variety of environmental and enterprise initiatives such as the Blue Star, Green Flag, Amber Flag and Young Entrepreneur schemes.
History
Scoil Naisiúnta Colmcill Naofa was originally built in 1911; the original building now serves as the parish hall. In 1952 the school moved to its present site in Moone, a rural five‑teacher co‑educational primary school. William G. Doyle became principal in 1913 and served through the transition to the new three‑teacher school, retiring in 1959. Subsequent principals included Joe May (1959‑1969), Pierce Ferriter (1969‑1973), Michael Abbey (1973‑2001), Joe Monaghan (2001‑2009), and the current principal appointed in 2010. Major extensions were added in 1975 (new infant classroom), 1982 (staff and administration rooms), 2009 (two classrooms and a resource room opened by the Minister for Education) and 2018 (an extra classroom, a special‑education room and a disabled toilet). Today the school enrols approximately 127 pupils who take part in a wide range of sporting, cultural and enterprise activities.
Applying to Scoil Náisiúnta Colmcill Naofa
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 Náisiúnta Colmcill Naofa's own calendar (2026/2027 school year)
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to Scoil Náisiúnta Colmcill Naofa. 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 Náisiúnta Colmcill Naofa
How many pupils attend Scoil Náisiúnta Colmcill Naofa?
Scoil Náisiúnta Colmcill Naofa has 129 pupils enrolled, 67 girls and 62 boys. That makes it about the same size as the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Scoil Náisiúnta Colmcill Naofa a DEIS school?
No. Scoil Náisiúnta Colmcill Naofa 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 Colmcill Naofa?
Scoil Náisiúnta Colmcill Naofa has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.