Scoil Naomh Seosamh
Clondalkin, Dublin
Key facts
- Boys
- Pupils enrolled
- 360 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 18655C the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
About
St. Joseph’s B.N.S. is a Catholic primary school in the heart of Clondalkin village that prides itself on being child‑centred and community‑focused. The school welcomes children of all nationalities and religious backgrounds and bases its ethos on three core values – Respect, Kindness and Faith – which underpin a caring, inclusive learning environment. A strong emphasis is placed on holistic development, with robust programmes in music, sport, science and the visual arts, highlighted by events such as the annual “Art for All” week and a thriving school choir and band. The campus combines modern facilities with a strong environmental ethos. Nineteen state‑of‑the‑art classrooms, equipped with hi‑tech educational aids, serve over 350 pupils, while landscaped grounds, a school garden and a Green School programme encourage pupils to take an active role in sustainability, planting flowers and maintaining shrubs. The school’s visual identity – black and white colours and a historic statue of St Joseph at the entrance – reflects its long‑standing Carmelite heritage, creating a distinctive and welcoming atmosphere for learning and personal growth.
History
The Carmelite brothers arrived in Clondalkin in 1811 and, recognising a lack of formal education, established a small school shared with a local hostelry. After two years they built a dedicated two‑room school on land at Knockmitten, officially opened on 15 August 1814, with over 100 boys enrolled. Adjacent to this, the private boarding school Mount St Joseph flourished, attracting students nationally and abroad, and counting Daniel O’Connell among its patrons. The boarding school closed in 1939, and the boys’ school remained on its original site until 1961, when it moved to its present location on Boot Road. The front of the current school retains the original three‑room building, and a major expansion in 1983 added nineteen classrooms for up to 500 pupils, alongside landscaped, environmentally‑focused grounds. Historic links are evident in the entrance statue and the school’s black‑and‑white colours, echoing the Carmelite habit.
Applying to Scoil Naomh Seosamh
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 Naomh Seosamh's own calendar (2026/2027 school year)
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to Scoil Naomh Seosamh. 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 Naomh Seosamh
How many pupils attend Scoil Naomh Seosamh?
Scoil Naomh Seosamh has 360 pupils enrolled. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Scoil Naomh Seosamh a DEIS school?
No. Scoil Naomh Seosamh 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 Naomh Seosamh?
Scoil Naomh Seosamh has a Catholic ethos. It is a boys' primary school.