Scoil Náisiúnta An Aill Bhreach
Ballyconneely, Galway
Key facts
- DEIS
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 25 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 9 girls, 16 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 17488E the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Ballyconneely National School is a small, mixed‑gender rural primary school situated in Connemara, County Galway. With just two teachers and a shared special‑education teacher, the school currently educates 27 pupils. It delivers a holistic, Catholic‑ethos education that seeks to develop each child socially, emotionally, morally, spiritually and intellectually. The school’s mission is to enable children to reach their full potential in a caring, friendly and safe environment, while recognising parents as the primary educators and encouraging their active involvement in school life. The school is equipped with modern learning resources, including interactive flat‑screen displays and iPads in every classroom, as well as a new library and classroom libraries. Extensive sports facilities comprise a basketball court, a full‑size pitch, a junior pitch, play areas and access to a community hall, complemented by newly purchased PE equipment. A wide range of extracurricular activities is offered, such as yoga, sean‑ós, drama, traditional music, golf, horse‑riding, chess, computer coding, Lego robotics, FitKids, Gaelic football, handball, swimming, gardening and sensory planting. Additional programmes include an Aistear room, Active School and Supertroopers initiatives, Health‑Promoting School status with the HSE, Green Flag and Blue Shield anti‑bullying awards, an Erasmus project, and a Digital School framework.
Applying to Scoil Náisiúnta An Aill Bhreach
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 An Aill Bhreach. 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 An Aill Bhreach
How many pupils attend Scoil Náisiúnta An Aill Bhreach?
Scoil Náisiúnta An Aill Bhreach has 25 pupils enrolled, 9 girls and 16 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Scoil Náisiúnta An Aill Bhreach a DEIS school?
Yes. Scoil Náisiúnta An Aill Bhreach is part of DEIS, the Department of Education programme called Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools. DEIS schools serve communities at risk of educational disadvantage and receive additional supports, which can include smaller classes, extra teaching posts and funding for books and meals.
What is the ethos of Scoil Náisiúnta An Aill Bhreach?
Scoil Náisiúnta An Aill Bhreach has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.