Scoil Náisiúnta Chlair Na Gaillimhe
Claregalway, Galway
Key facts
- Gaeltacht
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 311 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 160 girls, 151 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 16804G the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Sn Chlair Na Gaillimhe is a co‑educational national primary school serving the Claregalway community. The school operates within a Catholic ethos and follows the Irish national curriculum, placing particular emphasis on the Irish language, which is taught daily and supported by a growing “deontas” grant scheme. A modern, purpose‑built environment provides pupils with comfortable, centrally‑heated classrooms, en‑suite toilets, and up‑to‑date furniture. Recent extensions have added several new classrooms, a staff room, and specialised spaces such as a remedial teaching room, ensuring that both mainstream and additional learning needs are met. The school also benefits from a range of extracurricular programmes, including active‑schools initiatives, creative clusters, and language promotion projects, fostering a well‑rounded education beyond the classroom. The school’s management is overseen by a Board of Management comprising bishops’ nominees, teachers and parents, reflecting the collaborative governance model introduced in the mid‑1970s. Parents receive a comprehensive Handbook for Parents, and enrolment procedures are clearly outlined online, with separate windows for Junior Infants and for Senior Infants to Sixth Class. These structures support transparent communication and a welcoming community atmosphere for families joining the school.
History
Construction of the original school building began in 1929 on the townland of Lakeview and was completed in 1930, opening on 6 October 1930 with an initial roll of 52 pupils. The early years saw separate boys’ and girls’ schools, each led by principals such as Helena McSweeney (1931‑1940) and later Eibhlin Divilly (1940‑1963). In 1970 the two schools amalgamated under principal Seán Glynn, creating a unified co‑educational institution. Enrolment grew dramatically from 123 pupils in 1971 to 300 by 1993, prompting major extensions in the 1980s and mid‑1990s that added classrooms, staff facilities and a remedial teaching room. The school’s Board of Management was established in 1975, granting teachers and parents a role in finance, staffing and overall governance. Irish language instruction, compulsory since 1922, has experienced a resurgence in recent years, supported by increased grant incentives for families using Gaeilge at home.
Applying to Scoil Náisiúnta Chlair Na Gaillimhe
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 Chlair Na Gaillimhe. 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 Chlair Na Gaillimhe
How many pupils attend Scoil Náisiúnta Chlair Na Gaillimhe?
Scoil Náisiúnta Chlair Na Gaillimhe has 311 pupils enrolled, 160 girls and 151 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is Scoil Náisiúnta Chlair Na Gaillimhe a DEIS school?
No. Scoil Náisiúnta Chlair Na Gaillimhe 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.
Does Scoil Náisiúnta Chlair Na Gaillimhe teach through Irish?
Scoil Náisiúnta Chlair Na Gaillimhe is located in a Gaeltacht area, where Irish is a community language. The Department of Education record for the school lists no subjects taught through Irish.