St Attracta's Community School
Sligo
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 735 larger than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 353 girls, 382 boys
- Ethos
- Inter Denominational
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 91512Q the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
St Attracta’s Community School is a Christian‑based co‑educational post‑primary institution situated at the foot of the Ox Mountain Range in Tubbercurry, County Sligo. The school serves over 700 pupils and employs a team of around 75 staff, including teaching, special‑needs assistants and ancillary personnel. Its educational ethos centres on mutual respect, integrity, sincerity, honesty and tolerance, fostering a caring environment that supports the holistic development of each learner. The campus, opened in December 2002, was the first Public‑Private Partnership (PPP) secondary school building in Ireland and was designed to maximise natural light and provide spacious, modern learning spaces. State‑of‑the‑art facilities include well‑equipped classrooms, specialist laboratories, a mobile computer room and extensive IT resources, enhanced by a 2021 grant that supplied laptops and tablets to students at risk of digital exclusion. St Attracta’s offers a broad curriculum across Junior, Transition and Senior Cycles, a robust pastoral care system, a Droichead professional induction programme for newly qualified teachers, and a wide range of extracurricular activities that promote cultural, sporting and spiritual growth.
History
The school’s roots lie in two historic institutions. Banada Abbey Secondary School originated from a Sisters of Charity convent opened in 1862, with the boys’ secondary school established in 1958 and becoming one of the first co‑educational schools in Connacht before passing to the Bishop of Achonry’s trusteeship in 1987. The Marist Secondary School was founded by the Marist Sisters, who opened a boarding school for girls in 1914; it became co‑educational in 1973 and was noted for its strong musical and debating traditions. In April 1997 the Marist trustees and Bishop Thomas Flynn agreed to explore an amalgamation, leading to the creation of St Attracta’s Community School. Officially opened by Minister Noel Dempsey on 2 December 2002, the new campus occupies a 15‑acre site, was built at a capital cost of almost €18 million, and remains the largest and best‑equipped school building of its kind in the country.
Applying to St Attracta's Community School
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 post-primary school dates apply broadly to St Attracta's Community School. 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: Mon 15 Feb – Fri 19 Feb 2027 (primary schools: Thu 18 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 St Attracta's Community School
How many pupils attend St Attracta's Community School?
St Attracta's Community School has 735 pupils enrolled, 353 girls and 382 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is St Attracta's Community School a DEIS school?
No. St Attracta's Community School 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 St Attracta's Community School?
St Attracta's Community School has an Inter Denominational ethos. It is a mixed post-primary school.