St Brigid's Kildare Town Primary School
Kildare Town, Kildare
Key facts
- DEIS
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 1,025 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 521 girls, 504 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 20427B the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
St Brigid’s Primary School is a Catholic, co‑educational primary institution serving the Kildare town community. With over a thousand pupils and a staff of more than seventy, the school operates across three distinct campuses: the Presentation Campus for infants to second class, the Academy Building for third and fourth classes plus the Rainbow and Sunshine special classes, and the De La Salle Campus for fifth and sixth classes. The school provides a broad curriculum that balances academic learning with a wide range of extra‑curricular activities, fostering the full development of each child in a happy, secure environment. The ethos centres on enhancing self‑esteem and nurturing the spiritual, moral, cultural and educational needs of every pupil. Teaching is delivered with compassion and enthusiasm, encouraging children to reach their full potential while promoting excellence in learning. A vibrant parent body and dedicated staff support a lively school life, and a uniform policy reinforces a sense of community and belonging among students.
History
The origins of St Brigid’s trace back to the De La Salle brothers who began teaching in the town in July 1884, rapidly expanding the school population. After a fire destroyed the original building in 1917, a new structure was erected and later extended in 1972 and 1979. The Presentation Sisters arrived in Kildare in 1829, establishing a primary school that later became Scoil Bhríde Naofa in 1969. On 1 September 2013, Scoil Bhríde Naofa (girls) and Scoil na Mainistreach (boys) amalgamated to form St Brigid’s Primary School, creating one of the largest primary schools in the country with three campuses serving infants to sixth class.
Applying to St Brigid's Kildare Town Primary 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
View St Brigid's Kildare Town Primary School's own calendar (2026/2027 school year)
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide primary school dates apply broadly to St Brigid's Kildare Town Primary School. 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 St Brigid's Kildare Town Primary School
How many pupils attend St Brigid's Kildare Town Primary School?
St Brigid's Kildare Town Primary School has 1,025 pupils enrolled, 521 girls and 504 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is St Brigid's Kildare Town Primary School a DEIS school?
Yes. St Brigid's Kildare Town Primary School 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 St Brigid's Kildare Town Primary School?
St Brigid's Kildare Town Primary School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.