St Brigids National School
Kildare
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 598 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 317 girls, 281 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 19675N the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
About
Scoil Bhríde is a Catholic primary school situated in Kilcullen, County Kildare, founded in 1878 by the Sisters of the Cross and Passion. The school provides a nurturing environment for roughly 650 pupils, offering 27 mainstream classrooms together with a dedicated Sonas unit for children on the autistic spectrum. The educational ethos centres on developing happy, confident and competent learners through strong relationships between staff, families and the wider community, and by fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual support. The campus boasts a range of modern facilities designed to enhance both academic and physical development. Each mainstream classroom is equipped with a Promethean interactive whiteboard, visualiser and a minimum of three Chromebooks, while the newer building benefits from recent upgrades to flooring, electrics and heating. Sporting provision includes an extra‑large hall with sound‑proofing, two smaller halls, an indoor exercise trail, a running track (completed 2019) and three tarmac‑adam play areas. The Sonas ASD unit features specialised TEACCH‑model classrooms, an outdoor sensory garden, a multi‑sensory room and a large sensory‑integration space. Outdoor learning is further supported by a vegetable garden, a bug hotel and a sunny outdoor classroom.
History
Scoil Bhríde traces its origins to 1878 when the Sisters of the Cross and Passion established a Catholic primary school in Kilcullen. In 1979 the local Kilcullen Boys National School merged with the Cross and Passion Girls National School, prompting the construction of a new building. By 1980, sixteen teachers and over 500 pupils moved into the purpose‑built premises, which were sited on land donated by the Sisters, including the surrounding sports fields. Student numbers fell during the 1980s but rose again with the early‑2000s building boom. From 2003 to 2014 the school added at least one prefabricated classroom each year, and in 2014 an extensive extension was begun, delivering ten new classrooms, a large hall, a state‑of‑the‑art autistic spectrum unit and additional learning‑support rooms. The original building was simultaneously refurbished with new electrics, flooring, roofing and a new office. The new wing was officially opened by Archbishop Eamonn Walsh in February 2015. Subsequent enhancements include an indoor exercise trail, a running track (2019), relocation of the outdoor classroom, a garden bug hotel and vegetable beds. Enrollment in the 2023‑2024 academic year stood at 650 pupils.
Applying to St Brigids National 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 primary school dates apply broadly to St Brigids National 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: 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 Brigids National School
How many pupils attend St Brigids National School?
St Brigids National School has 598 pupils enrolled, 317 girls and 281 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is St Brigids National School a DEIS school?
No. St Brigids National 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 Brigids National School?
St Brigids National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.