St Broghans National School
Rathanagan, Offaly
Key facts
- DEIS
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 72 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 32 girls, 40 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 15983E the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
St Broghan's National School is a co-educational Catholic primary school in Rathanagan, Offaly. Enrolment is 72 pupils. The school has DEIS status. Classes run from Junior Infants through Sixth Class, with a separate Autism Class. The school building has 5 classrooms, including a special resource classroom. Facilities include a PE hall, an outdoor play area, a basketball court and a large field for sporting activities. The school participates in activities such as Gaelic football, athletics, swimming and the Green Schools programme. Enrolment applications for both the mainstream and Autism classes are accepted for the coming school year.
History
Several unofficial schools operated in the Bracknagh area in the early 1800s, including a converted stable in Cushina and a thatched building in Millgrove that opened in 1809. The first official school opened in 1840 in Millgrove. A landlord, Charlie Trench, built his own school on the Portarlington road in 1845 and required his tenants to send their children there. The local priest, Fr. Dunne, responded by using the church as a school by day. That school remained open until 1900. The present school building opened in September 1910 on the Rathangan road with 2 rooms, 2 teachers and 10 pupils on the first day. Numbers grew after Bord na Mona brought employment to the area in 1954, leading to two new classrooms and a third teacher. Further teachers were added in 1961 and 1971, and additional buildings were constructed in 1976.
Applying to St Broghans 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 Broghans 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 Broghans National School
How many pupils attend St Broghans National School?
St Broghans National School has 72 pupils enrolled, 32 girls and 40 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is St Broghans National School a DEIS school?
Yes. St Broghans National 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 Broghans National School?
St Broghans National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.