St Columbas National School
Tullow, Carlow
Key facts
- DEIS
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 93 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 45 girls, 48 boys
- Ethos
- Church Of Ireland
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 13607M the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
About
St. Columba’s National School is a mainstream, co‑educational primary school under the patronage of the Bishop of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory. It provides education for boys and girls from Junior Infants to Sixth Class and currently serves 98 pupils. The school follows the 1999 Revised Primary Schools Curriculum, employing a blend of ICT‑enhanced learning, peer‑supported activities, Aistear, collaborative and independent work. As a DEIS Urban 2 school (2022‑2023) it receives additional funding for free school meals, literacy and numeracy camps and professional development, reinforcing its commitment to inclusive education and holistic pupil development. The campus occupies roughly one acre and is centred on a historic granite building erected in 1825. Facilities include a large tarmac and grassed playground, a side garden cultivated by the children, a well‑equipped hall for physical education, and access to swimming lessons at Graiguecullen Swimming Pool. The school is a Green School working towards its seventh Green Flag and an Active School promoting healthy eating and regular exercise, reflecting its ethos of caring, respect and community involvement.
History
The school’s origins date back to a thatched mud‑stone structure on the site before the construction of the present granite building in 1825. Originally known as Tullow School Number 2, the institution was renamed St. Columba’s National School in the 1980s. In 2025 the school celebrated its 200th anniversary, marking two centuries of education with murals, a commemorative mural of birds on the front wall, and a new concrete hand‑print wall for graduating Sixth Class pupils.
Applying to St Columbas 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
View St Columbas National 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 Columbas National 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 Columbas National School
How many pupils attend St Columbas National School?
St Columbas National School has 93 pupils enrolled, 45 girls and 48 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is St Columbas National School a DEIS school?
Yes. St Columbas 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 Columbas National School?
St Columbas National School has a Church Of Ireland ethos. It is a mixed primary school.