St Farnan's Post Primary School
Kildare
Key facts
- DEIS
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 676 larger than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 317 girls, 359 boys
- Ethos
- Multi Denominational
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 70720G the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
St Farnan’s Post‑Primary School is a co‑educational, multi‑denominational state‑run secondary school situated in Prosperous, Co Kildare, under the patronage of the Kildare & Wicklow Education & Training Board. The school embraces an inclusive, caring ethos centred on the development of each learner’s personal, academic and spiritual potential. It offers the full range of second‑level programmes – Junior Cycle, Junior Cycle Schools Programme, a highly regarded Transition Year, Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied and the emerging L2LP courses – alongside specialised provision for students with additional needs, including a Triple ASD Unit and a Moderate Learning Unit. A broad curriculum is delivered across a modern campus that includes purpose‑built facilities such as an art room with kiln, two science laboratories, multiple ICT suites, a graphics/Digital Communication & Graphics room, engineering and construction workshops, a home economics kitchen, a full‑size gym with fitness suite and a canteen operated by Rafter’s School Meals. Extracurricular provision is extensive, with sports, clubs and community‑linked programmes encouraging active participation. The school benefits from DEIS status, providing extra resources to support educational disadvantage, and is preparing for a new 1 000‑pupil, 9 500 m² campus slated for completion in August 2028.
History
St Farnan’s opened in 1941 with three classrooms. A flat‑roofed extension was added in 1971, followed by a major phase completed in 1989 and officially opened by Minister Mary O’Rourke in September 1991. In 2007 a new extension incorporating a state‑of‑the‑art PE gym and fitness suite was opened by Minister Mary Hanafin. Recent developments include a four‑room temporary accommodation block opened in August 2024 to meet rising enrolment, and plans for a transformative new school building on the green‑field playing pitch, expected to open in August 2028.
Applying to St Farnan's Post 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 Farnan's Post Primary School's own calendar (2026/2027 school year)
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide post-primary school dates apply broadly to St Farnan's Post 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: 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 Farnan's Post Primary School
How many pupils attend St Farnan's Post Primary School?
St Farnan's Post Primary School has 676 pupils enrolled, 317 girls and 359 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is St Farnan's Post Primary School a DEIS school?
Yes. St Farnan's Post 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 Farnan's Post Primary School?
St Farnan's Post Primary School has a Multi Denominational ethos. It is a mixed post-primary school.