St Flannan's College
Clare
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 1,270 larger than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 404 girls, 866 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 61920N the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
St. Flannan’s College is a Catholic post‑primary school in Ennis offering Junior Cycle, Transition Year and Senior Cycle programmes. The college’s ethos centres on a whole‑child approach, seeking to develop students spiritually, emotionally, academically and socially while fostering 21st‑century skills and a sense of global citizenship. Faith formation is viewed as a partnership between the school, families and the wider community, and the curriculum is designed to meet diverse needs and abilities through inclusive instruction and assessment. The campus is set on a historic neo‑Gothic site on the Limerick Road, featuring extensive playing grounds, a racket court and a distinctive clock‑tower‑free façade that reflects the college’s long tradition of sport, particularly hurling and cricket. Modern facilities support a broad range of extracurricular activities, including night classes for adults, Saturday workshops, and a vibrant music and choir programme. The college also prioritises student wellbeing through comprehensive policies on anti‑bullying, safeguarding and digital safety.
History
St. Flannan’s College traces its origins to 1846 when the Diocese of Killaloe supported a private academy at Springfield House, Ennis. Initially a diocesan seminary and boarding school for Catholic boys, the institution expanded in 1859 with a new wing and affiliation to the University of London. After a change of management in 1862, it aligned with Newman’s Catholic University in Dublin and later became St. Flannan’s Catholic University School, occupying a three‑acre site with extensive facilities. In 1865 the diocese established a fully diocesan college at No. 1 Bindon Street, later moving in 1879 to its current Limerick Road location, built in a severe neo‑Gothic style. Over the decades the college has nurtured academic excellence, a strong sporting tradition, especially in hurling, and played a notable role in Irish history, including involvement in the struggle for independence.
Applying to St Flannan's College
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 Flannan's College'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 Flannan's College. 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 Flannan's College
How many pupils attend St Flannan's College?
St Flannan's College has 1,270 pupils enrolled, 404 girls and 866 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is St Flannan's College a DEIS school?
No. St Flannan's College 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 Flannan's College?
St Flannan's College has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed post-primary school.