St. Joseph's Secondary School
Miltown Malbay, Clare
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 449 smaller than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 210 girls, 239 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 62010C the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
St Joseph’s Secondary School, Spanish Point is a voluntary Catholic secondary school operating under the CEIST trusteeship. It provides a co‑educational learning environment for students from the local community and surrounding areas, delivering a balanced, holistic curriculum that nurtures spiritual, personal and academic development. The school’s ethos is rooted in the Mercy tradition, promoting a caring community where relationships between staff, pupils and parents are open and supportive, and where lifelong friendships are forged. Modern facilities support a wide range of learning experiences. Recent building projects include the Radharc na Mara ASD unit, a newly reconstructed atrium, upgraded science laboratories, a home economics suite and the Áras Chaitriona conference centre. The school also runs a 1:1 digital programme for junior cycle pupils, complemented by an online journal that helps students organise their academic work. A broad curriculum offers subjects such as metalwork, woodwork, technical studies and a variety of extra‑curricular activities, ensuring that each student can develop their talents both inside and outside the classroom.
History
St Joseph’s was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1929 when Sea View House in Spanish Point was purchased on 19 March, the feast of St Joseph. The nuns took residence on 1 July and opened the secondary school on 4 September with forty pupils. Initially a girls’ boarding and day school, it expanded over the decades with new buildings, including a boarding facility (1931), a science and domestic science block (1942), a new main school (1958), and numerous classroom extensions through the 1970s‑1990s. The school became co‑educational in 1977, introduced a Board of Management in 1988, and added specialised facilities such as metalwork, woodwork, a technical block and the Áras Chaitriona conference centre. Most recently, an ASD unit called Radharc na Mara was added, reinforcing the school’s commitment to inclusive education.
Applying to St. Joseph's Secondary 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 post-primary school dates apply broadly to St. Joseph's Secondary 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: 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. Joseph's Secondary School
How many pupils attend St. Joseph's Secondary School?
St. Joseph's Secondary School has 449 pupils enrolled, 210 girls and 239 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is St. Joseph's Secondary School a DEIS school?
No. St. Joseph's Secondary 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. Joseph's Secondary School?
St. Joseph's Secondary School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed post-primary school.