St. Marnock's
Portmarnock, Dublin
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 638 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 322 girls, 316 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 10296G the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
St. Marnock’s National School is a Catholic, co‑educational primary school situated on Strand Road in Portmarnock, County Dublin. It welcomes children from Junior Infants through to Sixth Class, providing a holistic education that balances academic learning with personal, social and emotional development. The school works closely with parents and the local community, fostering a caring and inclusive environment where each pupil can develop their talents and reach their full potential in a safe, supportive setting. The curriculum is complemented by a wide range of extra‑curricular opportunities, including Gaelic games, athletics, rugby, and a dedicated Multipurpose Play Area that supports both physical activity and creative play. Specialist provision is available through speech and language support, as well as dedicated autism, Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and Speech Sound Disorder (SSD) classes. The school also maintains clear policies on uniform, cyber safety, mobile device use and health, ensuring a well‑structured and modern learning environment for over 600 enrolled children.
History
Founded in 1868, St. Marnock’s National School originated from a building erected in 1867 with private funds from John Jameson. It achieved National School status on 1 July 1869. The school moved to its present site in 1965, adding six new classrooms for 152 pupils. Subsequent extensions were completed in 1975, 1988 and 2017/2018 to accommodate a growing enrolment, which now exceeds 600 children. Named after St. Marnock, a disciple of St. Patrick who ministered locally in the 5th century, the school continues its long tradition of community service and educational excellence.
Applying to St. Marnock's
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. Marnock's. 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. Marnock's
How many pupils attend St. Marnock's?
St. Marnock's has 638 pupils enrolled, 322 girls and 316 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is St. Marnock's a DEIS school?
No. St. Marnock's 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. Marnock's?
St. Marnock's has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.