St Mary's Academy Cbs
Carlow
Key facts
- DEIS
- Boys
- Pupils enrolled
- 367 smaller than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 61120E the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
St. Mary's Academy CBS is a voluntary boys' secondary school in Carlow, under the trusteeship of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust. Enrolment is 367 students. The school has DEIS status. The curriculum includes the Junior Cycle, Leaving Certificate, Transition Year, and a Life, Community & Work programme. An Accelerated Reader Programme and STE(A)M are listed among academic offerings. Academic monitoring uses a data-driven tool called the Athena Tracker, which analyses student results to identify baseline potential in each subject and alert teachers when a pupil falls below or exceeds that potential. Extra-curricular activities include basketball, Gaelic football, hurling, chess, ICT and coding, music and drama, soccer, debating and public speaking. The school has a canteen and provides after-school study. Student leadership and wellbeing are listed as areas of focus, along with a peace and justice programme.
Applying to St Mary's Academy Cbs
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 Mary's Academy Cbs. 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 Mary's Academy Cbs
How many pupils attend St Mary's Academy Cbs?
St Mary's Academy Cbs has 367 pupils enrolled. That makes it smaller than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is St Mary's Academy Cbs a DEIS school?
Yes. St Mary's Academy Cbs 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 Mary's Academy Cbs?
St Mary's Academy Cbs has a Catholic ethos. It is a boys' post-primary school.