St Patrick's College
Cavan
Key facts
- Boys
- Pupils enrolled
- 825 larger than the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 61060M the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
About
St Patrick’s College is a Catholic Voluntary Secondary School serving the Cavan region with a tradition of educating boys for almost 150 years. The college places Gospel values at the heart of school life and delivers a progressive, holistic education that balances academic rigour with personal development. It offers a full Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle curriculum, including a wide range of core subjects and optional modules, and provides dedicated guidance through a Careers Portal and a comprehensive Parents Area. The campus combines historic and modern facilities. A four‑storey New Wing, constructed in 1939, houses living accommodation (now repurposed), classrooms and a science block, while the St Augustine’s block, opened in 1986, adds specialised laboratories, an art room and a music suite. The school supports extracurricular activity through a robust sports tradition, notably in Gaelic football, and maintains up‑to‑date resources such as Office 365 and VsWare for digital learning. Regular events, an open‑night prospectus and an active calendar keep the community engaged.
History
Founded in 1871 as a major and minor seminary for the Diocese of Kilmore, St Patrick’s College opened its doors to 83 boarders on 12 March 1874. The institution transitioned to admit day‑students in 1886 and saw its boarding population peak at 241 in 1964 before phasing out boarding by June 2000. Significant milestones include the opening of a new wing in 1939, the construction of St Augustine’s block in 1986, and notable sporting achievements such as the first McRory Cup win in 1935 and the Hogan Cup victory in 1972. Visits by President Erskine Childers (1974) and President Mary Robinson (1994) marked its centenary and European Day celebrations respectively.
Applying to St Patrick'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
Irish schools follow a standardised school year, so these nationwide post-primary school dates apply broadly to St Patrick's College. 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 Patrick's College
How many pupils attend St Patrick's College?
St Patrick's College has 825 pupils enrolled. That makes it larger than the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is St Patrick's College a DEIS school?
No. St Patrick'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 Patrick's College?
St Patrick's College has a Catholic ethos. It is a boys' post-primary school.