St Patricks National School
Killybrone, Monaghan
Key facts
- DEIS
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 33 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 13 girls, 20 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 19362P the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Clara, in the parish of Truagh in north Monaghan, is the setting for St Patrick's National School, also known as Scoil Naomh Pádraig. The school is Catholic, co-educational and rural, with 33 pupils taught across two classrooms, a Junior Room and a Senior Room, covering Junior Infants to sixth class. It has DEIS status. The school gives its aim as providing a Christian learning environment, and describes teachers and parents as partners in a child's education. A hot meal is provided each day for every child, supplied by a local business, and the two rooms sometimes eat together to encourage conversation across age groups. Gaelic football teams for boys and girls play in Cumann na mBunscol competitions, and pupils also enter the FAI five-a-side competition. Gardening is part of school life, with pupils planting flowers, bulbs and trees around the grounds and learning about wildlife in the locality. Monthly awards recognise Irish, mathematics, reading and kindness. Music includes tin whistle and traditional playing, and the school stages a Christmas show in the community hall in Clara.
History
Fifty years of the school were marked in 2024. The anniversary ran as a series of events across the year, one of which was the planting of a tree in the school grounds, blessed at a short ceremony. Fundraising by the parents' association has supported school costs over the years, including transport to events and a variety concert held in Clara Hall in 2020.
Applying to St Patricks National 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 primary school dates apply broadly to St Patricks National 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: 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 Patricks National School
How many pupils attend St Patricks National School?
St Patricks National School has 33 pupils enrolled, 13 girls and 20 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is St Patricks National School a DEIS school?
Yes. St Patricks National School 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 Patricks National School?
St Patricks National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.