St Patricks National School
Bunclody, Wexford
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 75 smaller than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 30 girls, 45 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 12841P the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
About
St. Patrick’s National School is a co‑educational primary school situated in the rural parish of Kilrush, north County Wexford. It serves children aged 4 to 13 and operates with a small dedicated staff, including classroom teachers and specialist teachers for special educational needs. The school’s Catholic ethos underpins a holistic approach to learning, aiming to develop pupils academically, emotionally, socially, physically, culturally and spiritually, fostering responsible and caring members of the wider community. A strong emphasis is placed on sport and active living. Pupils take part in a range of competitions such as the Rackard League hurling and football, county rounders, and FAI 5‑a‑side soccer, alongside after‑school activities like chess, music sessions and specialist physical‑education programmes that include athletics, dance, gymnastics, games, outdoor adventure and annual swimming lessons in Enniscorthy. The school also runs Green Flag and Active Flag initiatives, playground leadership schemes and regular walking routes, promoting environmental awareness and daily movement. Community involvement is integral, with parents and local volunteers contributing to hurling coaching, reading, knitting, sewing and various school committees. The school’s location, approximately 8 km from Bunclody and 10 km from Ferns, provides a picturesque setting that reinforces its close ties to parish life and the surrounding countryside.
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 75 pupils enrolled, 30 girls and 45 boys. That makes it smaller than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is St Patricks National School a DEIS school?
No. St Patricks National 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 Patricks National School?
St Patricks National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.