St Rynaghs National School
BIRR, Offaly
Key facts
- Mixed
- Pupils enrolled
- 249 larger than the median Irish primary school (123 pupils)
- Girls and boys
- 109 girls, 140 boys
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects through Irish
- Roll number
- 18157J the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
St. Rynagh’s National School is a Catholic co‑educational primary school situated on Main Street in Banagher, County Offaly. Under the patronage of the Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois, the school serves a mixed community of approximately 255 pupils. The teaching team comprises eleven mainstream teachers together with four Resource/Learning Support teachers and a dedicated Support Teacher, providing a strong emphasis on inclusive education and personalised learning pathways. The school’s ethos is centred on offering a challenging yet supportive environment that nurtures an inquisitive mind, moral development and a positive self‑esteem. A broad‑based curriculum is delivered to promote intellectual, physical, cultural, moral and spiritual growth, with particular provision for pupils with special educational needs. Daily routines begin at 9 a.m. (gate opens at 8.50 a.m.) and finish at 2.40 p.m., ensuring a structured yet flexible learning day.
Applying to St Rynaghs 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 Rynaghs 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 Rynaghs National School
How many pupils attend St Rynaghs National School?
St Rynaghs National School has 249 pupils enrolled, 109 girls and 140 boys. That makes it larger than the median Irish primary school, which has 123 pupils.
Is St Rynaghs National School a DEIS school?
No. St Rynaghs 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 Rynaghs National School?
St Rynaghs National School has a Catholic ethos. It is a mixed primary school.