Ursuline College
Sligo
Key facts
- Girls
- Pupils enrolled
- 603 about the same size as the median Irish post-primary school (585 pupils)
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Teaching through Irish
- No subjects taught through Irish
- Roll number
- 65180T the Department of Education reference for this school
School details
Location
About
Ursuline College Sligo is a Catholic secondary school that educates students in partnership with families, fostering a caring community where each pupil is respected as a unique individual. The college’s mission emphasises respect, kindness, inclusion, learning and belonging, preparing young people to become responsible citizens. A well‑balanced curriculum seeks to awaken a love of learning and a pursuit of truth, encouraging self‑understanding, appreciation of others and the development of skills for active participation in personal and communal life. The school offers a broad range of modern facilities to support both academic and extracurricular pursuits. Recent developments include specialised rooms for technology, home economics, art, music, geography and science, as well as a sports hall and an Astro‑turf pitch for physical education. A virtual tour is available online, allowing prospective students and families to explore the campus remotely. Pastoral care and student support are central to the Ursuline ethos, with programmes designed to nurture spiritual, intellectual and physical growth, and to empower pupils to engage confidently with their wider community.
History
The institution originated in 1849‑1850 when St Joseph’s Convent was constructed on the Seaville site. The Ursuline sisters moved in on 28 August 1850, establishing the school under challenging conditions. Over the following decades the campus expanded repeatedly: a children’s chapel and study hall (1860), choir, infirmary and kitchen extensions (c. 1879), new wings for secondary education (1904), a large chapel and concert hall (1932), and a series of modern additions in the late‑20th and early‑21st centuries, including science labs, art and music rooms, a sports hall (2006), technology and guidance suites (2012), and an Astro‑turf pitch (2015). These developments reflect the school’s continual growth to meet the educational needs of its community.
Applying to Ursuline 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 Ursuline 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 Ursuline College
How many pupils attend Ursuline College?
Ursuline College has 603 pupils enrolled. That makes it about the same size as the median Irish post-primary school, which has 585 pupils.
Is Ursuline College a DEIS school?
No. Ursuline 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 Ursuline College?
Ursuline College has a Catholic ethos. It is a girls' post-primary school.