School patron in Galway

Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh & Kilfenora

Schools in County Galway under this patron.

Other patrons in Galway Archbishop of Tuam · 89 Bishop of Clonfert · 41 Educate Together · 5 Bishop of Elphin · 11 An Foras Pátrúnachta · 4 Minister for Education & Skills · 1 Galway and Roscommon ETB · 1 Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry COI · 1 Bishop of Limerick, Killaloe & Ardfert COI · 1

Schools: 63; of 217 in Galway
Pupils: 12,887; 44% of Galway's pupils
Average school size: 204.6; Galway: 135.5
Average class size: 21.93; Galway: 21.46

Growing and falling since 2015/16

Each school's change in pupils over 10 years, from 2015/16 to 2025/26. A change of 10% or more either way counts as growing or falling.

Every school's change

59 schools with figures for both years

Schools still filling their classes in 2015/16, and schools opened since, are listed separately.

27fell by 10% or more

17within 10%

15grew by 10% or more

Down 25% or more · 12Down 10 to 25% · 15Within 10% · 17Up 10 to 25% · 6Up 25% or more · 9

Grown most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

1 S N Ard RaithinArdrahan, Co. Galway 109 → 176 +61.5%
2 Naomh Colman Mac DuaighGort, Co. Galway 76 → 109 +43.4%
3 S N Aine NaofaGort, Co. Galway 69 → 92 +33.3%
4 Scoil an Linbh IosaGalway, Co. Galway 180 → 236 +31.1%
5 Gaelscoil Mhic AmhlaighGaillimh, Co. Galway 502 → 643 +28.1%

Fallen most

Pupils in 2015/16 and 2025/26

1 S N Caladh na MucRosscahill, Co. Galway 58 → 18 −69.0%
2 SN ColmcilleCastlegar, Co. Galway 106 → 70 −34.0%
3 S N Baile NuaMaigh Cuilinn, Co. Galway 91 → 62 −31.9%
4 S N MhuireArdrahan, Co. Galway 85 → 58 −31.8%
5 S N Naomh ThomaisGaillimh, Co. Galway 78 → 55 −29.5%

Ranked by percentage change. Only schools with 50 or more pupils in 2015/16 are ranked, leaving out any still filling their classes then, because a few pupils make a big percentage in a small or new school. An amalgamation or a new school nearby can also explain a big rise or fall.

Newer schools

4 schools still filling their classes in 2015/16 or opened since, with 1,550 pupils between them. They aren’t in the figures above.

Scoil ÍosaOranmore · figures start 2024/25 770
Merlin Woods Primary SchoolGalway · opened 2010/11 383
Radharc na Mara National SchoolMervue · figures start 2020/21 353
St Columba's National SchoolGort · opened 2016/17 44

Class sizes

Mainstream class groups only. The source does not identify which standard/year group each class group belongs to.

Average class size: 21.93
Mainstream classes: 574
Classes of 30 or more: 45
Schools with a class of 30+: 23

Teachers

Teachers in the 63 mainstream primary schools here, 2006/07 to 2025/26. Class teachers are counted every year; all teaching posts where they're known.

How we count teachers

Class teachers in 2025/26: 574; Up 179 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 32%
Teaching posts in 2025/26: about 938; Estimate: 574 class teachers, 40 principals and deputies, 271 special education and 53 special class teachers
Teachers in 2015/16: 746; The Department's last count of every teacher
Since 2024/25: 3 / 8; 3 schools gained a class teacher, 8 lost one

Class teachers since 2006/07

One for each mainstream class, every school year

Schools

63 schools, largest first.

Change over

Select a column heading to sort

	Roll number
Scoil ÍosaOranmore	20584R	770	–	29	25.59	31	3
Gaelscoil Mhic AmhlaighGaillimh	19994G	643	+28.1%	27	23.81	31	2
S N IognaidGaillimh	19371Q	480	−17.1%	20	24.00	31	2
Gaelscoil DaraGaillimh	19858V	419	−3.0%	17	24.65	29	0
St. John the Apostle, Knocknacarra NSGalway	20108I	400	−9.9%	16	24.62	28	0
Gaelscoil de hIdeUarán Mór	19998O	399	−0.5%	16	24.94	28	0
Scoil MhuireMaigh Cuilinn	19529C	396	+4.2%	16	24.75	30	1
Merlin Woods Primary SchoolGalway	20350P	383	+24.4%	16	23.19	26	0
Bushy Park N SGalway	13856K	366	−8.5%	16	22.88	25	0
SN Caitriona SinsearRenmore	19468I	365	−3.9%	15	23.27	26	0
Radharc na Mara National SchoolMervue	20554I	353	–	21	15.67	22	0
S N Caitriona SoisRenmore	19401W	350	−19.5%	19	17.16	21	0
Tirellan Heights N SGalway	19795A	330	−26.7%	21	15.71	20	0
S N Naomh IosefKinvara	15523Q	324	−0.6%	14	22.50	29	0
S N CreachmhaoilCraughwell	05754G	318	−6.7%	13	23.54	27	0
S N Chlair na GaillimheClaregalway	16804G	311	−9.1%	13	23.92	29	0
Scoil Náisiúnta RóisGalway	19241D	297	−21.2%	13	21.92	28	0
Scoil Chuimín & CaitríonaOughterard	20199O	265	+25.0%	11	23.00	32	2
Niochlas N SGalway	16943U	262	−18.4%	14	17.00	22	0
Ainbhthin NaofaRosscahill	14590D	261	+10.1%	10	24.90	33	2
Scoil MhuireClarinbridge	19965W	256	+2.8%	11	23.27	33	3
Scoil IdeGalway	18634R	244	−16.7%	11	22.18	32	2
Scoil an Linbh IosaGalway	04515G	236	+31.1%	13	17.77	27	0
Scoil Naomh MhuireOranmore	18089S	233	+8.4%	9	25.89	31	4
S N na bhForbachaCo.na Gaillimhe	17668G	229	+27.2%	8	28.62	32	4
Scoil MhuireCastlegar	17845C	223	−6.7%	10	21.10	30	3
S N Seamus NaofaBearna	19803T	221	−21.1%	10	22.10	32	2
S N Padraic NaofaGalway	17784I	214	−5.3%	9	22.44	34	1
Gort National SchoolGort	20465J	197	+3.1%	9	21.89	30	2
S N CillininGalway	18268S	195	−16.7%	8	24.38	31	1
S N Bride NaofaGalway	17782E	187	−18.3%	10	18.00	25	0
Scoil Naomh IosefBearna	13914V	183	−4.7%	8	21.00	28	0
Ballinderreen MXD N SKilcolgan	07551C	182	−1.1%	7	24.29	29	0
S N Ard RaithinArdrahan	17007I	176	+61.5%	7	25.14	31	2
SN Cearn MorÓrán Mór	19828M	174	+4.2%	7	24.86	31	2
Scoil EinneAn Spidéal	20115F	171	−21.2%	7	24.43	30	1
S N BrighdeAn Caisleán Gearr	17759J	130	−22.2%	6	19.67	26	0
Scoil Croi IosaGalway	01013N	122	+22.0%	7	17.43	20	0
Scoil Naomh EindeGalway	18929N	119	−15.0%	5	21.40	27	0
S N Cill TartainGort Inse Guaire	17789S	117	+27.2%	5	23.40	31	1
Kilchreest Central SCHLoughrea	19544V	110	+15.8%	4	27.50	33	2
Naomh Colman Mac DuaighGort	19377F	109	+43.4%	4	27.25	30	1
Ballymana N SCraughwell	10675O	108	−27.0%	5	21.60	28	0
S N Aine NaofaGort	17475S	92	+33.3%	4	21.50	30	1
Lurga N SGort	12574S	91	+18.2%	4	22.75	29	0
SN TuairiniMaigh Cuilinn	13415D	84	−22.2%	4	21.00	25	0
SN ColmcilleCastlegar	17221K	70	−34.0%	4	16.00	18	0
S N Cill FheicinGort	14394D	69	+11.3%	3	23.00	28	0
S N Ciarain NaofaKinvara	17869Q	67	−28.7%	3	21.00	22	0
SN Tullach Ui ChadhainMaigh Cuilinn	08446K	65	−11.0%	3	21.67	29	0
S N Brighdhe NaofaCinn Mara	17772B	64	−22.9%	3	21.33	33	1
S N Baile NuaMaigh Cuilinn	15331H	62	−31.9%	3	20.67	23	0
S N Coilm CilleBaile na hAbhann	12946G	59	+22.9%	3	18.00	23	0
S N CronainKilcolgan	17645R	59	−27.2%	3	19.67	28	0
S N MhuireArdrahan	14642T	58	−31.8%	3	19.33	25	0
S N Naomh ThomaisGaillimh	17502S	55	−29.5%	3	18.33	21	0
St Columba's National SchoolGort	20491K	44	–	2	22.00	23	0
S N MhuireRosmuc	11373D	31	+29.2%	2	15.50	18	0
S N BriocainRos Muc	17463L	19	−47.2%	2	9.50	12	0
S N Muire gan SmalCamus	11290W	19	−20.8%	2	9.50	10	0
S N Caladh na MucRosscahill	17655U	18	−69.0%	2	9.00	10	0
S N ColmcilleLeitir Móir	13699U	17	−48.5%	2	8.50	9	0
Scoil MhuireSraith Salach	18252D	16	−44.8%	2	8.00	9	0