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Planning area in Galway

Loughrea

Schools in County Galway in this planning area.

All planning areas in Ireland

Other planning areas in Galway Galway City · 35 Athenry · 17 Tuam · 19 Oranmore · 5 Ballinasloe · 12 Gort · 11 Castleblakeney–Mountbellew · 13 Spiddal–Inverin · 6 Kinvara · 5 Headford · 7 Glenamaddy · 8 Portumna · 8 Clifden · 13 Carraroe · 8 Oughterard · 4 Dunmore · 4 Ballygar · 3 Cornamona · 5 Woodford · 6 Carna · 6 New Inn · 2 Kilronan–Aran Islands · 4 Rosmuc · 3 Banagher · 1
Schools
12
of 217 in Galway
Pupils
1,849
6% of Galway's pupils
Since 2015/16
+9.5%
1,689 pupils in 2015/16
Average school size
154.1
Galway: 135.5
Average class size
24.01
Galway: 21.46

Each year counts the schools in this planning area today, plus any that closed from 2023/24. Dotted lines bridge 1983/84 to 1992/93. 1974/75 is left out because that year's source file is missing five counties.

Earlier years are incomplete

The Department's files only record planning areas from 2023/24, so schools that closed or amalgamated before then aren't counted in any area. The further back you go, the more pupils are missing, and an amalgamation can look like a sudden rise. Across County Galway, schools with no planning area had 4.9% of pupils in 2015/16, 9.0% in 2005/06 and 34.0% in 1975/76. Known data issues

Pupils

1,849

+12 on 2024/25

1975/762025/26

Schools

12

10 in 1975/76

1975/762025/26

Average pupils per school

154.1

126.1 in 1975/76

1975/762025/26

Average class size

24.01

+0.08 on 2024/25

2006/072025/26

Pupils in these schools

Junior infants, girls and boys, and Irish-medium schools over time, for the same schools as the trends above.

Area figures by year (CSV) Each school by year (CSV)

Junior infants

Pupils starting school each year. Class-by-class figures start in 2020/21. 208 in 2025/26, +7 on 2024/25.

Girls and boys

From 1976/77: earlier files don't split every school's pupils into girls and boys.

Irish-medium schools

Pupils in schools that teach all subjects through Irish (1 school today). 170 pupils in 2025/26, 9.2% of the area's pupils, against 10.7% in 2015/16. Each school counts under its current classification for every year.

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

12 schools with figures for both years

2fell by 10% or more
1within 10%
9grew by 10% or more
Down 25% or more · 1Down 10 to 25% · 1Within 10% · 1Up 10 to 25% · 6Up 25% or more · 3

Sort the table below by the change column to see which schools grew or fell most.

Class sizes

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

Average class size
24.01
Mainstream classes
76
Classes of 30 or more
8
Schools with a class of 30+
6

Teachers

Teachers in the 12 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
76
Up 17 since 2006/07, while pupils rose 27%
Teaching posts in 2025/26
about 119
Estimate: 76 class teachers, 5 principals and deputies, 34 special education and 4 special class teachers
Teachers in 2015/16
100
The Department's last count of every teacher
Since 2024/25
2 / 2
2 schools gained a class teacher, 2 lost one

Class teachers since 2006/07

One for each mainstream class, every school year

Special schools and special classes

0 special schools in Loughrea, and the special classes in the 12 mainstream schools. Special schools aren't counted in the pupils, class sizes or teachers above.

All special schools
Pupils in special schools
0
No special school here
Special classes in 2025/26
4
In 3 of 12 schools. 3 in 2021/22
Allocated for 2026/27
5
In 3 schools: 1 new class
Autism classes
4
100% of special classes

Special classes since 2021/22

In Loughrea's mainstream schools, from the NCSE's yearly lists

  • 2021/22 3
  • 2022/23 3
  • 2023/24 3
  • 2024/25 3
  • 2025/26 4
  • 2026/27 5

2026/27, dashed: allocated for next year.

Sources: Department of Education enrolment lists; NCSE special class lists and special school allocations (CC BY 4.0).

Schools

12 schools, largest first.

Change over

Select a column heading to sort

Roll number
S N Ide NaofaLoughrea 16762Q 328
+10.1%
13 25.23 28 0
St Brendans N SLoughrea 15835M 216
+10.8%
9 24.00 28 0
Scoil Naomh EannaLoughrea 18112K 208
+10.6%
8 25.25 33 1
S N Seosamh NaofaAthenry 17444H 203
+10.3%
8 23.88 30 1
Gaelscoil RiabhachBaile Locha Riach 20123E 170
−5.6%
7 23.43 31 2
S N Cillini DiomaLoughrea 15071H 147
+38.7%
6 24.50 30 1
Kilchreest Central SCHLoughrea 19544V 110
+15.8%
4 27.50 33 2
S N Cill CuileLoughrea 06044D 109
+11.2%
5 21.80 26 0
Ballymana N SCraughwell 10675O 108
−27.0%
5 21.60 28 0
S N Aindreis NaofaLoughrea 03607G 94
−24.2%
4 23.50 35 1
S N Breandain NaofaGurtymadden 17154V 87
+180.6%
4 21.75 27 0
S N Cill RichillBaile Locha Riabhach 16293H 69
+64.3%
3 23.00 27 0