Photo: David Hawgood · CC BY-SA 2.0Ballinlough has 3 fee-paying secondary schools in and around it
Around Ballinlough, 47% of schools are in DEIS, above both Co. Cork’s towns (35%) and Irish towns (35%). 23,116 pupils go to the 47 primary schools, 22 secondary schools and 10 special schools in or within 3 km of Ballinlough. With no school results published in Ireland, and the Education Act 1998 restricting comparisons of them, these schools are described, not graded or ranked.
Every school in the town or within 3 km of its outline, from the Department of Education’s lists for 2025/26; Ireland’s figures are every school in the lists.
What stands out about Ballinlough’s schools
Fee-paying secondary schools
Several of the secondary schools within reach charge fees; the others are free. Fee-paying schools are listed with the rest below, each with its own page. Fee-paying: Christian Brothers College (919), Presentation Brothers College (692) and Scoil Mhuire (432). Every school ↓
A wide choice at twelve
36 post-primary schools lie within 10 km, so families here have a real choice at twelve; each admits on its own policy. The nearest: Regina Mundi College (0.6 km), Ashton School (0.6 km) and Douglas Community School (1.1 km). Post-primary choices ↓
From the Department of Education’s school lists: facts, not judgements of how well a school teaches.
The 79 schools in and around Ballinlough
Here are the schools in Ballinlough or within 3 km of it, every one with its own page. You won’t find letters or results below: Ireland publishes none for single schools.
Show all 47 primary schools
Where the 79 schools in and around Ballinlough are
Each school where the official list places it, shaded by who runs it and sized by pupils; squares are secondary schools, triangles special schools. The dashed shape is Ballinlough’s outline; schools within 3 km of it count.
Places from the Department of Education’s school lists (its own coordinates for all but a handful); map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Teaching through Irish in and around Ballinlough
The schools by teaching language, with Ireland’s share as the black tick.
7 of Ballinlough’s 79 schools teach every subject through Irish: Coláiste Daibhéid, Scoil an Athair Tadhg O Murchu and Gaelscoil an Teaghlaigh Naofa.
Who Ballinlough’s schools serve
The pupils at the area’s schools by share, beside Co. Cork’s and Ireland’s, 2025/26
Each bar is the area’s share; the tick marks Ireland’s.
DEIS by stage: pupils at DEIS schools
| Share of pupils | Around Ballinlough | Co. Cork | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at DEIS schools | 41% | 18% | 27% |
| Pupils at all-Irish schools | 10% | 8% | 6% |
| Girls | 50% | 49% | 49% |
| Post-primary pupils at single-sex schools | 59% | 33% | 29% |
| Post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools | 20% | 7% | 6% |
DEIS schools teach 41% of the pupils around Ballinlough, a larger share than Ireland’s 27% (Co. Cork: 18%). The biggest difference from Ireland is in post-primary pupils at single-sex schools: 59% here, 29% there. Of the DEIS schools here, Coláiste Éamann Rís is the biggest: 811 pupils.
Each of the 79 schools
Department of Education school lists 2025/26 (preliminary): enrolments by sex and the DEIS list. Shares are of pupils, not of schools; a county’s are the schools listed with its towns.
Who runs Ballinlough’s schools
Ethos as listed for 2025/26: each bar splits the schools by who runs them.
63 of Ballinlough’s 79 schools have a Catholic ethos, against 80% across Ireland. The patrons with most schools here: Bishop of Cork & Ross (43), CEIST (4) and Bishop of Cork, Cloyne & Ross COI (4). 37 of the 79 are in DEIS, the extra support for schools in disadvantaged areas (30% across Ireland).
Department of Education school lists: ethos 2025/26, patron 2024/25 (the 2025/26 lists don’t give it). DEIS list 2025/26.
The 18 patrons of Ballinlough’s schools
The patron owns the school and sets its ethos; a board of management runs it day to day.
The schools around Ballinlough answer to 18 patrons, and Bishop of Cork & Ross leads with 43 of the 79 schools and 47% of their pupils. Education and Training Boards run 6 of them. Educate Together runs 3.
| Patron | Ethos | Schools | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop of Cork & RossScoil Nioclais, S.N. Naomh Antaine, Scoil Phadraig Naofa, Bunscoil Chriost Ri, Scoil an Athair Tadhg O Murchu, Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal B, St Columbas, Scoil Naomh Brid C, Douglas B, S.N. Barra Naofa Cailini, Scoil Naomh Mhuire, Scoil Mhuire agus Eoin, Muire Gan Smal C, North Presentation Primary School, S.N. Barra Naofa Bhuach, Gaelscoil Peig Sayers, Scoil Colmcille, Scoil Padre Pio, S.N. B Togher Cork, S.N. Athair Maitiu C, Ballintemple, Greenmount Monastery, Scoil Aiseiri Chriost, Scoil Iosagain, St Patricks College, Our Lady of Lourdes, S.N. Iosef Naofa, St Vincents Convent, Scoil Mhuire Fatima Boys Senior, Gaelscoil an Teaghlaigh Naofa, Scoil na Croise Naofa, Scoil Ursula, Scoil Maria Assumpta, St Patricks B, Gaelscoil Mhachan, S.N. Padraig Naofa C, S.N. Bhreanndain C, Realt na Maidine, St Killians Spec Sch, S.N. Mharcuis B, S.N. Padraig Naofa, School of the Divine Child, St Kevins School | Catholic | 43 | 10,979 |
| Edmund Rice Schools TrustChristian Brothers College, Coláiste Éamann Rís, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire, North Monastery | Catholic | 4 | 2,691 |
| CEISTChrist King Girls', St Aloysius School, Presentation, Nano Nagle College | Catholic | 4 | 1,374 |
| Bishop of Cork, Cloyne & Ross COISt Lukes N.S. Douglas, Scoil Naomh Micheal, St Lukes Mxd, S.N. Barra Naofa | Church of Ireland | 4 | 476 |
| Educate TogetherDouglas Rochestown Educate Together, Cork Educate Together, South Lee Educate Together | Multi-denominational | 3 | 1,071 |
| Cork ETBNagle, Coláiste Daibhéid, Rochestown Community Special School | Inter-denominational, Multi-denominational | 3 | 532 |
| Bishop of Cork & Ross & COPE FoundationSt Bernadettes Spec Sch, St Paul's School, Scoil Eanna | Catholic | 3 | 290 |
| Presentation Brothers Schools TrustPresentation Brothers College, Coláiste Chríost Rí | Catholic | 2 | 1,194 |
| Cork ETB & Bishop of Cork and RossDouglas, Mayfield | Inter-denominational | 2 | 967 |
| Le Chéile Schools TrustSt. Angela's College, Ursuline College Blackrock | Catholic | 2 | 958 |
| Brothers of Charity (Southern Services) Brother John O'SheaCara Junior School, Scoil Triest | Catholic | 2 | 144 |
| Regina Mundi (Cork) LtdRegina Mundi College | Catholic | 1 | 564 |
| Bishop of Cork, Cloyne & Ross COI/ Cork ETBAshton School | Church of Ireland | 1 | 539 |
| Named IndividualScoil Mhuire | Catholic | 1 | 432 |
| An Foras PátrúnachtaGaelscoil an Ghoirt Alainn | Multi-denominational | 1 | 393 |
| Religious Sisters of CharitySt Vincent's | Catholic | 1 | 283 |
| Cork School ProjectCork Educate Together | Multi-denominational | 1 | 193 |
| COPE FoundationScoil Aislinn | Other | 1 | 36 |
Department of Education school lists: patron 2024/25, ethos 2025/26.
How children get a place in Ballinlough
Starting primary school
Children can start primary school once they are four, and must be in school by six. Families apply to each school directly. Every school publishes an admission policy and a yearly admission notice; a school with more applicants than places admits on the criteria in its policy. Since the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, a Catholic or other majority-faith primary school can’t put baptised children first; a school of a minority faith still can, to keep its ethos.
Moving to secondary school
Children move to post-primary school at about twelve, after sixth class. Again, families apply to each school, usually a year or more ahead, and an oversubscribed school admits on its published criteria, often brothers and sisters and its feeder primary schools. The 3 fee-paying schools here set their own fees and admissions.
Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018; each school’s admission policy and notice are on its own website.
Which schools are growing
Since 2019/20, 21 of these 68 schools have grown by 5% or more and 29 have shrunk as much; across Ireland the number of pupils changed by +5%.
All 68 schools
Department of Education enrolments at 30 September, 2019/20 and 2025/26 (preliminary). No capacity is published, so how full a school is can’t be shown.
Inspection reports for Ballinlough’s schools
Reports from the Department of Education’s Inspectorate, every school’s linked and none rated
The Inspectorate inspects schools in several ways: a whole-school evaluation covers teaching, learning and how the school is led; a subject inspection looks at one subject; a follow-through checks on earlier advice. Reports go on gov.ie with the school’s reply.
Reports say what inspectors found and what should improve, without an overall grade, so none appears here; each of the 79 schools below links its own.
Department of Education Inspectorate reports on gov.ie, found by each school’s roll number.
Post-primary schools within reach of Ballinlough
Every post-primary school within 10 km of the town; families choose and apply to each, at about twelve
36 post-primary schools are within 10 km of Ballinlough: 23 voluntary secondary schools, 7 ETB schools, 5 community schools and one comprehensive school. 14 teach girls and boys apart: 8 girls’ and 6 boys’ schools. Fees are charged at 3 of them. Every subject is taught through Irish at 4 of them.
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regina Mundi CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 564 | 0.6 km |
| Ashton SchoolComprehensive · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | – | 539 | 0.6 km |
| Douglas Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Boys | – | 605 | 1.1 km |
| Christ King Girls' Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 700 | 1.1 km |
| Coláiste Chríost RíVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 502 | 1.2 km |
| Coláiste DaibhéidETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, DEIS | 151 | 1.5 km |
| Coláiste Éamann RísVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 811 | 1.9 km |
| Cork Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 403 | 2 km |
| Scoil MhuireVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 432 | 2.1 km |
| Presentation Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 190 | 2.2 km |
| Christian Brothers CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 919 | 2.2 km |
| Ursuline College BlackrockVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 352 | 2.3 km |
All 36 post-primary schools within reach
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Angela's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 606 | 2.3 km |
| St Patricks CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 218 | 2.3 km |
| St Aloysius SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 323 | 2.6 km |
| Mayfield Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 362 | 2.7 km |
| Presentation Brothers CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 692 | 2.8 km |
| St Vincent's Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 283 | 3 km |
| Nagle Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 315 | 3 km |
| North Monastery Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 271 | 3.2 km |
| Gaelcholáiste MhuireVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, DEIS | 690 | 3.3 km |
| Nano Nagle CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 161 | 3.8 km |
| St Aidan's Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 309 | 3.8 km |
| Terence Mac Swiney Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 302 | 4.3 km |
| Colaiste An PhiarsaighVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, Boarding | 578 | 4.7 km |
| Mount Mercy CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 811 | 4.8 km |
| Coláiste an Spioraid NaoimhVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 715 | 4.9 km |
| St Francis Capuchin CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 730 | 5.3 km |
| Bishopstown Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 306 | 5.5 km |
| Glanmire Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,141 | 6.4 km |
| Gaelcholáiste Charraig Ui LeighinETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 302 | 7.6 km |
| St Peter's Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 354 | 7.7 km |
| Carrigaline Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,072 | 8.8 km |
| Coláiste ChoilmETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Irish stream | 1,357 | 9.2 km |
| Scoil Mhuire gan SmalVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 1,124 | 9.2 km |
| Edmund Rice CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 580 | 9.9 km |
Department of Education post-primary list 2025/26; straight-line distances from the town’s centre point.
Special schools and classes around Ballinlough
10 special schools serve the area: Scoil Aislinn, St Kevins School, School of the Divine Child (Scoil an Linbh Íosa), St Paul's School, Scoil Eanna, St Bernadettes Spec Sch, St Killians Spec Sch, Cara Junior School, Scoil Triest and Rochestown Community Special School, 698 pupils between them. 39 of the 47 primary schools have special classes for children who need more support. Their cards ↑
Special schools and primary schools with special classes as the Department lists them; the National Council for Special Education places pupils in special classes.
Ballinlough beside the 98 other Irish towns of 3,800 to 7,300 people
Schools in or within 3 km of each town, by population; none is ranked, as Ireland publishes no results
| Town | People | Schools | Pupils | All-Irish | DEIS schools | Nearest post-primary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temple Bar | 7,276 | 116 | 27,705 | 10 | 51% | 0.5 km |
| … | ||||||
| Roscrea | 5,542 | 8 | 1,763 | 0 | 50% | 0.5 km |
| Ardee | 5,478 | 5 | 2,252 | 0 | 60% | 0.8 km |
| Edmondstown | 5,451 | 57 | 23,063 | 6 | 12% | 1.1 km |
| Salthill | 5,445 | 30 | 10,795 | 4 | 23% | 0.6 km |
| Ballinlough | 5,435 | 79 | 23,116 | 7 | 47% | 0.6 km |
| Garryowen | 5,428 | 41 | 14,084 | 6 | 44% | 1 km |
| Galvone | 5,412 | 48 | 16,815 | 5 | 46% | 0.6 km |
| Ballybofey-Stranorlar | 5,406 | 7 | 2,400 | 0 | 57% | 0.6 km |
| Tipperary | 5,387 | 8 | 2,079 | 1 | 75% | 0.4 km |
| … | ||||||
| Shanakiel | 3,804 | 52 | 16,547 | 5 | 54% | 0.6 km |
Among the 98 other towns, 15 have more pupils at their schools than Ballinlough does. 81 of the 99 towns have an all-Irish school within 3 km.
Department of Education school lists 2025/26 (preliminary); CSO Census 2022 populations.
Pupil numbers around Ballinlough
Every school in or within 3 km of the town each September, counted where it stands today.
The schools in and around Ballinlough had 22,422 pupils in 2015/16 and 23,116 in 2025/26. Coláiste Éamann Rís grew most: +149% since 2019/20.
Pupils at schools in and around Ballinlough
Department of Education enrolments at 30 September each year, 2015/16 to 2025/26 (preliminary), for every school placed in the area today; schools that have since closed or merged count where they stood.
Schools in the towns around Ballinlough
For each nearby town, its schools in or within 3 km of its outline, with straight-line distances.
| Town | Schools | Pupils | All-Irish | DEIS schools | Nearest post-primary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballinlough | 79 | 23,116 | 7 | 47% | 0.6 km |
| Knockrea 0.9 km | 84 | 24,668 | 9 | 49% | 0.3 km |
| Tramore 0.9 km | 75 | 22,562 | 7 | 48% | 0.7 km |
| South Gate 1.9 km | 75 | 23,775 | 7 | 47% | 0.3 km |
| Turner's Cross 2 km | 77 | 24,127 | 7 | 44% | 0.3 km |
| St Luke's 2 km | 70 | 20,531 | 6 | 51% | 0.1 km |
| Montenotte 2.2 km | 70 | 20,121 | 8 | 49% | 0.5 km |
Knockrea has the most schools teaching through Irish nearby: 9. Pupils around Ballinlough: +2% since 2019/20. Among the neighbours, Knockrea led (+1%) and South Gate trailed (−1%).
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Which schools count. Every school in Ballinlough or within 3 km of its outline, as the Department places it: families here use them. Schools further out are on the map of each school’s own page.
- The kinds of school. Primary schools take children from junior infants to sixth class, about ages 4 to 12. Post-primary schools teach the Junior and Leaving Certificate, about ages 12 to 18: voluntary secondary schools (mostly with a religious patron), ETB schools and community colleges run by an Education and Training Board, and community and comprehensive schools. Special schools teach children with particular needs.
- Teaching through Irish. All-Irish: every subject taught through Irish, in the Gaeltacht or, outside it, a Gaelscoil or Gaelcholáiste. Partly in Irish: an Irish stream (some classes entirely through Irish) or some subjects through Irish. Every other school teaches Irish as a subject.
- DEIS. DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) gives schools serving disadvantaged areas more teachers, money and support; the Department decides which schools are in it.
- Ethos and patron. Most Irish schools are owned by a patron, mostly a church; the patron sets the school’s ethos. Multi-denominational schools (Educate Together, many ETB schools) teach children of every faith and none together.
- No grade. Section 53 of the Education Act 1998 lets the Minister refuse to release information that would allow schools’ exam results to be compared, and no results are published school by school. So Ireland’s schools have no letters and its towns no School Grade; nothing on this page ranks them.
- What isn’t here. What the UK and French pages show from results, these can’t: results charts, results against pupils’ backgrounds and towns ranked by their schools (no published results), and how full each school is (no capacity is published). Every post-primary school teaches to the Leaving Certificate, so there is no sixth-form split to show.
- Inspections. The Inspectorate’s reports are linked from each school’s page. They give no overall grade, so none is shown.
- The year. The 2025/26 lists are the Department’s preliminary release; numbers can change a little in the final lists.
Questions about schools in Ballinlough
How many schools are there in Ballinlough?
In Ballinlough or within 3 km of it: 47 primary schools, 22 secondary schools and 10 special schools, with 23,116 pupils between them.
Are there schools in Ballinlough that teach through Irish?
Yes, 7: Coláiste Daibhéid, Scoil an Athair Tadhg O Murchu and Gaelscoil an Teaghlaigh Naofa teach every subject through Irish.
Are there fee-paying secondary schools near Ballinlough?
3 of the 22: Scoil Mhuire, Christian Brothers College and Presentation Brothers College. The others are free.
What is the best school in Ballinlough?
We don’t say. Ireland publishes no exam results school by school, and section 53 of the Education Act 1998 restricts comparing them; a ranking would rest on guesses. Each school’s page has its own facts and a link to its inspection reports, and visiting the schools you are weighing is still the best guide.
How do I get a place at a school in Ballinlough?
Apply to each school directly: every school publishes an admission policy and a yearly admission notice with its dates. If it has more applicants than places, it admits on the criteria in its policy.
Sources: Department of Education, school lists 2025/26 (preliminary) and enrolments since 2015/16, CC BY 4.0 · one school placed with OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL). Under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).
Contains Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, Census 2022, and Tailte Éireann boundaries (CSO Urban Areas, Small Areas, local electoral areas, constituencies), under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).