Photo: Sebastian “sebrem” B… · CC BY-SA 3.0Blackpool has 3 fee-paying secondary schools in and around it
Around Blackpool, 52% of schools are in DEIS, above both Co. Cork’s towns (35%) and Irish towns (35%). 34 of its 65 schools are in DEIS, the extra support for schools in disadvantaged areas, against 30% across Ireland. With no school results published in Ireland, and the Education Act 1998 restricting comparisons of them, these schools are described, not graded or ranked.
Schools in the town or within 3 km of its outline, Department of Education lists for 2025/26; the Ireland figures cover all schools listed.
What stands out about Blackpool’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 ↓
Extra support for many schools
Many schools here are in DEIS, which gives schools in disadvantaged areas more teachers, money and help; across Ireland, 30% of schools are. In DEIS: Coláiste Éamann Rís (811), Gaelcholáiste Mhuire (690), Scoil Oilibheir (511) and Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal B (403), and 30 more. Who runs them ↓
A wide choice at twelve
Within 10 km of the town there are 35 post-primary schools to choose from, of different kinds; each sets its own admission policy, and many families apply to several. The nearest: St Vincent's Secondary School (0.6 km), Christian Brothers College (0.7 km) and Gaelcholáiste Mhuire (0.7 km). Post-primary choices ↓
Facts from the Department of Education’s lists; nothing here judges how well a school teaches.
The 65 schools in and around Blackpool
Each school in or within 3 km of Blackpool links to a page of its own. Without school-level results from Ireland, the cards show no letters.
Show all 36 primary schools
Who runs Blackpool’s schools
Who runs each school, as listed for 2025/26; the bars give the share of schools of each kind.
53 of Blackpool’s 65 schools have a Catholic ethos, against 80% across Ireland. The patrons with most schools here: Bishop of Cork & Ross (35), Edmund Rice Schools Trust (4) and CEIST (4). 34 of the 65 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.
Where the 65 schools in and around Blackpool 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 Blackpool’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 Blackpool
The schools by teaching language, with Ireland’s share as the black tick.
5 of Blackpool’s 65 schools teach every subject through Irish: Gaelscoil Peig Sayers, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire and Coláiste Daibhéid.
Who Blackpool’s schools serve
How the area’s pupils divide, against 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 Blackpool | Co. Cork | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at DEIS schools | 48% | 18% | 27% |
| Pupils at all-Irish schools | 9% | 8% | 6% |
| Girls | 51% | 49% | 49% |
| Post-primary pupils at single-sex schools | 53% | 33% | 29% |
| Post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools | 22% | 7% | 6% |
48% of the pupils around Blackpool are at a DEIS school, more than the 27% across Ireland (18% in Co. Cork). Set beside Ireland, post-primary pupils at single-sex schools stand out most: 53% against 29%. The largest DEIS school here is Coláiste Éamann Rís, with 811 pupils.
Each of the 65 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.
The 18 patrons of Blackpool’s schools
The patron owns the school and sets its ethos; a board of management runs it day to day.
18 patrons run the 65 schools around Blackpool; the largest, Bishop of Cork & Ross, has 35 of them and 44% of the pupils. Education and Training Boards run 5 of them. Educate Together runs 2.
| Patron | Ethos | Schools | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop of Cork & RossS.N. Naomh Antaine, Scoil Oilibheir, Bunscoil Chriost Ri, Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal B, Scoil Naomh Brid C, S.N. Barra Naofa Cailini, Scoil Naomh Mhuire, Scoil Mhuire agus Eoin, Muire Gan Smal C, North Presentation Primary School, Gaelscoil Peig Sayers, S.N. Barra Naofa Bhuach, Scoil Colmcille, Scoil Padre Pio, Ballintemple, Greenmount Monastery, Scoil Aiseiri Chriost, Scoil Iosagain, St Patricks College, S.N. Iosef Naofa, Our Lady of Lourdes, St Vincents Convent, Scoil Mhuire Fatima Boys Senior, Scoil Mhuire ar Chnoc hAoine, Gaelscoil an Teaghlaigh Naofa, Scoil Maria Assumpta, St Patricks B, 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 | 35 | 8,339 |
| 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 |
| Cork ETBSt Aidan's, Terence Mac Swiney, Coláiste Daibhéid | Inter-denominational, Multi-denominational | 3 | 762 |
| 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 |
| Educate TogetherCork Educate Together, South Lee Educate Together | Multi-denominational | 2 | 565 |
| Bishop of Cork, Cloyne & Ross COISt Lukes Mxd, S.N. Barra Naofa | Church of Ireland | 2 | 171 |
| Le Chéile Schools TrustSt. Angela's College | Catholic | 1 | 606 |
| 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 |
| Cork ETB & Bishop of Cork and RossMayfield | Inter-denominational | 1 | 362 |
| Religious Sisters of CharitySt Vincent's | Catholic | 1 | 283 |
| Cork School ProjectCork Educate Together | Multi-denominational | 1 | 193 |
| Brothers of Charity (Southern Services) Brother John O'SheaCara Junior School | Catholic | 1 | 72 |
| COPE FoundationScoil Aislinn | Other | 1 | 36 |
Department of Education school lists: patron 2024/25, ethos 2025/26.
How children get a place in Blackpool
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, 15 of these 56 schools have grown by 5% or more and 25 have shrunk as much; across Ireland the number of pupils changed by +5%.
All 56 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 Blackpool’s schools
Reports from the Department of Education’s Inspectorate, every school’s linked and none rated
Each school is visited by inspectors from time to time, for a whole-school evaluation of teaching, learning and leadership, for one subject, or to follow up earlier advice, and every report is posted on gov.ie with the school’s response.
The reports describe what inspectors saw and what each school should do next. They give no overall grade, so none is shown here; the 65 schools below each link their own.
Department of Education Inspectorate reports on gov.ie, found by each school’s roll number.
Post-primary schools within reach of Blackpool
All post-primaries within 10 km; at about twelve, families choose and apply school by school
35 post-primary schools are within 10 km of Blackpool: 24 voluntary secondary schools, 6 ETB schools, 4 community schools and one comprehensive school. Of these, 14 are single-sex: 8 for girls and 6 for boys. Fees are charged at 3 of them. Every subject is taught through Irish at 3 of them.
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Vincent's Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 283 | 0.6 km |
| Christian Brothers CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 919 | 0.7 km |
| Gaelcholáiste MhuireVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, DEIS | 690 | 0.7 km |
| St. Angela's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 606 | 0.7 km |
| North Monastery Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 271 | 0.7 km |
| Scoil MhuireVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 432 | 0.8 km |
| Cork Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 403 | 0.9 km |
| St Patricks CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 218 | 1.1 km |
| Nano Nagle CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 161 | 1.1 km |
| St Aidan's Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 309 | 1.4 km |
| Presentation Brothers CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 692 | 1.6 km |
| St Aloysius SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 323 | 1.7 km |
All 35 post-primary schools within reach
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coláiste DaibhéidETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, DEIS | 151 | 1.7 km |
| Mayfield Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 362 | 1.9 km |
| Coláiste Éamann RísVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 811 | 2.2 km |
| Coláiste Chríost RíVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 502 | 2.2 km |
| Ashton SchoolComprehensive · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | – | 539 | 2.2 km |
| Terence Mac Swiney Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 302 | 2.4 km |
| Christ King Girls' Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 700 | 2.8 km |
| Presentation Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 190 | 2.9 km |
| Regina Mundi CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 564 | 3.4 km |
| Mount Mercy CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 811 | 3.9 km |
| Douglas Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Boys | – | 605 | 3.9 km |
| Ursuline College BlackrockVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 352 | 4 km |
| Coláiste an Spioraid NaoimhVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 715 | 4.4 km |
| Bishopstown Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 306 | 4.7 km |
| Colaiste An PhiarsaighVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, Boarding | 578 | 5 km |
| Nagle Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 315 | 5 km |
| Glanmire Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,141 | 6.4 km |
| Scoil Mhuire gan SmalVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 1,124 | 6.7 km |
| Coláiste ChoilmETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Irish stream | 1,357 | 7.9 km |
| St Francis Capuchin CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 730 | 7.9 km |
| Coláiste an Chroí NaofaVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 461 | 8.4 km |
| Ballincollig Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 987 | 9.3 km |
| Le Cheile Secondary School BallincolligVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 254 | 9.3 km |
Department of Education post-primary list 2025/26; straight-line distances from the town’s centre point.
Special schools and classes around Blackpool
8 special schools serve the area: St Kevins School, Scoil Eanna, St Paul's School, Scoil Aislinn, St Bernadettes Spec Sch, St Killians Spec Sch, School of the Divine Child (Scoil an Linbh Íosa) and Cara Junior School, 560 pupils between them. 29 of the 36 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.
Blackpool beside the 89 other Irish towns of 2,200 to 4,200 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lehenagh | 4,154 | 43 | 14,801 | 4 | 33% | 2.3 km |
| … | ||||||
| Crosshaven | 3,263 | 5 | 1,057 | 0 | 20% | 0.5 km |
| Virginia | 3,211 | 3 | 1,430 | 0 | 0% | 0.7 km |
| Ballinrobe | 3,148 | 3 | 1,391 | 0 | 0% | 0.7 km |
| Taylor's Hill | 3,141 | 30 | 10,795 | 4 | 23% | 0.4 km |
| Blackpool | 3,124 | 65 | 18,866 | 5 | 52% | 0.6 km |
| Kinnegad | 3,064 | 1 | 413 | 0 | 0% | 7.1 km |
| Ballynanty | 3,030 | 39 | 12,623 | 4 | 51% | 0.3 km |
| Moate | 3,013 | 4 | 1,410 | 0 | 0% | 0.4 km |
| Togher | 3,007 | 60 | 20,680 | 6 | 45% | 1 km |
| … | ||||||
| Abbeyfeale | 2,206 | 5 | 1,060 | 0 | 40% | 0.7 km |
Of the other 89 towns, 9 have more pupils at the schools around them than Blackpool. 49 of the 90 towns have an all-Irish school within 3 km.
Department of Education school lists 2025/26 (preliminary); CSO Census 2022 populations.
Pupil numbers around Blackpool
Every school in or within 3 km of the town each September, counted where it stands today.
The schools in and around Blackpool had 18,948 pupils in 2015/16 and 18,866 in 2025/26, fewer than before. Coláiste Éamann Rís grew most: +149% since 2019/20.
Pupils at schools in and around Blackpool
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 Blackpool
Each town’s schools in or within 3 km of its outline; distances as the crow flies.
| Town | Schools | Pupils | All-Irish | DEIS schools | Nearest post-primary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackpool | 65 | 18,866 | 5 | 52% | 0.6 km |
| Farranree 0.7 km | 57 | 16,957 | 5 | 56% | 0.4 km |
| Shandon 0.7 km | 63 | 19,030 | 5 | 52% | 0.4 km |
| St Luke's 0.9 km | 70 | 20,531 | 6 | 51% | 0.1 km |
| The Glen 1.1 km | 66 | 19,000 | 5 | 50% | 0.5 km |
| Cork City Centre 1.2 km | 77 | 23,441 | 7 | 48% | 0.5 km |
| Gurranebraher 1.2 km | 64 | 19,573 | 6 | 55% | 0.6 km |
Cork City Centre has the most schools teaching through Irish nearby: 7. Since 2019/20 the pupils around Blackpool changed by −0%; among its neighbours, St Luke's’s grew most (+1%) and Farranree’s least (−1%).
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Which schools count. Every school in Blackpool 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 Blackpool
How many schools are there in Blackpool?
In Blackpool or within 3 km of it: 36 primary schools, 21 secondary schools and 8 special schools, with 18,866 pupils between them.
Are there schools in Blackpool that teach through Irish?
Yes, 5: Gaelscoil Peig Sayers, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire and Coláiste Daibhéid teach every subject through Irish.
Are there fee-paying secondary schools near Blackpool?
3 of the 21: Christian Brothers College, Scoil Mhuire and Presentation Brothers College. The others are free.
What is the best school in Blackpool?
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 Blackpool?
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).