Photo: Hywel Williams · CC BY-SA 2.03 of the secondary schools in and around Gillabbey charge fees
50% of the schools around Gillabbey are DEIS schools, above both Co. Cork’s towns (35%) and Irish towns (35%). DEIS, the extra support for schools in disadvantaged areas, reaches 36 of its 72 schools; across Ireland, 30%. 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 Gillabbey’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 32 more. Who runs them ↓
A wide choice at twelve
35 post-primary schools lie within 10 km, so families here have a real choice at twelve; each admits on its own policy. The nearest: Presentation Brothers College (0.7 km), St Aloysius School (0.7 km) and Coláiste Éamann Rís (1.3 km). Post-primary choices ↓
Drawn from the Department of Education’s lists; none of it judges how well a school teaches.
The 72 schools in and around Gillabbey
Here are the schools in Gillabbey or within 3 km of it, every one with its own page. Without school-level results from Ireland, the cards show no letters.
Show all 25 secondary schools
Show all 39 primary schools
Who runs Gillabbey’s schools
Each school’s ethos, 2025/26: the bars show the share of schools of each kind.
57 of Gillabbey’s 72 schools have a Catholic ethos, against 80% across Ireland. The patrons with most schools here: Bishop of Cork & Ross (37), CEIST (5) and Edmund Rice Schools Trust (4). 36 of the 72 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 72 schools in and around Gillabbey 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 Gillabbey’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 Gillabbey
How many schools teach through each language; the tick marks Ireland’s share.
6 of Gillabbey’s 72 schools teach every subject through Irish: Coláiste Daibhéid, Gaelscoil an Teaghlaigh Naofa and Gaelscoil Ui Riada.
Who Gillabbey’s schools serve
Shares of the pupils at the area’s schools, 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 Gillabbey | Co. Cork | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at DEIS schools | 43% | 18% | 27% |
| Pupils at all-Irish schools | 9% | 8% | 6% |
| Girls | 50% | 49% | 49% |
| Post-primary pupils at single-sex schools | 60% | 33% | 29% |
| Post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools | 17% | 7% | 6% |
More of the pupils around Gillabbey are at DEIS schools than across Ireland: 43% against 27% (Co. Cork: 18%). Furthest from Ireland’s mix is the share of post-primary pupils at single-sex schools: 60% here against 29%. The biggest school in DEIS is Coláiste Éamann Rís (811 pupils).
Each of the 72 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 19 patrons of Gillabbey’s schools
The patron owns the school and sets its ethos; a board of management runs it day to day.
Bishop of Cork & Ross is patron of 37 of the 72 schools around Gillabbey, which teach 41% of their pupils; 19 patrons run them in all. Education and Training Boards run 7 of them. Educate Together runs 2.
| Patron | Ethos | Schools | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop of Cork & RossS.N. Naomh Antaine, Scoil Oilibheir, Bunscoil Chriost Ri, Scoil Naomh Caitriona, Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal B, Scoil an Spioraid Naomh, Scoil Naomh Brid C, Scoil Naomh Mhuire, Muire Gan Smal C, North Presentation Primary School, Gaelscoil Peig Sayers, Scoil Colmcille, Scoil Padre Pio, S N an Spioraid Naomh C, Gaelscoil Ui Riada, S.N. Athair Maitiu C, S.N. B Togher Cork, 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, S.N. Mharcuis B, S.N. Padraig Naofa, School of the Divine Child, St Kevins School | Catholic | 37 | 9,161 |
| CEISTMount Mercy College, Christ King Girls', St Aloysius School, Presentation, Nano Nagle College | Catholic | 5 | 2,185 |
| Edmund Rice Schools TrustChristian Brothers College, Coláiste Éamann Rís, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire, North Monastery | Catholic | 4 | 2,691 |
| Presentation Brothers Schools TrustColáiste an Spioraid Naoimh, Presentation Brothers College, Coláiste Chríost Rí | Catholic | 3 | 1,909 |
| Cork ETB & Bishop of Cork and RossDouglas, Mayfield, Bishopstown | Inter-denominational | 3 | 1,273 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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'SheaSt Gabriels Special School | Catholic | 1 | 54 |
| COPE FoundationScoil Aislinn | Other | 1 | 36 |
| CEO of Cork University HospitalCork University Hos School | Multi-denominational | 1 | 17 |
Department of Education school lists: patron 2024/25, ethos 2025/26.
How children get a place in Gillabbey
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
Between 2019/20 and now, 14 of the 63 grew by 5% or more and 28 shrank as much, while Ireland’s pupil numbers moved +5%.
All 63 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 Gillabbey’s schools
The Department of Education’s Inspectorate: every school’s reports linked, none rated
Reports come from whole-school evaluations (teaching, learning, leadership and management), subject inspections and follow-through visits that check earlier advice; gov.ie publishes each one with the school’s response.
Reports say what inspectors found and what should improve, without an overall grade, so none appears here; each of the 72 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 Gillabbey
Post-primary schools within 10 km of the town; children move at about twelve, and families apply to each school
35 post-primary schools are within 10 km of Gillabbey: 23 voluntary secondary schools, 7 ETB schools, 4 community schools and one comprehensive school. 14 of them are single-sex, 8 for girls and 6 for boys. Fees are charged at 3 of them. Every subject is taught through Irish at 4 of them.
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation Brothers CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 692 | 0.7 km |
| St Aloysius SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 323 | 0.7 km |
| Coláiste Éamann RísVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 811 | 1.3 km |
| Presentation Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 190 | 1.4 km |
| Terence Mac Swiney Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 302 | 1.5 km |
| Coláiste DaibhéidETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, DEIS | 151 | 1.7 km |
| Mount Mercy CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 811 | 1.7 km |
| St Vincent's Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 283 | 1.8 km |
| St. Angela's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 606 | 1.8 km |
| North Monastery Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 271 | 1.9 km |
| Coláiste Chríost RíVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 502 | 1.9 km |
| Scoil MhuireVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 432 | 1.9 km |
All 35 post-primary schools within reach
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaelcholáiste MhuireVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, DEIS | 690 | 2 km |
| Christian Brothers CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 919 | 2 km |
| Coláiste an Spioraid NaoimhVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 715 | 2.1 km |
| Nano Nagle CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 161 | 2.2 km |
| Christ King Girls' Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 700 | 2.2 km |
| Cork Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 403 | 2.5 km |
| Bishopstown Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 306 | 2.5 km |
| Ashton SchoolComprehensive · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | – | 539 | 2.8 km |
| St Patricks CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 218 | 3.1 km |
| Regina Mundi CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 564 | 3.5 km |
| St Aidan's Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 309 | 3.7 km |
| Douglas Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Boys | – | 605 | 3.7 km |
| Mayfield Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 362 | 4 km |
| Ursuline College BlackrockVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 352 | 5.2 km |
| Coláiste ChoilmETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Irish stream | 1,357 | 6.1 km |
| Nagle Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 315 | 6.1 km |
| Scoil Mhuire gan SmalVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 1,124 | 6.4 km |
| Colaiste An PhiarsaighVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, Boarding | 578 | 7 km |
| Ballincollig Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 987 | 7.6 km |
| Le Cheile Secondary School BallincolligVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 254 | 7.6 km |
| St Francis Capuchin CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 730 | 8.4 km |
| Glanmire Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,141 | 8.5 km |
| Gaelcholáiste Charraig Ui LeighinETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 302 | 9.7 km |
Department of Education post-primary list 2025/26; straight-line distances from the town’s centre point.
Special schools and classes around Gillabbey
8 special schools serve the area: Cork University Hos School, St Kevins School, Scoil Aislinn, St Gabriels Special School, Scoil Eanna, St Paul's School, St Bernadettes Spec Sch and School of the Divine Child (Scoil an Linbh Íosa), 453 pupils between them. 28 of the 39 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.
Gillabbey beside the 99 other Irish towns of 4,100 to 7,900 people
Towns of a similar size, with the schools in or within 3 km of each; ordered by population, never ranked
| Town | People | Schools | Pupils | All-Irish | DEIS schools | Nearest post-primary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monaghan | 7,894 | 11 | 3,968 | 2 | 36% | 0.2 km |
| … | ||||||
| Passage West-Monkstown | 6,051 | 16 | 4,438 | 0 | 6% | 0.1 km |
| Kinsale | 5,991 | 5 | 2,264 | 1 | 0% | 0.5 km |
| Glasheen | 5,981 | 66 | 21,351 | 6 | 50% | 1.1 km |
| Ayrfield | 5,863 | 73 | 20,467 | 5 | 40% | 0.6 km |
| Gillabbey | 5,857 | 72 | 22,124 | 6 | 50% | 0.7 km |
| Ballinfoile and Terryland | 5,851 | 33 | 11,082 | 5 | 33% | 1.5 km |
| Oranmore | 5,819 | 8 | 3,669 | 1 | 13% | 0.4 km |
| Rathcoole | 5,792 | 11 | 5,371 | 2 | 9% | 0.5 km |
| Sutton | 5,789 | 50 | 14,773 | 4 | 30% | 0.4 km |
| … | ||||||
| Grange | 4,109 | 32 | 12,776 | 3 | 41% | 1.3 km |
Of these 99 other towns, 20 count more pupils at their schools than Gillabbey. Within 3 km, 87 of these 100 towns have a school teaching through Irish.
Department of Education school lists 2025/26 (preliminary); CSO Census 2022 populations.
Pupil numbers around Gillabbey
Pupils every September at the schools in or within 3 km of the town, each counted at today’s site.
The schools in and around Gillabbey had 22,384 pupils in 2015/16 and 22,124 in 2025/26, fewer than before. Coláiste Éamann Rís grew most: +149% since 2019/20.
Pupils at schools in and around Gillabbey
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 Gillabbey
Schools in or within 3 km of each neighbouring town; distances in a straight line.
| Town | Schools | Pupils | All-Irish | DEIS schools | Nearest post-primary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gillabbey | 72 | 22,124 | 6 | 50% | 0.7 km |
| Glasheen 0.7 km | 66 | 21,351 | 6 | 50% | 1.1 km |
| Sunday's Well 0.7 km | 69 | 20,909 | 6 | 52% | 0.5 km |
| Cork City Centre 1.2 km | 77 | 23,441 | 7 | 48% | 0.5 km |
| South Gate 1.3 km | 75 | 23,775 | 7 | 47% | 0.3 km |
| Gurranebraher 1.3 km | 64 | 19,573 | 6 | 55% | 0.6 km |
| Shanakiel 1.4 km | 52 | 16,547 | 5 | 54% | 0.6 km |
Cork City Centre has the most schools teaching through Irish nearby: 7. Of Gillabbey’s neighbours, Shanakiel saw the most growth in pupils since 2019/20 (+2%) and South Gate the least (−1%); Gillabbey itself: −1%.
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Which schools count. Every school in Gillabbey 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 Gillabbey
How many schools are there in Gillabbey?
In Gillabbey or within 3 km of it: 39 primary schools, 25 secondary schools and 8 special schools, with 22,124 pupils between them.
Are there schools in Gillabbey that teach through Irish?
Yes, 6: Coláiste Daibhéid, Gaelscoil an Teaghlaigh Naofa and Gaelscoil Ui Riada teach every subject through Irish.
Are there fee-paying secondary schools near Gillabbey?
3 of the 25: Presentation Brothers College, Scoil Mhuire and Christian Brothers College. The others are free.
What is the best school in Gillabbey?
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 Gillabbey?
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).