Photo: Frederick Dean · CC BY-SA 2.0Hollyhill and Ballincolly has 3 fee-paying secondary schools in and around it
In or within 3 km of Hollyhill and Ballincolly: 47 primary schools, 26 secondary schools and 11 special schools, 27,337 pupils in all. DEIS, the extra support for schools serving disadvantaged areas, reaches 43% of the schools around Hollyhill and Ballincolly, above both Co. Cork’s towns (35%) and Irish towns (35%). Nothing here grades or ranks these schools: Ireland publishes no results school by school, and the Education Act 1998 restricts comparing them.
Counted from the Department of Education’s 2025/26 lists: every school in the town or within 3 km of it, against every school in Ireland.
What stands out about Hollyhill and Ballincolly’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
34 post-primary schools lie within 10 km, so families here have a real choice at twelve; each admits on its own policy. The nearest: Nano Nagle College (1.1 km), Terence Mac Swiney Community College (1.6 km) and Gaelcholáiste Mhuire (1.6 km). Post-primary choices ↓
Drawn from the Department of Education’s lists; none of it judges how well a school teaches.
The 84 schools in and around Hollyhill and Ballincolly
Every school in Hollyhill and Ballincolly or within 3 km of its outline, each linked to its own page. There are no letters or results on these cards, because Ireland publishes none school by school.
Show all 26 secondary schools
Show all 47 primary schools
Where the 84 schools in and around Hollyhill and Ballincolly 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 Hollyhill and Ballincolly’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 Hollyhill and Ballincolly
How many schools teach through each language; the tick marks Ireland’s share.
7 of Hollyhill and Ballincolly’s 84 schools teach every subject through Irish: Gaelscoil Peig Sayers, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire and Gaelscoil Mhuscraí.
Who Hollyhill and Ballincolly’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 Hollyhill and Ballincolly | Co. Cork | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at DEIS schools | 36% | 18% | 27% |
| Pupils at all-Irish schools | 10% | 8% | 6% |
| Girls | 49% | 49% | 49% |
| Post-primary pupils at single-sex schools | 39% | 33% | 29% |
| Post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools | 15% | 7% | 6% |
DEIS schools teach 36% of the pupils around Hollyhill and Ballincolly, a larger share than Ireland’s 27% (Co. Cork: 18%). Where this area differs most from Ireland is post-primary pupils at single-sex schools, at 39% against 29%. Coláiste Éamann Rís, with 811 pupils, is the largest school here in DEIS.
Each of the 84 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 Hollyhill and Ballincolly’s schools
Each school’s ethos, 2025/26: the bars show the share of schools of each kind.
69 of Hollyhill and Ballincolly’s 84 schools have a Catholic ethos, against 80% across Ireland. The patrons with most schools here: Bishop of Cork & Ross (44), Bishop of Cloyne (4) and Cork ETB (4). 36 of the 84 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 19 patrons of Hollyhill and Ballincolly’s schools
Patrons own the schools and set their ethos; boards of management run them day to day.
The schools around Hollyhill and Ballincolly answer to 19 patrons, and Bishop of Cork & Ross leads with 44 of the 84 schools and 41% of their pupils. Education and Training Boards run 8 of them. Educate Together runs one.
| Patron | Ethos | Schools | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop of Cork & RossGael Scoil Ui Riordain, Scoil Oilibheir, Bunscoil Chriost Ri, Scoil Barra, Scoil Naomh Mhuire C, Scoil Naomh Caitriona, Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal B, Scoil an Spioraid Naomh, S.N. Naomh Eoin B, Strawberry Hill, Scoil Naomh Mhuire, Scoil Mhuire agus Eoin, Muire Gan Smal C, North Presentation Primary School, Upper Glanmire, Gaelscoil Peig Sayers, Scoil Padre Pio, Scoil Colmcille, 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, Clogheen Mxd, Scoil Maria Assumpta, St Patricks B, Lower Glanmire, S.N. Padraig Naofa C, S.N. Bhreanndain C, St Killians Spec Sch, S.N. Mharcuis B, S.N. Padraig Naofa, Our Lady of Good Counsel, School of the Divine Child, St Kevins School | Catholic | 44 | 11,277 |
| Edmund Rice Schools TrustChristian Brothers College, Coláiste Éamann Rís, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire, North Monastery | Catholic | 4 | 2,691 |
| Bishop of CloyneScoil Mhuire gan Smal, Cloghroe Mixed, S.N. Mhuire, Scoil Chroí Íosa | Catholic | 4 | 2,263 |
| Cork ETBColáiste Choilm, St Aidan's, Terence Mac Swiney, Coláiste Daibhéid | Inter-denominational, Multi-denominational | 4 | 2,119 |
| CEISTMount Mercy College, St Aloysius School, Presentation, Nano Nagle College | Catholic | 4 | 1,485 |
| Presentation Brothers Schools TrustColáiste an Spioraid Naoimh, Presentation Brothers College, Coláiste Chríost Rí | Catholic | 3 | 1,909 |
| Cork ETB & Bishop of Cork and RossBallincollig, Mayfield, Bishopstown | Inter-denominational | 3 | 1,655 |
| Bishop of Cork & Ross & COPE FoundationSt Bernadettes Spec Sch, St Paul's School, Scoil Eanna | Catholic | 3 | 290 |
| Le Chéile Schools TrustSt. Angela's College, Le Cheile Secondary School Ballincollig | Catholic | 2 | 860 |
| An Foras PátrúnachtaGaelscoil an Ghoirt Alainn, Gaelscoil Mhuscraí | Multi-denominational, Catholic | 2 | 588 |
| Bishop of Cork, Cloyne & Ross COISt Lukes Mxd, S.N. Barra Naofa | Church of Ireland | 2 | 171 |
| Brothers of Charity (Southern Services) Brother John O'SheaCara Junior School, St Gabriels Special School | Catholic | 2 | 126 |
| Bishop of Cork, Cloyne & Ross COI/ Cork ETBAshton School | Church of Ireland | 1 | 539 |
| Named IndividualScoil Mhuire | Catholic | 1 | 432 |
| Educate TogetherCork Educate Together | Multi-denominational | 1 | 403 |
| Religious Sisters of CharitySt Vincent's | Catholic | 1 | 283 |
| Cork School ProjectCork Educate Together | Multi-denominational | 1 | 193 |
| 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 Hollyhill and Ballincolly
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, 19 of these 71 schools have grown by 5% or more and 29 have shrunk as much; across Ireland the number of pupils changed by +5%.
All 71 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 Hollyhill and Ballincolly’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 84 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 Hollyhill and Ballincolly
Post-primary schools within 10 km of the town; children move at about twelve, and families apply to each school
Within 10 km of Hollyhill and Ballincolly there are 34 post-primary schools: 23 voluntary secondary schools, 6 ETB schools, 4 community schools and one comprehensive school. 13 teach girls and boys apart: 8 girls’ and 5 boys’ schools. Fees are charged at 3 of them. Every subject is taught through Irish at 3 of them.
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nano Nagle CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 161 | 1.1 km |
| Terence Mac Swiney Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 302 | 1.6 km |
| Gaelcholáiste MhuireVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, DEIS | 690 | 1.6 km |
| North Monastery Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 271 | 1.7 km |
| St Vincent's Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 283 | 1.9 km |
| Presentation Brothers CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 692 | 2.4 km |
| St Aidan's Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 309 | 2.5 km |
| St. Angela's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 606 | 2.6 km |
| Christian Brothers CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 919 | 2.7 km |
| St Aloysius SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 323 | 2.7 km |
| Scoil MhuireVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 432 | 2.7 km |
| Cork Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 403 | 3 km |
All 34 post-primary schools within reach
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Patricks CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 218 | 3.2 km |
| Mount Mercy CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 811 | 3.3 km |
| Coláiste DaibhéidETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, DEIS | 151 | 3.5 km |
| Coláiste Éamann RísVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 811 | 3.5 km |
| Mayfield Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 362 | 3.9 km |
| Coláiste Chríost RíVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 502 | 3.9 km |
| Presentation Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 190 | 4 km |
| Coláiste an Spioraid NaoimhVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 715 | 4.1 km |
| Bishopstown Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 306 | 4.2 km |
| Ashton SchoolComprehensive · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | – | 539 | 4.3 km |
| Scoil Mhuire gan SmalVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 1,124 | 4.5 km |
| Christ King Girls' Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 700 | 4.5 km |
| Regina Mundi CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 564 | 5.4 km |
| Douglas Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Boys | – | 605 | 5.8 km |
| Ursuline College BlackrockVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 352 | 6.2 km |
| Coláiste ChoilmETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Irish stream | 1,357 | 6.4 km |
| Colaiste An PhiarsaighVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, Boarding | 578 | 6.9 km |
| Nagle Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 315 | 7.2 km |
| Ballincollig Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 987 | 7.7 km |
| Coláiste an Chroí NaofaVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 461 | 7.7 km |
| Le Cheile Secondary School BallincolligVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 254 | 7.8 km |
| Glanmire Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,141 | 8 km |
Department of Education post-primary list 2025/26; straight-line distances from the town’s centre point.
Special schools and classes around Hollyhill and Ballincolly
11 special schools serve the area: St Killians Spec Sch, Cork University Hos School, St Bernadettes Spec Sch, Scoil Eanna, Cara Junior School, St Paul's School, St Gabriels Special School, St Kevins School, Scoil Aislinn, Our Lady of Good Counsel N.S. and School of the Divine Child (Scoil an Linbh Íosa), 699 pupils between them. 33 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.
Hollyhill and Ballincolly beside the 86 other Irish towns of 6,000 to 11,600 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gorey | 11,517 | 8 | 4,875 | 1 | 13% | 0.6 km |
| … | ||||||
| Raheny | 8,734 | 70 | 21,242 | 4 | 34% | 0.9 km |
| Ballyvolane | 8,707 | 60 | 16,728 | 8 | 45% | 1.9 km |
| Kilcock | 8,674 | 4 | 2,202 | 1 | 0% | 0.6 km |
| New Ross | 8,610 | 10 | 3,266 | 0 | 60% | 0.6 km |
| Hollyhill and Ballincolly | 8,606 | 84 | 27,337 | 7 | 43% | 1.1 km |
| Youghal | 8,564 | 5 | 2,077 | 1 | 20% | 1.3 km |
| Booterstown | 8,505 | 73 | 27,367 | 8 | 7% | 0.2 km |
| Grand Canal Dock | 8,320 | 121 | 32,703 | 6 | 43% | 0.7 km |
| Cherry Orchard | 8,280 | 78 | 26,412 | 4 | 54% | 1.2 km |
| … | ||||||
| Passage West-Monkstown | 6,051 | 16 | 4,438 | 0 | 6% | 0.1 km |
Among the 86 other towns, 20 have more pupils at their schools than Hollyhill and Ballincolly does. 82 of the 87 towns have an all-Irish school within 3 km.
Department of Education school lists 2025/26 (preliminary); CSO Census 2022 populations.
Pupil numbers around Hollyhill and Ballincolly
Each September’s pupils at every school in or within 3 km of the town, counted where the school stands today.
The schools in and around Hollyhill and Ballincolly had 25,877 pupils in 2015/16 and 27,337 in 2025/26. Coláiste Éamann Rís grew most: +149% since 2019/20.
Pupils at schools in and around Hollyhill and Ballincolly
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 Hollyhill and Ballincolly
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollyhill and Ballincolly | 84 | 27,337 | 7 | 43% | 1.1 km |
| Fair Hill 0.8 km | 58 | 17,368 | 5 | 55% | 0.4 km |
| Knocknaheeny 1.1 km | 59 | 18,265 | 5 | 59% | 0.5 km |
| Farranree 1.5 km | 57 | 16,957 | 5 | 56% | 0.4 km |
| Gurranebraher 1.8 km | 64 | 19,573 | 6 | 55% | 0.6 km |
| Shanakiel 2.1 km | 52 | 16,547 | 5 | 54% | 0.6 km |
| Sunday's Well 2.2 km | 69 | 20,909 | 6 | 52% | 0.5 km |
Pupils around Hollyhill and Ballincolly: +4% since 2019/20. Among the neighbours, Shanakiel led (+2%) and Sunday's Well trailed (−1%).
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Which schools count. Every school in Hollyhill and Ballincolly 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 Hollyhill and Ballincolly
How many schools are there in Hollyhill and Ballincolly?
In Hollyhill and Ballincolly or within 3 km of it: 47 primary schools, 26 secondary schools and 11 special schools, with 27,337 pupils between them.
Are there schools in Hollyhill and Ballincolly that teach through Irish?
Yes, 7: Gaelscoil Peig Sayers, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire and Gaelscoil Mhuscraí teach every subject through Irish.
Are there fee-paying secondary schools near Hollyhill and Ballincolly?
3 of the 26: Christian Brothers College, Scoil Mhuire and Presentation Brothers College. The others are free.
What is the best school in Hollyhill and Ballincolly?
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 Hollyhill and Ballincolly?
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).