Photo: SeoR · CC BY-SA 4.0Ballyfermot has 3 fee-paying secondary schools in and around it
The DEIS programme includes 57% of the schools around Ballyfermot, above both Co. Dublin’s towns (40%) and Irish towns (35%). DEIS, the extra support for schools in disadvantaged areas, reaches 33 of its 58 schools; across Ireland, 30%. These schools are described rather than graded, because Ireland publishes no school results and the Education Act 1998 restricts comparing them.
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 Ballyfermot’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: Castleknock College (771), The Kings Hospital (732) and Mount Sackville Secondary School (636). 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: Phobailscoil Iosolde (764), St. Seton's Secondary School (741), Collinstown Park Community College (630) and St. Kevin's Community College (525), and 29 more. Who runs them ↓
A wide choice at twelve
Families here can choose among 118 post-primary schools within 10 km of the town, of more than one kind; each admits on its own published policy, so applying to more than one is common. The nearest: St. Seton's Secondary School (0.4 km), Kylemore College (0.6 km) and Phobailscoil Iosolde (1.2 km). Post-primary choices ↓
Drawn from the Department of Education’s lists; none of it judges how well a school teaches.
The 58 schools in and around Ballyfermot
Every school in Ballyfermot or within 3 km of its outline, each linked to its own page. These schools carry no letter or result: Ireland doesn’t release them school by school.
Show all 37 primary schools
Who runs Ballyfermot’s schools
Each school’s ethos, 2025/26: the bars show the share of schools of each kind.
44 of Ballyfermot’s 58 schools have a Catholic ethos, against 80% across Ireland. The patrons with most schools here: Archbishop of Dublin (36), Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB (4) and Archbishop of Dublin & Bishop of Glendalough COI (3). 33 of the 58 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 58 schools in and around Ballyfermot 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 Ballyfermot’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 Ballyfermot
Schools by the language they teach in; the black tick is Ireland’s share.
2 of Ballyfermot’s 58 schools teach every subject through Irish: Gaelscoil Inse Chor and Gaelscoil na Camoige.
Who Ballyfermot’s schools serve
The pupils at the area’s schools by share, beside Co. Dublin’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 Ballyfermot | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at DEIS schools | 53% | 28% | 27% |
| Pupils at all-Irish schools | 2% | 6% | 6% |
| Girls | 48% | 49% | 49% |
| Post-primary pupils at single-sex schools | 25% | 38% | 29% |
| Post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools | 24% | 18% | 6% |
DEIS schools teach 53% of the pupils around Ballyfermot, a larger share than Ireland’s 27% (Co. Dublin: 28%). Set beside Ireland, post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools stand out most: 24% against 6%. The largest DEIS school here is Phobailscoil Iosolde, with 764 pupils.
Each of the 58 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 14 patrons of Ballyfermot’s schools
The patron owns the school and sets its ethos; a board of management runs it day to day.
14 patrons run the 58 schools around Ballyfermot; the largest, Archbishop of Dublin, has 36 of them and 49% of the pupils. The local Education and Training Board runs 7. Educate Together runs one.
| Patron | Ethos | Schools | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archbishop of DublinSt Patricks, St Brigids Mxd, Our Lady Queen of Apostles, Assumption Junior School, St Raphaels, St Ultans, Drimnagh Castle CBS, S.N. Muire Gan Smal B, Scoil Bride C, Scoil Lorcain B, St Michaels, St Peter Apostle Sen, St Louise de Marillac Primary School, Neillstown, S N Muire na Freastogala Girls Senior School, Gaelscoil na Camoige, St Gabriels, Gaelscoil Inse Chor, St Marys Sen, St Patricks, Inchicore, St Bernadettes Senior, Goldenbridge Convent, St Marys Junior, St Bernadettes Junior, S N Banrion na nAingeal 1, Scoil Mhuire, St Michaels Spec School, Our Lady of Good Counsel Girls Senior School, Bainrion na nAingal 2, Our Lady of Good Counsel School, Lady of Good Counsel Boys Senior, Our Lady of Wayside, St John of God Sp Sch, St Vincents Home NS, S.N. Naomh Cillin | Catholic | 36 | 9,268 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETBCastleknock, Collinstown Park, St. Kevin's, Ballydowd High Support Special School | Multi-denominational, Inter-denominational | 4 | 2,480 |
| Archbishop of Dublin & Bishop of Glendalough COIScoil Naisunta Chnuacha, S.N. Naomh Eoin, Chapelizod | Church of Ireland | 3 | 319 |
| Edmund Rice Schools TrustEdmund Rice College, Meanscoil Iognáid Rís | Catholic | 2 | 1,433 |
| CEISTMercy, Our Lady Of Mercy | Catholic | 2 | 638 |
| City of Dublin ETBKylemore College, Solas Hospital School | Multi-denominational | 2 | 577 |
| Health Service ExecutiveLinn Dara Schools, Phoenix Park Specialist School | Multi-denominational, Catholic | 2 | 68 |
| Congregation of the Missions (Vincentians)Castleknock College | Catholic | 1 | 771 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB & Archbishop of DublinPhobailscoil Iosolde | Inter-denominational | 1 | 764 |
| Trusteeship of the Le Chéile Schools Trust & CEISTSt. Seton's | Other | 1 | 741 |
| Board of Governors of King's HospitalThe Kings Hospital | Church of Ireland | 1 | 732 |
| Le Chéile Schools TrustMount Sackville | Catholic | 1 | 636 |
| Educate TogetherCastleknock Educate Together NS | Multi-denominational | 1 | 374 |
| Religious Sisters of CharityAssumption | Catholic | 1 | 270 |
Department of Education school lists: patron 2024/25, ethos 2025/26.
How children get a place in Ballyfermot
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, 12 of the 50 grew by 5% or more and 26 shrank as much, while Ireland’s pupil numbers moved +5%.
All 50 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 Ballyfermot’s schools
Reports from the Department of Education’s Inspectorate, every school’s linked and none rated
Inspectors visit every kind of school. Whole-school evaluations look at teaching and learning, leadership and management; subject inspections look at one subject; follow-through inspections check whether earlier advice was taken. Each report is published 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 58 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 Ballyfermot
All post-primaries within 10 km; at about twelve, families choose and apply school by school
118 post-primary schools are within 10 km of Ballyfermot: 71 voluntary secondary schools, 32 ETB schools, 13 community schools and 2 comprehensive schools. Of these, 41 are single-sex: 22 for girls and 19 for boys. Fees are charged at 18 of them. Every subject is taught through Irish at 6 of them.
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Seton's Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Other | Girls and boys | DEIS | 741 | 0.4 km |
| Kylemore CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 479 | 0.6 km |
| Phobailscoil IosoldeCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 764 | 1.2 km |
| Mount Sackville Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 636 | 1.6 km |
| The Kings HospitalVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 732 | 2.3 km |
| Collinstown Park Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 630 | 2.4 km |
| Castleknock CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 771 | 2.6 km |
| Mercy Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 349 | 2.7 km |
| Meanscoil Iognáid RísVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 521 | 2.9 km |
| St. Kevin's Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 525 | 3.1 km |
| Our Lady Of Mercy Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 289 | 3.2 km |
| Assumption Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 270 | 3.2 km |
All 118 post-primary schools within reach
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edmund Rice CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 912 | 3.5 km |
| Castleknock Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,318 | 3.6 km |
| Coláiste BrídeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 993 | 3.7 km |
| Coláiste ChilliainETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 400 | 3.7 km |
| Moyle Park CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 763 | 3.7 km |
| Kingswood Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,006 | 4.4 km |
| Coláiste MhuireVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, DEIS | 272 | 4.5 km |
| Kishoge Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 937 | 4.5 km |
| Griffeen Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 576 | 4.5 km |
| St Declan's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 651 | 4.5 km |
| Loreto CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 320 | 4.5 km |
| St Dominics CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 790 | 4.5 km |
| Greenhills CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 186 | 4.6 km |
| St Pauls Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 466 | 4.6 km |
| Rosary CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 250 | 4.6 km |
| Luttrellstown Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,027 | 4.6 km |
| Deansrath Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 425 | 4.7 km |
| C.B.S. James StreetVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 251 | 4.7 km |
| Clogher Road Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 297 | 4.8 km |
| Coláiste de hÍdeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, DEIS | 266 | 5 km |
| Le Cheile Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 944 | 5 km |
| Coláiste Phádraig CBSVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 745 | 5 km |
| Coláiste Cois LifeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 592 | 5 km |
| Cabra Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 264 | 5.1 km |
| St Josephs Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 283 | 5.3 km |
| Scoil Phobail Chuil MhinCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,014 | 5.4 km |
| St Joseph's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 934 | 5.5 km |
| Presentation CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 262 | 5.6 km |
| Templeogue CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 637 | 5.6 km |
| St Pauls C.B.S.Voluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 244 | 5.6 km |
| New Cross CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 417 | 5.7 km |
| St Mac Dara's Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 915 | 5.8 km |
| Coláiste EoinETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 257 | 5.8 km |
| Tallaght Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 840 | 5.8 km |
| St Patricks Cathedral Grammar SchoolVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | – | 302 | 5.9 km |
| Lucan Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 966 | 6 km |
| Harolds Cross Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 437 | 6 km |
| St Michaels Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 646 | 6.1 km |
| Mount Carmel Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 386 | 6.1 km |
| St Vincents C.B.S. GlasnevinVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 408 | 6.2 km |
| Terenure CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 800 | 6.2 km |
| Presentation Community CollegeETB · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 443 | 6.2 km |
| Christian Brothers, Synge St.Voluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 256 | 6.2 km |
| St Marks Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 931 | 6.3 km |
| Blakestown Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 563 | 6.3 km |
| Rath Dara Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 323 | 6.4 km |
| St. Mary's College C.S.Sp., RathminesVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 500 | 6.5 km |
| St Louis High SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 690 | 6.5 km |
| Our Ladys SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 799 | 6.6 km |
| Belvedere College S.JVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 1,011 | 6.6 km |
| St Mary's Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 830 | 6.7 km |
| Hartstown Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,120 | 6.7 km |
| Larkin Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 403 | 6.8 km |
| Adamstown Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 981 | 6.9 km |
| Beneavin De La Salle CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 585 | 6.9 km |
| Old Bawn Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,024 | 6.9 km |
| Stratford CollegeVoluntary secondary · Jewish | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 189 | 7 km |
| Loreto CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 588 | 7 km |
| Catholic University SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 544 | 7 km |
| St Kevins CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 503 | 7.1 km |
| Scoil ChaitrionaVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, DEIS | 523 | 7.3 km |
| The High SchoolVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 811 | 7.3 km |
| C.B.S. Westland RowVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 205 | 7.4 km |
| O'Connell SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 222 | 7.4 km |
| St Aidan's Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 561 | 7.4 km |
| Eriu Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 193 | 7.5 km |
| Hansfield ETSSVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 867 | 7.6 km |
| Coláiste Pobail SetantaETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,079 | 7.7 km |
| Sancta Maria CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 577 | 7.7 km |
| Coláiste ÉannaVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 618 | 7.7 km |
| Firhouse Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 825 | 7.7 km |
| Sandford Park School LtdVoluntary secondary · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 437 | 7.7 km |
| Loreto High SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 625 | 7.8 km |
| Gaelcholáiste an PhiarsaighVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 296 | 8 km |
| Rosmini Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 139 | 8 km |
| St. Colmcille's Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 727 | 8 km |
| Gonzaga CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 576 | 8 km |
| Dominican CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 799 | 8 km |
| Killinarden Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 471 | 8.1 km |
| Mount Seskin Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 350 | 8.1 km |
| St Conleths CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 339 | 8.2 km |
| Muckross Park CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 709 | 8.2 km |
| Alexandra CollegeVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls | Fee-paying, Boarding | 664 | 8.3 km |
| Trinity Comprehensive SchoolComprehensive · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 564 | 8.3 km |
| Clonturk CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 968 | 8.3 km |
| De La Salle CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 463 | 8.3 km |
| St. Aidan's C.B.S.Voluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 725 | 8.4 km |
| Coláiste pobail FólaETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 758 | 8.6 km |
| St Josephs C.B.S.Voluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 310 | 8.6 km |
| Marino CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 297 | 8.8 km |
| Firhouse Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 411 | 8.8 km |
| Marian CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 319 | 9 km |
| Maryfield CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 527 | 9 km |
| Ellenfield Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 150 | 9 km |
| Ringsend CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 191 | 9 km |
| Árdscoil RísVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 563 | 9.2 km |
| The Teresian SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 230 | 9.4 km |
| Coláiste ChiaráinCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 676 | 9.5 km |
| Mount Temple Comprehensive SchoolComprehensive · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | – | 903 | 9.5 km |
| Confey Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 934 | 9.7 km |
| Our Lady's Grove Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 295 | 9.7 km |
| Ballinteer Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 415 | 9.7 km |
| Our Lady Of Mercy CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 407 | 9.7 km |
| St Kilian's Deutsche SchuleVoluntary secondary · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 475 | 9.9 km |
| Sandymount Park Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 437 | 9.9 km |
| St Michaels CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 731 | 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 Ballyfermot
7 special schools serve the area: St Michaels Spec School, Linn Dara Schools, Phoenix Park Specialist School, St John of God Sp Sch, Ballydowd High Support Special School, Solas Hospital School and St Vincents Home NS, 490 pupils between them. 24 of the 37 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.
Ballyfermot beside the 95 other Irish towns of 2,500 to 4,900 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duleek | 4,899 | 4 | 957 | 0 | 50% | 6.8 km |
| … | ||||||
| Cahir | 3,679 | 2 | 1,300 | 0 | 50% | 0.6 km |
| Riverstown | 3,664 | 12 | 4,146 | 3 | 8% | 0.8 km |
| Enfield | 3,663 | 4 | 1,342 | 0 | 0% | 0.7 km |
| Westbury | 3,636 | 29 | 9,896 | 3 | 55% | 0.9 km |
| Ballyfermot | 3,632 | 58 | 19,071 | 2 | 57% | 0.4 km |
| Newtownmountkennedy | 3,539 | 5 | 1,475 | 0 | 20% | 3.6 km |
| Shandon | 3,539 | 63 | 19,030 | 5 | 52% | 0.4 km |
| Rahoon | 3,486 | 29 | 10,562 | 5 | 21% | 1.6 km |
| Rathnew | 3,482 | 11 | 4,543 | 1 | 36% | 1 km |
| … | ||||||
| Grange Upper | 2,510 | 29 | 11,835 | 2 | 41% | 0.8 km |
Of the other 95 towns, 13 have more pupils at the schools around them than Ballyfermot. Within 3 km, 61 of these 96 towns have a school teaching through Irish.
Department of Education school lists 2025/26 (preliminary); CSO Census 2022 populations.
Pupil numbers around Ballyfermot
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 Ballyfermot had 20,171 pupils in 2015/16 and 19,071 in 2025/26, fewer than before. Edmund Rice College grew most: +576% since 2019/20.
Pupils at schools in and around Ballyfermot
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 Ballyfermot
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballyfermot | 58 | 19,071 | 2 | 57% | 0.4 km |
| Carna 0.6 km | 60 | 18,688 | 4 | 58% | 0.9 km |
| Kylemore 0.8 km | 57 | 16,207 | 2 | 60% | 0.5 km |
| Cherry Orchard 1.1 km | 78 | 26,412 | 4 | 54% | 1.2 km |
| Chapelizod 1.2 km | 154 | 44,846 | 5 | 58% | 0.7 km |
| Decies 1.3 km | 44 | 11,294 | 1 | 64% | 0.8 km |
| Palmerston 1.5 km | 80 | 33,167 | 7 | 40% | 0.4 km |
Palmerston has the most schools teaching through Irish nearby: 7. Of Ballyfermot’s neighbours, Chapelizod saw the most growth in pupils since 2019/20 (+6%) and Decies the least (−5%); Ballyfermot itself: +2%.
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Which schools count. Every school in Ballyfermot 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 Ballyfermot
How many schools are there in Ballyfermot?
In Ballyfermot or within 3 km of it: 37 primary schools, 14 secondary schools and 7 special schools, with 19,071 pupils between them.
Are there schools in Ballyfermot that teach through Irish?
Yes, 2: Gaelscoil Inse Chor and Gaelscoil na Camoige teach every subject through Irish.
Are there fee-paying secondary schools near Ballyfermot?
3 of the 14: Mount Sackville Secondary School, The Kings Hospital and Castleknock College. The others are free.
What is the best school in Ballyfermot?
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 Ballyfermot?
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).