Photo: Harold Strong · CC BY-SA 2.0Clonsilla has 2 fee-paying secondary schools in and around it
Girls and boys are taught apart at 19% of the post-primaries around Clonsilla, below both Co. Dublin’s towns (40%) and Irish towns (39%). Its primary schools are big ones: 421 pupils each on average, against 175 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.
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 Clonsilla’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) and The Kings Hospital (732). Every school ↓
A wide choice at twelve
Families here can choose among 47 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: Hartstown Community School (0.6 km), Coláiste Pobail Setanta (0.8 km) and Blakestown Community School (1.4 km). Post-primary choices ↓
Drawn from the Department of Education’s lists; none of it judges how well a school teaches.
The 56 schools in and around Clonsilla
Each school in or within 3 km of Clonsilla links to a page of its own. You won’t find letters or results below: Ireland publishes none for single schools.
Show all 38 primary schools
Where the 56 schools in and around Clonsilla 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 Clonsilla’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 Clonsilla
The schools by teaching language, with Ireland’s share as the black tick.
3 of Clonsilla’s 56 schools teach every subject through Irish: S.N. Oilibheir, Gaelscoil an Chuilinn and Gaelscoil Thulach na nÓg.
Who Clonsilla’s schools serve
How the area’s pupils divide, against 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 Clonsilla | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at DEIS schools | 14% | 28% | 27% |
| Pupils at all-Irish schools | 3% | 6% | 6% |
| Girls | 47% | 49% | 49% |
| Post-primary pupils at single-sex schools | 18% | 38% | 29% |
| Post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools | 11% | 18% | 6% |
Fewer of the pupils around Clonsilla are at DEIS schools than across Ireland: 14% against 27% (Co. Dublin: 28%). Where this area differs most from Ireland is post-primary pupils at single-sex schools, at 18% against 29%. Scoil Choilm Community NS, with 698 pupils, is the largest school here in DEIS.
Each of the 56 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 Clonsilla’s schools
Each school’s ethos, 2025/26: the bars show the share of schools of each kind.
30 of Clonsilla’s 56 schools have a Catholic ethos, against 80% across Ireland. The patrons with most schools here: Archbishop of Dublin (24), Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB (10) and Educate Together (6). 12 of the 56 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 16 patrons of Clonsilla’s schools
Each school has a patron that owns it and sets its ethos; its board of management runs it.
The schools around Clonsilla answer to 16 patrons, and Archbishop of Dublin leads with 24 of the 56 schools and 35% of their pupils. The local Education and Training Board runs 14. Educate Together runs 6.
| Patron | Ethos | Schools | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archbishop of DublinSt Patricks, St Brigids Mxd, S.N. Naomh Mochta, Sacred Heart, St Benedicts, Scoil Thomais, Scoil Naomh Lucais, Scoil Mhuire, St Ciarans, Lucan B, Ladyswell, Mary Mother of Hope Senior NS, St Francis Xavier Senior, St Francis Xavier J, Mary Mother of Hope Junior, S.N. Oilibheir, St Philips Senior, Scoil Bride C, Scoil Mhuire Sin, Scoil Bride B, St Patricks Senior School, St Philip the Apostle Junior, Scoil Nais Mhuire Sois, St. Patrick's Junior NS | Catholic | 24 | 10,360 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETBCastleknock, Coláiste Pobail Setanta, Luttrellstown, Scoil Choilm Community NS, Scoil Ghrainne Community, St. Kevin's, Rath Dara, Eriu, Danu Community Special School, Ballydowd High Support Special School | Multi-denominational, Inter-denominational | 10 | 5,798 |
| Educate TogetherHansfield ETSS, Hansfield Educate Together, Tyrrelstown Educate Together, Castleknock Educate Together NS, Castaheany Educate Together NS, Powerstown Educate Together | Multi-denominational | 6 | 3,038 |
| Bishop of MeathDunboyne Senior, Dunboyne Junior | Catholic | 2 | 867 |
| An Foras PátrúnachtaGaelscoil Thulach na nÓg, Gaelscoil an Chuilinn | Inter-denominational | 2 | 642 |
| Archbishop of Dublin & Bishop of Glendalough COISt Andrews, Scoil Naisunta Chnuacha | Church of Ireland | 2 | 572 |
| Louth & Meath ETBSt Peter's College | Inter-denominational | 1 | 1,214 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB & Archbishop of DublinHartstown | Inter-denominational | 1 | 1,120 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB & Congregation of the Missions (Vincentians)Scoil Phobail Chuil Mhin | Inter-denominational | 1 | 1,014 |
| Le Chéile Schools TrustLe Cheile | Catholic | 1 | 944 |
| CEISTSt Joseph's College | Catholic | 1 | 934 |
| Congregation of the Missions (Vincentians)Castleknock College | Catholic | 1 | 771 |
| Edmund Rice Schools TrustColáiste Phádraig CBS | Catholic | 1 | 745 |
| Board of Governors of King's HospitalThe Kings Hospital | Church of Ireland | 1 | 732 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB & Sisters of St LouisBlakestown | Inter-denominational | 1 | 563 |
| Bishop of Meath & Kildare COISt Peters | Church of Ireland | 1 | 97 |
Department of Education school lists: patron 2024/25, ethos 2025/26.
How children get a place in Clonsilla
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 2 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
15 schools here have grown by 5% or more since 2019/20, 28 have shrunk by as much, out of 53; across Ireland: +5%.
All 53 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 Clonsilla’s schools
The Department of Education’s Inspectorate: every school’s reports linked, 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 56 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 Clonsilla
Every post-primary school within 10 km of the town; families choose and apply to each, at about twelve
47 post-primary schools are within 10 km of Clonsilla: 22 voluntary secondary schools, 19 ETB schools and 6 community schools. 13 teach girls and boys apart: 5 girls’ and 8 boys’ schools. Fees are charged at 3 of them. Every subject is taught through Irish at 3 of them.
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hartstown Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,120 | 0.6 km |
| Coláiste Pobail SetantaETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,079 | 0.8 km |
| Blakestown Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 563 | 1.4 km |
| Hansfield ETSSVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 867 | 1.5 km |
| Eriu Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 193 | 1.5 km |
| Scoil Phobail Chuil MhinCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,014 | 2 km |
| Luttrellstown Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,027 | 2.3 km |
| Rath Dara Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 323 | 3.1 km |
| Castleknock Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,318 | 3.3 km |
| Le Cheile Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 944 | 3.4 km |
| St Peter's CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,214 | 4 km |
| St Joseph's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 934 | 4.1 km |
All 47 post-primary schools within reach
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coláiste Phádraig CBSVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 745 | 4.2 km |
| Castleknock CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 771 | 4.7 km |
| The Kings HospitalVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 732 | 4.7 km |
| St. Kevin's Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 525 | 4.7 km |
| Coláiste Cois LifeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 592 | 5 km |
| Edmund Rice CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 912 | 5.3 km |
| Lucan Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 966 | 5.4 km |
| Confey Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 934 | 5.5 km |
| Mount Sackville Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 636 | 5.8 km |
| Phobailscoil IosoldeCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 764 | 6 km |
| Coláiste ChiaráinCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 676 | 6 km |
| Collinstown Park Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 630 | 6.2 km |
| Kishoge Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 937 | 6.4 km |
| Griffeen Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 576 | 6.4 km |
| New Cross CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 417 | 6.7 km |
| Adamstown Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 981 | 6.9 km |
| St. Seton's Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Other | Girls and boys | DEIS | 741 | 7.2 km |
| Kylemore CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 479 | 7.3 km |
| Coláiste EoinETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 257 | 7.6 km |
| Deansrath Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 425 | 7.8 km |
| Coláiste ChilliainETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 400 | 7.9 km |
| St Dominics CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 790 | 8.1 km |
| St Michaels Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 646 | 8.2 km |
| Moyle Park CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 763 | 8.4 km |
| St Declan's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 651 | 8.6 km |
| Coláiste MhuireVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, DEIS | 272 | 8.6 km |
| Coláiste BrídeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 993 | 8.8 km |
| Cabra Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 264 | 9.1 km |
| Beneavin De La Salle CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 585 | 9.1 km |
| Celbridge Community SchoolCommunity school · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 712 | 9.2 km |
| Mercy Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 349 | 9.3 km |
| Salesian CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 880 | 9.4 km |
| St Kevins CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 503 | 9.8 km |
| Meanscoil Iognáid RísVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 521 | 9.8 km |
| Our Lady Of Mercy Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 289 | 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 Clonsilla
2 special schools serve the area: Danu Community Special School and Ballydowd High Support Special School, 50 pupils between them. 31 of the 38 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.
Clonsilla beside the 51 other Irish towns of 15,800 to 30,400 people
Each town’s schools in or within 3 km, listed by population: Ireland publishes no results, so none is ranked
| Town | People | Schools | Pupils | All-Irish | DEIS schools | Nearest post-primary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ennis | 27,923 | 18 | 7,595 | 1 | 33% | 0.3 km |
| … | ||||||
| Clondalkin | 22,788 | 120 | 39,367 | 6 | 54% | 0.2 km |
| Mullingar | 22,667 | 18 | 6,384 | 2 | 33% | 0.4 km |
| Rathmines West | 22,667 | 136 | 39,314 | 9 | 38% | 0 km |
| Letterkenny | 22,549 | 15 | 6,825 | 2 | 20% | 0.4 km |
| Clonsilla | 22,510 | 56 | 29,411 | 3 | 21% | 0.6 km |
| Sandymount | 22,340 | 133 | 40,801 | 10 | 26% | 0.8 km |
| Ballymun | 22,321 | 93 | 27,057 | 9 | 58% | 0.9 km |
| Douglas | 22,029 | 66 | 20,250 | 10 | 20% | 1.8 km |
| Greystones-Delgany | 22,009 | 13 | 7,013 | 1 | 0% | 0.8 km |
| … | ||||||
| Cabinteely | 15,864 | 67 | 21,279 | 4 | 21% | 0.6 km |
Among the 51 other towns, 18 have more pupils at their schools than Clonsilla does. Every one of them has an all-Irish school within 3 km.
Department of Education school lists 2025/26 (preliminary); CSO Census 2022 populations.
Pupil numbers around Clonsilla
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 Clonsilla had 28,008 pupils in 2015/16 and 29,411 in 2025/26. St. Kevin's Community College grew most: +41% since 2019/20.
Pupils at schools in and around Clonsilla
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 Clonsilla
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clonsilla | 56 | 29,411 | 3 | 21% | 0.6 km |
| Ongar 1 km | 42 | 22,425 | 3 | 21% | 0.3 km |
| Clonee 2 km | 25 | 12,320 | 2 | 28% | 1.3 km |
| Mulhuddart 2.2 km | 50 | 26,364 | 3 | 24% | 0.9 km |
| Blanchardstown 2.7 km | 91 | 36,302 | 5 | 44% | 0.7 km |
| Carpenterstown 3.4 km | 102 | 40,675 | 5 | 40% | 0.3 km |
| Hollystown 3.8 km | 68 | 22,939 | 3 | 50% | 1.9 km |
Blanchardstown has the most schools teaching through Irish nearby: 5. Of Clonsilla’s neighbours, Blanchardstown saw the most growth in pupils since 2019/20 (+1%) and Clonee the least (−4%); Clonsilla itself: −2%.
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Which schools count. Every school in Clonsilla 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 Clonsilla
How many schools are there in Clonsilla?
In Clonsilla or within 3 km of it: 38 primary schools, 16 secondary schools and 2 special schools, with 29,411 pupils between them.
Are there schools in Clonsilla that teach through Irish?
Yes, 3: S.N. Oilibheir, Gaelscoil an Chuilinn and Gaelscoil Thulach na nÓg teach every subject through Irish.
Are there fee-paying secondary schools near Clonsilla?
2 of the 16: The Kings Hospital and Castleknock College. The others are free.
What is the best school in Clonsilla?
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 Clonsilla?
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).