Photo: Ridiculopathy · CC0Drumcondra has 2 fee-paying secondary schools in and around it
58% of the schools around Drumcondra are DEIS schools, above both Co. Dublin’s towns (40%) and Irish towns (35%). DEIS, the extra support for schools in disadvantaged areas, reaches 88 of its 151 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.
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 Drumcondra’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: Belvedere College S.J (1,011) and Loreto College (588). 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: St Mary's Secondary School (830), St Michaels Secondary School (646), St Christopher's NS (598) and Beneavin De La Salle College (585), and 84 more. Who runs them ↓
A wide choice at twelve
Families here can choose among 114 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: Rosmini Community School (0.3 km), Dominican College (0.5 km) and Scoil Chaitriona (1 km). Post-primary choices ↓
Drawn from the Department of Education’s lists; none of it judges how well a school teaches.
The 151 schools in and around Drumcondra
Every school in Drumcondra or within 3 km of its outline, each linked to its own page. Results by school aren’t published in Ireland, so the cards carry none.
Show all 37 secondary schools
Show all 98 primary schools
Who runs Drumcondra’s schools
Ethos as listed for 2025/26: each bar splits the schools by who runs them.
124 of Drumcondra’s 151 schools have a Catholic ethos, against 80% across Ireland. The patrons with most schools here: Archbishop of Dublin (87), Edmund Rice Schools Trust (11) and Le Chéile Schools Trust (9). 88 of the 151 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 151 schools in and around Drumcondra 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 Drumcondra’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 Drumcondra
Schools by the language they teach in; the black tick is Ireland’s share.
12 of Drumcondra’s 151 schools teach every subject through Irish: Scoil Chaitriona, Scoil Mobhi and Gaelscoil Áine.
Who Drumcondra’s schools serve
Shares of the pupils at the area’s schools, 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 Drumcondra | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at DEIS schools | 52% | 28% | 27% |
| Pupils at all-Irish schools | 6% | 6% | 6% |
| Girls | 50% | 49% | 49% |
| Post-primary pupils at single-sex schools | 60% | 38% | 29% |
| Post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools | 9% | 18% | 6% |
52% of the pupils around Drumcondra are at a DEIS school, more than the 27% across Ireland (28% in Co. Dublin). The biggest difference from Ireland is in post-primary pupils at single-sex schools: 60% here, 29% there. Of the DEIS schools here, St Mary's Secondary School is the biggest: 830 pupils.
Each of the 151 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 24 patrons of Drumcondra’s schools
Each school has a patron that owns it and sets its ethos; its board of management runs it.
The schools around Drumcondra answer to 24 patrons, and Archbishop of Dublin leads with 87 of the 151 schools and 45% of their pupils. Education and Training Boards run 9 of them. Educate Together runs 6.
| Patron | Ethos | Schools | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archbishop of DublinSt Fiachras Sen, St Christopher's NS, Scoil Fhiachra Soisir, Holy Child, Mother of Divine Grace, St Canices G, St Patricks N School, St Peters, St Brigids Convent, Scoil na Croi Naofa, Corpus Christi, Stanhope Street Primary School, S.N. Eoin Baisde Girls Senior, St Columbas Con G & I, St Brigids Convent, St Canices B, S N Mhuire na mBrathar, St Vincents de Paul Junior, S.N. Eoin Baisde Boys Senior School, Our Lady of Consolation, St Davids, St Vincent de Paul Senior School, Gardiner Street Convent, Scoil an Leinbh Iosa Boys Seniors, Eoin Baisde B Sois, St Brigids Boys, SN an Spioraid Naiomh C, Scoil Mobhi, Scoil Neasain, St. Vincent's Primary School, Holy Spirit B, St Brigids Primary School, Eoin Baisde C Naoidh, St Marys, St Josephs Mxd, S.N. San Vinseann Cailin, Our Lady of Victories Infant, Cromcastle Green B, St John of God, S N Naomh Feargal Boys Senior, S.N. Caitriona Naionain, Bantiarna na mBuanna Girls, Bantiarna na mBuanna Boys, St Audoens, St Gabriels, Scoil an Tseachtar Laoch, Presentation Primary School, Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire, St Josephs Senior, Virgin Mary Girls, St Laurence O'Toole's, Scoil Nais Ide Cailini, Scoil Ui Chonaill Boys Seniors, Scoil na mBrathar, Rutland, Scoil Chiarain, City Quay, S N na Maighdine Muire B, Dominican Convent Girls Senior School, St Patricks Girls, St Ciarans Spec Sch, St Brigids Infant, St Catherines Infant School, St Josephs Jnr, Naomh Padraig Boys, Holy Family School for the Deaf, Scoil Caitriona na mBraithre, St Malachys, Fionnbarra Naofa B., Scoil na Mbrathar Boys Senior School, St Joseph¿s Primary School, An Edmund Rice School, St Oliver Plunkett, Catherine Mc Auley N Sc, An Taonad Reamhscoile, St Vincents Inf Boys, Christ the King B, Christ the King Girls Senior School, Naomh Lorcan O Tuathail Senior Boys, Hospital School CHI at Temple Street, St Pauls Hospital Special School, St Josephs for Blind, Christ the King I G, St Declans Special Sch, Casa Caterina S S, Henrietta Street School, St L O Tooles 2 Spec, St Joseph's Adolescent School | Catholic | 87 | 18,844 |
| Edmund Rice Schools TrustSt. Aidan's C.B.S., St Declan's College, Árdscoil Rís, St. David's College, St Kevins College, St Vincents C.B.S. Glasnevin, St Josephs C.B.S., Coláiste Mhuire, St Pauls C.B.S., O'Connell School, C.B.S. Westland Row | Catholic | 11 | 4,653 |
| Le Chéile Schools TrustSt Mary's, Dominican College, St Dominics College, Holy Faith, St Michaels, Beneavin De La Salle College, Maryfield College, Scoil Chaitriona, St Marys | Catholic | 9 | 5,667 |
| City of Dublin ETBClonturk College, Larkin, Marino College, Cabra, Ringsend College, Ellenfield, An Cosan CSS, Beaumont Hospital Special School | Multi-denominational, Inter-denominational, Other | 8 | 2,338 |
| Educate TogetherDublin 7 Educate Together NS, Grace Park Educate Together, Glasnevin Educate Together NS, Broombridge Educate Together, Paradise Place ETNS, Killester Raheny Clontarf Educate Together | Multi-denominational | 6 | 2,137 |
| An Foras PátrúnachtaGaelscoil Ui Earcain, Gaelscoil Bharra, Gaelscoil Cholmcille, Gaelscoil Áine, Gaelscoil Bhaile Munna | Catholic, Multi-denominational | 5 | 1,009 |
| Archbishop of Dublin & Bishop of Glendalough COIFinglas Parochial, St Columbas N.S. Mxd, Glasnevin, Drumcondra | Church of Ireland | 4 | 348 |
| Minister for Education & SkillsCentral Senior Mxd, Central Infs School, Scoil Chaoimhin | Catholic | 3 | 444 |
| Minister for EducationMount Temple Comprehensive School, Trinity Comprehensive School | Church of Ireland, Catholic | 2 | 1,467 |
| Religious Sisters of CharityMount Carmel, St Josephs | Catholic | 2 | 669 |
| Society of Jesus (Jesuits)Belvedere College S.J | Catholic | 1 | 1,011 |
| Congregation of the Missions (Vincentians)St Pauls College | Catholic | 1 | 650 |
| Loreto Education TrustLoreto College | Catholic | 1 | 588 |
| Marist Education AuthorityChanel College | Catholic | 1 | 451 |
| CEISTOur Lady Of Mercy College | Catholic | 1 | 407 |
| Board of Governors of St Patrick's Cathedral Grammar SchoolSt Patricks Cathedral Grammar School | Church of Ireland | 1 | 302 |
| The North Dublin National School ProjectNorth Dublin N.S. Project | Multi-denominational | 1 | 214 |
| City of Dublin Education and Training BoardSouth City CNS | Multi-denominational | 1 | 148 |
| City of Dublin ETB & Rosminian FathersRosmini | Inter-denominational | 1 | 139 |
| Minister of Abbey Presbyterian ChurchLindsay Road | Presbyterian | 1 | 95 |
| Joint patronage between the Kirk Session of Clontarf and the Scots Presbyterian ChurchHowth Rd Mxd | Presbyterian | 1 | 89 |
| Central Remedial ClinicCentral Remedial Clinic | Catholic | 1 | 78 |
| St Michael's HouseSt Michaels Hse Spec Sc | Catholic | 1 | 64 |
| Dean of St Patrick's CatheralSt Patricks | Church of Ireland | 1 | 24 |
Department of Education school lists: patron 2024/25, ethos 2025/26.
How children get a place in Drumcondra
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
Between 2019/20 and now, 40 of the 133 grew by 5% or more and 58 shrank as much, while Ireland’s pupil numbers moved +5%.
All 133 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 Drumcondra’s schools
The Inspectorate’s published reports for each school, linked, without ratings
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 151 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 Drumcondra
Post-primary schools within 10 km of the town; children move at about twelve, and families apply to each school
Within 10 km of Drumcondra there are 114 post-primary schools: 88 voluntary secondary schools, 17 ETB schools, 7 community schools and 2 comprehensive schools. 52 of them are single-sex, 27 for girls and 25 for boys. Fees are charged at 22 of them. Every subject is taught through Irish at 6 of them.
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rosmini Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 139 | 0.3 km |
| Dominican CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 799 | 0.5 km |
| Scoil ChaitrionaVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, DEIS | 523 | 1 km |
| Clonturk CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 968 | 1.1 km |
| Maryfield CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 527 | 1.2 km |
| O'Connell SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 222 | 1.3 km |
| St Josephs C.B.S.Voluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 310 | 1.3 km |
| Marino CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 297 | 1.4 km |
| Árdscoil RísVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 563 | 1.5 km |
| St Mary's Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 830 | 1.6 km |
| St Vincents C.B.S. GlasnevinVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 408 | 1.6 km |
| St. Aidan's C.B.S.Voluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 725 | 1.6 km |
All 114 post-primary schools within reach
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ellenfield Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 150 | 1.7 km |
| Belvedere College S.JVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 1,011 | 1.7 km |
| Mount Temple Comprehensive SchoolComprehensive · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | – | 903 | 1.9 km |
| Larkin Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 403 | 2 km |
| Mount Carmel Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 386 | 2.3 km |
| Our Lady Of Mercy CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 407 | 2.3 km |
| St Kevins CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 503 | 2.5 km |
| St. David's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 550 | 2.5 km |
| St Pauls C.B.S.Voluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 244 | 2.7 km |
| Trinity Comprehensive SchoolComprehensive · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 564 | 2.7 km |
| St Josephs Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 283 | 2.8 km |
| Cabra Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 264 | 2.9 km |
| C.B.S. Westland RowVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 205 | 3 km |
| Beneavin De La Salle CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 585 | 3.2 km |
| Ringsend CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 191 | 3.4 km |
| St Marys Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 320 | 3.4 km |
| Coláiste MhuireVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, DEIS | 272 | 3.5 km |
| St Declan's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 651 | 3.5 km |
| Loreto CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 588 | 3.7 km |
| Holy Faith Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 647 | 3.7 km |
| St Patricks Cathedral Grammar SchoolVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | – | 302 | 3.7 km |
| Chanel CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 451 | 3.7 km |
| St Dominics CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 790 | 3.8 km |
| St Pauls CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 650 | 3.8 km |
| Catholic University SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 544 | 3.8 km |
| St Michaels Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 646 | 3.9 km |
| Coolock Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 205 | 3.9 km |
| Mercy College CoolockVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 402 | 3.9 km |
| C.B.S. James StreetVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 251 | 4.1 km |
| Presentation CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 262 | 4.1 km |
| Christian Brothers, Synge St.Voluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 256 | 4.2 km |
| Marian CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 319 | 4.3 km |
| Coláiste EoinETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 257 | 4.4 km |
| St Conleths CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 339 | 4.7 km |
| Sandymount Park Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 437 | 4.8 km |
| St. Mary's College C.S.Sp., RathminesVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 500 | 4.8 km |
| Manor House SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 652 | 5.2 km |
| Sandford Park School LtdVoluntary secondary · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 437 | 5.3 km |
| Muckross Park CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 709 | 5.4 km |
| New Cross CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 417 | 5.4 km |
| Harolds Cross Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 437 | 5.4 km |
| Loreto CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 320 | 5.4 km |
| St Louis High SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 690 | 5.5 km |
| Clogher Road Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 297 | 5.5 km |
| The Donahies Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 488 | 5.8 km |
| Árdscoil La SalleVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 289 | 5.8 km |
| Gonzaga CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 576 | 5.9 km |
| Mercy Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 349 | 6 km |
| St Michaels CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 731 | 6 km |
| The Teresian SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 230 | 6.3 km |
| Our Lady Of Mercy Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 289 | 6.3 km |
| Belmayne Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 595 | 6.5 km |
| Alexandra CollegeVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls | Fee-paying, Boarding | 664 | 6.6 km |
| Edmund Rice CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 912 | 6.6 km |
| Rosary CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 250 | 6.8 km |
| Stratford CollegeVoluntary secondary · Jewish | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 189 | 6.8 km |
| Presentation Community CollegeETB · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 443 | 6.9 km |
| Grange Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 553 | 7.1 km |
| Gaelcholáiste ReachrannETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 453 | 7.1 km |
| Mount Sackville Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 636 | 7.1 km |
| Kylemore CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 479 | 7.2 km |
| The High SchoolVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 811 | 7.3 km |
| St. Seton's Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Other | Girls and boys | DEIS | 741 | 7.4 km |
| St Kilian's Deutsche SchuleVoluntary secondary · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 475 | 7.5 km |
| Meanscoil Iognáid RísVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 521 | 7.5 km |
| Assumption Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 270 | 7.5 km |
| Our Lady's Grove Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 295 | 7.7 km |
| St Andrews CollegeVoluntary secondary · Presbyterian | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 1,011 | 7.8 km |
| Castleknock CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 771 | 7.8 km |
| Terenure CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying | 800 | 7.9 km |
| Willow Park SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 206 | 8 km |
| Coláiste EoinVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Gaelcholáiste | 517 | 8 km |
| Coláiste ÍosagáinVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Gaelcholáiste | 488 | 8.1 km |
| De La Salle CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 463 | 8.1 km |
| Our Ladys SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 799 | 8.3 km |
| Pobalscoil NeasáinCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 831 | 8.3 km |
| Templeogue CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 637 | 8.3 km |
| Blackrock CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 1,041 | 8.4 km |
| Goatstown Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 366 | 8.4 km |
| Le Cheile Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 944 | 8.4 km |
| Dominican CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 521 | 8.6 km |
| Mount Anville Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 726 | 8.7 km |
| St Marys Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 230 | 8.7 km |
| Phobailscoil IosoldeCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 764 | 8.7 km |
| St Pauls Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 466 | 8.7 km |
| Gaelcholáiste an PhiarsaighVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 296 | 8.8 km |
| Loreto High SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Fee-paying | 625 | 8.9 km |
| Greenhills CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 186 | 8.9 km |
| The Kings HospitalVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 732 | 9.1 km |
| St. Fintan's High SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 714 | 9.1 km |
| Oatlands CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 623 | 9.1 km |
| Rath Dara Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 323 | 9.3 km |
| Castleknock Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,318 | 9.3 km |
| Coláiste ChoilmVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 421 | 9.4 km |
| Loreto CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 655 | 9.4 km |
| Malahide & Portmarnock Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 696 | 9.4 km |
| St Mac Dara's Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 915 | 9.5 km |
| St Benildus CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 949 | 9.6 km |
| Coláiste ÉannaVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 618 | 9.8 km |
| St. Tiernan's Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 368 | 9.8 km |
| Ballinteer Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 415 | 9.8 km |
| Scoil Phobail Chuil MhinCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,014 | 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 Drumcondra
16 special schools serve the area: St Josephs for Blind N.S., St Joseph's Adolescent School, St Michaels Hse Spec Sc, St L O Tooles 2 Spec, St Ciarans Spec Sch, Hospital School CHI at Temple Street, An Taonad Reamhscoile, Henrietta Street School, An Cosan CSS, St Pauls Hospital Special School, Beaumont Hospital Special School, Central Remedial Clinic, Holy Family School for the Deaf, Catherine Mc Auley N Sc, Casa Caterina S S and St Declans Special Sch, 955 pupils between them. 45 of the 98 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.
Drumcondra beside the 91 other Irish towns of 7,800 to 15,100 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castletroy | 15,093 | 29 | 10,543 | 3 | 52% | 1.3 km |
| … | ||||||
| Kilnamanagh | 11,703 | 112 | 38,733 | 8 | 48% | 0.4 km |
| Phibsborough | 11,657 | 146 | 40,148 | 12 | 51% | 0.5 km |
| Gorey | 11,517 | 8 | 4,875 | 1 | 13% | 0.6 km |
| Tramore | 11,277 | 5 | 2,549 | 1 | 0% | 0.4 km |
| Drumcondra | 11,149 | 151 | 41,836 | 12 | 58% | 0.3 km |
| Ronanstown | 11,130 | 76 | 32,256 | 6 | 40% | 0.2 km |
| Athy | 11,035 | 7 | 2,975 | 1 | 57% | 0.8 km |
| Palmerston | 11,012 | 80 | 33,167 | 7 | 40% | 0.4 km |
| Shankill | 11,009 | 43 | 13,386 | 5 | 28% | 1.9 km |
| … | ||||||
| Baldoyle | 7,864 | 53 | 16,574 | 4 | 28% | 0.7 km |
No other town of its size has as many pupils at the schools around it as Drumcondra. Within 3 km, 89 of these 92 towns have a school teaching through Irish.
Department of Education school lists 2025/26 (preliminary); CSO Census 2022 populations.
Pupil numbers around Drumcondra
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 Drumcondra had 40,133 pupils in 2015/16 and 41,836 in 2025/26. Broombridge Educate Together National School grew most: +225% since 2019/20.
Pupils at schools in and around Drumcondra
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 Drumcondra
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drumcondra | 151 | 41,836 | 12 | 58% | 0.3 km |
| Ballybough 1.1 km | 126 | 34,469 | 8 | 52% | 0.2 km |
| Glasnevin 1.1 km | 145 | 39,626 | 10 | 59% | 0.5 km |
| Marino 1.4 km | 117 | 32,982 | 9 | 51% | 0.2 km |
| Summerhill 1.7 km | 118 | 31,929 | 8 | 51% | 0.3 km |
| Whitehall 1.8 km | 132 | 37,232 | 12 | 61% | 0.2 km |
| Parnell Square 1.9 km | 124 | 33,167 | 9 | 52% | 0.1 km |
The roll around Drumcondra moved +1% since 2019/20; nearby, Parnell Square grew most (+10%) and Marino least (−1%).
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Which schools count. Every school in Drumcondra 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 Drumcondra
How many schools are there in Drumcondra?
In Drumcondra or within 3 km of it: 98 primary schools, 37 secondary schools and 16 special schools, with 41,836 pupils between them.
Are there schools in Drumcondra that teach through Irish?
Yes, 12: Scoil Chaitriona, Scoil Mobhi and Gaelscoil Áine teach every subject through Irish.
Are there fee-paying secondary schools near Drumcondra?
2 of the 37: Belvedere College S.J and Loreto College. The others are free.
What is the best school in Drumcondra?
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 Drumcondra?
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).