Fewer of the schools around Kinsealy-Drinan are in DEIS than around Co. Dublin’s towns or Irish towns: 5%
For Kinsealy-Drinan, that is below both Co. Dublin’s towns (40%) and Irish towns (35%). Its primary schools are big ones: 420 pupils each on average, against 175 across Ireland. 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 Kinsealy-Drinan’s schools
A wide choice at twelve
Within 10 km of the town there are 47 post-primary schools to choose from, of different kinds; each sets its own admission policy, and many families apply to several. The nearest: Malahide & Portmarnock Secondary School (0.7 km), Coláiste Choilm (1.7 km) and Fingal Community College (2.1 km). Post-primary choices ↓
Few schools in DEIS
Only 1 of the 22 schools here are in DEIS, the programme of extra teachers and money for schools serving disadvantaged areas; across Ireland, 30% of schools are. The one in DEIS: St Finians Community College (671). Who goes there ↓
Facts from the Department of Education’s lists; nothing here judges how well a school teaches.
The 22 schools in and around Kinsealy-Drinan
Every school in Kinsealy-Drinan 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.
Where the 22 schools in and around Kinsealy-Drinan 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 Kinsealy-Drinan’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 Kinsealy-Drinan
The schools by teaching language, with Ireland’s share as the black tick.
1 of Kinsealy-Drinan’s 22 schools teach every subject through Irish: Gaelscoil an Duinninigh.
Who Kinsealy-Drinan’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 Kinsealy-Drinan | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at DEIS schools | 6% | 28% | 27% |
| Pupils at all-Irish schools | 3% | 6% | 6% |
| Girls | 50% | 49% | 49% |
| Post-primary pupils at single-sex schools | 24% | 38% | 29% |
| Post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools | 0% | 18% | 6% |
Fewer of the pupils around Kinsealy-Drinan are at DEIS schools than across Ireland: 6% against 27% (Co. Dublin: 28%). Set beside Ireland, post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools stand out most: 0% against 6%. The largest DEIS school here is St Finians Community College, with 671 pupils.
Each of the 22 schools
| School | Pupils | Girls | DEIS | All-Irish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holywell Educate Together National SchoolPrimary | 613 | 44% | ||
| Gaelscoil an DuinninighPrimary | 380 | 56% | ✓ | |
| Malahide & Portmarnock Secondary SchoolPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 696 | 44% | ||
| Coláiste ChoilmPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 421 | 0% | ||
| River Valley CNSPrimary | 143 | 52% | ||
| S.N. Cholmcille CPrimary | 326 | 100% | ||
| S.N. Cholmille BPrimary | 320 | 0% | ||
| Swords Borough N.S.Primary | 84 | 48% | ||
| Fingal Community CollegePost-primary · ETB | 864 | 49% | ||
| John Paul II N.S.Primary | 663 | 48% | ||
| Holy Family Senior N.S.Primary | 624 | 51% | ||
| S.N. N Sailbheastar NfaPrimary | 366 | 51% | ||
| Holy Family Junior N.S.Primary | 565 | 48% | ||
| Brackenstown Senior N.S.Primary | 530 | 48% | ||
| St Cronans Junior National SchoolPrimary | 498 | 45% | ||
| St Finians Community CollegePost-primary · ETB | 671 | 48% | ✓ | |
| Loreto CollegePost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 655 | 100% | ||
| Malahide / Portmarnock Educate Together National SchoolPrimary | 377 | 52% | ||
| San Nioclas MyraPrimary | 180 | 41% | ||
| St Andrews N.S.Primary | 207 | 51% | ||
| Malahide Community SchoolPost-primary · Community school | 1,250 | 50% | ||
| St Oliver PlunkettPrimary | 838 | 48% |
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 Kinsealy-Drinan’s schools
Each school’s ethos, 2025/26: the bars show the share of schools of each kind.
13 of Kinsealy-Drinan’s 22 schools have a Catholic ethos, against 80% across Ireland. The patrons with most schools here: Archbishop of Dublin (11), Educate Together (3) and Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB (3). 1 of the 22 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 7 patrons of Kinsealy-Drinan’s schools
The patron owns the school and sets its ethos; a board of management runs it day to day.
The schools around Kinsealy-Drinan answer to 7 patrons, and Archbishop of Dublin leads with 11 of the 22 schools and 47% of their pupils. Education and Training Boards run 4 of them. Educate Together runs 3.
| Patron | Ethos | Schools | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archbishop of DublinSt Oliver Plunkett, John Paul II, Holy Family Senior, Holy Family Junior, Brackenstown Senior, St Cronans Junior, Gaelscoil an Duinninigh, S.N. N Sailbheastar Nfa, S.N. Cholmcille C, S.N. Cholmille B, San Nioclas Myra | Catholic | 11 | 5,290 |
| Educate TogetherMalahide & Portmarnock, Holywell Educate Together, Malahide / Portmarnock Educate Together | Multi-denominational | 3 | 1,686 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETBFingal, St Finians, River Valley CNS | Inter-denominational, Multi-denominational | 3 | 1,678 |
| Archbishop of Dublin & Bishop of Glendalough COISt Andrews, Swords Borough | Church of Ireland | 2 | 291 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB & Archbishop of DublinMalahide | Inter-denominational | 1 | 1,250 |
| Loreto Education TrustLoreto College | Catholic | 1 | 655 |
| Edmund Rice Schools TrustColáiste Choilm | Catholic | 1 | 421 |
Department of Education school lists: patron 2024/25, ethos 2025/26.
How children get a place in Kinsealy-Drinan
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.
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, 2 of these 21 schools have grown by 5% or more and 15 have shrunk as much; across Ireland the number of pupils changed by +5%.
All 21 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 Kinsealy-Drinan’s schools
The Department of Education’s Inspectorate: every school’s reports linked, none rated
Each school is visited by inspectors from time to time, for a whole-school evaluation of teaching, learning and leadership, for one subject, or to follow up earlier advice, and every report is posted 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 22 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 Kinsealy-Drinan
All post-primaries within 10 km; at about twelve, families choose and apply school by school
Within 10 km of Kinsealy-Drinan there are 47 post-primary schools: 29 voluntary secondary schools, 11 ETB schools, 5 community schools and 2 comprehensive schools. 19 teach girls and boys apart: 11 girls’ and 8 boys’ schools. Every subject is taught through Irish at 2 of them.
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malahide & Portmarnock Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 696 | 0.7 km |
| Coláiste ChoilmVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 421 | 1.7 km |
| Fingal Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 864 | 2.1 km |
| St Finians Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 671 | 2.8 km |
| Loreto CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 655 | 3 km |
| Malahide Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,250 | 3.5 km |
| Swords Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 952 | 3.9 km |
| Portmarnock Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 955 | 4.6 km |
| Belmayne Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 595 | 5.1 km |
| Coolock Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 205 | 5.2 km |
| Grange Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 553 | 5.7 km |
| Gaelcholáiste ReachrannETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 453 | 5.7 km |
All 47 post-primary schools within reach
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Donahies Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 488 | 6 km |
| Chanel CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 451 | 6.2 km |
| Mercy College CoolockVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 402 | 6.4 km |
| Árdscoil La SalleVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 289 | 6.5 km |
| Donabate Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 799 | 6.5 km |
| Our Lady Of Mercy CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 407 | 6.5 km |
| Trinity Comprehensive SchoolComprehensive · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 564 | 6.9 km |
| St. David's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 550 | 7 km |
| Ellenfield Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 150 | 7 km |
| St Marys Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 320 | 7.2 km |
| St Marys Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 230 | 7.2 km |
| St. Aidan's C.B.S.Voluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 725 | 7.3 km |
| Pobalscoil NeasáinCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 831 | 7.5 km |
| Manor House SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 652 | 7.5 km |
| Clonturk CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 968 | 7.7 km |
| Maryfield CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 527 | 7.8 km |
| St Pauls CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 650 | 7.9 km |
| St Kevins CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 503 | 8.1 km |
| Beneavin De La Salle CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 585 | 8.1 km |
| Dominican CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 799 | 8.2 km |
| St. Fintan's High SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 714 | 8.3 km |
| Árdscoil RísVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 563 | 8.4 km |
| Mount Temple Comprehensive SchoolComprehensive · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | – | 903 | 8.4 km |
| Rosmini Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 139 | 8.5 km |
| Scoil ChaitrionaVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste, DEIS | 523 | 8.6 km |
| St Mary's Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 830 | 8.8 km |
| Marino CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 297 | 9 km |
| St Michaels Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 646 | 9 km |
| St Josephs C.B.S.Voluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 310 | 9.1 km |
| Holy Faith Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 647 | 9.3 km |
| Santa Sabina Dominican CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 754 | 9.3 km |
| Coláiste EoinETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 257 | 9.3 km |
| St Vincents C.B.S. GlasnevinVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 408 | 9.6 km |
| New Cross CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 417 | 9.7 km |
| O'Connell SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 222 | 10 km |
Department of Education post-primary list 2025/26; straight-line distances from the town’s centre point.
Special schools and classes around Kinsealy-Drinan
No special school is in or near Kinsealy-Drinan. 7 of the 16 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.
Kinsealy-Drinan beside the 99 other Irish towns of 5,300 to 10,200 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parnell Square | 10,117 | 124 | 33,167 | 9 | 52% | 0.1 km |
| … | ||||||
| Farranshone | 7,874 | 49 | 16,369 | 6 | 47% | 0.4 km |
| Baldoyle | 7,864 | 53 | 16,574 | 4 | 28% | 0.7 km |
| Frankfield and Grange | 7,687 | 58 | 20,798 | 6 | 24% | 2 km |
| Perrystown | 7,581 | 94 | 30,259 | 5 | 37% | 0.8 km |
| Kinsealy-Drinan | 7,526 | 22 | 11,271 | 1 | 5% | 0.7 km |
| Walkinstown | 7,442 | 91 | 27,293 | 3 | 51% | 0.2 km |
| Clongriffin | 7,438 | 53 | 15,799 | 4 | 36% | 0.3 km |
| Caherdavin | 7,364 | 46 | 16,583 | 5 | 39% | 1 km |
| Temple Bar | 7,276 | 116 | 27,705 | 10 | 51% | 0.5 km |
| … | ||||||
| Monasterevin | 5,307 | 5 | 1,605 | 0 | 20% | 0.7 km |
Among the 99 other towns, 56 have more pupils at their schools than Kinsealy-Drinan does. 90 of the 100 towns have an all-Irish school within 3 km.
Department of Education school lists 2025/26 (preliminary); CSO Census 2022 populations.
Pupil numbers around Kinsealy-Drinan
Every school in or within 3 km of the town each September, counted where it stands today.
The schools in and around Kinsealy-Drinan had 10,433 pupils in 2015/16 and 11,271 in 2025/26. Malahide & Portmarnock Secondary School grew most: +939% since 2019/20.
Pupils at schools in and around Kinsealy-Drinan
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 Kinsealy-Drinan
Schools in or within 3 km of each neighbouring town; distances in a straight line.
Darndale has the most schools teaching through Irish nearby: 7. Pupils around Kinsealy-Drinan: −1% since 2019/20. Among the neighbours, Malahide led (+7%) and Santry trailed (+1%).
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Which schools count. Every school in Kinsealy-Drinan 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 Kinsealy-Drinan
How many schools are there in Kinsealy-Drinan?
In Kinsealy-Drinan or within 3 km of it: 16 primary schools and 6 secondary schools, with 11,271 pupils between them.
Are there schools in Kinsealy-Drinan that teach through Irish?
Yes, 1: Gaelscoil an Duinninigh teach every subject through Irish.
Are there fee-paying secondary schools near Kinsealy-Drinan?
No: all 6 secondary schools here are free.
What is the best school in Kinsealy-Drinan?
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 Kinsealy-Drinan?
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).