Photo: Zenit · CC BY-SA 3.0DEIS support is less common around Malahide: 8% of schools, below Co. Dublin’s towns and Irish towns
That puts Malahide below both Co. Dublin’s towns (40%) and Irish towns (35%). Its primary schools are big ones: 393 pupils each on average, against 175 across Ireland. These schools are described rather than graded, because Ireland publishes no school results and the Education Act 1998 restricts comparing them.
Schools in the town or within 3 km of its outline, Department of Education lists for 2025/26; the Ireland figures cover all schools listed.
What stands out about Malahide’s schools
A wide choice at twelve
Within 10 km of the town there are 40 post-primary schools to choose from, of different kinds; each sets its own admission policy, and many families apply to several. The nearest: Malahide Community School (1.1 km), Malahide & Portmarnock Secondary School (2.1 km) and Portmarnock Community School (2.4 km). Post-primary choices ↓
Few schools in DEIS
Only 2 of the 24 schools here are in DEIS, the programme of extra teachers and money for schools serving disadvantaged areas; across Ireland, 30% of schools are. In DEIS: St Finians Community College (671) and Belmayne Educate Together National School (413). Who goes there ↓
Drawn from the Department of Education’s lists; none of it judges how well a school teaches.
The 24 schools in and around Malahide
Here are the schools in Malahide or within 3 km of it, every one with its own page. No letters, no results: Irish schools aren’t ranked one by one.
Where the 24 schools in and around Malahide 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 Malahide’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 Malahide
The schools by teaching language, with Ireland’s share as the black tick.
1 of Malahide’s 24 schools teach every subject through Irish: Gaelscoil an Duinninigh.
Who Malahide’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 Malahide | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at DEIS schools | 9% | 28% | 27% |
| Pupils at all-Irish schools | 3% | 6% | 6% |
| Girls | 47% | 49% | 49% |
| Post-primary pupils at single-sex schools | 8% | 38% | 29% |
| Post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools | 0% | 18% | 6% |
DEIS schools teach 9% of the pupils around Malahide, a smaller share than Ireland’s 27% (Co. Dublin: 28%). Set beside Ireland, post-primary pupils at single-sex schools stand out most: 8% against 29%. The largest DEIS school here is St Finians Community College, with 671 pupils.
Each of the 24 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 Malahide’s schools
Each school’s ethos, 2025/26: the bars show the share of schools of each kind.
12 of Malahide’s 24 schools have a Catholic ethos, against 80% across Ireland. The patrons with most schools here: Archbishop of Dublin (11), Educate Together (5) and Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB (3). 2 of the 24 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 6 patrons of Malahide’s schools
Each school has a patron that owns it and sets its ethos; its board of management runs it.
The schools around Malahide answer to 6 patrons, and Archbishop of Dublin leads with 11 of the 24 schools and 40% of their pupils. The local Education and Training Board runs 5. Educate Together runs 5.
| Patron | Ethos | Schools | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archbishop of DublinSt Oliver Plunkett, John Paul II, Scoil Naomh Mearnog, St. Francis of Assisi, St Helens Senior, Gaelscoil an Duinninigh, S.N. N Sailbheastar Nfa, S.N. Cholmcille C, S.N. Cholmille B, St Helens Junior, San Nioclas Myra | Catholic | 11 | 4,845 |
| Educate TogetherMalahide & Portmarnock, Holywell Educate Together, Belmayne Educate Together, Belmayne Educate Together, Malahide / Portmarnock Educate Together | Multi-denominational | 5 | 2,694 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETBFingal, St Finians, River Valley CNS | Inter-denominational, Multi-denominational | 3 | 1,678 |
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB & Archbishop of DublinMalahide, Portmarnock | Inter-denominational | 2 | 2,205 |
| Archbishop of Dublin & Bishop of Glendalough COISt Andrews, Swords Borough | Church of Ireland | 2 | 291 |
| 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 Malahide
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
Between 2019/20 and now, 4 of the 23 grew by 5% or more and 13 shrank as much, while Ireland’s pupil numbers moved +5%.
All 23 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 Malahide’s schools
Reports from the Department of Education’s Inspectorate, every school’s linked and 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 24 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 Malahide
Every post-primary school within 10 km of the town; families choose and apply to each, at about twelve
Families in Malahide have 40 post-primary schools within 10 km: 23 voluntary secondary schools, 10 ETB schools, 5 community schools and 2 comprehensive schools. Of these, 15 are single-sex: 9 for girls and 6 for boys. One of them charges fees. Just one teaches every subject through Irish.
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malahide Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,250 | 1.1 km |
| Malahide & Portmarnock Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 696 | 2.1 km |
| Portmarnock Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 955 | 2.4 km |
| Fingal Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 864 | 3.8 km |
| Coláiste ChoilmVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 421 | 4.1 km |
| St Finians Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 671 | 4.5 km |
| Belmayne Educate Together Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 595 | 4.7 km |
| Grange Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 553 | 5 km |
| Gaelcholáiste ReachrannETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 453 | 5 km |
| Donabate Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 799 | 5.2 km |
| Loreto CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 655 | 5.4 km |
| The Donahies Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 488 | 5.8 km |
All 40 post-primary schools within reach
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Marys Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | – | 230 | 5.9 km |
| Swords Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 952 | 6 km |
| Coolock Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 205 | 6.2 km |
| Árdscoil La SalleVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 289 | 6.3 km |
| Pobalscoil NeasáinCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 831 | 6.3 km |
| Chanel CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 451 | 6.9 km |
| Mercy College CoolockVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 402 | 6.9 km |
| St. Fintan's High SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 714 | 7 km |
| Manor House SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 652 | 7.4 km |
| Santa Sabina Dominican CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 754 | 7.7 km |
| St Marys Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 320 | 7.8 km |
| Our Lady Of Mercy CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 407 | 7.8 km |
| St. David's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 550 | 7.9 km |
| St Pauls CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 650 | 8.2 km |
| Ellenfield Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 150 | 8.4 km |
| Trinity Comprehensive SchoolComprehensive · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 564 | 8.7 km |
| St. Aidan's C.B.S.Voluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 725 | 8.9 km |
| Maryfield CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 527 | 9 km |
| Sutton Park SchoolVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | Fee-paying | 503 | 9 km |
| Clonturk CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 968 | 9.1 km |
| Mount Temple Comprehensive SchoolComprehensive · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | – | 903 | 9.3 km |
| Árdscoil RísVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 563 | 9.4 km |
| Lusk Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,104 | 9.5 km |
| Dominican CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 799 | 9.6 km |
| St Joseph's Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 945 | 9.7 km |
| Holy Faith Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 647 | 9.7 km |
| Rosmini Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 139 | 9.9 km |
| St Kevins CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 503 | 10 km |
Department of Education post-primary list 2025/26; straight-line distances from the town’s centre point.
Special schools and classes around Malahide
No special school is in or near Malahide. 7 of the 17 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.
Malahide beside the 74 other Irish towns of 13,000 to 25,100 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blanchardstown | 24,613 | 91 | 36,302 | 5 | 44% | 0.7 km |
| … | ||||||
| Dolphins Barn | 18,799 | 135 | 32,910 | 9 | 56% | 0.4 km |
| Old Bawn | 18,758 | 73 | 26,840 | 5 | 43% | 0.7 km |
| Stoneybatter | 18,644 | 142 | 37,206 | 11 | 53% | 0.1 km |
| Clontarf East | 18,626 | 117 | 32,925 | 5 | 44% | 0.6 km |
| Malahide | 18,608 | 24 | 12,134 | 1 | 8% | 1.1 km |
| Dooradoyle | 18,593 | 42 | 13,180 | 5 | 36% | 1 km |
| The Liberties | 18,460 | 129 | 33,405 | 9 | 53% | 0.3 km |
| Knocknacarra | 18,398 | 29 | 10,407 | 5 | 17% | 0.9 km |
| Clonmel | 18,369 | 13 | 4,235 | 1 | 23% | 0.4 km |
| … | ||||||
| Castlebar | 13,054 | 12 | 4,272 | 1 | 17% | 0.3 km |
Among the 74 other towns, 48 have more pupils at their schools than Malahide 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 Malahide
Each September’s pupils at every school in or within 3 km of the town, counted where the school stands today.
The schools in and around Malahide had 10,065 pupils in 2015/16 and 12,134 in 2025/26. Belmayne Educate Together Secondary School grew most: +1,883% since 2019/20.
Pupils at schools in and around Malahide
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 Malahide
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malahide | 24 | 12,134 | 1 | 8% | 1.1 km |
| Kinsealy-Drinan 2.6 km | 22 | 11,271 | 1 | 5% | 0.7 km |
| Portmarnock 2.8 km | 53 | 18,370 | 3 | 26% | 0.5 km |
| Swords 4.7 km | 24 | 10,901 | 2 | 13% | 0.8 km |
| Belmayne 4.7 km | 63 | 17,963 | 5 | 40% | 0.2 km |
| Clongriffin 4.8 km | 53 | 15,799 | 4 | 36% | 0.3 km |
| Donabate 5.1 km | 6 | 2,087 | 1 | 0% | 0.3 km |
Belmayne has the most schools teaching through Irish nearby: 5. Of Malahide’s neighbours, Portmarnock saw the most growth in pupils since 2019/20 (+6%) and Kinsealy-Drinan the least (−1%); Malahide itself: +7%.
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Which schools count. Every school in Malahide 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 Malahide
How many schools are there in Malahide?
In Malahide or within 3 km of it: 17 primary schools and 7 secondary schools, with 12,134 pupils between them.
Are there schools in Malahide that teach through Irish?
Yes, 1: Gaelscoil an Duinninigh teach every subject through Irish.
Are there fee-paying secondary schools near Malahide?
No: all 7 secondary schools here are free.
What is the best school in Malahide?
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 Malahide?
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).