Photo: Maj Adev · CC BY-SA 2.0Most post-primaries around Portrane take girls and boys: 0% are single-sex, below Co. Dublin’s towns and Irish towns
In the comparison, Portrane comes below both Co. Dublin’s towns (40%) and Irish towns (39%). 6 of its 11 schools are multi- or inter-denominational, against 14% across Ireland. Nothing here grades or ranks these schools: Ireland publishes no results school by school, 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 Portrane’s schools
More all-Irish schools than most places
Families here have more choice of a school that teaches every subject through Irish than in most of Ireland, where 8% of schools do. They are Gaelscoil Ros Eo (167) and Gaelscoil na Mara (123). Language ↓
A choice beyond the church schools
Most schools in Ireland have a church patron; here more of them are multi- or inter-denominational than in most places (14% across Ireland). They are Lusk Community College (1,104), Donabate Community College (799), Donabate/Portrane Educate Together NS (414) and Rush and Lusk Educate Together NS (393), and 2 more. Who runs them ↓
A wide choice at twelve
Families here can choose among 12 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: Donabate Community College (2.2 km), St Joseph's Secondary School (2.9 km) and Lusk Community College (4.5 km). Post-primary choices ↓
Few schools in DEIS
DEIS, which gives schools in disadvantaged areas more teachers and money, includes just 1 of the 11 schools here, against 30% of schools across Ireland. The one in DEIS: St Joseph's Secondary School (945). Who goes there ↓
Drawn from the Department of Education’s lists; none of it judges how well a school teaches.
Teaching through Irish in and around Portrane
Schools by the language they teach in; the black tick is Ireland’s share.
2 of Portrane’s 11 schools teach every subject through Irish: Gaelscoil na Mara and Gaelscoil Ros Eo.
Who runs Portrane’s schools
Ethos as listed for 2025/26: each bar splits the schools by who runs them.
4 of Portrane’s 11 schools have a Catholic ethos, against 80% across Ireland. The patrons with most schools here: Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB (3), Archbishop of Dublin (3) and Educate Together (2). 1 of the 11 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 11 schools in and around Portrane 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 Portrane’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.
Who Portrane’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 Portrane | Co. Dublin | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at DEIS schools | 18% | 28% | 27% |
| Pupils at all-Irish schools | 5% | 6% | 6% |
| Girls | 47% | 49% | 49% |
| Post-primary pupils at single-sex schools | 0% | 38% | 29% |
| Post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools | 0% | 18% | 6% |
18% of the pupils around Portrane are at a DEIS school, fewer than the 27% across Ireland (28% in Co. Dublin). Furthest from Ireland’s mix is the share of post-primary pupils at single-sex schools: 0% here against 29%. The biggest school in DEIS is St Joseph's Secondary School (945 pupils).
Each of the 11 schools
| School | Pupils | Girls | DEIS | All-Irish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crannog Nua Special SchoolSpecial | 5 | 40% | ||
| S.N. C Naomh PadraigPrimary | 376 | 100% | ||
| St Patricks Boys National SchoolPrimary | 370 | 0% | ||
| Donabate Community CollegePost-primary · ETB | 799 | 44% | ||
| Donabate/Portrane Educate Together NSPrimary | 414 | 47% | ||
| Gaelscoil na MaraPrimary | 123 | 39% | ✓ | |
| Rush N.S.Primary | 698 | 50% | ||
| St Joseph's Secondary SchoolPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | 945 | 46% | ✓ | |
| Gaelscoil Ros EoPrimary | 167 | 54% | ✓ | |
| Rush and Lusk Educate Together NSPrimary | 393 | 45% | ||
| Lusk Community CollegePost-primary · ETB | 1,104 | 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.
The 5 patrons of Portrane’s schools
Patrons own the schools and set their ethos; boards of management run them day to day.
Of the 11 schools around Portrane, 3 have Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB as patron, teaching 35% of the pupils; 5 patrons in all. 3 are ETB schools. Educate Together runs 2.
| Patron | Ethos | Schools | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETBLusk, Donabate, Crannog Nua Special School | Multi-denominational, Other | 3 | 1,908 |
| Archbishop of DublinRush, S.N. C Naomh Padraig, St Patricks Boys | Catholic | 3 | 1,444 |
| Educate TogetherDonabate/Portrane Educate Together NS, Rush and Lusk Educate Together NS | Multi-denominational | 2 | 807 |
| An Foras PátrúnachtaGaelscoil Ros Eo, Gaelscoil na Mara | Multi-denominational | 2 | 290 |
| CEISTSt Joseph's | Catholic | 1 | 945 |
Department of Education school lists: patron 2024/25, ethos 2025/26.
How children get a place in Portrane
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, 2 of the 9 grew by 5% or more and 6 shrank as much, while Ireland’s pupil numbers moved +5%.
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.
The 11 schools in and around Portrane
Every school in Portrane 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.
Inspection reports for Portrane’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 11 schools below links its own.
| School | Reports on gov.ie |
|---|---|
| Crannog Nua Special SchoolSpecial | Inspection reports ↗ |
| S.N. C Naomh PadraigPrimary | Inspection reports ↗ |
| St Patricks Boys National SchoolPrimary | Inspection reports ↗ |
| Donabate Community CollegePost-primary · ETB | Inspection reports ↗ |
| Donabate/Portrane Educate Together NSPrimary | Inspection reports ↗ |
| Gaelscoil na MaraPrimary | Inspection reports ↗ |
| Rush N.S.Primary | Inspection reports ↗ |
| St Joseph's Secondary SchoolPost-primary · Voluntary secondary | Inspection reports ↗ |
| Gaelscoil Ros EoPrimary | Inspection reports ↗ |
| Rush and Lusk Educate Together NSPrimary | Inspection reports ↗ |
| Lusk Community CollegePost-primary · ETB | Inspection reports ↗ |
Department of Education Inspectorate reports on gov.ie, found by each school’s roll number.
Post-primary schools within reach of Portrane
Every post-primary school within 10 km of the town; families choose and apply to each, at about twelve
Within 10 km of Portrane there are 12 post-primary schools: 6 ETB schools, 4 voluntary secondary schools and 2 community schools. 2 teach girls and boys apart: 1 girls’ and 1 boys’ schools. None within 10 km teaches every subject through Irish.
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donabate Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 799 | 2.2 km |
| St Joseph's Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 945 | 2.9 km |
| Lusk Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,104 | 4.5 km |
| Malahide Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,250 | 7.2 km |
| Portmarnock Community SchoolCommunity school · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 955 | 7.6 km |
| Malahide & Portmarnock Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 696 | 7.8 km |
| Fingal Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 864 | 7.9 km |
| St Finians Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 671 | 8.1 km |
| Coláiste ChoilmVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 421 | 8.9 km |
| Skerries Community CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,025 | 9 km |
| Swords Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 952 | 9.6 km |
| Loreto CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 655 | 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 Portrane
Crannog Nua Special School is the special school here, with 5 pupils. 4 of the 7 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.
Portrane beside the 124 other Irish towns of 900 to 1,700 people
Schools in or within 3 km of each town, by population; none is ranked, as Ireland publishes no results
| Town | People | Schools | Pupils | All-Irish | DEIS schools | Nearest post-primary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tullyallen | 1,697 | 1 | 411 | 0 | 0% | 3.7 km |
| … | ||||||
| Enniscrone | 1,291 | 2 | 381 | 0 | 0% | 0.3 km |
| Ramelton | 1,288 | 4 | 354 | 0 | 50% | 6.7 km |
| Piltown | 1,275 | 1 | 254 | 0 | 0% | 3.8 km |
| Greencastle | 1,268 | 5 | 1,100 | 1 | 40% | 4 km |
| Portrane | 1,262 | 11 | 5,394 | 2 | 9% | 2.2 km |
| Clifden | 1,259 | 2 | 730 | 0 | 100% | 1.2 km |
| Killybegs | 1,258 | 5 | 697 | 0 | 80% | 0.5 km |
| Kilpedder | 1,248 | 9 | 3,990 | 0 | 11% | 3 km |
| Whitegate | 1,248 | 2 | 391 | 0 | 0% | 5.2 km |
| … | ||||||
| Clarinbridge | 905 | 2 | 451 | 0 | 0% | 5.5 km |
More pupils attend the schools around 4 of the other 124 towns than around Portrane. Within 3 km, 14 of these 125 towns have a school teaching through Irish.
Department of Education school lists 2025/26 (preliminary); CSO Census 2022 populations.
Pupil numbers around Portrane
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 Portrane had 4,518 pupils in 2015/16 and 5,394 in 2025/26. Lusk Community College grew most: +61% since 2019/20.
Pupils at schools in and around Portrane
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 Portrane
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrane | 11 | 5,394 | 2 | 9% | 2.2 km |
| Donabate 2.5 km | 6 | 2,087 | 1 | 0% | 0.3 km |
| Rush 3.3 km | 13 | 5,851 | 2 | 8% | 0.7 km |
| Lusk 4.6 km | 11 | 4,510 | 1 | 0% | 0.9 km |
| Malahide 6.8 km | 24 | 12,134 | 1 | 8% | 1.1 km |
| Portmarnock 8 km | 53 | 18,370 | 3 | 26% | 0.5 km |
| Kinsealy-Drinan 8.5 km | 22 | 11,271 | 1 | 5% | 0.7 km |
Portmarnock has the most schools teaching through Irish nearby: 3. The roll around Portrane moved +9% since 2019/20; nearby, Malahide grew most (+7%) and Kinsealy-Drinan least (−1%).
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Which schools count. Every school in Portrane 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 Portrane
How many schools are there in Portrane?
In Portrane or within 3 km of it: 7 primary schools, 3 secondary schools and 1 special school, with 5,394 pupils between them.
Are there schools in Portrane that teach through Irish?
Yes, 2: Gaelscoil na Mara and Gaelscoil Ros Eo teach every subject through Irish.
Are there fee-paying secondary schools near Portrane?
No: all 3 secondary schools here are free.
What is the best school in Portrane?
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 Portrane?
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).