Ballyshannon N.S.
Ballyshannon, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare · R56 FF60 · Roll number 15456E
Ballyshannon N.S. is one of 2 primary schools in or within 3 km of Calverstown. Every school in and around Calverstown →
What stands out about Ballyshannon N.S.
- 115 pupils, near the middle for primary schools in Ireland (the median is 131).
- About as many pupils as in 2019/20 (−10%).
- Teaches through English, with Irish as a subject.
- Its patron is the Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin; its ethos is Catholic.
- Outside Calverstown’s outline, 0.8 km away; listed with Calverstown, the nearest town in its county.
Pupils over time
2015/16 to 2025/26Ballyshannon N.S. had 115 pupils in 2025/26, against 109 in 2015/16 (+6%). Girls are 47% of them. Its largest roll was 130, in 2023/24. Its roll rose in 5 of the 10 years.
Department of Education enrolments at 30 September each year; girls and boys where the lists give them.
No letter for Ballyshannon N.S.
Ireland publishes no exam results school by school, and section 53 of the Education Act 1998 restricts comparing schools by them, so this school has no letter and nothing here ranks it. Its facts are the Department of Education’s; its inspection reports are linked below.
What the Department of Education does publish for Ballyshannon N.S. is on this page: its pupils each September since 2015/16, girls and boys, its patron and ethos, whether it teaches through Irish, whether it is in DEIS, and its inspection reports.
Newspapers print lists of how many of a school’s leavers go on to college. Those count destinations, not exam results, and depend on who a school takes in; we don’t use them.
Inspection reports on Ballyshannon N.S.
The Department of Education’s Inspectorate visits schools and publishes its reports. The reports describe what inspectors saw; they give no overall grade, and we don’t make one. Reports for this school on gov.ie ↗
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.
Getting a place at Ballyshannon N.S.
Every school admits under its own published admission policy; no admissions numbers are published.
Families apply to Ballyshannon N.S. directly. Children can start once they are four and must be in school by six; the school’s yearly admission notice gives the dates for applying and for its decisions.
A school with more applicants than places admits on the criteria in its admission policy, often brothers and sisters, the area it serves and, for post-primary schools, its feeder primaries. A family refused a place can appeal.
No figures on applications are published, but the roll shows demand: Ballyshannon N.S. has shrunk by 10% since 2019/20. All the schools around Calverstown together changed by −11%.
Pupils since 2019/20
Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018; Department of Education enrolments 2019/20 and 2025/26 (preliminary).
Side by side with the nearest primary schools
2025/26The nearest schools of the same kind, as the crow flies: their pupils, ethos and language. No results: none are published.
Of the 6 nearest primary schools, 4 have more pupils than Ballyshannon N.S.. Since 2019/20 its roll has changed by −10%; 2 of the 5 grew faster.
| School | Pupils | Since 2019/20 | Ethos | Language | DEIS | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballyshannon N.S. | 115 | −10% | Catholic | English | ||
| S.N. Naomh Ioseph | 51 | −12% | Catholic | English | 3.5 km | |
| S.N. Bride | 55 | −15% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 3.8 km |
| St Brigids N.S. | 167 | −5% | Catholic | English | 4 km | |
| St Brigids N.S. | 598 | −13% | Catholic | English | 6.4 km | |
| St. Catherine of Sienna | 151 | – | Catholic | Some subjects in Irish | ✓ | 6.8 km |
| Scoil Bride | 304 | −4% | Catholic | English | 6.9 km |
The other 94 primary schools in Co. Kildare
| School | Pupils | Since 2019/20 | Ethos | Language | DEIS | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Laurences N.S. | 259 | −11% | Catholic | English | 7.4 km | |
| Newbridge Educate Together NS | 406 | +2% | Multi-denominational | English | 7.9 km | |
| Gaelscoil Chill Dara | 288 | −24% | Catholic | All in Irish | 8 km | |
| S.N. Ide | 139 | −26% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 8.3 km |
| Brannoxtown Community N.S. | 83 | +295% | Multi-denominational | English | 8.8 km | |
| Scoil Bhríde | 183 | −15% | Catholic | English | 9 km | |
| Scoil Mhuire | 389 | −8% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 9.6 km |
| Ballymany Junior N.S. | 333 | −12% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 9.6 km |
| Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha | 215 | +45% | Multi-denominational | All in Irish | 9.8 km | |
| Kildare Town Educate Together NS | 417 | +0% | Multi-denominational | English | 9.9 km | |
| St Brigid's Kildare Town Primary School | 1,025 | +2% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 10 km |
| St Patricks N.S. | 187 | −7% | Church of Ireland | English | ✓ | 10 km |
| Scoil Chonnla Phadraig | 306 | −11% | Catholic | English | 11 km | |
| St Conleths and Marys N.S. | 345 | −8% | Catholic | English | 11 km | |
| S.N. Connlaodh Naofa N | 285 | −25% | Catholic | English | 11 km | |
| Scoil na Naomh Uilig | 589 | −6% | Catholic | English | 11 km | |
| Ursaille Naofa | 236 | −7% | Catholic | English | 12 km | |
| S.N. Colmcill Naofa | 129 | +0% | Catholic | English | 13 km | |
| S.N. Cill Daingin | 207 | −8% | Catholic | English | 13 km | |
| S.N. Brighde | 229 | +8% | Catholic | English | 13 km | |
| S.N. Mhuire | 216 | +13% | Catholic | English | 14 km | |
| Kilberry N.S. | 84 | −13% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 14 km |
| Scoil Phadraig Naofa | 592 | −5% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 15 km |
| Killashee Multi-Denominational N.S. | 224 | −7% | Multi-denominational | English | 15 km | |
| Athy Model School | 90 | −7% | Church of Ireland | English | 15 km | |
| Gaelscoil Átha Í | 151 | −23% | Inter-denominational | All in Irish | ✓ | 15 km |
| Scoil Mhichil Naofa | 496 | −20% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 15 km |
| St Davids N.S. | 98 | +5% | Church of Ireland | English | 15 km | |
| Gaelscoil Nas na Riogh | 385 | −8% | Inter-denominational | All in Irish | 16 km | |
| S.N. Bride | 101 | −31% | Catholic | English | 16 km | |
| Ballyroe Central N.S. | 18 | −31% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 16 km |
| S.N. Cill Cae | 49 | −8% | Catholic | English | 16 km | |
| Naas Community National School | 364 | +44% | Multi-denominational | English | 17 km | |
| Almhaine N.S. | 184 | −18% | Catholic | English | 17 km | |
| Scoil Chorbain | 460 | −11% | Catholic | English | 17 km | |
| Monasterevan Convent | 377 | +5% | Catholic | English | 17 km | |
| An Linbh Iosa | 401 | −13% | Catholic | English | 18 km | |
| St. John's National School | 45 | +2% | Church of Ireland | English | 18 km | |
| Caragh N.S. | 455 | −8% | Catholic | English | 18 km | |
| Scoil Naisiunta Naomh Pheadar | 239 | −0% | Catholic | English | 18 km | |
| Mercy Convent Primary School | 607 | +9% | Catholic | English | 18 km | |
| Churchtown N.S. | 55 | −38% | Catholic | English | 18 km | |
| Scoil Bríd | 612 | −8% | Catholic | English | 19 km | |
| Scoil Bhride N.S. | 286 | −3% | Catholic | English | 19 km | |
| Scoil Diarmada | 344 | −6% | Catholic | English | 19 km | |
| Rathangan B N.S. | 308 | +7% | Catholic | English | 20 km | |
| S.N. Baile Roibeaird | 173 | −16% | Catholic | English | 20 km | |
| St Laurences National School | 646 | −6% | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| S N na Cloiche Moire | 20 | −5% | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| S.N. Naomh Lorcain | 34 | −36% | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| S.N. Rath Mor | 308 | +9% | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| Scoil Mhuire Allenwood National School | 263 | +2% | Catholic | English | 22 km | |
| Prosperous N.S. | 493 | −7% | Catholic | English | 23 km | |
| Hewetsons N.S. | 89 | +2% | Church of Ireland | English | 23 km | |
| S.N. Coill Dubh | 182 | +8% | Catholic | English | 23 km | |
| S.N. Brighde | 744 | +12% | Catholic | English | 24 km | |
| St Patricks BNS | 488 | −7% | Catholic | English | 24 km | |
| Scoil Naisiunta Bhride | 480 | −8% | Catholic | English | 24 km | |
| S.N. Oilibhear Plunglead | 88 | −10% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 25 km |
| S.N. Brighde | 60 | −5% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 27 km |
| S.N. Cianog Naofa | 90 | −10% | Catholic | English | 27 km | |
| S.N. Nmh Mhuire | 105 | +12% | Catholic | English | 27 km | |
| St Annes National School | 329 | −1% | Catholic | English | 28 km | |
| Straffan N.S. | 401 | +7% | Catholic | English | 29 km | |
| Rathcoffey N.S. | 215 | −4% | Catholic | English | 29 km | |
| St Conleths N.S. | 278 | −9% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 29 km |
| S.N. Tir Mochain | 100 | −17% | Catholic | English | 32 km | |
| North Kildare Educate Together NS | 432 | +14% | Multi-denominational | English | 32 km | |
| Scoil na Mainistreach | 455 | +8% | Catholic | English | 33 km | |
| S.N. Scoil Treasa | 100 | −12% | Catholic | English | 33 km | |
| Scoil Naomh Padraig | 374 | −10% | Catholic | English | 33 km | |
| Primrose Hill N.S. | 109 | −4% | Church of Ireland | English | 33 km | |
| Scoil Naomh Brid | 235 | −43% | Catholic | English | 33 km | |
| Aghards N.S. | 660 | −5% | Catholic | English | 34 km | |
| Newtown N.S. | 110 | +20% | Catholic | English | 34 km | |
| Scoil Ui Fhiaich | 459 | −2% | Catholic | All in Irish | 35 km | |
| Maynooth Educate Together National School | 415 | +46% | Multi-denominational | English | 35 km | |
| St Patricks N.S. | 87 | −30% | Catholic | English | 35 km | |
| S.N. Baile Mhic Adaim | 85 | +18% | Catholic | English | 35 km | |
| St Josephs N.S. | 423 | +5% | Catholic | English | 36 km | |
| Scoil Uí Riada | 484 | −7% | Catholic | All in Irish | 36 km | |
| Maynooth B N.S. | 595 | +4% | Catholic | English | 36 km | |
| Presentation Girls Primary School | 621 | +0% | Catholic | English | 36 km | |
| Scoil Chóca Naofa | 467 | +18% | Catholic | English | 36 km | |
| S.N. Cloch Rinnce | 137 | −11% | Catholic | English | 37 km | |
| Gaelscoil Ruairí | 173 | – | Multi-denominational | All in Irish | 37 km | |
| Leixlip Educate Together National School | 207 | – | Multi-denominational | English | 37 km | |
| Scoil Eoin Phoil | 264 | −19% | Catholic | English | 37 km | |
| Scoil Bhride | 295 | −5% | Catholic | English | 37 km | |
| Scoil Mhuire | 289 | −6% | Catholic | English | 37 km | |
| Scoil C.ui Dhalaigh | 376 | −11% | Catholic | All in Irish | 38 km | |
| San Carlo Senior N.S. | 301 | +13% | Catholic | English | 38 km | |
| San Carlo Junior N.S. | 265 | −0% | Catholic | English | 38 km | |
| S N na Maighdine Mhuire | 60 | −10% | Catholic | English | 38 km |
Living in Calverstown
The town’s figures, not this street’s.
Homes in the R56 Eircode area
Housing in Calverstown →The median sale price rose from €350,000 in 2023 to €428,500 in 2025 (+22%).
New against second-hand, 2023 to 2025
Property Price Register sales in the R56 Eircode routing area, 2023 to 2025.
Renting in Co. Kildare
Cost of living in Calverstown →New tenancies in Co. Kildare averaged €1,701 a month in 2025, against €1,589 in 2024 (+7%).
Residential Tenancies Board rent index, new tenancies, 2024 and 2025.
Location
Directions ↗near Calverstown, R56 FF60
Primary schools near Ballyshannon N.S.
Nearest first, as the crow flies, up to 25 km. Each school’s own admission policy decides who gets a place.
Questions about Ballyshannon N.S.
Is Ballyshannon N.S. a good school?
We don’t grade it: Ireland publishes no exam results school by school, and section 53 of the Education Act 1998 restricts comparing them. Its inspection reports on gov.ie, a visit and a talk with the principal will tell you more than any table could.
How many pupils does Ballyshannon N.S. have?
115 pupils in 2025/26. That is −10% since 2019/20.
Does Ballyshannon N.S. teach through Irish?
No: Ballyshannon N.S. teaches in English, with Irish as a subject.
Who runs Ballyshannon N.S.?
Ballyshannon N.S. has a Catholic ethos. Its patron is Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin.
How do pupils get a place at Ballyshannon N.S.?
Apply to the school directly. It publishes an admission policy and a yearly admission notice with its dates; if more children apply than it has places, it admits on the criteria in its policy.
Which schools of the same kind are near Ballyshannon N.S.?
The nearest are S.N. Naomh Ioseph (3.5 km), S.N. Bride (3.8 km) and St Brigids N.S. (4 km).
Sources: Department of Education, school lists 2025/26 (preliminary) and enrolments since 2015/16, CC BY 4.0 · inspection reports on gov.ie, linked by roll number. Under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).
Facts from the Department of Education’s school lists. Listed with Calverstown; nothing here rates the school.
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).