Photo: Marathon · CC BY-SA 2.0One of the secondary schools around Farranshone charges fees: Villiers Secondary School
58% of the post-primary schools around Farranshone take only girls or only boys, above both Co. Limerick’s towns (54%) and Irish towns (39%). 7 of its 12 secondary schools take only boys or only girls. 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 Farranshone’s schools
One fee-paying secondary school
One secondary school within reach charges fees; the others are free. The fee-paying one: Villiers Secondary School (508). Every school ↓
Mostly single-sex at secondary
Most secondary schools here take only boys or only girls; the mixed ones are marked on the cards below. Single-sex: Laurel Hill Secondary School FCJ (746), Ardscoil Ris (728), St Munchin's College (682) and Ardscoil Mhuire (591), and 3 more. Every school ↓
A wide choice at twelve
Families here can choose among 15 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: Ardscoil Ris (0.4 km), Thomond Community College (1.2 km) and Villiers Secondary School (1.3 km). Post-primary choices ↓
From the Department of Education’s school lists: facts, not judgements of how well a school teaches.
The 49 schools in and around Farranshone
Every school in Farranshone 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.
Show all 31 primary schools
Where the 49 schools in and around Farranshone 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 Farranshone’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 Farranshone
How many schools teach through each language; the tick marks Ireland’s share.
6 of Farranshone’s 49 schools teach every subject through Irish: Gaelscoil Sairseal, Laurel Hill Coláiste FCJ and An Mhodh Scoil.
Who Farranshone’s schools serve
How the area’s pupils divide, against Co. Limerick’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 Farranshone | Co. Limerick | Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at DEIS schools | 38% | 25% | 27% |
| Pupils at all-Irish schools | 14% | 7% | 6% |
| Girls | 48% | 48% | 49% |
| Post-primary pupils at single-sex schools | 56% | 23% | 29% |
| Post-primary pupils at fee-paying schools | 7% | 4% | 6% |
DEIS schools teach 38% of the pupils around Farranshone, a larger share than Ireland’s 27% (Co. Limerick: 25%). The biggest difference from Ireland is in post-primary pupils at single-sex schools: 56% here, 29% there. Of the DEIS schools here, Thomond Community College is the biggest: 597 pupils.
Each of the 49 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 Farranshone’s schools
Ethos as listed for 2025/26: each bar splits the schools by who runs them.
40 of Farranshone’s 49 schools have a Catholic ethos, against 80% across Ireland. The patrons with most schools here: Bishop of Limerick (31), Edmund Rice Schools Trust (2) and Limerick & Clare ETB (2). 23 of the 49 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 13 patrons of Farranshone’s schools
The patron owns the school and sets its ethos; a board of management runs it day to day.
Bishop of Limerick is patron of 31 of the 49 schools around Farranshone, which teach 54% of their pupils; 13 patrons run them in all. Education and Training Boards run 2 of them. Educate Together runs 2.
| Patron | Ethos | Schools | Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop of LimerickSt Munchin's College, Scoil Neassain, Scoil Ide, Scoil Phoil Naofa, St Brigids, Corpus Christi, Gaelscoil an Raithin, Gaelscoil Sairseal, Scoil Mathair de, Salesian Primary School, Our Lady Queen of Peace School, S.N. an Phairtin Mixed, Presentation Primary School, Scoil Chriost Ri B, Catherine Mc Auley Sp S, S N Muire na hEireann, St Johns Convent, Scoil Iosagain, J F K Memorial School, Thomond Primary School, Scoil Padraig Naofa C, Scoil Padraig Naofa B, Le Chéile, Our Lady of Lourdes, St Mary's, St Michaels, S.N. Mhuire Miliuc, Gaelscoil Sheoirse, St John the Baptist Boys, Mid West School for the Deaf, St Augustines Spec Sch | Catholic | 31 | 8,846 |
| Limerick & Clare ETBGaelcholáiste Luimnigh, Thomond | Inter-denominational, Multi-denominational | 2 | 1,203 |
| Edmund Rice Schools TrustArdscoil Ris, Colaiste Mhichil | Catholic | 2 | 1,077 |
| Le Chéile Schools TrustLaurel Hill Secondary School FCJ, Laurel Hill Coláiste FCJ | Catholic | 2 | 1,061 |
| CEISTArdscoil Mhuire, Coláiste Nano Nagle | Catholic | 2 | 956 |
| Educate TogetherLimerick City East Educate Together NS, Limerick School Project | Multi-denominational | 2 | 576 |
| Health Service ExecutiveThe Childrens Ark, St Canices Special School | Multi-denominational, Catholic | 2 | 51 |
| Minister for EducationCrescent College Comprehensive | Inter-denominational | 1 | 922 |
| Minister for Education & SkillsAn Mhodh Scoil | Catholic | 1 | 578 |
| Board of Governors of Villiers Secondary SchoolVilliers | Church of Ireland | 1 | 508 |
| Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorist Fathers)St Clements College | Catholic | 1 | 411 |
| Bishop of Limerick, Killaloe & Ardfert COISt Michaels | Church of Ireland | 1 | 116 |
| St Gabriel's School and CentreSt Gabriels School | Multi-denominational | 1 | 64 |
Department of Education school lists: patron 2024/25, ethos 2025/26.
How children get a place in Farranshone
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 fee-paying school here sets its 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
Of these 43 schools, 12 have grown by at least 5% since 2019/20 and 20 have lost as much; Ireland’s pupils changed by +5%.
All 43 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 Farranshone’s schools
The Inspectorate’s published reports for each school, linked, without ratings
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 49 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 Farranshone
Every post-primary school within 10 km of the town; families choose and apply to each, at about twelve
Within 10 km of Farranshone there are 15 post-primary schools: 10 voluntary secondary schools, 4 ETB schools and one comprehensive school. Of these, 7 are single-sex: 3 for girls and 4 for boys. One of them charges fees. Every subject is taught through Irish at 2 of them.
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ardscoil RisVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 728 | 0.4 km |
| Thomond Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | DEIS | 597 | 1.2 km |
| Villiers Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Church of Ireland | Girls and boys | Fee-paying, Boarding | 508 | 1.3 km |
| St Clements CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 411 | 1.4 km |
| Laurel Hill Coláiste FCJVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | Gaelcholáiste | 315 | 1.5 km |
| Laurel Hill Secondary School FCJVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | – | 746 | 1.5 km |
| Coláiste Nano NagleVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls and boys | DEIS | 365 | 1.7 km |
| Colaiste MhichilVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | DEIS | 349 | 1.8 km |
| Ardscoil MhuireVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Girls | DEIS | 591 | 1.9 km |
| Gaelcholáiste LuimnighETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | Gaelcholáiste | 606 | 2.2 km |
| St Munchin's CollegeVoluntary secondary · Catholic | Boys | – | 682 | 2.4 km |
| Crescent College ComprehensiveComprehensive · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 922 | 3.5 km |
All 15 post-primary schools within reach
| School | Takes | Also | Pupils | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limerick City East Secondary SchoolVoluntary secondary · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 811 | 4.8 km |
| Mungret Community CollegeETB · Multi-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 991 | 5.2 km |
| Castletroy CollegeETB · Inter-denominational | Girls and boys | – | 1,360 | 6.9 km |
Department of Education post-primary list 2025/26; straight-line distances from the town’s centre point.
Special schools and classes around Farranshone
6 special schools serve the area: St Augustines Spec Sch, Catherine Mc Auley Sp S, Mid West School for the Deaf, St Canices Special School, St Gabriels School and The Childrens Ark, 461 pupils between them. 19 of the 31 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.
Farranshone beside the 94 other Irish towns of 5,500 to 10,600 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballina | 10,556 | 14 | 2,979 | 1 | 50% | 0.5 km |
| … | ||||||
| Clane | 8,152 | 7 | 3,836 | 0 | 14% | 0.7 km |
| Dubber | 7,941 | 54 | 15,781 | 5 | 67% | 1.8 km |
| Monaghan | 7,894 | 11 | 3,968 | 2 | 36% | 0.2 km |
| Edenderry | 7,888 | 7 | 2,986 | 1 | 57% | 0.3 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 |
| … | ||||||
| Roscrea | 5,542 | 8 | 1,763 | 0 | 50% | 0.5 km |
Of these 94 other towns, 39 count more pupils at their schools than Farranshone. An all-Irish school is within 3 km of 88 of the 95.
Department of Education school lists 2025/26 (preliminary); CSO Census 2022 populations.
Pupil numbers around Farranshone
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 Farranshone had 15,916 pupils in 2015/16 and 16,369 in 2025/26. St John the Baptist Boys N.S. grew most: +116% since 2019/20.
Pupils at schools in and around Farranshone
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 Farranshone
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farranshone | 49 | 16,369 | 6 | 47% | 0.4 km |
| Ballynanty 1.2 km | 39 | 12,623 | 4 | 51% | 0.3 km |
| Limerick City Centre 1.3 km | 43 | 14,494 | 5 | 51% | 0.4 km |
| Dock 1.4 km | 45 | 15,206 | 5 | 49% | 0.3 km |
| Caherdavin 1.5 km | 46 | 16,583 | 5 | 39% | 1 km |
| Corbally and King's Island 1.9 km | 45 | 15,801 | 6 | 49% | 0.2 km |
| Prospect and Newtown Pery 2.1 km | 46 | 15,489 | 5 | 48% | 0.7 km |
Since 2019/20 the pupils around Farranshone changed by −1%; among its neighbours, Caherdavin’s grew most (+4%) and Ballynanty’s least (−1%).
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Which schools count. Every school in Farranshone 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 Farranshone
How many schools are there in Farranshone?
In Farranshone or within 3 km of it: 31 primary schools, 12 secondary schools and 6 special schools, with 16,369 pupils between them.
Are there schools in Farranshone that teach through Irish?
Yes, 6: Gaelscoil Sairseal, Laurel Hill Coláiste FCJ and An Mhodh Scoil teach every subject through Irish.
Are there fee-paying secondary schools near Farranshone?
1 of the 12: Villiers Secondary School. The others are free.
What is the best school in Farranshone?
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 Farranshone?
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).