St Josephs N.S.
Tom Bellew Avenue, Dundalk, Co. Louth · A91 D786 · Roll number 19673J
St Josephs N.S. is one of 22 primary schools in or within 3 km of Dundalk. Every school in and around Dundalk →
What stands out about St Josephs N.S.
- One of the larger primary schools: 574 pupils, against a typical 131.
- About as many pupils as in 2019/20 (−2%).
- Teaches through English, with Irish as a subject.
- In 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.
- Has special classes for children who need more support.
- Its patron is the Archbishop of Armagh; its ethos is Catholic.
Pupils over time
2015/16 to 2025/26St Josephs N.S. had 574 pupils in 2025/26, against 520 in 2015/16 (+10%). Girls are 44% of them. Its largest roll was 586, in 2019/20. Its roll rose in 6 of the 10 years.
Department of Education enrolments at 30 September each year; girls and boys where the lists give them.
No letter for St Josephs 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 St Josephs 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 St Josephs 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 St Josephs N.S.
Every school admits under its own published admission policy; no admissions numbers are published.
Families apply to St Josephs 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.
It is in DEIS, so it has extra support for pupils from disadvantaged areas. Places in special classes and special schools are allocated with the National Council for Special Education.
No figures on applications are published, but the roll shows demand: St Josephs N.S. is about the size it was in 2019/20 (−2%). All the schools around Dundalk together changed by +9%.
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, 1 have more pupils than St Josephs N.S.. Since 2019/20 its roll has changed by −2%; 1 of the 6 grew faster.
| School | Pupils | Since 2019/20 | Ethos | Language | DEIS | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Josephs N.S. | 574 | −2% | Catholic | English | ✓ | |
| Gaelscoil Dhun Dealgan | 214 | −4% | Catholic | All in Irish | ✓ | 0.6 km |
| Scoil Mhuire na nGael | 624 | −8% | Catholic | English | 0.9 km | |
| Dun Dealgan N.S. | 84 | −2% | Presbyterian | English | 1.4 km | |
| Réalt na Mara School | 467 | +0% | Catholic | English | 1.6 km | |
| S.N. N Maolmhaodhagh C | 233 | −16% | Catholic | English | 1.7 km | |
| S.N. N Maolmhaodhagh N | 220 | −15% | Catholic | English | 1.7 km |
The other 62 primary schools in Co. Louth
| School | Pupils | Since 2019/20 | Ethos | Language | DEIS | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.N. N Maolmhaodhagh B | 246 | +7% | Catholic | English | 1.7 km | |
| C.b.s. Primary | 524 | +13% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 1.8 km |
| S.N. San Nioclas | 148 | −3% | Church of Ireland | English | ✓ | 2.2 km |
| St Nicholas Monastery NS | 164 | −3% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 2.3 km |
| Castletown Rd Convent | 191 | −1% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 2.4 km |
| S.N. an Tslanaitheora B | 169 | +61% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 2.4 km |
| S.N. an Tslanaitheora C | 160 | +62% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 2.4 km |
| St. Francis National School | 441 | +53% | Catholic | English | 3.1 km | |
| Scoil Fhursa | 229 | −8% | Catholic | English | 3.3 km | |
| Scoil na gCreagacha Dubha | 503 | +13% | Catholic | English | 3.4 km | |
| S.N. Eoin Baiste | 164 | −11% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 3.9 km |
| Bellurgan N.S. | 112 | −13% | Catholic | English | 5 km | |
| Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál | 189 | −10% | Catholic | English | 5.6 km | |
| Faughart Community National School | 102 | +122% | Multi-denominational | English | 5.8 km | |
| Scoil Phadraig Naofa | 206 | +2% | Catholic | English | 6.3 km | |
| Dulargy Mixed N.S. | 150 | −23% | Catholic | English | 6.7 km | |
| Knockbridge Mixed N.S. | 285 | −5% | Catholic | English | 6.8 km | |
| Dromiskin Mixed N.S. | 234 | −1% | Catholic | English | 8 km | |
| S.N. Muire | 187 | +10% | Catholic | English | 8.2 km | |
| Scoil Dairbhre Mixed | 71 | −26% | Catholic | English | 8.6 km | |
| St. Mochta's National School | 181 | +20% | Catholic | English | 11 km | |
| S.N. Mullach Bui | 62 | −2% | Catholic | English | 11 km | |
| S.N. Chill Sarain | 161 | −15% | Catholic | English | 12 km | |
| Scoil Bhride | 82 | +173% | Catholic | English | 12 km | |
| S.N. Bhride | 67 | −25% | Catholic | English | 12 km | |
| S.N. Rath Corr | 56 | −16% | Catholic | English | 13 km | |
| Tallonstown N.S. | 276 | −15% | Catholic | English | 13 km | |
| S.N. Naomh Lorcan | 69 | −13% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 13 km |
| S N Talamh na Manach | 139 | +7% | Catholic | English | 14 km | |
| St Olivers N.S. | 120 | −28% | Catholic | English | 14 km | |
| S.N. San Nioclas | 49 | −49% | Catholic | English | 14 km | |
| S.N. Naomh Fhionain | 100 | +1% | Catholic | English | 15 km | |
| S.N. Mhuire | 89 | −28% | Catholic | English | 16 km | |
| Dromin N.S. | 97 | −2% | Catholic | English | 17 km | |
| S.N. Columcille | 151 | −13% | Catholic | English | 18 km | |
| Ardee Educate Together NS | 177 | +17% | Multi-denominational | English | ✓ | 18 km |
| Scoil Bhride Mixed N.S. | 202 | −3% | Catholic | English | 18 km | |
| S N Mhuire na Trocaire | 339 | +15% | Catholic | English | 18 km | |
| Ardee Monastery | 244 | −5% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 18 km |
| S.N. Chaoimhin Naofa | 148 | +16% | Catholic | English | 20 km | |
| Walshestown N.S. | 95 | −19% | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| Ballapousta NS | 186 | −14% | Catholic | English | 22 km | |
| S N Tigh an Lubhair | 192 | −9% | Catholic | English | 22 km | |
| S.N. Padraig | 172 | −13% | Catholic | English | 24 km | |
| Callystown Mixed N.S. | 261 | −18% | Catholic | English | 24 km | |
| Scoil Naomh Fainche | 190 | −14% | Catholic | English | 25 km | |
| S.N. Muire Gan Smal | 201 | −18% | Catholic | English | 25 km | |
| Scoil Náisíunta Naomh Feichín | 307 | +5% | Catholic | English | 27 km | |
| S.N. Tulach Aluinn | 411 | −17% | Catholic | English | 28 km | |
| Scoil Oilibhéir Naofa | 353 | −20% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 29 km |
| Aston Village Educate Together National School | 375 | −11% | Multi-denominational | English | 29 km | |
| Presentation Convent | 385 | +37% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 29 km |
| St Brigid's and St Patrick's National School | 575 | +8% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 30 km |
| Naomh Seosamh | 293 | +0% | Catholic | English | 30 km | |
| S.N. Aonghusa | 147 | −27% | Catholic | All in Irish | 31 km | |
| Scoil na mBraithre Sn | 359 | +25% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 31 km |
| S.N. Naomh Peadar | 92 | −2% | Church of Ireland | English | 31 km | |
| Le Cheile Educate Together NS | 383 | −12% | Multi-denominational | English | 31 km | |
| Rathmullan N.S. | 373 | −9% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 31 km |
| S.N. Ard Mhuire C | 315 | +5% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 31 km |
| St Pauls Senior N.S. | 466 | −4% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 31 km |
| St Marys Parish Primary School | 967 | −13% | Catholic | English | 32 km |
Living in Dundalk
The town’s figures, not this street’s.
Homes in the A91 Eircode area
Housing in Dundalk →The median sale price rose from €261,500 in 2023 to €335,000 in 2025 (+28%).
New against second-hand, 2023 to 2025
Property Price Register sales in the A91 Eircode routing area, 2023 to 2025.
Renting in Dundalk
Cost of living in Dundalk →New tenancies in Dundalk averaged €1,394 a month in 2025, against €1,280 in 2024 (+9%).
Residential Tenancies Board rent index, new tenancies, 2024 and 2025.
Location
Directions ↗Dundalk, A91 D786
Primary schools near St Josephs 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 St Josephs N.S.
Is St Josephs 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 St Josephs N.S. have?
574 pupils in 2025/26. That is −2% since 2019/20.
Does St Josephs N.S. teach through Irish?
No: St Josephs N.S. teaches in English, with Irish as a subject.
Who runs St Josephs N.S.?
St Josephs N.S. has a Catholic ethos. Its patron is Archbishop of Armagh.
How do pupils get a place at St Josephs 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 St Josephs N.S.?
The nearest are Gaelscoil Dhun Dealgan (0.6 km), Scoil Mhuire na nGael (0.9 km) and Dun Dealgan N.S. (1.4 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 Dundalk; 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).