St. Francis National School
Rock Road, Blackrock, Dundalk · A91 NH0V · Roll number 20259G
St. Francis National School is one of 22 primary schools in or within 3 km of Dundalk. Every school in and around Dundalk →
What stands out about St. Francis National School
- One of the larger primary schools: 441 pupils, against a typical 131.
- Teaches through English, with Irish as a subject.
- Growing: 441 pupils, 53% more than the 289 of 2019/20.
- 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. Francis National School had 441 pupils in 2025/26, against 196 in 2015/16 (+125%). Girls are 46% of them. Its roll rose in 10 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. Francis National School
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. Francis National School 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. Francis National School
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. Francis National School
Every school admits under its own published admission policy; no admissions numbers are published.
Families apply to St. Francis National School 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.
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. Francis National School has grown by 53% since 2019/20. 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, 3 have more pupils than St. Francis National School. Since 2019/20 its roll has changed by +53%; 0 of the 6 grew faster.
| School | Pupils | Since 2019/20 | Ethos | Language | DEIS | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Francis National School | 441 | +53% | Catholic | English | ||
| Scoil na gCreagacha Dubha | 503 | +13% | Catholic | English | 0.7 km | |
| Scoil Fhursa | 229 | −8% | Catholic | English | 1.7 km | |
| Gaelscoil Dhun Dealgan | 214 | −4% | Catholic | All in Irish | ✓ | 2.6 km |
| St Josephs N.S. | 574 | −2% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 3.1 km |
| Scoil Mhuire na nGael | 624 | −8% | Catholic | English | 3.4 km | |
| S.N. N Maolmhaodhagh C | 233 | −16% | Catholic | English | 4.5 km |
The other 62 primary schools in Co. Louth
| School | Pupils | Since 2019/20 | Ethos | Language | DEIS | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.N. N Maolmhaodhagh N | 220 | −15% | Catholic | English | 4.5 km | |
| S.N. N Maolmhaodhagh B | 246 | +7% | Catholic | English | 4.5 km | |
| Dun Dealgan N.S. | 84 | −2% | Presbyterian | English | 4.5 km | |
| Réalt na Mara School | 467 | +0% | Catholic | English | 4.8 km | |
| C.b.s. Primary | 524 | +13% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 4.9 km |
| Dromiskin Mixed N.S. | 234 | −1% | Catholic | English | 5.1 km | |
| S.N. an Tslanaitheora B | 169 | +61% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 5.2 km |
| S.N. an Tslanaitheora C | 160 | +62% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 5.2 km |
| S.N. San Nioclas | 148 | −3% | Church of Ireland | English | ✓ | 5.2 km |
| St Nicholas Monastery NS | 164 | −3% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 5.4 km |
| Castletown Rd Convent | 191 | −1% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 5.4 km |
| Scoil Dairbhre Mixed | 71 | −26% | Catholic | English | 6.6 km | |
| S.N. Eoin Baiste | 164 | −11% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 6.7 km |
| Bellurgan N.S. | 112 | −13% | Catholic | English | 6.8 km | |
| Knockbridge Mixed N.S. | 285 | −5% | Catholic | English | 7 km | |
| Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál | 189 | −10% | Catholic | English | 7.6 km | |
| S.N. Muire | 187 | +10% | Catholic | English | 8.5 km | |
| S.N. Chill Sarain | 161 | −15% | Catholic | English | 8.7 km | |
| Faughart Community National School | 102 | +122% | Multi-denominational | English | 8.9 km | |
| Dulargy Mixed N.S. | 150 | −23% | Catholic | English | 9.2 km | |
| Scoil Phadraig Naofa | 206 | +2% | Catholic | English | 9.4 km | |
| St. Mochta's National School | 181 | +20% | Catholic | English | 11 km | |
| S.N. Naomh Fhionain | 100 | +1% | Catholic | English | 11 km | |
| S.N. San Nioclas | 49 | −49% | Catholic | English | 12 km | |
| S.N. Mullach Bui | 62 | −2% | Catholic | English | 12 km | |
| Tallonstown N.S. | 276 | −15% | Catholic | English | 12 km | |
| S.N. Rath Corr | 56 | −16% | Catholic | English | 13 km | |
| Dromin N.S. | 97 | −2% | Catholic | English | 14 km | |
| S N Talamh na Manach | 139 | +7% | Catholic | English | 14 km | |
| Scoil Bhride | 82 | +173% | Catholic | English | 14 km | |
| S.N. Columcille | 151 | −13% | Catholic | English | 14 km | |
| S.N. Bhride | 67 | −25% | Catholic | English | 15 km | |
| Scoil Bhride Mixed N.S. | 202 | −3% | Catholic | English | 15 km | |
| St Olivers N.S. | 120 | −28% | Catholic | English | 15 km | |
| S.N. Naomh Lorcan | 69 | −13% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 16 km |
| Ardee Educate Together NS | 177 | +17% | Multi-denominational | English | ✓ | 16 km |
| S N Mhuire na Trocaire | 339 | +15% | Catholic | English | 16 km | |
| Ardee Monastery | 244 | −5% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 16 km |
| S.N. Mhuire | 89 | −28% | Catholic | English | 17 km | |
| S.N. Chaoimhin Naofa | 148 | +16% | Catholic | English | 17 km | |
| Walshestown N.S. | 95 | −19% | Catholic | English | 18 km | |
| S N Tigh an Lubhair | 192 | −9% | Catholic | English | 19 km | |
| Ballapousta NS | 186 | −14% | Catholic | English | 20 km | |
| S.N. Padraig | 172 | −13% | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| Callystown Mixed N.S. | 261 | −18% | Catholic | English | 21 km | |
| Scoil Naomh Fainche | 190 | −14% | Catholic | English | 22 km | |
| S.N. Muire Gan Smal | 201 | −18% | Catholic | English | 22 km | |
| Scoil Náisíunta Naomh Feichín | 307 | +5% | Catholic | English | 24 km | |
| S.N. Tulach Aluinn | 411 | −17% | Catholic | English | 25 km | |
| Scoil Oilibhéir Naofa | 353 | −20% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 26 km |
| Aston Village Educate Together National School | 375 | −11% | Multi-denominational | English | 26 km | |
| Presentation Convent | 385 | +37% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 26 km |
| St Brigid's and St Patrick's National School | 575 | +8% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 27 km |
| Naomh Seosamh | 293 | +0% | Catholic | English | 27 km | |
| S.N. Aonghusa | 147 | −27% | Catholic | All in Irish | 27 km | |
| Scoil na mBraithre Sn | 359 | +25% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 27 km |
| S.N. Naomh Peadar | 92 | −2% | Church of Ireland | English | 28 km | |
| Le Cheile Educate Together NS | 383 | −12% | Multi-denominational | English | 28 km | |
| Rathmullan N.S. | 373 | −9% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 28 km |
| S.N. Ard Mhuire C | 315 | +5% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 28 km |
| St Pauls Senior N.S. | 466 | −4% | Catholic | English | ✓ | 28 km |
| St Marys Parish Primary School | 967 | −13% | Catholic | English | 29 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 NH0V
Primary schools near St. Francis National School
Nearest first, as the crow flies, up to 25 km. Each school’s own admission policy decides who gets a place.
Questions about St. Francis National School
Is St. Francis National School 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. Francis National School have?
441 pupils in 2025/26. That is +53% since 2019/20.
Does St. Francis National School teach through Irish?
No: St. Francis National School teaches in English, with Irish as a subject.
Who runs St. Francis National School?
St. Francis National School has a Catholic ethos. Its patron is Archbishop of Armagh.
How do pupils get a place at St. Francis National School?
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. Francis National School?
The nearest are Scoil na gCreagacha Dubha (0.7 km), Scoil Fhursa (1.7 km) and Gaelscoil Dhun Dealgan (2.6 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).