Primary school Castlebar area

PLL

Hello

We will be moving from Galway city to Castlebar next summer. Was hoping for a few school recommendations, as I don’t know the area too well (originally from North Mayo). Community feel of the school is important.

Not sure where we will be living (any recommendations on that much appreciated too!) We have transport and don’t mind driving 30 minutes as we’re used to the hell that is Galway traffic.

Thanks in advance.

irishgeo

Loads of choices.

St Patrick's boys school in town.
Breaffy quite popular too.
One more out the Westport Road. Not sure of its name.

Dudda

A big decider is if you want mixed school or not.

Mixed - Breaffy (5 minutes outside town), Snugboro (5 minutes outside town), Scoil Raifteiri (Irish school in town). St Josephs in Derrywash is about 10 minutes outside the town and therefore more of a country school. Breaffy and Snugboro don't feel like country schools as a lot of town kids go to them.
Girls - St. Angelas
Boys - St. Patricks

I don't think I'd say anything bad about any of the above. The town has a new smaller Educate Together school in the old council building called Marsh House. It's tiny with something in the region of 10 students I think.

One time St Patrick's and St. Angelas (both town centre) were very popular but then Breaffy and Snugboro exploded in size during the boom time. I think it's very even between them all now although I've now limited interaction with any these days.

Westernyelp

Educate together has about 25-30 students now I think. This will increase significantly over the next couple of years as new class years are added

peter4918

There’s also mixed primary schools in Parke, Ballyvary, Manulla and Belcarra. All just a few minutes from the town so it would depend on where you are planning to live really but you have loads of options

Asmodean

We have our little fella enrolled in Educate together for two years time. I can only see it going from strength to strength if that's an area you are interested in. Scoil Raifteiri was another choice we were considering too, it seems like a very good school.

Curlysue76

Asmodean wrote: »

We have our little fella enrolled in Educate together for two years time. I can only see it going from strength to strength if that's an area you are interested in. Scoil Raifteiri was another choice we were considering too, it seems like a very good school.

Had 2 go through Scoil Raifteiri. Both loved it, no complaints. Both went to the Naionra before as well.

seligehgit

irishgeo wrote: »

Loads of choices.

St Patrick's boys school in town.
Breaffy quite popular too.
One more out the Westport Road. Not sure of its name.

That's Cloggernagh NS or St. Joseph's in Derrywash?

seligehgit

PLL wrote: »

Hello

We will be moving from Galway city to Castlebar next summer. Was hoping for a few school recommendations, as I don’t know the area too well (originally from North Mayo). Community feel of the school is important.

Not sure where we will be living (any recommendations on that much appreciated too!) We have transport and don’t mind driving 30 minutes as we’re used to the hell that is Galway traffic.

Thanks in advance.

Historically there were two large catholic national schools in Castlebar.St.Patrick's National School (Boys) run by the christian brothers.I have fond memories of many fine teachers.

St. Angela's National School (Girls) run by the sisters of mercy.

In more recent times Snugboro National School largely driven by it's first principal became very popular.It continues to thrive.

As Castlebar has grown schools in the suburbs have developed.Breaffy National School which another mixed school is a very popular school and by all accounts very good.

For all Gaeilgeoirs the local gaelscoil is Scoil Raifteiri,it has grown significantly to a certain level.

There are ample schools in the hinterland with excellent pupil teacher ratios

Killawalla,Errew and Manulla.Another very good school in close proximity to the town and ideally located between Castlebar and Westport is St. Joseph's Derrywash.Cloggernagh is similarly located.

The Educate Together model is undoubtedly growing in popularity and is another option.

Fann Linn

Breaffy NS is a nightmare for traffic trying to get back onto the main road from my experience.

Fr Tod Umptious

Off the top of my head witin 10 miles of Castlebar but not including the 4 in the town.

South
Derrywash
Ballyhane
Ballintubber
Clogher
Errrew
Belcarra.

East
Breaffy
Manulla

North
Ballyvary
Parke
Crimlin
Tourlough (is there a school in Tourlough ?)

West
Snugboro
Islandeady
Cloggernagh NS
Glenisland

Skippette

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Off the top of my head witin 10 miles of Castlebar but not including the 4 in the town.

South
Derrywash
Ballyhane
Ballintubber
Clogher
Errrew
Belcarra.

East
Breaffy
Manulla

North
Ballyvary
Parke
Crimlin
Tourlough (is there a school in Tourlough ?)

West
Snugboro
Islandeady
The one on the main Westport road, Name ?
Glenisland

Glenisland school has closed.

You also have Cornanool about 4 miles out the Newport Road, just down from the Key West pub. Lovely school with a new principal this year.

statto25

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Off the top of my head witin 10 miles of Castlebar but not including the 4 in the town.

South
Derrywash
Ballyhane
Ballintubber
Clogher
Errrew
Belcarra.

East
Breaffy
Manulla

North
Ballyvary
Parke
Crimlin
Tourlough (is there a school in Tourlough ?)

West
Snugboro
Islandeady
Cloggernagh NS
Glenisland

No school in Turlough.

whitey1

I don’t think you can just “pick” a school for your kids to attend....I may be wrong but I thought each school had a catchment area. I was talking to a fella who lived down the Pintoon Rd and he told be that because he lived in Carrowncurry his kids qualified to attend Snugborough.

Don’t know if anyone mentioned it but Crimlin is also a great school and a great community

seligehgit

whitey1 wrote: »

I don’t think you can just “pick” a school for your kids to attend....I may be wrong but I thought each school had a catchment area. I was talking to a fella who lived down the Pintoon Rd and he told be that because he lived in Carrowncurry his kids qualified to attend Snugborough.

Don’t know if anyone mentioned it but Crimlin is also a great school and a great community

Don't think that's correct,parents are free to pick and choose whatever school they so wish irrespective of their domicile.