Who is the principal of St. Mary's C.B.S.?

Maura Murphy is the principal of St. Mary's C.B.S., according to the Department of Education's 2025/26 schools list.

Is St. Mary's C.B.S. a mixed school?

No. St. Mary's C.B.S. is a boys' school.

Is St. Mary's C.B.S. fee-paying?

No. St. Mary's C.B.S. is in the free education scheme, so there are no tuition fees. Like most schools it may ask for a voluntary contribution, which can't be compulsory.

What is the ethos of St. Mary's C.B.S.?

St. Mary's C.B.S. has a Catholic ethos. Its patron is Edmund Rice Schools Trust.

Does St. Mary's C.B.S. teach through Irish?

No. St. Mary's C.B.S. teaches through English, with Irish taught as a subject.

Is St. Mary's C.B.S. a DEIS school?

No. St. Mary's C.B.S. is not part of the DEIS programme.

Where can I read St. Mary's C.B.S.'s inspection reports?

The Department of Education publishes school inspection reports on gov.ie. Search there by St. Mary's C.B.S.'s roll number, 63430G, or use the link on this page.

What other secondary schools are near St. Mary's C.B.S.?

The closest is Scoil Chriost Ri. The table on this page compares the nearest schools by distance, size, type and fees.

St. Mary's C.B.S.

Portlaoise, Co. Laois

851 studentsBoysSecondaryTY optional

Strike: most secondary schools are expected to close on Wednesday, 21 October. Work-to-rule: some evening events, including open nights, may not go ahead. Check with the school. What it means

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Open night and deadlines Compare with others

Applying for September 2027

Applications open: Thursday, 1 October (passed)Online application opens
Applications close: Friday, 23 October, 1pmOnline submission deadlineAdd to calendar
Applications close: Saturday, 24 October, 1pmOnline application deadlineAdd to calendar

From the school's website (1), the school's website (2), checked 17 October. Always confirm with the school.

Never miss a date. Get a notification the day before an open night, and before applications close.

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How secondary admissions work · Open nights in Co. Laois

Students this year

851 students, by year group. Department of Education, 2025/26.

1st year: 173
2nd year: 158
3rd year: 147
TY: 99
5th year: 134
6th year: 140

Transition Year: 99 students are in Transition Year, fewer than in 3rd year (147). That usually means TY is optional here.

What it costs

Tuition fees: None. The school is in the free education scheme.
Schoolbooks: Free in every year, including TY, under the free schoolbooks scheme.

We haven't found this school's voluntary contribution or device policy yet. What secondary school costs, and the schemes that help

At a glance

St. Mary's C.B.S. is a voluntary secondary school in Portlaoise, Co. Laois (Eircode R32 C923). St. Mary's C.B.S. has 851 students: 851 boys, according to the Department of Education's 2025/26 figures.

Type: Voluntary secondary school
Boys and girls: Boys only · 851 boys
Fees: Free education scheme, no tuition fees
Ethos: Catholic
Patron: Edmund Rice Schools Trust
Language: English-medium
Day or boarding: Day school
DEIS: No
Roll number: 63430G

Inspection reports for this school from the Department of Education, on gov.ie

Explained: types of school · how to choose

Questions parents ask

Where is St. Mary's C.B.S.?: St. Mary's C.B.S. is a voluntary secondary school in Portlaoise, Co. Laois (Eircode R32 C923).
How many students go to St. Mary's C.B.S.?: St. Mary's C.B.S. has 851 students: 851 boys, according to the Department of Education's 2025/26 figures.
Who is the principal of St. Mary's C.B.S.?: Maura Murphy is the principal of St. Mary's C.B.S., according to the Department of Education's 2025/26 schools list.
Is St. Mary's C.B.S. a mixed school?: No. St. Mary's C.B.S. is a boys' school.
Is St. Mary's C.B.S. fee-paying?: No. St. Mary's C.B.S. is in the free education scheme, so there are no tuition fees. Like most schools it may ask for a voluntary contribution, which can't be compulsory.
What is the ethos of St. Mary's C.B.S.?: St. Mary's C.B.S. has a Catholic ethos. Its patron is Edmund Rice Schools Trust.
Does St. Mary's C.B.S. teach through Irish?: No. St. Mary's C.B.S. teaches through English, with Irish taught as a subject.
Does St. Mary's C.B.S. have Transition Year?: 99 students are in Transition Year, fewer than in 3rd year (147). That usually means TY is optional here.
Is St. Mary's C.B.S. a DEIS school?: No. St. Mary's C.B.S. is not part of the DEIS programme.
Where can I read St. Mary's C.B.S.'s inspection reports?: The Department of Education publishes school inspection reports on gov.ie. Search there by St. Mary's C.B.S.'s roll number, 63430G, or use the link on this page.
What other secondary schools are near St. Mary's C.B.S.?: The closest is Scoil Chriost Ri. The table on this page compares the nearest schools by distance, size, type and fees.

Closest secondary schools

St. Mary's C.B.S. compared with other schools in the area
School	Distance	Students	Boys and girls	Type	Fees	Next date	Irish-medium	DEIS
St. Mary's C.B.S.This school		851	Boys	Secondary	Free	Applications close, Fri, 23 Oct	No	No
Scoil Chriost RiPortlaoise	100 m	880	Girls	Secondary	Free	None found yet	No	No
Dunamase College (Coláiste Dhún Másc)Portlaoise	2.1 km	506	Mixed	Community college (ETB)	Free	None found yet	Stream	No
Portlaoise CollegePortlaoise	2.8 km	1,005	Mixed	Community college (ETB)	Free	Applications close, Thu, 22 Oct	No	Yes
Mountmellick Community SchoolMountmellick	8.2 km	742	Mixed	Community school	Free	None found yet	No	Yes
Coláiste ÍosagáinPortarlington	13.4 km	1,182	Mixed	Secondary	Free	None found yet	No	No
Mountrath Community SchoolMountrath	14.9 km	789	Mixed	Community school	Free	None found yet	No	No

Straight-line distances. Compare with the two closest · See more schools near here.

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Contact

Borris Road
Portlaoise
Co. Laois
R32C923

Principal: Maura Murphy on the Department of Education's 2025/26 schools list
Phone: 057 863 5041
Email: [email protected]
Website: portlaoisecbs.com
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Primary schools nearby

On our sister site, primaryschool.ie

Next school holidays

Strike: most secondary schools are expected to close on Wednesday, 21 October. Strikes and work-to-rule

In 8 daysOctober mid-term breakMon, 26 October to Fri 30 October 2026
In 9 weeksChristmas holidaysWed 23 December 2026 to Tue 5 January 2027
In 17 weeksFebruary mid-term breakMon, 15 February to Fri 19 February 2027

These dates are set for every secondary school in Ireland. Check with St. Mary's C.B.S. for any extra days off and the last day in June. Get reminders · All term dates · Add to Google Calendar