Ireland's secondary schools in numbers

There are 721 secondary schools in Ireland, teaching 429,653 students.

The headlines

  • There are 721 secondary schools in Ireland, teaching 429,653 students.
  • 50 are fee-paying, 50 teach every subject through Irish, and 232 are in the DEIS programme.
  • The average school has about 596 students. 117 have fewer than 300, and 64 have 1,000 or more.
  • 514 schools take boys and girls, 112 are for girls and 95 are for boys.
  • 62,065 students are in Transition Year, compared with 76,199 in 3rd year. 6 schools have no TY students this year.

The 10 biggest

  1. Gorey Community School Gorey, Co. Wexford · 1,546 students
  2. Kinsale Community School Kinsale, Co. Cork · 1,450 students
  3. St Oliver's Community College Drogheda, Co. Louth · 1,422 students
  4. Castletroy College Castletroy, Co. Limerick · 1,360 students
  5. Coláiste Choilm Ballincollig, Co. Cork · 1,357 students
  6. Mercy Secondary School Mounthawk Tralee, Co. Kerry · 1,322 students
  7. Castleknock Community College Dublin 15, Co. Dublin · 1,318 students
  8. Ardee Community School Ardee, Co. Louth · 1,317 students
  9. St Flannan's College Ennis, Co. Clare · 1,270 students
  10. Coláiste Bhaile Chláir Baile Chláir, Co. Galway · 1,269 students

The 10 smallest

  1. Coláiste Phobail Cholmcille Doirí Beaga, Co. Donegal · 11 students
  2. Coláiste Eoghain Bun Cranncha, Co. Donegal · 13 students
  3. Colaiste Chomain Ballina, Co. Mayo · 29 students
  4. Coláiste Ghobnait Oileáin Árann, Co. Galway · 35 students
  5. Coláiste Naomh Eoin Oileáin Árann, Co. Galway · 41 students
  6. Coláiste Na bPiarsach Ros Muc, Co. Galway · 54 students
  7. Coláiste Naomh Éinne Oileain Árann, Co. Galway · 59 students
  8. Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada Árainn Mhór, Co. Donegal · 61 students
  9. Coláiste Naomh Feichín Corr na Mona, Co. Galway · 63 students
  10. Gairm Scoil Chú Uladh Leifear, Co. Donegal · 87 students

By type of school

TypeSchoolsStudentsShare of schools
Voluntary secondary school378226,02052%
Community college (ETB)246135,22334%
Community school8359,76412%
Comprehensive school148,6462%

Types of secondary school explained

By ethos

EthosSchoolsShare
Catholic33747%
Multi-denominational21129%
Inter-denominational14620%
Church of Ireland213%
Quaker20%
Methodist10%
Not known10%
Presbyterian10%
Jewish10%

County by county

CountySchoolsStudentsAverage sizeFee-payingSingle-sexIrish-mediumDEIS
Carlow116,6436040313 (27%)
Cavan116,8296210202 (18%)
Clare169,5215950103 (19%)
Cork8549,307580529622 (26%)
Donegal2714,98055502519 (70%)
Dublin183107,31958634711066 (36%)
Galway4423,354531031110 (23%)
Kerry2612,5974850935 (19%)
Kildare2922,8237872727 (24%)
Kilkenny158,8575900416 (40%)
Laois107,3237320202 (20%)
Leitrim73,0404340000 (0%)
Limerick2817,7796352928 (29%)
Longford94,5785090206 (67%)
Louth1815,0558362607 (39%)
Mayo2611,64044806211 (42%)
Meath2418,5967750514 (17%)
Monaghan126,4485371414 (33%)
Offaly117,0606420204 (36%)
Roscommon95,1715750103 (33%)
Sligo136,0144631103 (23%)
Tipperary3015,921531213010 (33%)
Waterford1710,3966120726 (35%)
Westmeath139,1447030403 (23%)
Wexford2314,70763909111 (48%)
Wicklow2414,5516061527 (29%)

Figures from the Department of Education's published list of post-secondary schools and enrolments (2025/26). Free to reuse with a link to this page.

Lists: Fee-paying schools · Gaelcholáistí · Girls' schools · Boys' schools · DEIS schools · Boarding schools · Multi-denominational schools · Gaeltacht schools