All Saints National School
School Details
Location
About
All Saints National School, situated on the main street of Carnew, operates under the patronage of the Church of Ireland Bishop of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory. The school’s ethos combines a nurturing, happy and secure environment with a balanced emphasis on faith, culture and respect for all traditions. Its educational approach seeks to develop each child’s self‑esteem and confidence, encouraging personal growth alongside academic achievement in a setting of mutual respect. The historic, listed 1840s building provides two spacious classrooms and a dedicated secretary’s office, while a fully renovated former teachers’ residence now offers a large, adaptable meeting area, modern kitchen facilities and upstairs toilets. Outdoor provision includes a sizeable playground with grass and tarmac marked for basketball and games, the Woolgreen garden (established 2005) with a cast‑iron railing, and a recently added fairy garden, all supporting the school’s Green Flag initiative. A vibrant programme of extracurricular activities—ranging from science‑week experiments and a chick incubator project to cultural celebrations such as the Galette des Rois and Christmas events—enhances pupil engagement and community spirit. Open afternoons and an annual Open Day invite families to experience the school’s welcoming atmosphere firsthand.
History
All Saints National School was established in 1847 and is located on the main street in Carnew. The school occupies a listed circa‑1840 building of three bays and two storeys with rendered walls, granite chamfered dressings, transom and mullioned windows, a high‑pitched roof and gables, situated beside the Church of Ireland. A large playground at the rear provides grass and tarmac areas marked for basketball and games. The former teachers’ residence was fully renovated in 2000 to create a sizeable meeting area that can be divided into two rooms, together with modern kitchen facilities and upstairs toilets; the school itself contains two large classrooms and a secretary’s office. The Woolgreen garden was created in 2005 as part of the school’s Green Flag initiative, featuring a cast‑iron railing and a design by ecologist Betsy Hickey, with a fairy garden added more recently.