Kilmagner National School
School Details
Location
About
Kilmagner National School is a Catholic co‑educational primary school under the patronage of the Bishop of Cloyne. Its ethos is built around respect for people and property, fostering a sense of belonging and a welcoming environment for all pupils. The school currently educates around sixty‑three children with a dedicated team of staff, and it places a strong emphasis on holistic development, integrating intellectual, physical, cultural, moral and spiritual growth in line with its Catholic values. The campus combines modern learning facilities with a traditional façade. There are three mainstream classrooms, two Special Educational Needs (S.E.T.) rooms and a sensory room, each equipped with interactive whiteboards and laptops to extend learning. Outdoor provision includes tarmac and grass playing fields, an all‑weather soft‑surface area for younger children, a school garden and a polytunnel. Recent refurbishments have added a multi‑purpose room, learning support and resource rooms, adult disabled‑access toilets, and a light‑filled corridor linking the old and new buildings, all complemented by a car park.
History
Kilmagner National School opened on 17 June 1878 with two separate classrooms for boys and girls. The first principal was Patrick Walsh (1878‑1911), assisted by Mary K. Walsh, and local tradition suggests a hedge school may have operated nearby before this date. Throughout its history the school has served as a community hub, hosting dances, plays and, today, the annual Christmas show “Seo na Nollag”. A major redevelopment began in May 2008, adding three new classrooms, a storage room, new toilets and cloakrooms, two Learning Support and Resource Rooms, adult disabled facilities, a multi‑purpose room, office and staffroom, all linked by a bright corridor while preserving the original façade. The building was further extended and refurbished in 2009 and again in 2022, resulting in a modern school with excellent facilities.