S N CILL TARTAIN
School Details
Location
About
Kiltartan National School is a co‑educational, Catholic primary school serving children from Junior Infants through to 6th Class. Set in the scenic surrounds of Coole Park, the school offers a warm, welcoming environment that promotes holistic development – intellectual, moral, cultural, emotional and social – for every pupil. The curriculum is delivered within a caring, positive atmosphere that encourages self‑esteem, respect for others and a strong sense of community, while also valuing the diverse religious beliefs and cultures of its families. The school benefits from a range of modern facilities developed over recent decades. A major extension added in 2005 provided a new car park and set area, while a further expansion in 2015 introduced two mainstream classrooms, a learning support room, a dedicated secretary’s office and a large combined classroom/assembly space. Heating systems have been upgraded throughout, and ongoing enhancements in 2022 have continued to improve the learning environment. Extra‑curricular provision includes an after‑school club, various initiatives and an active school life programme that supports the development of pupils’ talents and interests.
History
The earliest recorded school in Kiltartan dates to 1824 as a hedge school in Castletown, later moving to a thatched Mass‑house in the 1830s. Following the establishment of the National Education system in 1831, a hedge school was formally incorporated on 7 January 1851. In 1892 a red‑brick schoolhouse, designed by Frank Persse (brother of Lady Gregory), opened on Kiltartan Cross; this building now houses the Kiltartan Gregory Museum. The present school building was constructed in 1959 and opened to pupils in September 1960. Extensions were added in 2005 (including a car park), 2015 (two new classrooms and support facilities), and a further development was officially opened on 14 June 2016 by TD Ciarán Cannon. Additional enhancements were undertaken in 2022.