St Brigids National School
School Details
Location
About
St Brigid’s National School, Ballysax, is a Catholic co‑educational primary school situated in the parish of Suncroft, beside the Curragh in County Kildare. Under the patronage of the Diocese of Kildare & Leighlin, the school works in partnership with its Board of Management, staff and parents/guardians to create a caring, nurturing environment where mutual respect and trust are paramount. The ethos is encapsulated in the motto “Play together, Learn together, Grow together”, reflecting a holistic approach that seeks to develop each child intellectually, socially, spiritually, emotionally and physically. The school provides six mainstream classes from Junior Infants to Sixth Class, supported by a team that includes mainstream teachers, special education teachers, and dedicated support assistants. Facilities have expanded from the original five‑classroom building opened in 1994 to eight classrooms, specialised rooms for special‑education provision, a staffroom, office and a school hall. Recent investment through the NextGeneration EU‑funded School Broadband Programme has delivered high‑speed internet and a Digital Learning Plan, helping to bridge the digital divide for learners at risk of disadvantage. A wide range of extracurricular activities – from sports (GAA, basketball, swimming) and Green School awards to Aistear, Book Week, Seachtain na Gaeilge and choir – enrich the curriculum and promote inclusion, wellbeing and community spirit.
History
The origins of education in the Ballysax area date back to 1839 when the Cut Bush School was blessed and opened by Fr John Murphy. A later school, known locally as Brownstown School, was established in 1916 in the neighbouring townland of Brownstown; it operated as two separate single‑sex schools until 1968 when it became co‑educational. The present St Brigid’s National School was officially opened in 1994 on land generously donated by local farmer Andy Cullen. Initially a five‑classroom facility, it has since been expanded to eight classrooms with dedicated spaces for special‑education provision, a staffroom, office and school hall, reflecting the community’s long‑standing commitment to primary education.