St Patricks Girls National School
School Details
Location
About
St Patrick’s Girls’ National School is an all‑girls Catholic primary school situated on Dublin Road, Limerick City. Operating under the patronage of the Bishop of Limerick, the school cultivates a Christian atmosphere founded on compassion, mutual respect and honest endeavour. Its educational philosophy seeks to develop each pupil holistically – spiritually, emotionally, culturally, physically and intellectually – encouraging confidence, self‑discipline and respect for others. The school currently educates around 214 pupils and is staffed by a principal, eight mainstream teachers, four learning‑support teachers, two special‑needs assistants, a secretary and a caretaker. Recent investment has modernised the campus: a single, safe outdoor play yard was created in 2006, prefabricated classrooms added in 2007 to meet growing demand, and a new building programme (2021‑2022) delivered three permanent classrooms and a staff room, replacing the temporary structures. These facilities support a broad curriculum and a range of extracurricular activities within a supportive, community‑focused environment.
History
The school’s origins date to 1915 when a new stone building with five classrooms was erected on Dublin Road to replace the earlier St Patrick’s Boys’ and Girls’ schools located behind the church. Officially opened on 1 February 1916, the school was funded by a Treasury Grant, local contributions and voluntary labour. Early staff included Principal Mrs Seoirse Clancy and teachers Miss McCarthy O’Sullivan and Mrs Sheehan. Expansion followed the post‑war housing boom: in 1954 two additional classrooms, cloakrooms and teachers’ toilets were added; in 1966 a separate boys’ school was built across the road. Continued residential development in Corbally and Rhebogue prompted further upgrades, including a unified school yard in 2006 and prefabricated classrooms in 2007. A major building programme began in November 2021, delivering three new classrooms and a staff room, completed by August 2022, to replace the prefabs and enhance the learning environment.