O'Connell School
O'Connell School is a secondary school in Dublin. 222 pupils, Catholic ethos, 3 special classes, DEIS Post-primary.
The facts
| Type | Secondary school |
|---|---|
| Gender | Mixed |
| Ethos | Catholic |
| Patron | Edmund Rice Schools Trust |
| Fees | Free |
| Enrolment | 222 (222 boys, 0 girls) 2025/26 |
| Language of instruction | English Medium School |
| DEIS | Yes — Post-primary |
| Roll number | 60440R |
| Eircode | D01Y4A9 |
| Address | Richmond Street North, Dublin 1 |
Getting in
Not oversubscribed last year. The notice carries no previous-year breakdown, which is only required of a school that had more applicants than places.
| Places in the coming year | 48 |
|---|
notice gives places only, no previous-year breakdown.
Read the school's Annual Admission Notice ↗ (2026/27)
Ireland has no catchment areas. A place depends on the school's own oversubscription criteria — siblings, feeder school, parish, distance, date of application — not on where you live. Read the admissions policy for those.
What DEIS means here
DEIS Post-primary. This is extra staffing, a Home School Community Liaison coordinator, School Completion Programme access, enhanced capitation, free State exam fees, and eligibility for the HEAR Scheme for reduced-points college entry.
Post-primary DEIS benefits: Free State examination fees for Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate, Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) coordinator, School Completion Programme, and eligibility for the HEAR Scheme (Higher Education Access Route) offering reserved university places at reduced CAO points across Irish universities.
Worth knowing: several things people associate with DEIS are now available in every school. Schoolbooks are free at primary and post-primary regardless of DEIS status, and since 2025 all primary schools are eligible for the hot school meals programme. What remains specific to DEIS is the staffing — reduced class sizes in Urban Band 1, the Home School Community Liaison coordinator, School Completion Programme access and enhanced capitation.
Band as published in the Department's DEIS list, last revised 2022-10-12.
Special classes
3 special classes sanctioned for 26/27:
- 3 × Autism/Autistic Spectrum Disorders
1 of these are newly sanctioned for 26/27, up from 2 classes last year.
Source: National Council for Special Education. Children in a special class travel under a separate transport scheme with its own rules.
The area around this school
School planning area: Drumcondra / Marino / Dublin1. This is how the Department plans where to build capacity. It is not a catchment.
Local house prices: the median residential sale price in Eircode district D01 (Dublin 1) was €347,250 in 2025. That is up 26.3% since 2020. CSO figures for the whole district, not the streets beside the school.
Area profile: the Pobal HP Deprivation Index rates Ballybough B at 5.09 (Marginally Above Average), where 0 is the national average. 55% of adults there hold a third-level qualification.
Contact
| Principal | Liam Newell |
|---|---|
| Phone | 018748307 |
| secretary@oconnellschool.ie | |
| Local authority | Dublin City Council |
Other schools in Drumcondra / Marino / Dublin1
- An Taonad Reamhscoile Special school, BAILE ATHA CLIATH 1
- Belvedere College S.J Secondary school, Dublin
- Central Infs School Primary school, Dublin
- Central Senior Mxd N S Primary school, Dublin
- Corpus Christi N S Primary school, Dublin
- Dominican College Secondary school, Dublin
- Drumcondra N S Primary school, Dublin
- Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire Primary school, Dublin
- Gaelscoil Áine Primary school, Dublin
- Gardiner Street Convent Primary school, Dublin
- Grace Park Educate Together National School Primary school, Dublin
- Henrietta Street School Special school, Dublin 1
How we know
DoE Schools GIS 2026 (CC BY 4.0) — checked 2026-08-27.