Scoil An Linbh Iosa
Scoil An Linbh Iosa is a primary school in Galway. 236 pupils, Catholic ethos, 1 special class, DEIS Urban Band 1.
The facts
| Type | Primary school |
|---|---|
| Gender | Mixed |
| Ethos | Catholic |
| Patron | Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh & Kilfenora |
| Fees | Free |
| Enrolment | 236 (103 boys, 133 girls) 2025/26 |
| Language of instruction | English Medium School |
| DEIS | Yes — Urban Band 1 |
| Roll number | 04515G |
| Eircode | H91RX32 |
| Address | St Francis Street, Galway |
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 | 40 |
|---|
notice gives places only, no previous-year breakdown.
Read the school's Annual Admission Notice ↗ (2025/26)
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 Urban Band 1. This is the most intensively supported band. Junior classes are capped at 17:1, vertical schools at 19:1 and senior schools at 21:1 — smaller than almost any non-DEIS school in the country.
17:1 junior class size cap. Urban Band 1 primary schools have the lowest pupil-teacher ratio in Ireland: 17:1 in junior classes (infants to 2nd), 19:1 in vertical schools, and 21:1 in senior schools. That is smaller than almost any fee-paying school in the State.
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
1 special class sanctioned for 26/27:
- 1 × Autism/Autistic Spectrum Disorders
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: Galway City. 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 H91 (Galway) was €404,999 in 2025. That is up 47.3% since 2020. CSO figures for the whole district, not the streets beside the school.
Area profile: the Pobal HP Deprivation Index rates St. Nicholas at 7.42 (Marginally Above Average), where 0 is the national average. 57% of adults there hold a third-level qualification.
Contact
| Principal | Evelyn O'Toole |
|---|---|
| Phone | 091566452 |
| info@mercyprimary.ie | |
| Local authority | Galway City Council |
Other schools in Galway City
- Bushy Park N S Primary school, Galway
- Claregalway Educate Together Ns Primary school, Galway
- Coláiste Bhaile Chláir Secondary school, Galway
- Coláiste Einde Secondary school, Galway
- Coláiste Iognáid S.J. Secondary school, Galway
- Coláiste Mhuirlinne/Merlin College Secondary school, Galway
- Coláiste Muire Máthair Secondary school, Galway
- Coláiste Na Coiribe Secondary school, Galway
- Cuan Na Gaillimhe Community National School Primary school, Galway
- Dominican College Secondary school, Galway
- Gaelscoil Dara Primary school, Galway
- Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh Primary school, Galway
How we know
DoE Schools GIS 2026 (CC BY 4.0) — checked 2026-08-27.