Community School
Community School is a secondary school in Kilkenny. 634 pupils, Inter-denominational ethos, 3 special classes, DEIS Post-primary.
The facts
| Type | Secondary school |
|---|---|
| Gender | Mixed |
| Ethos | Inter-denominational |
| Patron | Kilkenny & Carlow ETB & Presentation Sisters |
| Fees | Free |
| Enrolment | 634 (337 boys, 297 girls) 2025/26 |
| Language of instruction | English Medium School |
| DEIS | Yes — Post-primary |
| Roll number | 91360T |
| Eircode | R95AF5Y |
| Address | Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny |
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 | 112 |
|---|---|
| Places last year | 2 |
| Applications last year | 7 |
| Waiting list | 0 |
| Applications open | 01 October 2025 |
| Applications close | 17 October 2025 |
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: Castlecomer. 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 R95 (Kilkenny) was €350,000 in 2025. That is up 62.8% since 2020. CSO figures for the whole district, not the streets beside the school.
Area profile: the Pobal HP Deprivation Index rates Castlecomer at -4.28 (Marginally Below Average), where 0 is the national average. 30% of adults there hold a third-level qualification.
Contact
| Principal | Mr Pat Murphy |
|---|---|
| Phone | 0564441447 |
| office@castlecomercs.com | |
| Local authority | Kilkenny County Council |
Other schools in Castlecomer
- Ballyragget National School Primary school, Kilkenny
- Clontubrid Mixed N S Primary school, Kilkenny
- Holycross N.S. Primary school, Kilkenny
- Lisdowney N S Primary school, Kilkenny
- S N An Moinin Rua Primary school, Kilkenny
- S N Bhreandain Naofa Primary school, Kilkenny
- S N Bhrighde Primary school, Kilkenny
- S N Colmain Primary school, Kilkenny
- S N Lisnafunchin Primary school, Kilkenny
- Scoil Íosagáin Primary school, Kilkenny
- St Patricks Ns Primary school, Kilkenny
- Wandesforde Mixed N S Primary school, Kilkenny
How we know
DoE Schools GIS 2026 (CC BY 4.0) — checked 2026-08-27.