Scoil Bhride
Scoil Bhride is a primary school in Rathdowney. 244 pupils, Catholic ethos, 2 special classes, DEIS.
The facts
| Type | Primary school |
|---|---|
| Gender | Mixed |
| Ethos | Catholic |
| Patron | Bishop of Ossory |
| Fees | Free |
| Enrolment | 244 (131 boys, 113 girls) 2025/26 |
| Language of instruction | English Medium School |
| DEIS | Yes — this school is in the DEIS programme |
| Roll number | 20071L |
| Eircode | R32H773 |
| Address | Rathdowney, Co. Laois |
Special classes
2 special classes sanctioned for 26/27:
- 2 × 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: Rathdowney. 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 R32 (Portlaoise) was €320,000 in 2025. That is up 77.8% since 2020. CSO figures for the whole district, not the streets beside the school.
Area profile: the Pobal HP Deprivation Index rates Rathsaran at -3.65 (Marginally Below Average), where 0 is the national average. 29% of adults there hold a third-level qualification.
Contact
| Principal | Padraig Kiely |
|---|---|
| Phone | 050546546 |
| scoilbhrideoffice@gmail.com | |
| Local authority | Laois County Council |
Other schools in Rathdowney
- Cloch An Tsionnaigh N S Primary school, Laois
- Gaelscoil An Tsli Dala Primary school, Laois
- Kiladooley Mixed N S Primary school, Laois
- S N Naomh Colmcille Primary school, Laois
- St Fergal's College Secondary school, Laois
- St Josephs National School Primary school, Laois
How we know
DoE Schools GIS 2026 (CC BY 4.0) — checked 2026-08-27.