As the number of children enrolling in primary schools across the country falls, what does the future hold for small schools in rural areas?
The latest Department of Education data shows a decline of 6,470 in primary enrolment this year alone.
The figures have placed further pressure on many small rural schools with closure or the loss of teachers a very real reality.
Sally-Ann Barrett went to two schools in the west of Ireland to find out how a declining population in the primary school-going age group is affecting communities there.
Eleven primary schools have closed permanently since last June due to low enrolment with others now contemplating an uncertain future.
Founded in 1891, Slatta National school is a two-teacher rural school located in Kilglass, between Roosky and Strokestown in Co Roscommon. In September 2022, there were 23 pupils enrolled there, but various factors have led to a fall in numbers with just eight students now left in the school.
In September 2026, the projected student body will be comprised of just five pupils, which has left the school on the brink of closure. An extensive appeal for new enrolments has not yielded the hoped for result.
Principal Cóilín Kelly said: "We've had open days, leaflet drops, door-to-door, media advertising and so on. We have everything any school could wish for. It's wonderful and it's a shame that we've reached the impasse that we have."
The school community made the difficult decision that without ten new enrolments by the end of today, the school is unlikely to reopen in September with just one teacher.
"Current pupils will have to find other schools and enrolment deadlines are this month and panels for teachers will come into operation soon, which is why there's an extreme urgency on this now. It's now or never," Mr Kelly said.
It's an uncertain future for the current students attending Slatta NS, including 5th class pupil Ava Dolan, who said: "We're like a family and we get to do lots of stuff and we get lots of attention since there's only a small number of us ... It's a bit sad to know that it's going to close."
In Conamara, the senior students of another small school are enjoying sean nós dance classes. In the heart of the Gaeltacht, Scoil Naomh Pádraig, An Chlochbhreac, An Fháirche, Co na Gaillimhe, has managed to defy the prevailing trend.
Linda Ní Dhroighneáin is Acting Principal of the two-teacher national school, which has seen an impressive increase in enrolment.
She said: "So, we're at 13 at the moment, which is fantastic, because in June last year, when our sixth class left, we were down to four pupils. So to have nine starting with us in September last year has just been amazing."
The school opened in 1963 but in recent years additional measures were introduced to ensure its future survival.
"We started the after school last year. We offer breakfast club as well, but this year parents didn't need the breakfast club. We run a toddler group once a month, yoga, we had storytelling and I think just opening the school doors on Friday afternoon for something like that, all of that really does help," said Ms Ní Dhroighneáin.
A novel initiative by parents and the wider community has also helped to turn the trend of declining enrolment. Ruaidhrí Ó Conámha is a past pupil of Scoil Naomh Pádraig and a member of the Parents Committee who decided to take a different approach.
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"We had our first meeting January last year and we were kind of brainstorming about how are we going to try and get a bit of exposure for the school? We came up with the bursary idea. Then we were talking about how are we going to fund it so we said we could do a sponsored cycle. It just took off from there," he said.
In 2025, the Parents Committee began offering a €2,000 bursary for each of three families outside of the area willing to come and enrol their children in the school.
Paid in instalments over two years, the bursary also comes with additional help for those moving to the region. Members of the Parents Committee sought offers of accommodation in the area available for rent or sale for families seeking to enrol their children in the school and provide the necessary connections.
Enquiries about the bursary have been coming from all parts of the country, including Dublin and this week, an enquiry was received from a family in Wexford.
Patrick Curran is also a member of the committee, and said: "The bursary isn't necessarily the driver. It's more the school and the after-school. The bursary can sometimes get people to notice it and they come here and they see the school and they see the facilities. That's nearly the selling point then."
Paula Rogan's daughter enrolled in third class last September. The opportunity to be immersed in the Irish language and the attention available for her daughter in smaller classes put Scoil Naomh Pádraig on the radar.
"Teachers have the time to sit with the children and say, look, try and do it this way, try and do it that way. Whereas in a busier school, the teachers don't have time to do that. It's nobody's fault, but that's just the way the system is, you know?" she said.
Measures to attract new students continue as Scoil Naomh Pádraig welcomes prospective students and parents to its Open Day tomorrow.
A short-term measure, the bursary now in its second year seems to be yielding long-term results for Scoil Naomh Pádraig. Fundraising to fund the bursary and progress new projects at the school will continue on 18 April with an annual sponsored cycle, the Lap of the Lakes 2026.
With the bursary, originally intended as a three year measure, Mr Ó Conámha and the Parents Committee are hoping the future of the small school is now more secure.
"Now we're just trying to progress it, get another four or five into the junior infants again this year and hopefully look after itself in a few years, you know?"
At Slatta NS in Co Roscommon, with time running out for further enrolments to avoid closure in September, Principal Cóilín Kelly is still hoping there is a brighter future for his staff and students.
"None of them want to go to any other school. They're happy here. So it's a sad state of affairs, you know? It's traumatic and we live in hope. We may turn it yet, but it is the last minute now."
