St. Lorcan's

Welcome to our school web site. St. Lorcan's B.N.S. (Boys National School) is a Primary School located in the South Dublin suburb of Palmerstown, Dublin 20. We cater for boys from four to 13 years years of age . Our sister school, St. Brigid's G.N.S. (Girls National School) on the same campus, enrols girls in the same age bracket.

The school is governed in its work and care by a Catholic ethos. The many faiths within our community are wholly welcome and are well represented our present cohort of pupils. There are some three hundred and sixty boys in St. Lorcan's from junior infants, at four years of age, to sixth class, where boys are around twelve years old.

The school is an inclusive school and caters for children of all educational needs. We have a dedicated team of twenty teachers which is made up of fourteen class teachers, and five resource teachers who support boys with special needs.

We follow the prescribed curriculum of the Department of Education and Science which is made up of six curricular areas, Language, Mathematics, Social Environmental and Science Education, Arts Education, Physical Education and Social Personal and Health Education. The curriculum is a broad one and offers lots of opportunities to boys to pursue learning skills and content in many interesting and challenging contexts.


St. Lorcan's was established some fifty years ago as a boys' school in the heart of Palmerstown. Since the early sixties, the boys' school building has been a particularly prominent landmark overlooking the Oval. As of September 2010, a new principal, John Brennan, has been appointed to replace Leo Hargaden who was in charge of the school for over thirty years.

Providing an environment that challenges and stretches, that promotes critical awareness and recognises and values diversity in learning and in achievement is central to the work of the school.

The education provided is broadly based and engages with a wide range of learning styles and interests. The newly revised primary school curriculum, with its emphasis on learning processes as much as content, is comprised of Gaeilge, Literacy, Mathematics, Social Environmental and Science studies, Social, Personal and Health Education as well as Music and Visual Art. It provides a rich context for engaging and stimulating learners.

The team of teachers in St. Lorcan's are highly motivated and professional and possess a wide range of specialist skills and knowledge. As well as class work, teachers collaborate in reviewing teaching and learning in different subject areas.

The boys are engaged, through the Students Council, in developing and modernising the work of the school and this year. They have been very successful in achieving the Active School FlagJuly 2010. This year,they are working towards the Green flag. There is much enthusiasm amongst the boys in undertaking responsibilities and taking on leadership roles.

Parental participation in the school is hugely valued. A very active Parents' Association (PA) engages in school based projects during the year and many parents volunteer their services to assist with sporting activities, the school garden and much more. Of particular note is the PA Family Quizz night which continues to be a huge success and packs the school hall on every year. Additionally, the support of the PA in financing different projects and contributing considerable time to the various events we have in the year, sacramental celebrations, reception class meetings, sporting achievements, adds hugely to the range of activities and services the school offers.

St. Lorcan's has a well established tradition of achievement in sport. This tradition continues today with a wide variety of afterschool activities, from basketball to Gaelic football and more and the school also is developing links with local sporting clubs across a broad range of gaming and athletic activities. We enjoy the support of specialist coaching from a number of local clubs in enhancing our physical education programme.

St. Lorcan's is a denominational school. It is a Catholic school and in its work and play, ascribes to the values and mores of the local Catholic community. The school recognises the diversity of faith that characterises the community it serves and seeks to value and support the faith of all the pupils who attend the school.