Irish-medium schools: gaelscoileanna and Gaeltacht schools
How gaelscoileanna work, what total immersion means for junior infants, and what to know if you don't speak Irish at home.
Updated 5 October 2026
In an Irish-medium school, every subject is taught through Irish. Outside the Gaeltacht these are usually called gaelscoileanna. There are about 150 of them, along with around 100 Irish-medium schools in Gaeltacht areas. Together they make up roughly 8% of primary schools.
Total immersion in the early years
Most gaelscoileanna teach only through Irish from the first day of junior infants until at least the second term of senior infants. English reading comes in after that. Children pick up the language fast in a setting like this, including children from homes where no Irish is spoken.
If you don't speak Irish
You don't need to. Gaelscoileanna are open to every family, and most pupils come from English-speaking homes. Many schools run Irish classes or conversation groups for parents. Ask the schools you're considering what they offer.
Demand and places
Demand for Irish-medium education is higher than the number of places in many areas, so some gaelscoileanna are oversubscribed. Check the school's admission policy and apply early in the process.
Exemptions from Irish
Exemptions from studying Irish apply to English-medium schools only, and only in specific cases, such as a child who was educated abroad, or a child in second class or above with a significant learning difficulty that meets set criteria.
Find Irish-medium schools in your county.
Sources
- Gaeloideachas: Statistics
- An Foras Pátrúnachta: Immersion education
- gov.ie: Exemptions from the study of Irish (primary)
Rules and rates change. Check the official source before you rely on a detail, and tell us at [email protected] if something's out of date.