Ireland · Limerick
Laurel Hill Secondary is a Catholic girls’ day school on South Circular Road in Limerick, teaching through English. It is separate from the nearby Irish-medium Laurel Hill Coláiste. First Year admission uses Limerick’s common application system; the school’s published 2026–27 intake information is historical.
Laurel Hill Secondary School FCJ, named for the Faithful Companions of Jesus, is a Catholic girls’ voluntary secondary school at South Circular Road, Limerick V94 D2Y5. Its patron is Le Chéile Schools Trust. The school reported more than 700 pupils in September 2026.
Teaching is through English, unlike the nearby Laurel Hill Coláiste FCJ, which teaches through Irish. These are separate schools within the same Limerick application system.
Consider Laurel Hill Secondary for English-medium girls’ day education leading through the Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate. It also offers Transition Year. It does not provide boarding or an IB Diploma route.
The school describes a Catholic ethos influenced by founder Marie Madeleine d’Houet and dates its foundation to 1844. Its admission policy was approved by the patron and ratified by the Board on 21 April 2026.
For different needs, compare the Irish-medium Coláiste, Crescent College Comprehensive for a Jesuit comprehensive-school setting, or Villiers for a fee-paying day and boarding option. The relevant distinction is the child’s teaching language, programme and daily arrangements, not simply whether the schools are nearby.
First Year goes through the Limerick Area Post-Primary Common Application System. The policy we opened on 3 September 2026 prints the 2026-2027 clock itself:
These dates concern the completed 2026–27 admissions cycle. The school’s Common Application System (CAS) page says applications received after 12 January 2026 for that intake are treated as transfer applications.
The policy provided 116 First Year places for 2026–27. This is not a confirmed place count for 2027–28.
The policy’s oversubscription priorities include sisters of current and former pupils, followed by daughters of staff employed at enrolment, then daughters of former pupils. The former-pupil parent category is capped at 25% of places.
The policy requires Laurel Hill Secondary to be the applicant’s first CAS choice for its numbered categories 3, 4 and 5 to apply. Consult the full policy for the numbered categories rather than assuming every family connection gives the same priority. Remaining places are allocated from the waiting list, with random selection used to resolve remaining ties.
Twins and triplets each require a separate application.
The Limerick Education Centre information checked on 3 September 2026 gives 9am on Thursday 1 October 2026 as the opening of the 2027–28 CAS portal. The reviewed school policy still concerns 2026–27. Obtain Laurel Hill’s own current annual admission notice for its place count and full timetable.
The school’s admissions policy says the Board does not require fees or contributions as a condition of applying, admission or continued enrolment, subject to the statutory exception it cites.
That does not establish that every school-related expense is covered. Ask for the current costs, if any, for books, insurance, trips and optional activities. The policy does not provide a complete annual expense list.
Choose Laurel Hill Secondary if English-medium girls’ education, its Catholic ethos and the South Circular Road journey suit your family. Compare the Coláiste specifically if Irish-medium teaching is your preference; the two schools’ language settings should not be treated as interchangeable.
The Limerick guide and Ireland guide provide wider context.
Official pages and documents we read. If a figure matters to your budget or your application, open the link and confirm it is still current.
Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.
Crescent is a co-educational comprehensive day school in Dooradoyle, Limerick. Its policy describes a Catholic Jesuit identity, while the Department records an interdenominational ethos. First Year uses Limerick’s shared application system.
LimerickLaurel Hill Coláiste is a Catholic girls’ day school in Limerick where teaching is through Irish. It is separate from the English-medium Laurel Hill Secondary. First Year admission uses Limerick’s common application system, with specific priority and oral-Irish provisions.
LimerickVilliers is a coeducational Protestant day and boarding school in Limerick, offering the Leaving Certificate and IB Diploma. First-year day applicants use Limerick’s shared application system; boarding applicants apply directly. Fees differ by programme, residence category and boarding arrangement.
DublinAlexandra College is a fee-paying girls' day and boarding school in Milltown, Dublin. Day places run from Preschool to Sixth Year; five-day and seven-day boarding begins in J5. The Senior School follows Junior Cycle, compulsory Transition Year and the Leaving Certificate.
Limerick’s secondary-school choice is not simply fee-paying versus free. Teaching language, single-sex or co-educational provision, and the need for boarding produce different shortlists. First Year day applications share a local system; boarding and transfers need separate enquiries.
5 minStart with your child’s needs and the schools you can realistically access. A boys’, girls’, or co-educational label does not tell you enough about teaching, friendships, support, or daily life.
7 minStart with the qualification your child would actually receive. Then check its subjects, language demands, and recognition in the countries where they may study next.
7 minStart with your child and the family's likely plans. Define the non-negotiables, verify the school's claims, compare three realistic options and visit with specific questions.