Just a short distance from Castlepollard, in the rural community of Whitehall, Diarmada National School has long played an important role in the education and community life of the surrounding area.

The story of education in Whitehall reaches back to the days of the hedge schools. Local folklore recorded by the National Folklore Collection recalls a school at Ranahinch, Whitehall, where children learned reading, writing, arithmetic, English and Irish history – a fascinating glimpse into rural education in the area in earlier times.

Today, Whitehall National School is a co-educational primary school serving children and families from Whitehall, Castlepollard and the surrounding countryside. The school has maintained strong links with the local community and regularly participates in sporting, cultural and educational activities alongside other schools in North Westmeath.