The students walked out the doors of St. Mary’s High School, Brollagh for the final time last Friday.

The rural school, which has been earmarked for closure on no fewer than four occasions, will officially close at the end of August, with term time ending last week.

St. Mary’s High School Parents Council – which has fought against the threat of closure since its formation in 2014 – paid tribute to those who made the school a reality more than 50 years ago.

“Since 1965, St. Mary’s High School was at the heart of our community after the then late Fr. Lonergan and the late Canon Hackett delivered post-primary education to the area,” the Parents Council said in a statement.

“The great work by these men, who had the foresight and vision, brought about secondary education and put St. Mary’s on the map.

“St. Mary’s provided an excellent education for all abilities, ensuring children received the best academic and vocational pathways. This was no more evident over the years with the outstanding and fantastic results that students achieved.

“We pay tribute today to all the past and present students and staff and remember those particularly who are no longer with us. Today marks the end of an era and great sadness has fallen upon the local community, which will be felt for many years to come.

“It is not today, tomorrow or next week that we will miss St. Mary’s, but the coming weeks, months and years ahead that it will be solely missed.”

The Parents Council paid tribute to all who helped in the campaign to try and keep the school open, and those who participated in fundraising and the promotion of the school.

Nobody from the school was available to comment when contacted by this paper.