The rain teemed down outside and tears of joy and sadness were very near inside, as pupils, teachers and parents gathered to collect the 2012 Leaving Certificate results at Ard Scol Mhuire, Bruff. It should be routine school business and it was, up to a point, but the main difference was that this is the last time that Leaving Certificate results will be handed out at an establish-ment that has imparted the rudiments of education to generations of pupils for over centuary and a half.
Acting Principal, Sr. Geraldine Lennon was on hand to greet the 25 students who sat the examination in June and to dole out the envelopes containing the news that will shape many of the students’ futures. A native of County Wexford, Sr. Geraldine has a long association with the school and having previously served as Principal and returned as Acting Principal last Christmas and will now oversee the final chapter in the school’s illustrious history. “It is the end of 156 years of F.C.J. education in Bruff and for me personally it is the end of 34 very happy years here in Bruff. It is a sad day but a happy day for the students as they move on and hopefully will be launched into the next step of their careers. We rejoice with them but it is tinged with sadness as they are our last group of Leaving Certificate students.” Sr. Geraldine told the Vale Star.
Over the years girls from all over Ireland came to Bruff which was for many years a boarding school before throwing its doors open to boys and becoming co-educational in 1969. According to Sr. Geraldine it was a great centre of education and had a very good name for its happy and caring atmosphere and good relationship between students and staff. “Our philosophy was that once students were happy, they learned. We were about education in its broadest sense. Character building was very important down through the years and we were so happy to have boys for the last number of years as they added a new dimension to the school. There are very many good memories, I personally feel very sad about it but life does not stand still and we all have to move on,” Sr. Geraldine philosophically said.
The appointed time for the distribution of the results was 10am and right on cue Martin McNamara from Meanus was first in the door with his mum Rachel. “We all got very special attention last year as we almost had one on one attention. It was a very momentous year” Martin said who now plans to go to Art College. Expressing confidence about the contents of the envelope, he said that he would open it in the comfort of his own home.
Another early arrival of her results was camogie star Michelle Browne. “I am more nervous today than before any camogie match,” she said as she clutched the envelope bearing her Leaving Certificate results. “I was awake all night, it is touch going,” said the Bruff and Limerick star who is the sister of a Limerick senior hurler, Paul Browne. Michelle is sad to see what is now her alma mater close. “We were in here recently walking around. It is tough it is going to be closed and the gates locked. We had good times here. I enjoyed my six years here, I loved the school, everybody was so close here”.
Michelle plans to go on to Mary Immaculate later this year to commence studies in child care. “I have always been interested in childcare, I love working with children and any work experience I have, it was in crèches and Montessoris, so hopefully the envelope contains the news that I want”
But for now it is celebration, and plans for the future. “Sure you know yourself, but I hope that everybody will be happy tonight when we head out.”
Gradually the students arrived for the news on a day in which there was an atmos-phere of finality. Secondary education in Bruff had come to an end leaving a lasting legacy of educational excellence and a reservoir of happy memories.