Closure of local primary school is a 'devastating' loss to the community
Due to falling numbers, Knockmahon National School in rural Waterford will close at the end of the current academic year.
In a letter circulated to parents and staff in March, patron of the school Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan said that over a sustained period of time, enrolment at the school has declined significantly.
Preliminary figures from the Department of Education and Youth show that there were six students enrolled at the school at the start of the 2025/2026 academic year.
“Despite the commitment and hard work of the Board of Management, the school leadership, and staff to maintain a vibrant learning environment, the number of pupils attending the school has now fallen to a level where it is no longer viable to continue operating the school in a sustainable way” the Bishop wrote in his correspondence.
“Generations of families have passed through its doors, and the dedication of the teachers, staff, parents and volunteers has created a school community of which you can be very proud”
A former pupil of Knockmahon, and principal of Mount Sion Primary School, councillor Catherine Burke, said that the closure is heartbreaking for the students, staff, parents and the wider community.
“To have a school close in a community is devastating for everyone involved” Cllr Burke said.
“It’s a huge loss because schools are such important places for children but they are also places of historical importance. The role books in Knockmahon date back to when people were working in the mines.
“I’m heartbroken at the fact that we won’t have a school now in September and it really is devasting for the whole community of Bonmahon."
The school made considerable efforts to promote enrolment in recent months, however enrolment numbers ultimately remained low in the two-teacher school.
In November 2025, a meeting organised by Cllr Burke was hosted in Bonmahon.
“The meeting was to highlight to the community that there was a possibility that the school might close. School staff were involved and the community were involved. The feeling on the ground at that time was that we possibly could move to keep the school open and get people involved, but one of the key factors I see in this closure is housing in the area.”
Heard loud and clear at this meeting from staff, locals and political representatives was the dire need for increased infrastructure in the Bonmahon area to facilitate the construction of new houses for families.
“All aspects of the area need help and support” said Principal of Knockmahon NS, Bernadette Murphy last year.
Bonmahon is currently operating on three septic tanks that are all at capacity. These sewerage insufficiencies mean that new houses for families cannot be built in the area.
“We’ve been actively lobbying for about four years for a wastewater treatment plant for Bonmahon" Cllr Burke said.
Despite the longstanding issue, the growing coastal village has been omitted from Uisce Eireann’s capital programme, and the national water body has outlined that wastewater facilities in Bonmahon will not progress until at least 2029.
The issue has been repeatedly raised by Waterford City and County Council, and a community-led campaign, The Bonmahon Wastewater Quality Initiative, has been set up in the area.
“We are lobbying Uisce Eireann to try get us included in the RC4 Investment Plan, which is the funding investment up to 2029. If we get included in that we can get a wastewater treatment plant in Bonmahon, new housing can be developed and obviously that brings new families and children into the area” Cllr Burke said.
“The school closing is a huge issue. We hope to get housing, we hope to have children coming into the area, but once a school closes its really, really hard to get that back.”
"It’s the end of an era, the end of a legacy and its just very, very sad."
(Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme)
