St. Columba's College, Stranorlar
In 1968 The Sisters of Mercy took charge of the Finn College in Ballybofey which had been handed to the Bishop of Raphoe by Ms. Logue, daughter of the founder. St. Columba’s College began with 69 students and 9 teachers, and the first principal of the new school was Sr. Carmel Kiernan.
While the school was originally set up in the Finn College site on Main Street, Ballybofey, it soon moved to its present site on Drumboe Avenue in 1970, where a new school comprising a home economics room, science laboratory, six classrooms and a library was built by the Sisters of Mercy. The school was too small for the student intake as soon as it was opened and prefabricated classrooms were soon added to the school complex. When Sr. Carmel finished her term as principal in 1977, St. Columba’s had an enrolment of 340 students.
The new principal, Sr. Anne Mc Loone, immediately set about planning appropriate accommodation to replace the many prefabricated classrooms that housed the students and teachers. In 1983 a major new structure was added to the original school building which provided accommodation and facilities for 650 students. The "new school" contained science laboratories, an art room, a secretarial room, a language laboratory and a large school hall/gymnasium, as well as classrooms for general subjects. Sr. Anne also set about extending the school curriculum and a block for woodwork and metalwork was added to the school.
Sr. Margaret Mc Garrigle became Principal in 1990 and continued the development of St. Columba’s College during a period of continued growth. Further classroom accommodation was added as the College continued to respond to the educational needs of its students and the wider community.
In 1993, Mr. Brian McAuley was appointed Principal and continued the school’s building programme. A new extension comprising a library, three classrooms and a new Art room was officially opened in March 1996. The period also saw notable academic achievements for the College, including international recognition in 1996 when a group of St. Columba’s students won first prize in a European secondary-school science competition.
Mr. Gerry Bennett was appointed Principal in 2000, having previously served as Principal of Beech Hill College in Monaghan. During his eight years as Principal, St. Columba’s continued to develop its educational provision and build upon its established tradition of achievement in academic, sporting and extracurricular life.
In 2008, Ms. Maeve Scully succeeded Mr Bennett as Principal. During her principalship, the College continued to develop and modernise its facilities and educational provision. This included further investment in school accommodation, with a significant classroom extension providing improved facilities and replacing older accommodation. Ms. Scully's period as Principal continued the long-standing development of the College and helped prepare the school for its continued growth in the years that followed.
Mr. Tom Rowan was appointed Principal in 2017, having already served St. Columba’s College for many years as a teacher and, for six years, as Deputy Principal. His connection with the College stretched back to 1988 and included teaching Woodwork, Construction Studies, Technical Drawing, Mechanical Drawing and Mathematics. He also played an important role in the introduction of the Leaving Certificate Applied programme to the school.
In 2019, St. Columba’s College celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special celebration attended by past and present staff, principals, students, parents and friends of the College, together with representatives of CEIST and the Sisters of Mercy. Six of the College’s seven principals were represented at the celebration, while the College’s first Principal, Sr. Carmel Kiernan, was fondly remembered. A special 50th Anniversary book produced by Transition Year students was also launched to mark the occasion.
The College continued to grow and develop throughout Mr. Rowan’s principalship. As he approached retirement, plans for another major chapter in the physical development of St. Columba’s College were progressing, with an extensive new school development planned to provide state-of-the-art educational and extracurricular facilities for future generations of students.
Mr. Rowan retired at the end of the 2025/26 school year following 38 years of service to St. Columba’s College, including six years as Deputy Principal and nine years as Principal. His long association with the College and contribution as a teacher and school leader formed an important part of its history.
In 2026, Ms. Jennifer Kelly became Principal of St. Columba’s College. Ms. Kelly joined the College with extensive experience in education and school leadership, having previously served as Deputy Principal of St Joseph’s Secondary School in Drogheda. Her appointment coincides with an exciting new period in the history of St. Columba’s as the College looks towards the development of enhanced educational and extracurricular facilities for its students and staff.
From its beginnings with just 69 students and nine teachers, St. Columba’s College has grown and developed considerably. Each generation of school leadership, staff, students and families has contributed to the College as it is today. Throughout that history, St. Columba’s has maintained a proud tradition of achievement in academic, sporting and extracurricular life while remaining committed to providing a caring and supportive educational environment for the young people of Stranorlar, Ballybofey and the wider Finn Valley area.