Raymond Clarke (60) walked out the doors of Enniskillen Royal Grammar School as a teacher for the final time last week.

He first entered the illustrious gates of Portora Royal School as a boy of 11, the first in his family to pass the Eleven Plus.

It was where he gained a love of school and education, something he still carries with him today.

After 39 years as a teacher, 29 of them at his alma mater, he has hung up his tools as a teacher of Technology and Design and will retire.

One word that comes up throughout this interview is 'privilege', as Mr. Clarke said that educating the future generation was his greatest privilege.

“The real privilege is to be able to work with young people. The children stay the same age we get older, but it is a rare privilege, and they are fun to work with but always it's interesting and varied.

“To be able to directly impact young people, to have a positive influence on young people's lives - it is a rare privilege,” he said.

Mr. Clarke was highly-regarded for his skills as a teacher and his repair skills made him popular with students.

Many students over the years have had their shoes, glasses, school bags and jewellery repaired in his workshop.

He began his teaching career at Portadown College and later taught at Laurelhill High School, Lisburn.

He returned to his native county in 1995 to take up his role at Portora Royal School [now ERGS], having recently married his wife, Barbara.

His work involved not just teaching but pastoral roles as head of Key Stage Three, and taking on the role of Head of Rugby between 1998 and 2008, a task that took him around the world.

 “A big highlight would have been rugby tours. We took 50-60 boys away for three weeks; we did Canada in 2001, and Australia in 2004 and 2007.”

He also had the more unusual role of also teaching his son, John, while he was a student at school.

“The big thing was seeing my children grow up and bringing my son John into school. It was a rare privilege to teach your own children.”

Mr. Clarke praised the education sector in general in Fermanagh and remarked that the county is “blessed with many good schools”.

He reflected that he enjoyed teaching students across the school, working with staff in all disciplines in school, and added: “I feel very lucky and blessed to have had the support of Barbara and the family [children John and Elizabeth] behind me."

As for retirement, he has a few plans, including farming and “honing” his design skills.

“I will get back to making some bits and pieces and just getting into the workshop for myself.

"My wife has a list of jobs for the house, and I’ll be spending time with family and doing some travelling.

“I am going to do some supply teaching as well.”

ERGS' principal, Elizabeth Armstrong, paid tribute to Mr. Clarke’s sterling contribution to education as she wished him well with his future endeavours.

Miss Armstrong said: “In his various roles as Curriculum Leader of Design and Technology, Master in charge of Rugby and Head of Key Stage 3, Raymond understood instinctively that while he was a very successful advocate of his subject - Design and Technology, which is thriving in school under his leadership - the best teachers teach children first, and their subject second.

"Raymond has had a unique and entirely positive influence on successive generations of students and colleagues, who warmed instinctively to his innate decency, kindness of heart, sense of fairness and integrity.”