The civil service was the best source of employment for those who received further education. Lack School has a good record, with 31 past-pupils obtaining employment in the public service from the late 1940s up to the late 1960s. The education was obtained mainly in one of the secondary schools in Ennis or the Convent of Mercy, Templemore, County Tipperary, which specialised in preparing girls for the civil service examination. The employment was exclusively in the Dublin area.

Vera Gavin from Ardnagla holds the distinction of being the first pupil from Lack School to sit the Leaving Certificate examination. Vera registered at Lack School in 1931.
She obtained her secondary education at Coláiste Mhuire, Ennis and entered the civil service in 1946. She was assigned to the Department of the Taoiseach. Having worked there for 13 years, she resigned on her marriage to Michael Bermingham in 1959 and moved to Doonbeg, County Clare, where she remained until her death in 2009.

James Hehir from Lack was educated at Lack School (registered in 1951), Ennis CBS and University College Dublin, where he graduated with a diploma in Public Administration and a B.Comm. degree. He entered the civil service in 1964 as an executive officer and was assigned to the Department of Local Government. He held the position of managing director of the Housing Finance Agency plc from 1984 to his retirement in 2007.


Marie Clohessy from Ardnagla holds the distinction of being one of the first persons in the history of the state to hold the position of Equality Officer. Marie registered at Lack School in 1952. She obtained a county council scholarship to assist in meeting the cost of her secondary education, which she obtained at Coláiste Mhuire, Ennis. She entered the civil service in 1966 as an executive officer and was assigned to the Department of Labour.
On the passing of the Equality and Equal Pay Acts by the Oireachtas, Marie was appointed as one of the first equality officers with the responsibility of implementing this new legislation.

She resigned from the position in 1980 to attend to the rearing of her children and later returned to her home parish taking up residence at Lavalla. In the period since 1995 she has been employed by the Clare County Library service.

The following is a list of all the pupils from Lack School who obtained employment in the public service:

Year of Registration	Name	Address	Public Service Employer
1910	John Collins	Burren	Department of Justice (garda)
1931	Vera Gavin	Ardnagla	Department of an Taoiseach
1933	Sheila Hehir	Glencanane	Department of Post and Telegraphs
1938	Nancy Hehir	Glencanane	Department of Finance
1940	Mary King	Tonlegee	Department of Foreign Affairs
1942	Peggy Murphy	Lack	Department of Agriculture
1944	Sean Murphy	Lack	Clare County Council
1946	Bridie King	Tonlegee	Department of Post and Telegraphs
1946	Margaret McNamara	Leimnaleha	Clare County Council
1951	James Hehir	Lack	Department of Local Government
1951	P J. Hehir	Lack	Eastern Health Board
1951	Mary McCarthy	Lisnafaha	Customs and Excise
1952	Anne Garry	Clonfurish	Dublin Corporation
1952	Marie Clohessy	Ardnagla	Department of Labour
1953	Brid McCarthy	Lisnafaha	Department of Social Welfare
1953	Betty Moloney	Glencanane	Department of Justice
1953	Patrick Clohessy	Ardnagla	E.S.B.
1956	Claire Hehir	Lack	Department of Foreign Affairs
1956	Eileen Garry	Clonfurish	Department of P. and Telegraphs
1958	Thomas McGuane	Birrinfada	Department of P. and Telegraphs
1958	Kitty Garry	Clonfurish	Mid Western Health Board
1960	Mary McMahon	Crahera	Revenue Commissioners
1961	Mary Cusack	Glencanane	Department of Foreign Affairs
1961	Paul Cusack	Glencanane	Clare County Council
1962	Rita O’Dea	Crahera	Department of Social Welfare
1964	John Convey	Leimnaleha	Department of Justice (garda)
1964	Kathleen Gavin	Ardnagla	Department of Justice
1964	Teresa Gavin	Ardnagla	Revenue Commissioners
1965	Mary Convey	Leimnaleha	Revenue Commissioners
1966	Teresa Frawley	Tonlegee	Department of Agriculture
1970	Brid O’Dea	Crahera	Department of the Marine