One of Ireland’s longest established horticultural colleges, in operation for more than 80 years, is to close next summer, at the end of the current academic year.

The college, at Warrenstown, County Meath, was opened by the Salesian religious order in 1923 and is currently run by Teagasc, the Irish farm research and advisory service, in association with the order.

A joint statement announcing the closure said the college trustees were unable to provide “the enormous capital investment” and ongoing maintenance that Warrenstown needed.

Lorcan O’Toole, head of horticultural services at Teagasc, described the closure as “a sad day, not just for horticulture but also for farming and rural Ireland in general”. The 118 full-time and 116 part-time students currently at the college will transfer to Dublin centres at the start of the new academic year, and the 22 teaching staff will be given the opportunity to transfer with them.

The courses on offer at Warrenstown are to be amalgamated with those provided by Teagasc at its Dublin headquarters in Kinsealy and at the College of Amenity Horticulture at the National Botanic Gardens, also in Dublin. Teagasc plans to invest €2.5m (£2m) in new classrooms and facilities to accommodate the influx.

“Under the new arrangement, students will continue to receive the high level of education offered by Warrenstown,” said the statement, “and the additional facilities being provided should ensure that the transfer causes minimum disruption.”

The Warrenstown college offered degree courses in commercial and amenity horticulture, according to O’Toole, with most of the graduates finding employment in Ireland. Some went abroad to gain experience, later returning to fill key jobs in the industry at home.

In recent times, he said, the student focus had switched from amenity horticulture to commercial production, reflecting the increased market demand for fresh produce as consumers become more health conscious. Another trend evident at the college has been the increasing number of mature students, with professionals such as teachers, lawyers and civil servants leaving established jobs to take up horticulture.

O’Toole added: “Perhaps it’s a reflection of the economic downturn and the need for more self-sufficiency, but the interest in horticulture has never been greater. We always have more applicants for our courses than we can accommodate.”

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