Education « Thurles Information

St. Patrick’s College Launches New Scholarships for 2010

This week St. Patrick’s College, Thurles, Co.Tipperary launched details of two new entrance scholarships aimed at recognising academic excellence.

These awards are based on academic achievement in the leaving certificate and will be awarded to incoming first year undergraduate students in both the BA in Education, Business Studies and Religious Studies and the BA in Education, Irish and Religious Studies.

The student with the highest entrance points in each programme will receive an entrance scholarship valued at €500.

Fr. Tom Fogarty, President of St. Patrick’s College stated:

St Patrick's College, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

“Our entrance scholarship program recognises the hard work and exceptional achievement of secondary school students, and by making these awards available, we aim to assist students in financing their continued education.”

These new entrance scholarships, compliment the St. Patrick’s College GAA scholarship announced earlier this year.

Dr. Rebecca Purcell, Head of Business in St. Patrick’s College stated :

“As our numbers continue to grow, it is important that we recognize high levels of achievement, in both the academic and sporting arenas, and reward those who have excelled in different facets of their life, prior to studying at St. Patricks”.

In 2009 St. Patrick’s College, welcomed over 80 first year students, a record number since the college’s official opening by President Mary McAleese in 2007. The St. Patrick’s College, Thurles entrance scholarships are supported by Archbishop Clifford and the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly.

Archbishop Clifford will present both scholarships at a special awards evening in September 2010 at St. Patrick’s College.

Shake Up Of Ireland’s Third Level System Imminent

A shake up of this countries 3rd level colleges appears imminent, with a possible end to the 5 months of Summer Vacations time currently enjoyed, which leaves expensive equipment and buildings lying idle at the expense of the tax payer.

Higher Education Authority (HEA) chief executive and head of the State’s third-level funding body,

Tipperary Institute

has warned that there are too many universities and colleges, and these must now merge or die.

At present, there are 40 State funded Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) made up as follows: seven universities, 14 institutes of technology, seven colleges of education, latter which are involved in the training of teachers, seven other State funded colleges such as the Tipperary Institute, here in Thurles, and five recognised colleges of the National University of Ireland.

Mr Boland, speaking to a conference on public services in Croke Park, stated:

“All institutions must be more strategic in their course offerings, collaborating more with partner institutions and ending courses and programmes. We can no longer afford the long the lock up of expensive facilities during summer months. Changes here will require reform of employment contracts. This will require a shift to more flexible teaching and learning techniques where students can study anytime and anywhere.”

Mr Boland also called for a single body to award higher education grants as local bodies were unable to make grant decisions in a timely manner last year, leading to added costs for the colleges and students.

Full time student numbers are now projected to grow from 155,000 at present to almost 190,000 within the next five years and possibly to 270,000 by 2030.

This news will not be received well by the Irish Federation of University Teachers.

Irish Girl Guides – Irelands Future Is Safe

Attending the gathering of four hundred Irish, American and Australian Girl Guides, which included their Leaders, here in ‘The Dome’, Semple Stadium, on Saturday last, set me to thinking.

My thoughts, (a very dangerous practice many would forecast) were focused on the major event in progress.

Four hundred young people were all lodged in less than three acre of activity space and despite an abundance of Fruit Drinks in plastic containers, Twix Bars, Mars Bars, Lolly Pops, Chewing Gum, Sweets and Treats of all make, manner and description, not one solitary paper wrapper or plastic bottle could be found carelessly dumped on the ground during the afternoon events. No one shouted or verbally argued, pushed, shoved or were disrespectful to those leaders who from time to time issued commands. Questions were asked and fully answered in a pleasant civil manner, silence was fully observed when necessary, without any request from authority, when leaders and guests spoke publicly. Contentment, enjoyment, fun, a thirst for knowledge, civility and wisdom was everywhere in abundance, yet these Girl Guides were not hand picked and came from all denominations and varying social backgrounds, to attend this event.

What was the secret to achieving this harmonious setting I pondered?

Irish Girl Guides Launch New Logo & Uniforms from George Willoughby.

Afraid to ask the question, I watched in the full expectation that all would be self revealing. Later, leaving the event, close to the close of business, the answer was clear as crystal.

To my mind, it was a successful combination of what most of us have now sacrificed on the alter of that most powerful and insatiable deity, the god of greed, during that short period, known as the ‘Celtic Tiger Era’. Their secret was a mixed bag of goodies they collected and now carried with them, each item clearly wrapped and labeled. The labels bore the words ‘share’, ‘team work’, ‘practical education’, ‘self discipline’ and ‘respect for fellow beings’.

Having watched these bright inquisitive young people, I left with the feeling that despite the current absence of honest leadership in this county and country, the future of Tipperary and Ireland was in safe hands, thanks to the mighty work and effort, much of it unpaid, by this worthy organisation, who gave so unselfishly of their time and vast experience. Well done.

Video Credits: B.Corbett, G.Willoughby

President Mary McAleese Presents Goldies To Tipp Recipients

Fifty young people were presented with prestidious Gaisce Gold Awards by President Mary McAleese, in Dublin Castle, at a special ceremony on Monday last.

The President’s Award Programme, which currently enjoys its 25th year in existence, honours young achievers in four named categories: Personal Skills Development, Community Involvement, Adventurous Expedition, Physical Recreation, and medals are awarded to individuals who achieve their agreed goals in all four of these categories.

The fifty men and women honoured at yesterday’s ceremony included three recipients from Co. Tipperary. These Tipperary recipients are named as Zoë Murphy a native of Clonmel, Co Tipperary, Ciara O’Meara, Borrisokane, Co Tipperary and Clodagh Joyce, also from Clonmel, Co Tipperary.

Commenting on the wide variety of achievements and experiences celebrated by this years Awards Ceremony, President McAleese , pointing out that the very heart of the Gaisce Programme, was the choice, by this years contenders, to not wait for life to grab them, but instead to have choosen to go out and grab life.

President McAleese stated:

“Your achievements were not merely a series of gratifying experiences, but are ones that have deepened you, sharpened you and changed you quite profoundly. Your imprint of the Gaisce Gold Award on your Curriculum Vitaes should signal to college applications officers, recruiters and employers that you are people of initiative, showing leadership, dynamism and self-discipline. It may well open doors to you in these early days of your adult lives and careers, but the imprint of Gaisce Gold on your future lives will reveal itself over your span of many years. It will have helped awaken in you a determination to be considerably more than a mere spectator on the sidelines of life. You have put down a marker here today, that you are now what you intend always to be, active contributors to your own lives, to your community and to our society as a whole.”

The Gaisce Awards are non-competitive and are presented at three separate levels, namely Bronze, Silver and Gold each year. Gaisce Gold Awards are affectionally known as ‘Goldies’ and all entrants must successfully complete agreed tasks, decided between the participant and a President Award Leader (PAL) volunteer.

A record number of nearly 17,000 young people, between the ages of 15 and 25, fully participated in the Gaisce Award programme last year.

Thurles CBS Students Visit Dáil Eireann

Thurles C.B.S. Visit Dáil Eireann

Pictured here are Transition Year students from Thurles C.B.S School who took time off to visit Dáil Eireann last Wednesday.

Here they were met by North Tipperary Fine Gael Deputy, Noel Coonan and Dáil Eireann tour guides who took the pupils first to the Chamber’s Public Gallery.

At the time of visiting, Leader’s Questions were taking place and the students witnessed at first hand a heated debate across the floor between Fine Gael Leader Enda Kenny and An Taoiseach Brian Cowen regarding the Government’s reshuffle the day previous.

Students stayed in the gallery for some twenty minutes before continuing their tour, which included the viewing of paintings of previous, now famous, Government leaders. They were informed of how the Dáil and Seanad operate and the important roles that each play in Irish democracy.

The tour guides then escorted the students through Leinster House, an historic building originally built between 1745 -1747 by the Earl of Kildare, James Fitzgerald, and then it was on to Seanad Éireann.

Following a tour of the Seanad the group was brought for a snack courtesy of Deputy Coonan, who then addressed the students and teachers outlining how the Fine Gael party is eager for responsibility in Government to implement their many effective and costed policies which would lead to a fairer and more balanced economy.
Noel thanked the students for coming to Leinster House and paused for a picture with the group on the plinth before they left.

Feedback from the students later declared the event a most positive experience.