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Tipperary Institute is proud to announce the 5th ICT in Education conference which will take place in the Tipperary Institute at their Thurles campus on Saturday 16th May 2009.
This conference is targeted primarily towards Irish primary and second level teachers but all people that are interested in the adoption of technology in education are welcome.
The theme of this year’s event will be Digital Literacy and keynote speakers will include;
* Josie Frazier – Social & Educational Technologist, United Kingdom
* Daithi O’Murchu – Gaelscoil Ó Doghair
* Conor Galvin – UCD Belfield
A selection of speakers will present up to 18 further parallel talks and workshops within the two main streams of “ICT in Education” and “Innovation in the Classroom”
Venue: Tipperary Institute, Nenagh Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.
Date: Saturday 16th May 2009, 09:00-16:30.
For further information please go to http://www.tippinst.ie/schools/
Reserve your place now, log on to: http://www.tippinst.ie/schools/register
For any further queries please contact Karen O’Brien or John Jennings.
Email: schools@tippinst.ie
Telephone: 0504 28468
 Friday last, the Presentation Secondary School in Thurles, Co Tipperary, saw the official opening of their new and most magnificent Sr.Fideles Sports Hall, by past pupil and Irish Government Minister Mary Hanafin, Minister for Social and Family Affairs.
It was a particularly proud day for Board of Management Chairperson Sr.Fideles Purcell who had helped to spearhead the project and to whom the facility was dedicated.
This €3 million complex boasts an international size basketball arena, dance studio, gymnasium, meeting rooms, changing and shower facilities, reception area and stores and is expected to be a huge addition to the School.
The site for this building had been donated by the Presentation Order who also donated €1.5 million to the overall cost of this project. Students, both present and future will now enjoy a state-of-the-art facilities in all their future attempts to achieve both academic and sporting excellence.
Guest speaker Mr Aidan O’Brien and his wife Anne-Marie received a Guard of Honour, alongside Minister Hanafin on their arrival at the school.
Prior to Minister Hanafin cutting the ribbon, the projects Chairman Mr Antoin O’Brian, welcomed all in attendance. Mr O’Brian told the gathering that the project was now completely debt free and enormous gratitude was owed by the school to all who contributed towards its construction in any way. He also thanked the hard working committee, who had laboured so hard to further the project and looked forward to it bearing fruit in the years to come.
The many distinguished guests were welcomed by Sr.Fideles, Chairperson of the Board of Management, while a well rehearsed school choir and orchestra provided the entertainment for this event.
Tipperary Institute in Thurles has now officially, this week, opened its Games Development Laboratory. The laboratory, sponsored by Microsoft is equipped with the very latest technology to give students access to a state of the art learning facility. The laboratory is designed to assist students to build their own software and games portfolios and to develop the skills which are now much sought by the fast growing game development and entertainment technology industry, both in Ireland and abroad.
The opening, which took place during Engineers Ireland Week of Wonder, saw over seventy students from Tipperary, Limerick and Dublin take part in workshops at this new laboratory. The students used the latest Microsoft games development technology XNA to create their version of the classic Atari computer game Asteroids. XNA Game Studio expands on all the offerings of earlier iterations to include additional functionality to appeal to game developers of every level and enable them to create games to distribute through Xbox LIVE Community Games on the Xbox 360 as part of the New Xbox Experience.
James Greenslade, Director of ICT at Tipperary said,
“Innovation has never been as important as it is in today’s economic climate. Tipperary Institute views investment in technology as crucial to our students’ learning experience and for the future development of a knowledge driven economy. We aim to develop students who are innovative and dynamic – something which is vital for our economy. To achieve this we must have access to technology and to networks, something Microsoft is providing for us through its generous sponsorship.”
Dr. Kevin Marshall, Academic Programme Manager for Microsoft Ireland, who opened the laboratory officially, stated.
“We need to embrace innovation in business, in technology and in society at large if we are to position Ireland in a true knowledge economy. There is a demand for skills in games technology both from established global players and also from smaller companies based here and abroad. The growth of online technology means that the skills students will learn on the course will be relevant and in demand,”
 The new laboratory has been completed in time to host the 2009 annual Games Fleadh which brings the games industry and secondary and higher education students from across the island of Ireland, together. Games Fleadh, Ireland’s largest computer and console games programming festival now incorporates the following major events;
Robocode Ireland
XNA Ireland Challenge
XNA Ireland Challenge for Schools
SchoolBots Challenge
Gaming Tournament
GamesPro Talks
Games studios expert will deliver a series of talks on all aspects of games design and development on the 11th March. On the 12th March experts will judge portfolio entries from college and school participants.
Games Feadh has been running for the past five years. In 2008 the XNA Ireland Challenge was added to the competition series. The XNA event honored the 30th anniversary of SPACE INVADERS(c) Taito Corp. 1978, 2008. Entries were received from University of Ulster, University of Limerick, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, Carlow Institute of Technology, Dublin Institute of Technology, Tipperary Institute and winning team Gort Community School. In total, sixteen third level institutes and fourteen second level schools took part in Games Fleadh 2008.
Games Fleadh 2008 was attended by representatives from Microsoft, SEGA, Rare, Blitz Games Studios, BlackRock Studios and Activision – DemoWare, all of whom are planning a return trip to Games Fleadh 2009.
XNA Ireland Challenge ’08 entrants have been already offered work placement and graduate employment within the participating studios. It is becoming an important portfolio opportunity for those students. Games Fleadh has also created an opportunity for industry development organisations to network with games specialists to identify and cultivate opportunities.
Despite recessionary times, two secondary schools in North Tipperary have been signalled by the Minister for Education and Science, Mr Batt O’Keefe to proceed with proposed building projects.
Ursuline Convent Thurles.
The Board of Management of the Ursuline Convent, Thurles (Principal Sr. Berchmans) are now authorised to immediately lodge a planning application with North Tipp Co. Co. for:
- 16 new classrooms that will accommodate state of the art facilities for the various specialist subjects offered by the school.
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A ‘Multimedia Learning Laboratory’ that will cater for 30 students at any one time.
- Requisite ancillary rooms such as staff offices, meeting rooms, first aid, storage, dining area and social areas.
- Aspects of the existing school that are up to standard will be retained and integrated with the new school.
- To augment the fine sporting tradition of the school, 5 new outdoor hard play courts will be added.
- There also would be provision for 55 car park spaces.
The funding for this project will in due course be provided from the Multi Annual Educational Capital Programme.
Borrisokane Community College.
In relation to Borrisokane Community College, (Principal Mr Matthew Carr) the Board of Management have now been authorised to proceed immediately with the lodging of a planning application with North Tipp County Council for:
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 10 additional new classrooms equipped to cater for a range of specialist subjects.
- A sports hall will be built that will incorporate a full size basketball court.
- Ancillary offices for staff and storage rooms will also be added.
- Additional car parking facilities.
The new part of this school has been designed to work with refurbished existing buildings, so the historic nature of this part of the town will be retained and enhanced.
The ‘Banding status’ of the project has been changed and improved from 2.4 to 2.1 to reflect its new priority. The funding for this project will in due course be provided from the Multi Annual Educational Capital Programme.
Confirming these announcements to Thurles.Info, North Tipperary T.D. Mr Michael Lowry stated that the proposal to prioritise these long awaited developments could now be viewed as a work in progress and expressed his gratitude to the Minister for Education, Batt O’Keefe. Mr Michael Lowry also acknowledged the interest and commitment of local Councillor Michael O’Meara in progressing the Borrisokane venture.
Forty one other major new school building projects were also announced countrywide today.
 News of the death yesterday of the former Roman Catholic Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Tipperary born Bishop Michael Russell was received with great sadness by the people of Thurles. Bishop Russell who was eighty eight years of age was the Bishop of his diocese from 1965 to 1993.
Michael Russell was born on 10 December 1920, in Loughmore, Thurles, Co Tipperary and received his secondary education at the Christian Brothers’ School here in Thurles Town. He studied for the priesthood in St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, and was later ordained in June 1945. He later completed post-graduate studies and was conferred with a Doctorate in Canon Law in 1948. Following his conferring he was appointed Professor of Moral Theology in St Patrick’s College, Thurles, Co.Tipperary and lectured there until 1965. He also served as Vice-President of St Patrick’s College, Thurles. In November 1965 Pope Paul VI appointed him as Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, and he was duly ordained in the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Waterford, in December 1965.
Bishop Russell retired as Bishop of Waterford and Lismore in May 1993.
On his death Bishop Russell is survived by his brothers Conor and Sean and by his sisters-in-law, Madge and Maura, and by his many nephews and nieces.
Funeral arrangements are as follows:
Wednesday 14th. January: Bishop Russell’s remains will repose in the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Waterford from 9am until 9pm.
Thursday 15th January: Concelebrated Requiem Mass will take place at 12 noon in the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Waterford. Following Requiem Mass his body will be laid to rest in the Cathedral grounds. Most Rev William Lee, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore will be Chief Celebrant and will preach the homily.
 Upon hearing of his death, the present Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Most Rev. William Lee, (also a native of Tipperary and former President of St Patrick’s College, Thurles) stated:
“I am deeply saddened by the news of the death of Bishop Michael Russell, my predecessor and very great friend. Since becoming Bishop of this diocese in July 1993 I have enjoyed and greatly valued his wisdom and support. Bishop Michael was loved and admired by the people and priests of Waterford and Lismore. He will be greatly missed by all. Bishop Michael will be remembered especially for his great love of the Church, his deep faith, his prayerfulness, his devotion to Our Lady, his humility, warmth and approachability”.
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