News | Carlow College

Carlow College Announces Plan for Future

Nerilie Duffey — Tue, 19 May 2026 13:40:03 +0000

A Framework for Two-Year Transition Period

Carlow College, St Patrick’s today announced the plan for the future of Carlow College, following a lengthy and detailed internal and external review process.

As part of this process, an agreed framework has been put in place, in consultation with South East Technological University, to support a structured programme completion period for current students and to enable an orderly and managed transition for the College. These arrangements reflect a shared commitment to learner protection, continuity of academic standards, and the preservation of Carlow College, St Patrick’s longstanding educational legacy. The framework also enables the transfer of the land and buildings from Carlow College to SETU as soon as practicable. This process has been facilitated through detailed engagement with Minister Lawless and his officials in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS).

Two-year completion period for academic programmes

A multi-phased completion process will commence immediately to allow for an orderly phasing out of Carlow College programmes and associated activities. All currently enrolled students will be supported to complete their studies and to achieve their intended qualification with Carlow College. No new student intakes will be offered in 2026/27 and beyond. During this period, Carlow College will remain responsible for its academic operations, staffing, employment obligations and delivery of programmes.

Students supported to graduation

The College has always maintained a student-centred approach and this will continue over the next two years to ensure a positive student experience. Carlow College wishes to reassure all current learners that their studies will continue as normal and students will be kept abreast of the situation through ongoing engagement with the Carlow College Students’ Union. All current learners have been notified today.

Period of Change

Carlow College recognises that this period of change will be challenging, particularly for its dedicated staff. Over the next two years there will be a phased redundancy process for the 87 staff currently employed by Carlow College. A formal consultation process has commenced in line with statutory obligations and best practices, and Carlow College is committed to engaging openly and respectfully with staff and union representatives. Comprehensive supports will be available including access to wellbeing supports.

CAO Courses for 2026

Carlow College, St. Patrick’s has today advised the Central Applications Office (CAO) to withdraw its undergraduate courses from the CAO website for 2026. All CAO applicants will be contacted today to advise how they can update their preferences via the CAO Change of Mind facility which is open until 1st July. Information on similar alternative courses available in the South East has been provided to applicants.

As a private college, Carlow College, St. Patrick’s will continue to work closely with students, staff, regulating bodies, and other stakeholders to ensure the teach out is managed carefully and responsibly to ensure the optimum possible outcome.

Next phase for Carlow College, St. Patrick’s

In the context of the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030, Carlow College, St. Patrick’s embarked on a process of deepening collaboration with the Higher Education sector since 2017 and engaged in discussions with relevant stakeholders regarding the future strategic positioning of the College.

In February 2022, Carlow College, engaged with the State on options to secure its long‑term future within the higher‑education sector. That engagement forms part of the broader context for the learner protection and programme-completion period that has now been agreed, which will see the land and buildings of Carlow College, St. Patrick’s transfer to SETU.

Speaking of the announcement, President of Carlow College, St Patrick’s, Fr Conn Ó Maoldhomhnaigh said: “Since its foundation in 1782, Carlow College has been part of the higher education story in the South East. Its next chapter reflects a continuation of its longstanding contribution to education in the region, while supporting the ongoing educational future of the campus. This decision by the College’s Governing Body and Property Trustees was made with due regard to the best interests of our students and staff, and in recognition of the College’s long and distinguished contribution to liberal arts education”.

“Our priority now is to ensure a carefully planned and supported completion of all academic programmes over the next two years, so that every student currently enrolled at Carlow College can complete their studies with confidence and integrity. We are deeply committed to supporting our staff throughout this transition and to working with them in a transparent and respectful way. Carlow College’s mission has always centred on people and community, and that commitment will guide us in the months and years ahead”. Fr Conn continued, “Over many decades the people of Carlow town and surrounding areas have been deeply supportive of, and have pride in the College, and this is something that is greatly appreciated. We know that we will have their continued support as we enter into this new phase”.

Carlow College would like to express gratitude to Minister for Further and Higher Education and his officials, and SETU for their engagement throughout this process, and to Minister Jennifer Murnane O’Connor T.D. who has supported the College over many years.

The overriding ambition of Carlow College was to ensure that its longstanding educational legacy continues to have a meaningful impact in the South East. This next phase marks a new chapter, carrying forward the College’s rich heritage and sustaining that legacy for the years ahead.

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Carlow College Hosts Annual Literary Awards and Creative Writing Showcase – 2026

Laura McDonald — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:48:37 +0000

Carlow College St Patrick’s hosted its fourteenth Annual Literary Awards and Creative Writing Showcase in VISUAL on Tuesday 14^th April. This annual event gathers together the College literary community for a night to recognise and celebrate the creative writing talent of its students with awards presented for best in prose and poetry writing over the past year. This year’s awards were presented by the poet Molly Twomey, author of Raised Among Vultures (2022) and Chic to be Sad (2025), an awardee of Arts Council and Ireland Chair of Poetry bursaries.

Friends and family, staff, students and past graduates of Carlow College, were in attendance for what was an engaging and entertaining evening. The night opened with members of the Third Year Creative Writing class presenting a showcase of their writing. The class delivered what proved a dramatic, moving, and varied showcase of their work. Their poems explored the type of oddball characters you might encounter in small town settings in Ireland, to the pleasure of enjoying chips at Kilmore Quay with your mother.

Speaking at the awards, Lecturer in English and Creative Writing, Dr Derek Coyle, commented on ‘how dynamic and alive the writing scene is in Carlow and the south-east, and that Carlow College is committed to fostering that talent and to helping writers develop and hone their skills.’ He went on to say that ‘Carlow is blessed to have such a stunning venue as VISUAL for an occasion like this, and students were fortunate to encounter the writing talent of a young poet like Molly Twomey, originally from Lismore, Co Waterford, as a role model and exemplar of what is possible, particularly for women writers in Ireland today.’

Poetry Winners:

Ann J. Irwin: ‘The Drawer of Hidden Things’;
Aaron Doyle (Kildare): ‘Terms and Conditions’;
Daniel Butler (Kilkenny): ‘Black Jacket I’m Too Big For’;

Simon Bourke (Kilkenny): ‘Shampoo’.

Prose Winners:

Margaret Levingstone: ‘On the Edge’;
Polly Chapman (Wexford): ‘The Understory’;
Joy Redmond (Wexford): ‘The Beachcombers’ and ‘Lover’.

Following the Awards, Molly Twomey commended the entrants on the high standard of their work and encouraged all participants to keep persevering and working hard at refining and improving their craft. During the Q & A she mentioned the importance of reading, how so many of her poems grow out of a response to other poems and poets that she has been reading. The poems she read from her latest collection Chic to be Sad were powerfully personal, exploring the type of pressures young women experience in today’s society around body image and appearance, amongst other things. After a question and answer session, Carlow College St Patrick’s students with literary ambitions were left with plenty to consider and with the doors of inspiration opened.

Full details of the Awards winners and their winning pieces are available at:

2026 Student Literary Awards | Carlow College

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Carlow College Honours Academic Excellence at Scholarship Awards

Laura McDonald — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:58:00 +0000

Carlow College, St. Patrick’s has awarded 8 scholarships in recognition of the academic achievements of its students in their first year of study. Scholarships were awarded to students from Carlow, Laois, Kildare and Waterford.

Scholarships awarded at the ceremony were the Mature Student Achievement Scholarships awarded to mature learners achieving the highest semester one results in their first year, along with Academic Achievement Entrance Scholarships for the student achieving the highest CAO points for each undergraduate course. Awardees received a certificate and a cash scholarship worth €500.

The following awards were presented:

Academic Achievement Entrance Scholarship

Jessica Thornton – BA in Applied Social Studies (Professional Social Care)
Amy Kennedy – BA (Hons) in Arts & Humanities
Emily Hennessy – BA (Hons) in English & History
Ava Arzu Coletti – BA (Hons) in Psychology

Mature Student Academic Scholarship

Clodagh Thunder – BA Applied Social Studies (Professional Social Care)
Bebhinn Tara Boneparte Bowers – BA (Hons) in Arts & Humanities
Rachel Keogh – BA (Hons) in English & History
Shane Keogh – BA (Hons) in Psychology

In attendance, were family and friends of the recipients, as well as representatives from the Secondary Schools of some winners – Genevieve Bennett, Year Head from Dunamase College and Noel Daly, Principal of Portlaoise College.

The Scholarship Awards were presented by Carlow College President, Fr Conn Ó Maoldhomhnaigh and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Registrar, Dr Eric Derr at a ceremony in the College on Tuesday 14th April.

In congratulating students, Dr Derr said “We are delighted to congratulate our scholarship recipients on this well-deserved achievement. It is important for us to recognise and celebrate achievement at every stage of the student journey, and we are delighted to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of this year’s scholarship recipients”.

Late applications are still being accepted for undergraduate programmes commencing in September 2026. CAO late applications close on 1st May 2026. To find out more, visit carlowcollege.ie/cao

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