Graduation

The graduation ceremony at Carlow College marks a significant milestone in the academic calendar, celebrating the remarkable achievements of our graduates.

This event brings together our community to honour the hard work and dedication of our students, while also recognising the invaluable support of their family, friends, and the Carlow College staff. It’s a time for joy and reflection as we acknowledge the journey that has led to this occasion.

Carlow College is pleased to host an annual graduation ceremony for all of our graduates each year. Remember to RSVP on your email invite. Congratulations on reaching this significant milestone and graduating with your class! Below, you’ll find important information and FAQs to help you prepare for your special day.

The Conferring Ceremony for the Class of 2024 will be held on Friday, 22nd November 2024.

What to Expect on the Day

Your graduation will take place at 2:00 PM in Carlow Cathedral, located beside the College. Here’s what to expect throughout the day to ensure everything runs smoothly:

Arrival and Gown Collection

All graduates must pre-book their robes with the official robe-makers, Phelan Conan Limited, by midnight on Wednesday, 20th November 2024. Robes can be pre-booked online at www.phelanconan.com.

On the day of graduation, 22nd November, robes can be collected from 12:00 PM at the Therry Hall, Carlow College, with garbing taking place in the James Doyle Room. Graduates are requested to arrive at the college between 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM, as gown collection will close promptly at 1:15 PM to facilitate the ceremony. All graduates must be fully garbed by 1:30 PM.

To ensure a smooth process, only graduates will be permitted into the garbing centre. After the ceremony, all gowns must be returned to Phelan Conan in Therry Hall as soon as possible.

Photography
Professional photographers will be available for an additional fee in a designated room with graduation backgrounds from 12pm-1pm and after the ceremony until 4pm, for those who wish to capture this special moment.

Food and Refreshments
Light refreshments will be available after the ceremony in the Carlovian Dining Hall.

Procession
Once garbed, graduates must be ready to line up for the procession at 1.30pm, organised by programme and then in alphabetical order. The procession will lead from Carlow College to Carlow Cathedral, where guests will already be seated.

Graduation Ceremony
The graduation ceremony will begin at 2:00 PM, featuring speakers and the conferral of certificates. Each graduate’s name will be called by the College Registrar, Dr Margaret Murphy, in the order of the programme and in alphabetical order by class. You will receive your certificate from the College President, Fr. Conn Ó Maoldhomhnaigh.

Guests

Each graduand is allowed to bring two guests to the ceremony in the Cathedral. When you book, two guest tickets will be allocated to you. 

Guest tickets can be collected from the College on the day of the Conferring Ceremony. Please follow signs for ticket collection.

If you bring additional guests, Carlow College will be livestreaming the Conferring Ceremony in Cobden Hall for overflow attendees.

Accessibility

We have a large car park which can be accessed through the car entrance on the Old Dublin Road, you must pass the barriers for free parking. 

Carlow College is committed to ensuring that the graduation ceremony is accessible for all. For guests with mobility needs, there is wheelchair access to the main hall of the college via the staff car park. If you or your guests need any additional assistance on the day, please don’t hesitate to inform us in advance so we can accommodate your needs.

 

FAQs

Please let the College know if you can’t attend. Your name will be called out followed by in absentia and your degree will still be conferred. We will then post your certificate to the address we have on file.  

College carparks will be open and available for graduates and their families.

Only two guests per graduate is allowed in the Cathedral during the ceremony. If we have extra space in the Cathedral we will try include some extra guests, however this is not a guarantee. Carlow College will be live-streaming the ceremony in Cobden Hall for overflow attendees, allowing additional guests to watch the ceremony from here. 

The graduation ceremony will take approximately one hour

When the ceremony is over, graduates from the different programmes will be photographed along with their lecturers. These photographs will be available for purchase.

Some of our programmes offer both a Level 7 (BA) and a Level 8 (BA Honours) degree. You’ve been invited to the graduation because you’ve completed your Level 7 studies and are now in the process of completing your Level 8