Ove r 200 graduate s re ce ive awards

OVER 200 graduates from IT Carlow’s Wexford Campus have been conferred with degrees, higher diplomas, honours degrees, postgraduate diplomas and master’s degrees in the National Opera House.

The ceremony took place on Friday before a packed auditorium.

Minister Paul Kehoe TD and a number of local councillors were also in attendance.

Minister Kehoe said the awards were ‘passports to a new place in the lives of the graduates’ and he encouraged the recipients to continue with their studies going forward.

The Head of Wexford Campus, Dr Karen Hennessy, highlighted the significance of the occasion and emphasised the fact that 90 per cent of graduates in the college each year are from Co Wexford while the President of IT Carlow, Dr Patricia Mulcahy said everyone associated with the college was proud of the graduates’ achievements.

She also highlighted that 21 per cent of the 5,880 people from Wexford who pursued higher education programmes through 2017 into 2018 did so through IT Carlow.

Dr Mulcahy outlined milestones associated with the institute this year including the fact it saw the first graduates from its new Higher Diploma in Aquabusiness and two new degree programmes with the BSc (Honours) in Creative Computing and Digital Innovation and the BSc (Honours) in Tourism and Event Management.

She revealed that €2m in funding has been secured for a new Insurtech initiative for a financial services technology innovation centre.

A special tribute was also paid to the former Head of Wexford Campus, Caroline Murphy, who passed away earlier this year and another poignant aspect to the event saw awards being presented posthumously to the late Mark Blake and to the late Joe Caulfield whose father accepted the Higher Diploma in Digital Media Design on behalf of his son who passed away in April.

In her closing address Dr Mulcahy said the graduates were joining an alumni of over 55,000 graduates from the Institute.

‘An alumni of engineers and scientists, technologists, artists, lawyers, designers, business professionals and social care practitioners.’

Katie Goff from Killinick and Karley Kemp from Wexford. Ann Cullen from Bree, Philip Connolly from Ryleen, New Ross, and Nicola Curran from Arklow. Denise Giltrap, Pauline Masterson and Carrie Morrissey from Enniscorthy, Marian Morrissey from Glynn and Michelle Murphy from Wexford. Back: Dick Bates, John Hickey, Carol O’Kelly, John Doyle, Dr Jeanette Davies, HDip graduates Myles Mulligan, Andrew Torrie, Brian O’Loan, Mary Meyler, Brendan Keane from New Ross with Lauren Corish Wallace, Fiona Martin and Brian McDonald from Wexford.

Shauna, Denis and Erin Whelan. Paul and Gwen Gaddren. Nemone Van Der Blaike and Elaine Pierce from Rosslare Harbour. Carol O’Kelly presenting Brian O’Loan with the Brendan O’Kelly Memorial Medal for 1st Place in Aqua Business.

John Connoughton and head of campus Karen Hennessy. Front: Business in Aqua Kate Dempsey, Pádraig Ó Lorcain and Joseph Gibbons. Lahiru Fernando and Shehara Peiris from Wexford. Grace and Brendan Wright from Mayglass. Jack Denby, Gemma Duggan, Daniel Finnerty and Oisin Firman from Wexford. Tanya and Clodagh Downes from Wexford. Emma Whitty from Wexford and Dr Jeanette Davies.

Joe Goff, Katie Goff, Catherine Goff and Jamie Scallan from Killinick.Louise Cahill from Gorey, Joanne Dee from Taghmon, Wikola Duttin from Gorey and Kelli Edwards from Castlebridge.

John Doyle presenting Mary Meyler with the Joe Murrin Memorial Medal. David O’Connor and Jamielee Doran from Wexford. Jamie Brady from Killinick and Nicola Wood from Gorey.