Tag Archives: University of Limerick

Ennis training centre for paramedic BSc would be mutually beneficial, says Crowe THE possibility of an Ennis-based training centre for University of Limerick’s course in paramedic studies has been floated. A government minister has proposed the University of Limerick and the Clare Civil Defence should enter negotiations on the proposed establishment of a training centre for paramedics. Deputy Cathal Crowe recently asked the Minister for Education and Skills, Simon Harris if he would support proposals to develop a training centre for students of the University of Limerick’s bachelor of science in paramedic studies course at the new Civil Defence building in Ennis. Minister Harris said the best way forward would be for the Civil Defence and the University and any other relevant stakeholders to speak directly to see if there are mutually agreeable proposals that can be advanced. Deputy Crowe stated there is room to develop a paramedic training facility in Ennis. “There is a fabulous facility, which the Minister’s …

UNIVERSITY students led by an Ennis woman have put their best foot forward to raise much needed funds for various organisations including a local community hospital and nursing home. Community Liaison Officer at the University of Limerick, and Ennis native, Gabriella Hanrahan spearheaded the fundraising efforts which encouraged students to get some exercise while also doing some good for worthy causes. She believes that higher education students are an “untapped resource” and is encouraging communities to get in touch to explore ways student volunteers can support local initiatives. Speaking to The Clare Champion about the fundraiser, Gabriella said, “Covid has created enormous challenges for organisations that traditionally fundraise to provide additional supports and services to communities. Covid also had the effect of reducing volunteering opportunities.” She explained that the students committed to doing 40km of exercise with some walking, cycling or running, and they donated the money raised to animal shelters and activities for residents in nursing homes. They raised …

A PHOTOGRAPHIC archive chronicling the evolution of Shannon town and the broader region is set to be made available globally. The Special Collections and Archives Department at University of Limerick’s Glucksman Library has been awarded significant funding to digitise the Shannon Development photographic archive. UL’s Special Collections has been awarded around €125,000 (£107,365) in funding from the Wellcome Trust to catalogue, conserve, digitise and increase accessibility to the key photographic archive, which boasts around 25,000–36,000 original photographic negatives. The funding is part of an overall award of almost €500,000 (£427,809) granted by Wellcome to the collaborative project ‘The New Jerusalems: post-war New Town archives in Britain and Ireland’, granted to a network of archives services to catalogue and conserve eleven post-war new town collections. This funding award from the global charitable foundation is significant for UL, as it will allow the Glucksman Library to hire dedicated project staff and to purchase the necessary materials to catalogue, digitise and rehouse the …

A HEARBROKEN Doora-Barefield mother-of-four has described her son, Fionn as a “talented young man and a well of endless potential”. Fionn O’Brien, (20), died following a tragic accident while he was surfing in Lough Donnell beach off the coast between Doonbeg and Quilty between 6.30am and 7am on Monday. It is understood that the former Rice College student got into some difficulty while he was in the water, his friends administered CPR and called the emergency services. Emergency services arrived and he was airlifted by the Shannon-based Coast Guard helicopter R115 for emergency medical treatment to University Hospital Limerick (UHL). He was pronounced dead on Monday around lunch time. In a heart-rendering tribute at his Funeral Mass in the Church of Our Lady, Fahy Hall, Roslevan, on Thursday, his mother, Michelle recalled their son, Fionn arrived promptly into their lives and their contented baby grew into the smiling calm and assured young man they knew and loved. She told the congregation the …

THREE Clare students have put themselves in the picture for award success on the double. Ennis Coláiste Muire students Sybil Perkins and Catherine Gorman, alongside Ella Bliss from St Joseph’s Secondary School in Tulla were among the students from the mid-west region to recently be presented with certificates of achievement from the Kemmy Business School (KBS) University of Limerick. The students were given the prestigious award after obtaining distinctions (90-100%) in Junior Cycle Business in 2019.  The event, held in association with the Business Studies Teachers Association of Ireland (BSTAI), celebrates and recognises excellence in Junior Cycle Business Studies. However, this wasn’t the only win for the talented Clare students. Following the awards ceremony, the Kemmy Business School ran a social media photograph competition asking awardees to submit photographs of themselves with their awards. So enthused by the effort and participation of applicants were the committee that it was decided to expand their prize pool to the 10 best photographs, with Sybil, Catherine …

PUPILS from an Ennis school have demonstrated their futures are bright when it comes to identifying and solving health issues in Ireland today. Transition year students of Coláiste Muire Isolde Hegarty, Molly Hennessy, Hannah Clune, Sinéad Ní Dhúlaing and Éabha Warner have received an award at the second BD STEM Stars competition. The local students scooped €5,000 in funding for STEM projects after coming in second runner up place. Their entry proposed an app to support teenagers in managing their mental health. The Vedriti App and Panic Button Technology is a safe space online to support the mental health and well-being of teenagers. The students identified the challenges of the pandemic as putting even greater pressure on mental health and looked at how they could provide teenagers with peer-to-peer support as well as information on where to go for further help. They beat off competition from across Limerick and Clare in showing step-by-step how they firstly identified an issue and …

THE University of Limerick has got a five star rating in an influential global ranking. UL has achieved the highest possible standard in the new QS Stars Rating System, the only university in Ireland to achieve this in 2021. UL joins an exclusive group of universities worldwide to receive the overall five-star status in the ranking, which is considered one of the most influential and credible ratings for universities globally. The QS Stars Rating System was launched in 2009 to assess higher education institutions more broadly than rankings alone and five stars is the maximum score that can be achieved. It is compiled by education analysts Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the world’s leading provider of services, analytics, and insight to the global higher education sector. The five-star rating is valid until March 2024 and follows a rigorous and independent data collection process and analysis of performance metrics by QS. The evaluation process at UL lasted five months and focused on the …

A NEW transformational development costing an estimated €400 million across three key sites in Limerick City will generate major economic benefits for South-East Clare. That’s according to Deputy Cathal Crowe, who revealed plans will be unveiled in the near future for the development of a new industrial zone near Knockalisheen, Meelick. Limerick City and County Council has announced a new transformational development proposal across three key sites in Limerick City in an investment worth in the region of €400 million. This new development will include a new state-of-the-art medical facility and will see the creation of over 200 construction jobs across the sites. Some 108 new one to four bed affordable and social housing units are also included in this major project. The three key sites are in Thomondgate, Hyde Road Park and Coonagh, which is located on the Limerick Clare border. Deputy Crowe predicted there would also be an announcement in the near future about the provision of a …