The Confucius Institute at University College Cork (UCC) successfully hosted the Ireland Final of the 18th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Secondary School Students on May 3rd, 2025, at the Kingsley Hotel in Cork.

During the 2025 Easter break, the UCC Confucius Institute successfully organized a two-week cultural exchange trip to China for 18 secondary school students from Cork and surrounding areas, led by UCC Confucius Institute teacher Zhang Shuaishuai. The program offered students an immersive experience in Chinese language and culture, with academic classes at Shanghai University and cultural exploration across the cities of Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou.

On April 26^th, a special event celebrating UN International Chinese Language Day was held in Cork, organized by the UCC Confucius Institute. The event, titled “Tai Chi and Wellness – A Showcase and Experience of Traditional Chinese Health Practices”, the event was held in conjunction with “World Tai Chi and Qigong Day”, observed annually on the last Saturday of April. The event drew together scholars, practitioners, and Tai Chi enthusiasts from Ireland, China, Italy, the United States and so on, fostering a meaningful dialogue on culture, health, and philosophy.

UCC Confucius Institute is thrilled to announce the remarkable achievements of its students at the 24th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students (Ireland Region). The competition, hosted by the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Ireland and organized by the UCD Confucius Institute for Ireland, concluded successfully on April 13, 2025. The event brought together talented Chinese language learners from across the country, showcasing their linguistic prowess and diverse talents in a vibrant and engaging atmosphere that garnered significant attention from various sectors. His Excellency, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Ireland, Zhao Xiyuan, and Deputy President of University College Dublin, Professor Dolores O'Riordan, graced the occasion and attended the awards ceremony.

What an incredibly vibrant month it has been! Throughout this March and April, the UCC Confucius Institute buzzed with cultural energy, creating unforgettable moments and fostering meaningful exchange across Cork and its surrounding areas. Dedicated to advancing Chinese language and culture in Ireland, we left a trail of cultural enrichment through a diverse range of activities, from the lively St. Patrick’s Day Parade to insightful school visits, from the serene art of tea ceremonies to the expressive strokes of calligraphy workshops, truly bringing Chinese culture to life in every corner we touched.

As the Year of the Dragon came to an end, the arrival of the Year of the Snake was joyfully welcomed with festive celebrations. On January 25, 2025, the UCC Confucius Institute (CI), in collaboration with the Ireland Cork Chinese Business Association, successfully hosted the 2025 Chinese New Year Celebration at Marina Market, Cork. This event marked a historic milestone, as it was the first time the UCC CI held the Chinese New Year Celebration outside traditional venues—such as City Hall and the University—bringing it into the heart of the local community. It was also the first collaboration of its kind between the UCC Confucius Institute, the Ireland Cork Chinese Business Association, and local Chinese enterprises, offering an immersive cultural experience through vibrant performances and interactive workshops.

The UCC Confucius Institute, in collaboration with the Cork Chinese Business Association, is thrilled to host the 2025 Cork Chinese New Year Celebration! Join us as we embrace the festive spirit and welcome the Year of the Snake with a day of cultural discovery, exciting performances, and joyful community connection.

On November 9th, 2024, the UCC Confucius Institute launched its highly anticipated Community Cultural Series with the inaugural event, “Oriental Holistic Medicine Experience: Diagnoses, Treatment, and Practice”, at Cork City Library.

The Confucius Institute at University College Cork (UCC) is delighted to announce the upcoming 2024 Cork Chinese Film Week, taking place from October 22nd to October 26th on the UCC main campus. This annual event will showcase five carefully selected Chinese films spanning genres such as action, fantasy, and drama, offering a diverse exploration of contemporary Chinese cinema.

The UCC Confucius Institute is excited to announce its participation in Cork Culture Night 2024 with an engaging and immersive Cultural Night event. Taking place on Friday, September 20th from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, this special occasion will be hosted at the UCC Boole Library, Student Social Area (Q Floor), offering participants a unique opportunity to experience the beauty and richness of Chinese culture.

This year’s Cultural Night promises to be a dynamic blend of hands-on activities, traditional arts, and engaging demonstrations, providing a perfect evening for everyone—whether you're already familiar with Chinese culture or discovering it for the first time.

The Cork Lifelong Learning Festival, an annual extravaganza, is set to kick off in 2024, and Confucius Institute at University College Cork, as one of the organizers, eagerly awaits your participation!

St. Patrick's Day, known as Ireland's national holiday commemorating its patron saint, St. Patrick, took center stage in Cork City on March 17, 2024. The National Day Parade, themed "Pure Imagination 2024," featured nearly 4,000 participants forming dozens of parade units, attracting over 50,000 enthusiastic spectators from both Ireland and abroad.

This event was supported by various entities including the Chinese Embassy in Ireland, Cork City Council, Cork County Council and University College Cork, the event attracted nearly a thousand attendees, including overseas Chinese, international students, and local communities.

This prestigious summit, supported by a consortium of educational organizations, including Language Connect, Post-Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI), the Department of Education, and more, stands as one of Ireland's most prominent events in modern foreign language education.

The inaugural Cork Chinese Film Week, organized by the UCC Confucius Institute in partnership with UCC, marks a significant cultural milestone in Cork City. This remarkable event, proudly granted support by Cork City Council, is a celebration of the rich cinematic heritage of China and a testament to the city's commitment to fostering international cultural exchange.

On 22 April 2023, the final of the 16th "Chinese Bridge"  Competition for Secondary School Students in Ireland, organised by the Chinese Embassy in Ireland and hosted by the Confucius Institute in Cork, was successfully held at the Kingsley Hotel in Cork City.

On 22 April, the Confucius Institute at University College Cork (UCC) hosted the final of the 16th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Secondary School Students in Ireland and the Chinese Language Day Cultural Performance to celebrate International Chinese Language Day, showcasing the charm of Chinese language and culture in a variety of ways.

On 14 April 2022, the 22nd Chinese Bridge Competition for University Students in Ireland, hosted by the Confucius Institute in Dublin, was successfully concluded. Four students from the Confucius Institute at UCC participated in the competition, among which the third-year student Thirsa Mcnamara impressed the audience with her speech and unique talent display, and finally won the second prize. Daire McCann, a freshman from Confucius Classroom in Maynooth, also won the third prize with his outstanding performance.

On the 17th of March 2023, UCC Confucius Institute took part in Cork's St. Patrick's Day parade, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of China to the people of Ireland. With over 100 participants in the team, the event was a huge success and provided an excellent opportunity for the Chinese community in Cork to experience the vibrant Irish culture.

The 16th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency  Competition is organized by the Education Sector of the Chinese Embassy in Ireland and hosted by The Confucius Institute at UCC. The aim of the competition is to enhance students' understanding of the Chinese language and culture and promote cultural exchange between Ireland and China.

On 11 February 2023, nearly fifty teachers from the Confucius Institute at University College Cork, Ireland, the Confucius Institute at University College Dublin, Ireland and the Confucius Institute at Ulster University, Belfast, Northern Ireland participated in a friendly competition for the exchange of Chinese teaching skills between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the UK. Six of our teachers came to the Confucius Institute at Ulster University, Belfast, Northern Ireland to participate in this event.

The Confucius Institute at University College CORK kicked off its Year of the Rabbit Chinese New Year Celebration on February 4, 2023, with over 400 attendees including representatives from the Chinese Embassy in Ireland, the Lord Mayor of Cork City, the representative of Cork County, the Vice President of the University of Cork, and the Directors of Confucius Institutes from all over Ireland and Northern Ireland, among others.

On the evening of October 21, 2022, the 15th-anniversary celebration of the Confucius Institute at UCC was held in Cork City Hall. Leaders and guests from Cork City Council, Cork County Council, the Chinese Embassy in Ireland, sister Confucius Institutes, and friends from all walks of life in Ireland attended the milestone event, which was witnessed by a total of more than eight hundred people.

On October 21, 2022, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Confucius Institute at the University of Cork, the Confucius Institute held a "CI and Me" conference in Cork City Hall to review the history and look forward to the future. More than 60 people were invited and attended the conference. 

On the March 17th, at the invitation of the Cork municipal government, the Confucius Institute at the UCC formed a group of more than 80 people including CI teachers, volunteer Chinese teachers, students from the Chinese Students' Association of UCC, the local Chinese community and foreign friends participated in this very event of celebration took place in Cork city centre on St. Patrick’s Day, which is considered as the Irish National Day.

The 21st Chinese-Bridge Proficiency Competition for Irish College Students was held at the Confucius Institute at University College Dublin(UCD) on April 24. Four contestants from UCC alongwith other 15 college students from other colleges in Ireland took part in a two-round competition in one day.

On the 20^th of January 2022, Confucius Institute at University College Cork( UCC CI)  held the online Spring Festival on both YouTube and Bilibili. This live streaming event attracted almost 2500 audiences from Ireland, China, Thailand and other countries.