2013 Press Releases

Visitors' Centre reaches milestone

2 Dec 2013
More than 25,000 schoolchildren have visited UCC since the programme began. Gaelscoil Bharra from Cabra, Co. Dublin are the class that’s travelled the furthest to date to experience UCC’s magical Junior Conferring Programme - the only one on offer by any university on the island of Ireland (Image by Clare Keogh).

Just over 20 Primary school students from Gaelscoil Bharra in Cabra, Dublin are now Ireland’s youngest ‘graduates’, with a little help from UCC Visitors’ Centre.

Gaelscoil Bharra are also the class that’s travelled the furthest to date to experience UCC’s magical Junior Conferring Programme - the only one on offer by any university on the island of Ireland. The Programme is legendary for its free and colourful tours for Primary school children, which end in a mini-conferring ceremony and procession around UCC’s Quadrangle. Since opening its doors in 2006, the programme has wowed thousands of children annually, who are often prone to likening UCC’s gothic style campus to Harry Potter's Hogwarts.

It has attracted over 25,000 schoolchildren from all over Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Waterford and Clare to date. Demand has grown year on year, as has the reach of the programme, if the visit by Gaelscoil Bharra from Dublin is anything to go by. The story of the visit was picked up by the Dublin People - see the coverage by clicking here.

JP Quinn, Head of the Visitors’ Centre, UCC feels the emphasis of the engaging outreach programme is on encouraging children to dream big, by making them more aware of what a 3rd level institution does and the promising opportunities it can open up for them.

“We were delighted to welcome the students and staff of Gaelscoil Bharra to UCC", said Mr Quinn. "The visit was made even more special by the fact that this is the furthest a school has ever travelled to take part in our Junior Conferring Programme. We hope that this is the start of many visits, not just by the wonderful young minds from Gaelscoil Bharra, but from schools all over Dublin and indeed Ireland.”

The students also got to meet and greet ‘Hedwig’ the owl during their visit to UCC, thanks to Trabolgan Birds of Prey in Cork.

The UCC Junior Conferring Programme is free and runs all year round. Primary school principals and teachers are very welcome to contact the Visitors’ Centre to arrange a visit. Free campus tours demonstrating UCC’s picturesque campus and remarkable history are also available to community groups, school summer schemes and visitors in general. Schools interested in applying for the Programme can contact the Visitors' Centre at (021)4901876 or via email at visitorscentre@ucc.ie

University College Cork

Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh

College Road, Cork T12 K8AF

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