Shock and tears as Carlow College set to close

CARLOW College is set to close in two years’ time, making almost 90 staff members redundant and ending nearly 250 years of education.

The announcement from the college was made on Tuesday afternoon, 19 May, stating that its doors will remain open for just two more years after a proposed merger with South East Technological University (SETU) fell through.

The college has been in financial difficulty for years, and there were high hopes that a merger with SETU would secure its future. However, that plan has now been scrapped and the government has agreed to supplement the college for two more years so that the current degree courses can be completed.

Ownership of the entire campus, which is comprised of historic buildings and 17 acres of prime real estate, will be transferred to SETU. No money will exchange hands, and while SETU has not explained what it will do with the campus, under the transfer agreement it must be used for educational purposes.

The news came as a shock not only to the staff and students at the college, but also to the many thousands of people who have been educated there.

On various social media platforms, past students expressed their shock and disappointment upon learning of its closure. Six hundred students attend the college, which has 35 academic lecturers and teachers and 52 administration and ancillary staff.

‘Devastated’, ‘heartbroken’ ‘so sad to hear this’ were just some of the reactions to the news online, while one of the lecturers, who spoke to The Nationalist, said that “tears were shed” when management called a staff meeting on Tuesday afternoon, just before they announced the news publicly.

Talks between Carlow College, SETU and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) had been going on for several years, but in February last year minister James Lawless visited Carlow College when he said negotiations about the merger were “in limbo” and he vowed to “expedite” the matter.

However, that didn’t happen and, with the merger not going ahead, the college will close.

In a statement given exclusively to The Nationalist, college president Fr Conn Ó Maoldhomhnaigh said that there were many factors involved in the decision, including the college’s financial position.

“This agreement has been developed collaboratively between the DFHERIS, Carlow College and SETU and enables an orderly and managed programme completion for current students. It represents the best and most responsible path forward at this time. The decision is driven by a range of interconnected factors, including the college’s current financial position and the evolving landscape within the public and private higher education sector.” 

The college, Ireland’s second oldest third-level institution at 244 years’ old, teaches arts, humanities and social sciences. With 600 students attending, the college is known for its student-centred, holistic approach to education.

One of the lecturers, who didn’t wish to be named, said that even though the staff were aware of financial difficulties, the news of the closure came like a bolt from the blue.

“There was no clue that things weren’t quite right. We thought that the repositioning with SETU would work. There were a lot of tears when we heard the news – people were very shocked,” she said.

The lecturer also added that job prospects for academic staff were “abysmal” because there are so few suitable positions for such specialised teaching jobs in Ireland.

“For most of us, there are very few jobs going in academia. Our college is one of the last bastions of liberal arts. We got a lot of messages of goodwill from people. Carlow College is very well respected, and with good cause. Its students have a deep respect for their lecturers. Not everyone wants to go to a big college. Our college is very student-centred and holistic in its approach to education. It’s unique.” 

SETU has not disclosed what its plans for the campus are, but there is speculation that it could incorporate student accommodation as SETU has come under fire for its lack of places for student halls of residence.

Minister of state Jennifer Murnane O’Connor said that her “department were working with SETU and Carlow College” and that while she couldn’t reveal what’s in store for the campus, she did confirm that “big changes were coming”.

She added that the closure of Carlow College was what was agreed by all interested parties and that she hoped that “SETU would look favourably at the staff of Carlow College” in terms of future employment.

Fr Ó Maoldhomhnaigh, in his statement, said: “Regrettably, staff redundancies will be implemented on a phased basis over the two-year transition period in response to the gradual reduction in the number of students and associated activities. Consultation meetings will be held over the coming months with an enhanced redundancy package available. A range of supports, including wellbeing and outplacement services, are in place to assist staff throughout this period.

“I want to pay tribute to our dedicated staff. Their commitment extends far beyond roles and responsibilities – it is personal, heartfelt and deeply rooted in a belief in our students’ potential. That is what makes the Carlow College community so unique. The impact on our staff cannot be understated.”