News
College applicants have until Saturday to change their CAO course choices
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THE State exams are done so the thoughts of relieved candidates are turning to holidays, summer jobs and travel. But before heading away the 80,000-plus applicants to the Central Applications Office (CAO) must focus on the CAO “Change of Mind” facility. CAO gives each applicant an opportunity, if s/he wishes, to register a change of course choices online by 5.15pm on Saturday, July 1.
Many applicants are happy with their original course choices submitted to CAO by 1st February but others might have done further course research or simply changed their minds about the courses they would like to study. Whatever your reason for submitting a change of mind form, now is the time to do so. After July 1 you can make no further changes to your CAO application form.
If you decide to submit a change of mind form, work on your choices before going online. Don’t tinker with your original list while online as it’s very easy to make a mistake. Start from scratch and prepare a new list of courses. Check the minimum course requirements and the special requirements for each course you are including on the change of mind form. Do not list any course which has been cancelled, but you may include any new courses which were announced after the 2017 CAO Handbook was published. All of this information is easily accessible on the CAO website, www.cao.ie.
When you have finalised your choices, open up your CAO account via the “My Application” facility. Click on “Add Level 8 Course Choices” and/or “Add Level 7/6 Course Choices.” Then use the “New Courses” list to enter your new course choices. Remember that every choice is important and it’s advisable to fill up all ten choices in each category.
The two course categories – Level 8 (Honours Bachelor Degrees) and Level 7/6 (Ordinary Bachelor Degrees/Higher Certificates) are totally separate from each other for the purpose of submitting a change of mind form. You may change one category and leave the second category unchanged or you may change both. On the other hand, you may decide to stick with the choices you submitted by 1st February last.
Check that your courses have been updated by using the “My Application” facility by 5.15pm on 1st July. You may change your course choices free of charge as often as you wish up to the closing date. The final change of mind form that you submit is the one that will count for your CAO offers in August, so be very careful to check online before 1st July to make sure that all is in order.
The Leaving Certificate Examination results will be delivered to schools on Wednesday, August 16. The results will also be available via Internet at www.examinations.ie from 12 noon on that day. Round One offers of college places will be available on the CAO website, www.cao.ie from 6am on Monday, August 21. The reply date for acceptance will be 5.15pm on Monday, August 28.
Checklist
• You have until 5.15pm on July 1 to avail of the CAO “Change of Mind” facility
• Not all applications to CAO avail of the change of mind facility
• Don’t list any courses which you haven’t researched.
• Don’t apply for any course which you know that you won’t accept
• Never apply for a course in which you haven’t the slightest interest
• Work on your new list of course choices before going online
• Check the requirements for the courses you are including on the change of mind form
• The two course categories are separate from each other on a change of mind form
• The remaining days provide you with a valuable window of opportunity
• After the 1st July you can make no further changes to your CAO application form
• SUSI online student grant application system for 2017/2018 is now open at www.grantsonline.ie, www.studentfinance.ie or www.susi.ie
• The closing date for the prioritising of new SUSI grant applications is July 13
• Leaving Cert exam results will available on Wed., 16th August
• Round One offers of college places will be available on Monday, August 21
• Junior Cert exam results will be available in mid-September
Ukrainian exhibition brings ‘Towel of Unity’ to Killarney
The Ukrainian community in Kerry presented the international outdoor exhibition “The Towel of Unity – The Towel of Victory” at St Mary’s Church on Saturday.
Organised by Future of Ukrainian Nation (FOUN Kerry), led by Chairperson Natalia Eismont and coordinator Iryna Samborska, the cultural initiative celebrated Ukrainian heritage while fostering solidarity between Ireland and Ukraine.
At the centre of the display was a 166-metre embroidered towel, known traditionally as a rushnyk. Created by Ukrainian communities across dozens of countries, each section represents global resilience and connection. The project was originally founded by Andrii Yatsenko in Estonia, with his wife Svitlana joining individual pieces from around the world into one continuous artwork.
A key moment of the Killarney event saw the official addition of the embroidered piece crafted by the Ukrainian community in Ireland to the master banner.
The outdoor exhibition offered local residents and visitors a chance to learn about traditional Ukrainian customs and the symbolic meaning behind the rushnyk, which represents protection, heritage, and unity. FOUN Kerry expressed gratitude to local authorities, clergy, and the Kerry community for their ongoing support and warm welcome.
Monument honouring Kerry’s revolutionary women
A proposal that first originated in the Killarney Municipal District has culminated in the unveiling of Ireland’s first monument dedicated to the women of the 1912–1923 revolutionary period.
The project was brought forward by Killarney councillor Marie Moloney and backed by fellow Killarney representative Maura Healy-Rae.
The initiative gained momentum and full support in the main Kerry County Council chamber from all elected female councillors – adding Norma Moriarty, Aoife Thornton and Deirdre Ferris – leading to the commissioning of the historic memorial.
Titled Spiorad Bán Chiarraí or Spirit of the Kerry Women, the 2.5-metre bronze sculpture was officially unveiled in Tralee Town Park. Created by Dublin-based sculptor Elizabeth O’Kane, the artwork depicts a woman in period uniform marching forward while raising the Irish flag. To maintain historical accuracy, O’Kane referenced original uniforms from Cumann na mBan and Cumann na Saoirse.
“The sculpture was a year and a half in the making, from sculpting the larger-than-life-size clay figure in my studio, to the many months of highly skilled bronze casting carried out in a Dublin foundry,” said Ms O’Kane.
“From start to finish, it has been a labour of love – artists often claim to suffer for their work, but I have the X-ray to prove it! A fractured wrist in the middle of the project was extremely untimely, but I am immensely proud of the final result. It has been a privilege to commemorate the women of this period with a sculpture that celebrates their courage, sacrifice, and enduring legacy.”
The project was funded through the Department of Housing and Local Government under the Percent for Arts Scheme. The memorial stands as a permanent tribute to the vital social, political, and military roles Kerry women played in shaping modern Ireland.
Ukrainian exhibition brings ‘Towel of Unity’ to Killarney
Ukrainian exhibition brings ‘Towel of Unity’ to Killarney The Ukrainian community in Kerry presented the international outdoor exhibition “The Towel...
Monument honouring Kerry’s revolutionary women
Monument honouring Kerry’s revolutionary women A proposal that first originated in the Killarney Municipal District has culminated in the unveiling...
Ukrainian exhibition brings ‘Towel of Unity’ to Killarney
The Ukrainian community in Kerry presented the international outdoor exhibition “The Towel of Unity – The Towel of Victory” at...
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