Latest news with #Athlone
Irish Times
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Prime industrial and development site in Athlone for €7.3m
A new industrial investment and development opportunity in Athlone, Co Westmeath , has come to the market with a guide price of €7.3 million. Given its location, its strong tenant profile, attractive yield and significant development potential, it may appeal to investors seeking exposure to Ireland's thriving industrial market. The property, which is located on Moydrum Road and is brought to the market by JLL , extends to approximately 10,324sq m (111,000sq ft) and is situated in an established industrial location, just off junction nine on the M6. It is fully let to Heat Merchants on a 10-year lease from June 30th, 2022 with a current passing rent of €450,000 a year. Also of potential interest is an adjoining site, of about 2.3 hectare (5.7 acres), which is available for sale. This presents further opportunities for development. The site is zoned 'employment and enterprise' under the Athlone Town Development Plan 2014 – 2020 (current plan). READ MORE 'The combination of a substantial 111,000 sq ft facility let to an outstanding covenant, and a separate 5.7-acre greenfield-development site, should make this offering particularly attractive in today's market,' says Ollie Lyons of JLL. The outlook for the industrial sector remains positive. A report earlier this year from CBRE cited increased levels of nearshoring, and strong consumer spending, as driving leasing momentum in the sector.
Irish Times
a day ago
- General
- Irish Times
Carl O'Brien: ‘You've got this' - Leaving Cert tips for students and their supporters
It's almost here. Whether you're a student running over revision notes one last time or a parent/guardian doing your best to offer support, many households are feeling a mixture of nerves, pressure and hope on the eve of the State exams. The Irish Times Classroom to College newsletter is here to help: we've pulled together advice, tips and gentle reminders to make the coming weeks a little bit easier – for students and those cheering them on. Our guidance counsellor Brian Mooney has seen dozens of Leaving Cert classes come and go. He has distilled his wisdom into this guidance for parents and students on how to handle the exams. 'There is no need for parents to overhype the importance of the exams,' he writes. 'Students put themselves under enough pressure as it is.' READ MORE It's fair to say his advice is the polar opposite of this ... For students, the clock may be ticking but it's not too late to make a real impact. Whether brushing up on key concepts or calming exam nerves, a few strategic moves now can boost your confidence. We've gathered last-minute subject-by-subject tips for the Leaving Cert from seasoned teachers to help you stay sharp and steady. This year, students from Athlone Community College will be charting their exam highs and lows with daily student diaries. Peter McGuire spoke with them and found them to be focused, hopeful and surprisingly relaxed in advance of the exams. Our Leaving Cert exam diarists from Athlone Community College, Athlone, Co Westmeath. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill Not everyone is quite so calm. We were struck by the proliferation of 'extreme study' video diaries on social media. Study regimes include 5am alarms and 12-hour sessions . Any experts we spoke are far from convinced it is a route to success. Finally, our Leaving Cert parent Damian Cullen has written a funny, moving and uplifting column as his daughter prepares to take on the exams. Do, please, read it - it is well worth it. In the meantime, over the coming days we'll be providing daily reaction to the exams, help with navigating career choices and the CAO, as well as daily doses of encouragement and advice. We wish you all the very best of luck over the days and weeks ahead. - Carl O'Brien, Irish Times education editor How are we doing? If you are a parent/ guardian of a Leaving Cert student, we'd love to hear from you. Maybe you have a personal story to share, have a burning question or want to comment on the exams, CAO and further education applications process. Please click the link below to send us your questions or feedback: ingCert
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Leaving Cert class of 2025 prepares for its final challenge: ‘We hate saying goodbye – it's emotional'
The pupils have taken over the school – but the teachers wouldn't have it any other way. It's the last day for the sixth years at Athlone Community College and they have commandeered the sports hall for a singsong. Two days before their graduation, it's a bittersweet moment for school principal Lisa O'Kennedy and for Gráinne Macken, one of the deputy principals. 'We hate saying goodbye to them, and it's emotional,' Ms O'Kennedy says. READ MORE 'With our sixth years, we're at the point that they feel they can take over the sports hall and we have built up trust.' The college, which is under the patronage of Longford Westmeath Education and Training Board, marked its 50th anniversary this year. About 10 years ago, students and staff moved into a specially designed building. It is bright, spacious and well lit, with woodwork, engineering, music, science and art rooms that many other schools would envy. As schools go, Athlone Community College is one of the biggest schools in the country, with 1,162 students. How do they manage such a large operation? 'Communication is key, we need to keep each other in the loop,' Ms O'Kennedy says. 'As well as the three deputies, we have a middle-management team including year heads and assistant principals. 'We have a diverse range of extracurricular options. Over a third of our staff are taking a sports team this year, and there are a lot of student-led initiatives including, to name but three, chess, the Young Scientist exhibition and Formula One. 'The arts are huge here, too. Because we are such a big school, we can offer a lot of opportunities to our students. 'Students come up with a lot of their own ideas; for instance, we just received an application from the student council to set up a gardening club.' Ms Macken says students should feel as much ownership of the school as staff do. 'Their voice is important. We don't have a mass for graduation, because this is a multi-denominational school. So we gave the students carte blanche to be as creative as they like. We didn't tell them about the timings, the music, rehearsals, symbols, artwork or decor; they are deciding both the finer and grander details,' she says. Last year, after the students advocated for it, the school set up a sensory room so neurodivergent students – and anyone else who wanted it – could find a quiet space. The students developed the space themselves. As school leaders, Ms O'Kennedy and Ms Macken both say they worry about how their students will get accommodation while in college. They are concerned, too, about the mental health of students across Ireland. Ms O'Kennedy says young people struggle to get the right mental health supports. 'We have a mobile phone ban here from the first bell in the morning. We don't have special pouches or lockers for their phones, because they see the value in being separate from their device for a while,' she says. As for teachers, Ms O'Kennedy and Ms Macken echo their colleagues nationwide: recruitment and retention is becoming harder, especially for science and language teachers. 'They don't want to be living in a house with five other people, when they can get better pay and conditions abroad,' Ms Macken says. 'The profession is losing great teachers, but we can't blame them – there just isn't enough of a carrot to stay in Ireland.' Five students from the school will individually share their exam highs and lows in The Irish Times during the first week of the Leaving Certificate examinations. They will also talk about their hopes and worries about the future. Athlone Community College student Princess Collins. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill 'I'm enjoying my final year': Princess Collins (17) Princess is the third eldest of nine siblings. How does she manage to study in such a busy house? 'I'm used to the noise and I like being around lots of people,' she says. 'Fifth year was a little more stressful, I think. Now we have most of the work done and I'm enjoying my final year of school.' Across the country many Leaving Cert students are still unsure of what course they want to do, and may well be using the CAO Change of Mind form right up to July 1. Not Princess, however. 'I'm dead set on what I want to do: engineering in UCD,' she says. Leaving Cert student Amy Cox wants to do nursing. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill 'I'm not big into studying': Amy Cox (17) Amy is one of Athlone Community College's Leaving Cert Applied (LCA) students. Unlike the traditional Leaving Cert, where the focus is on academics, the LCA is focused on vocational learning, continuous assessment and practical life skills. 'In the run up to the Leaving Cert I thought it would be harder, so it could have been worse,' Amy says. 'I'm not big into studying, so the practical route works well for me. I am hoping to get into a general nursing course at Moate ETB [Education and Training Board], which is linked to the TUS university nursing course.' Vocational routes mean that not every young person feels the need to pursue an academic route, and that the labour market is not oversaturated with too many overqualified university graduates. In Germany , about half of second-level students take a vocational route, with a greater emphasis on providing training for much-needed, well-paid apprenticeship options. In Ireland, just over 4,000 of 62,000-plus students (6.5 per cent) sat the LCA in 2024, although the numbers are growing and the number of schools offering this option are rising. Killian Keegan, a Leaving Cert student at Athlone Community College. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill 'There's a good college here': Killian Keegan (18) The pressure of the big exam has started to grow, Killian says, but he knows what he wants to do. 'I'm hoping to study sports and rehabilitation in TUS [Technological University of the Shannon],' he says. 'It's a route towards a master's in physiotherapy, either in Ireland or abroad. And if I don't get that, sports science is another option for me.' TUS was formed from an amalgamation of Athlone IT and Limerick IT. This happened at the same time as most other institutes of technology across Ireland merged to become 'technological universities'. For students, it means those who want a university education can now get one closer to home, without having to move to Dublin, Galway, Cork, Limerick or Maynooth and face the increasingly difficult battle for accommodation. 'I'm glad to be staying here,' he says. 'I like the area, there's a good college here and I can hang on to my part-time job.' Heather McDermott, a Leaving Cert student at Athlone Community College, is hoping to study medicine. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill 'I don't see myself going abroad': Heather McDermott (18) Heather hopes to study medicine and is awaiting the results of the HPAT test. The HPAT was introduced to Ireland in 2009 and its purpose was twofold. First, it aimed to reduce the pressure on students who needed a near-perfect Leaving Cert score to get near medicine. Second, it was supposed to assess the suitability of candidates for medical school. While there is some evidence that it has eliminated the need for top marks, there's less clarity on its suitability as an admission test for medicine. 'If I don't get medicine, I will accept it; I don't see myself going abroad,' she says. 'My other options are mostly engineering courses, and I'm happy if I get one of them.' Shreyash Shukla, a Leaving Cert student at Athlone Community College, also hopes to study medicine. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill 'As I get closer to the exams, I feel the needle drop': Shreyash Shukla (17) 'This year is difficult,' Shreyash says. 'As I get closer to the exams, I feel the needle drop.' Shreyash is hoping to get enough points to study medicine as he says he is more oriented towards science and maths subjects. In the past, aspiring medical students had fewer options outside of Ireland. Today, many European universities offer medicine courses, taught through English, giving another outlet for talented students who would make great doctors but may fall short of the relatively higher Irish points requirement. 'I've looked at courses in the UK, but you need to be 18, and I won't be 18 on time,' he says.
The Herald
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Durban City clinch Motsepe title, pending DC, relegate Cape Town Spurs
The Premier Soccer League said on Thursday it would not hand the trophy to the winners due to the unresolved cases in front of prosecutor Zola Majavu, with the Magawana matter expected to be heard in front of the dispute resolution chamber on Monday. Spurs had the better first half at Athlone with veteran midfielders Jarrod Moroole and Daylon Claasen pulling the strings in the middle, winning most of the duels as they ensured their side controlled the tempo of the game. The home side almost took the lead as early as the eighth minute when Luke Baartman unleashed a ferocious shot from outside the box only to be denied by the upright. Just three minutes before the end of first-half regulation time 17-year-old Spurs striker Angus Moss rose well to head a cross whipped in by Baartman but failed to generate power to trouble Durban goalkeeper Ayanda Mtshali. Moments late City took the lead via Gamildien's brilliant header, benefiting from a well-calculated cross from Siyanda Hlangabeza.
CBC
15-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Future of Africa Centre's multicultural hub debated at Edmonton executive committee
The long-delayed multicultural community centre by Edmonton's Africa Centre is now one step closer to fruition, after council's executive committee met Wednesday. The meeting saw dozens of members of Black communities in Edmonton come to city hall to make their voice heard on the direction of the project, as the centre presented its revamped business case to committee. The African Multicultural Community Centre is being envisioned as a cultural hub to serve people of African and Caribbean descent, fostering unity, celebrating diversity and providing community services. This would include an ambitious plan to potentially include amenities like a common space for events, gymnasium, library, commercial space for businesses, kitchen, daycare and low-income housing — all coming in with a price tage of more than $54 million, as outlined by the centre. Board members of the centre are seeking land for the centre on a surplus school site in the Athlone neighbourhood that previously hosted programming at the former Wellington Junior High School. In 2007, the city facilitated a lease agreement with the Edmonton Public School Board, enabling Africa Centre to operate from the school. Administration acquired the Wellington School and land in 2012 with the intention of helping pave the way for a new facility for the centre. Because of a variety of financial roadblocks, development on the centre has been sluggish. "Edmonton is now home to the fastest growing Black community in Canada, with projections that we would make up about 10 per cent of Edmonton's population in coming years," Samuel Juru, executive director of the centre, told committee members on Wednesday. "Through this time of growth, the Africa Centre has also grown exponentially to meet the growing needs of our community." The centre is currently one of four organizations across Canada which is funded by the federal program Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative. Juru said the organization has grown to become the largest pan-African non-profit organization in western Canada. A path forward The project has brought to the forefront the complex and nuanced concerns of different members of Edmonton's Black communities. A majority of the speakers spoke in favour of the project. "We find ourselves at a renewed crossroads," said architect Samuel Oboh, who was on the team tasked with crafting the design of the facility in 2017. "What began as a dream has evolved into an intergenerational mission, carried forward by elders, embraced by advocates and now actively championed by youth in the in one of Edmonton's fastest growing communities." Ranti George, a social worker and director of the Afro-Caribbean Indigenous Food Bank, told committee the facility would have importance for newcomers and refugees needing a one-stop shop to access key services. "We are investing in cross-culture collaboration with all other communities in Edmonton as our Indigenous partners, most importantly, a more equitable and inclusive city, which aligns with Edmonton anti-racism strategy." A handful of speakers expressed concerns over a lack of meaningful engagement or having their community needs not being on par with other communities. "Africa is not a monolithic entity. It is a continent of more than fifty countries, each with its own rich heritage, language and tradition," said Mohamed Ahmed with Somali Community Edmonton, noting a lack of engagement with Somali, Sudanese and Eritrean communities based on conversations had with others. "We are here, not to oppose progress, but we are here to ensure that the progress is inclusive of all voices." Community advocate Odion Welch, who was one of the four founding members of Africa Centre counselling clinic, said there needs to be more data provided to show whether engagement had been done to understand the wide ranging concerns by specific communities. "Yes, it will be a significant step in showcasing Edmonton as a multicultural city as numbers rise. However, it will also support the erasure of supports for Caribbean Canadians, Black Canadians and mixed Canadians," Welch said. Juru responded to noting ongoing consultation and future consultation would take place with a variety of communities. Committee ultimately passed a unanimous motion to recommend city council have administration negotiate a $1 deal with the Africa Centre for the land with the option to buy back should construction not begin within 5 years. The motion came with multiple stipulations including: An updated operating model that includes contingencies for vacancy of commercial and housing units. Letters of support from Black-led organizations that reflect the wide diversity of the African, Black and Caribbean community. Evidence of a plan to implement a governance structure for the African Multicultural Community Centre. A capital funding strategy with letters of intent from potential funders.
