Mary Immaculate College (''Coláiste Mhuire gan Smál''), also known as MIC and Mary I, is a College of Education and Liberal Arts. Founded in 1898, the university level College of Education and the Liberal Arts is academically linked with the

University of Limerick University of Limerick (UL) () is a Public university, public research university institution in Limerick, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Founded in 1972, as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, it became a university in Septemb ...

. The multi-campus college now has a student population of over 5,000 enrolled in undergraduate programmes and a range of postgraduate programmes at Diploma, MA and PhD level. The college has a student retention rate of 95% - one of the highest in Ireland.

Current Developments

MIC has undergone significant growth and development in recent decades with the overall student population witnessing a tenfold increase since 1992. This expansion has brought with it a significant expansion and broadening of MIC's academic provision, as well as a re-development of the campus which now offers teaching, learning and research facilities as well as events and conferencing facilities. In 2016, MIC expanded its geographical footprint following the incorporation of St Patrick's College in Thurles, another well-established college, offering four degree programmes preparing students to become second-level teachers. As a result of the incorporation of St. Patrick's College, Thurles, MIC is now a multi-campus institution offering 13 undergraduate degree programmes in Education and the Liberal Arts, as well as Continuing Professional Development offerings for teachers and numerous postgraduate opportunities to Masters and PhD level. Also in 2016, a consortium, led by MIC, was awarded the contract from the Higher Education Authority for the delivery of the National Higher Education Programme for Inclusion Coordinators in Early Years Settings. A December 2020 report noted that Mary Immaculate College had spent €34,140 on investigating sexual harassment, together with €2,152 on legal fees.

Degree Programmes

MIC offers 13 undergraduate degree programmes across both campuses. In 2022 the college announced the launch of a new Bachelor of Science in psychology (MI003), a unique four-year, full-time, honours degree level 8 programme that provides students with a comprehensive undergraduate education in psychology and includes learning in the workplace. The programme content prepares graduates for a range of careers while giving them the necessary psychological knowledge to pursue postgraduate studies in psychology. The Bachelor of Arts (MI002) is a four-year degree programme with three years on campus and one year on work placement and/or study abroad. The degree is flexible and offers a wide range of familiar subjects to choose from such as English, Geography and History, to newer subjects such as Drama & Theatre Studies, Media & Communication Studies or Psychology. For students interested in drama and theatre practice there is the four-year BA in Contemporary and Applied Theatre Studies (MI001). On the MIC Thurles Campus there are a number of post-primary teacher education degrees in areas such as Business Studies, Accounting, Gaeilge, Religious Studies, Mathematics and Home Economics. The programmes offered include the BA in Education, Business Studies & Accounting (MI016);BA in Education, Business Studies & Religious Studies (MI017); BA in Education, Gaeilge & Religious Studies (MI018); BA in Education, Gaeilge & Business Studies (MI019); BA in Education, Mathematics & Gaeilge (MI020); the BA in Education, Mathematics & Business Studies (MI021) and the BA in Education, Home Economics & Business Studies (MI022). MIC also offers a host of postgraduate programmes to doctoral level in Education and the Liberal Arts, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses and numerous access and inclusion pathways. MIC also offers funding supports through a Departmental Assistantships Scheme and merit-based Research Masters and Doctoral Awards Schemes.

Student composition

Close on 10% of students on campus are mature students, a relatively high figure when compared to other third level institutions. The college, in addition to catering for mature students, also offers special entry to disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, refugees, members of ethnic minorities, and Travellers. MIC also offers Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses and is committed to improving access to higher education for adults. A range of tailored programmes and supports make the journey for adult learners as easy as possible. Through its

Erasmus Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus ( ; ; 28 October c. 1466 – 12 July 1536), commonly known in English as Erasmus of Rotterdam or simply Erasmus, was a Dutch Christian humanist, Catholic priest and Catholic theology, theologian, educationalist ...

and student exchange programmes, the college also has an overseas complement in its student body. Students come from

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Sudan Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

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Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...

, and

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

. The MIC Limerick grounds also has includes property on Mount Convent, a former Sisters of Mercy convent on O'Connell Avenue, Limerick, where it houses postgraduate students.

Wired 99.9FM

The college is home to a radio station, Wired 99.9FM, Limerick's only student radio station with a broadcast licence, run in partnership with another Limerick college, Technological University of the Shannon (TUS).

Lime Tree Theatre

Mary Immaculate College is also the location of the 510-seat theatre known as the Lime Tree Theatre. It was officially opened on 30 October 2012. The venue is host to a wide range of performances, including theatre, music, comedy, traditional arts, schools’ performances, and conferences.

Notable alumni

* Cathal Crowe, Politician * Alphonsus Cullinan, Bishop of Waterford & Lismore * Jim Daly TD, Fine Gael politician * John Gunning, sports journalist working in Japan *

Una Healy Una Theresa Imogene Healy (born 10 October 1981) is an Irish singer. She rose to fame in 2008 as a member of five-piece girl group The Saturdays, who are signed to Fascination and Polydor Records. The group later gained another record deal wi ...

, member of

The Saturdays The Saturdays are an English-Irish girl group based in London, England. The group formed during the summer of 2007 and has been on hiatus since 2014. The lineup consists of Frankie Bridge, Una Healy, Rochelle Humes, Mollie King, and Vanessa Whi ...

(left in first year to pursue music career) * Jacqui Hurley,

RTÉ (; ; RTÉThe É in RTÉ is pronounced as an English E () and not an Irish É ()) is an Irish public service broadcaster. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, ...

sports presenter * Tony Killeen, politician * Micheál Lehane, journalist * Pat McDonagh, Supermac's founder * Roisin Meaney, bestselling author * Madeline Mulqueen, Irish model * Hildegarde Naughton, Politician * Síle Ní Chéileachair, short story writer (deceased) * Patrick O'Donovan, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science * Páidí Ó Lionáird, TG4 presenter *

Dáithí Ó Sé Dáithí Mícheál Ó Sé (; born 2 June 1976) is an Irish television presenter. He currently hosts RTÉ One's ''Today (Irish TV series), Today'', alongside Maura Derrane. He is also the current host of the Rose of Tralee (festival), Rose of Tral ...

, RTÉ presenter * Orla O'Shea, former Rose of Tralee * Máirín Quill, politician

Sports

Cathal Barrett Cathal Barrett (born 21 July 1993) is an Irish hurler who plays for Tipperary Championship club Holycross–Ballycahill and at inter-county level with the Tipperary senior hurling team. He usually lines out as a right corner-back. Playing ca ...

, Tipperary hurler & All Ireland winner * Naomi Carroll, field hockey player * Conor Cooney, Galway hurler and Allstar winner * Heather Cooney Galway camogie player * Richie English, Limerick hurler & All Ireland winner * Mark Foley, former Limerick hurler * Aaron Gillane, Limerick hurler & All Ireland winner * Ciara Griffin, former Irish Rugby Captain * Declan Hannon, Limerick hurler & All Ireland winner * Séamus Kennedy, Tipperary hurler & All Ireland winner * Cian Lynch, Limerick hurler & All Ireland winner * Brendan Maher, Tipperary hurler & All Ireland winner * Ronan Maher, Tipperary hurler & All Ireland winner * Shane McGrath, Tipperary hurler and Allstar winner * Thomas Monaghan, Galway hurler *

Niamh Mulcahy Niamh Mulcahy is a camogie player, winner of the Camogie All Stars Awards#Young Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year award in 2007. She was player of the match when Limerick won the All Ireland Senior B championship in 2007 on a team man ...

, Limerick camogie player and Allstar winner * Juliet Murphy, Cork footballer & multiple All Ireland winner * Dara Ó Cinnéide, former Kerry Gaelic footballer; TG4 presenter * Darragh O'Donovan, Limerick hurler * Niall O'Meara, Tipperary hurler & All Ireland winner *

Tomás Ó Sé Tomás Ó Sé (; born 21 June 1978) is an Irish former Gaelic footballer. He played Gaelic football with Nemo Rangers GAA, Nemo Rangers and at senior level for the Kerry county football team, Kerry county team from 1998 until he retired in 2013 ...

, former Kerry Gaelic footballer * David Reidy, Limerick hurler * Roisin Upton, field hockey player

History

The college was established as a dedicated primary teacher training college for female teachers in 1898 by Bishop Edward Thomas O'Dwyer, Roman Catholic Bishop of Limerick and the

Sisters of Mercy The Sisters of Mercy is a religious institute for women in the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1831 in Dublin, Ireland, by Catherine McAuley. In 2019, the institute had about 6,200 Religious sister, sisters worldwide, organized into a number ...

. Its foundation stone was laid on the 8th of December 1898 and the college officially opened in 1902, accepting female students from Munster. The college accepted male students for the first time in 1969. With a new curriculum in 1971, a number of major changes were initiated with teacher training in Ireland. 1974 saw the commencement of the three year B.Ed. degree with the first graduates in 1977, the course, like in other teacher training colleges, was previously a two-year National Teachers Diploma). From 1974 to 1994, Mary Immaculate College was a recognised college of the

National University of Ireland The National University of Ireland (NUI) () is a federal university system of ''constituent universities'' (previously called '' constituent colleges'') and ''recognised colleges'' set up under the Irish Universities Act 1908, and signifi ...

. Due to a drop in the demand for school teachers, in the 1980s under Sr O'Connor and Sr Bulgers presidencies, the college diversified into non-education arts programmes, and began to initiate links with other international universities. Evening programmes were delivered with diplomas in computer studies, catechetics, and philosophy (awarded by NUI). Following the granting of university status to NIHE Limerick in 1989, Mary Immaculate (as did Thomond College) began talks about a more formal relationship with UL. In 1991, the college became affiliated to the

, with new Liberal Arts Programmes being offered by MIC.Honouring Sister Angela Bugler rsm
Sisters of Mercy, May 22, 2017. Degrees were awarded by the NUI until 1994, from 1995 degrees were conferred by UL. 2003 saw the first PhD awarded by Mary Immaculate.

Presidents of Mary Immaculate College

Since its founding in 1898, the

presided over the college up until 1999. The term principal was used for the position of head of the college in earlier years. * Sr. Mary Paul Quinlan (1901–1923) first principal of the college. * Sr. Mary Veronica (1923-1945) she served as vice-principal to Sr. Quinlan. * Sr. Celsus Barry (1945-1952) * Sr. Rosalie Loughnane (1952-1959) * Sr. Loreto (Eileen) O'Connor CSM, BA, HDipEd, MA (1959-1979)Sr. Loreto O'Connor
An Appreciation, Irish Times, June 6, 2011. * Sr. M. Cabriní Moloney (Siúr Carbriní Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh) CSMMary Immaculate College - Historical Perspective
By Siúr Carbriní Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh, Uachtarán, Education Vol.2 No.5, 1987. * Sr. Angela Bulger BA, HDipEd, MA, HonDLitt(1988-1999)Former President Angela Bugler of MIC Receives Honorary Degree from UL
I Love Limerick, April 28, 2017. * Prof. Peadar Cremin (1999-2011) * Rev Prof. Michael A Hayes (2011-2017) Tributes paid to Mary Immaculate College president, Rev Prof Michael A. Hayes RI

/ref> * Prof. Eugene Wall (2018-2024) * Prof. Dermot Nestor (2024-)

Partner institutions

In addition to institutions throughout Europe, the college exchanges students and staff yearly with the following colleges and universities: * St. John's University (New York City), St. John's University,

New York, New York New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harb ...

* Gannon University, Erie,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

Frostburg State University Frostburg State University (FSU) is a public university in Frostburg, Maryland. The university is the only four-year institution of the University System of Maryland west of the Baltimore-Washington passageway in the state's Appalachian highlan ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

Regis University Regis University ( ) is a Private university, private List of Jesuit educational institutions, Jesuit university in Denver, Colorado, United States. Founded in 1877 by the Jesuits, Society of Jesus, the university offers more than 120 degrees th ...

Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

* Loyola University,

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

* University of St. Thomas,

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

Longwood University Longwood University is a public university in Farmville, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1839 as Farmville Female Seminary and colloquially known as Longwood or Longwood College, it is the third-oldest public university in Virginia and one of ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

* Thomas More College,

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

* Salve Regina,

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

* Le Moyne College,

Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States. With a population of 148,620 and a Syracuse metropolitan area, metropolitan area of 662,057, it is the fifth-most populated city and 13 ...

* University of Turku,

Turku Turku ( ; ; , ) is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Southwest Finland. It is located on the southwestern coast of the country at the mouth of the Aura River (Finland), River Aura. The population of Turku is approximately , while t ...

Australian Catholic University Australian Catholic University (ACU) is a public university in Australia. It has seven Australian campuses and also maintains a campus in Rome. History Australian Catholic University was opened on 1 January 1991 following the amalgamation ...

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

* Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France * West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania

References

{{coord, 52, 39, 11, N, 8, 38, 22, W, region:IE_type:edu, display=title Education in Limerick (city) Universities and colleges in the Republic of Ireland University of Limerick Catholic universities and colleges in the Republic of Ireland Universities and colleges established in 1898 1898 establishments in Ireland Buildings and structures in Limerick (city) Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities Teacher training colleges in Ireland