Teagasc Kildalton College, Piltown, Co. Kilkenny are delighted to announce they are hosting
a series of College Open Events during the summer months. These events are organised to
provide potential students the opportunity to discover what college life is like at Kildalton, to see the college campus, extensive enterprise units and speak to college staff. Potential
students and their families are welcome to the college on the following dates: Monday 21 st of June, Tuesday 29 th of June, Friday 9 th of July and Thursday 12 th August. Tours will begin each day at 11am and 2pm. Booking in advance is essential to ensure adherence with government restrictions.
In line with the announcement by the Minister of Further and Higher Education, Mr Simon
Harris, Kildalton College are planning for a resumption of college life closer to a pre-
pandemic scenario. Tim Ashmore, College Principal, emphasised the importance of practical
training on land based courses as well as the social interactions and friendships that
students develop over their time in college. He said that “while we have succeeded in
teaching all of our courses over the last year using a combination of students in college for
practical training and online classes on platforms such as zoom, it will be wonderful to
welcome students back to Kildalton in a more normal setting’. He concluded by adding that
“while we are looking forward to the move towards in college campus teaching, we will be
adhering to all government guidelines to ensure the college continues to be a safe place for
all”.
Kildalton College celebrates 50 years in land based education in 2021. Kildalton is the
largest land based college in the country with over 1,400 students attending courses this
current academic year. The majority of students are studying on a 2-year Teagasc training
programme while the remainder are studying on higher level degree courses linked to
Waterford Institute of Technology or UCD. The well-established progression routes between
Teagasc courses and higher education provides students on 2-year programmes the
opportunity to apply to transfer into higher education. Advice on progression routes to higher education from Kildalton programmes will be available on the day.
According to Grainne McMahon, Assistant Principal Horticulture “This year we are seeing a
significant increase in applications for horticulture courses at both further and higher
education levels. The last year had shown people the importance of our amenity spaces
such as our gardens and public parks, as well as a more conscious approach to where our
food comes from”. Students can choose to study horticulture at the college on both a full
time and part time basis. She continued by saying “This flexibility of being able to study on a part-time basis has allowed many students to return to education.” Kildalton College boasts an extensive commercial horticultural unit, offering students a perfect backdrop for
supportive practical learning. The Level 6 Horticulture Awards qualifies students for Green
Cert. status as trained farmers.
The college equine courses are highly regarded in the industry. It is due to the mix of
practical and theory training and excellent work place practice in some of the top yards in the country that these courses are popular with students. The equine unit at Kildalton College has world class facilities which offer fantastic practical training and has a reputation for producing highly skilled graduates. Kildalton graduates have careers all over the world and employers return to the college every year in search of new staff. Both the riding and stud management courses allow students to get their Green Cert. Equine students also have the opportunity and are encouraged to complete BHS Teaching exams while studying at the college and can leave Kildalton as qualified riding Instructors.
Teagasc has invested significantly in Kildalton College in recent years and the new facilities
are well worth seeing. If you are interested in joining an exciting industry which is flourishing you should visit Kildalton College on one of the open days over the summer months: Monday 21st of June, Tuesday 29th of June, Friday 9th of July and Thursday 12th August. Booking in advance is essential for all open days via telephone 051 644400 or email kildalton.college@teagasc.ie.
Tours start between 11.00am and 2.00pm.
For further information, please contact the following:
Reception 051-644400
Tim Ashmore, College Principal 051-644501
Grainne McMahon, Assistant Principal Horticulture 051-644421
James Ryan, Assistant Principal Agriculture 051-644500
Rosemary Gaffney, Equine Course Co-ordinator 051-644429
