“I keep six honest serving-men (They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When, And How and Where and Who.”
Thurles was proud to play host, on Friday morning last, to a large group of Ireland’s unsung heroes, from one of Ireland’s Top Universities, University College Cork. (UCC) (Irish-Colaiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh).
UCC Library Staff on a visit to Thurles.
The unsung heroes of whom I speak of course, in this case, are UCC’s wonderful Library Staff, who keep all third level students supplied with learning materials, such as their necessary reference books and who also spend long hours researching information on their behalf.
The group, led by librarian Valerie Desmond, enjoyed a visit to St. Mary’s Famine Museum and to Thurles Library’s wonderful research centre, latter housed in our town’s ‘The Source,’ Arts Centre, before traveling on to lunch at the towns Anner Hotel.
UCC was founded as a college in 1845 under the original name of Queen’s College, Cork. It became University College, Cork, under a charter issued after the Irish Universities Act, 1908 became law. The Universities Act, 1997 renamed the university as National University of Ireland, Cork, and a Ministerial Order of 1998 renamed the university as University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork.
Today this University boasts over 17,000 students, of which there are over 14,000 undergraduate degree candidates. This student base is supported by approximately 2,578 staff, of which 764 are faculty. There are 1104 non academic staff and 710 research staff.
It is hoped that this visit will lead to a future sharing of information between UCC and Thurles Famine Museum.
