The Athlone Institute of Technology can expect a third official title in its 40-year history - expected to be Technological University Athlone - if talks this week to amalgamate the five institutes in the Border, Midlands and West (BMW) region come to fruition.
A steering group comprising the presidents and senior staff of Athlone Institute of Technology, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, and Institute of Technology, Sligo, is directing the negotiations, described by a spokesperson as being “at an advanced stage”.
It may well be three full weeks away but already the tension and buzz is beginning to build in and around Athlone ahead of the eagerly awaited clash of neighbouring greats St Brigid’s and Garrycastle in the All-Ireland club semi-final.
It’s a question that has been asked a thousand times: When are you all going to get together and start a big band?
If Ireland is looking for a demonstration of phenomenal growth and positivity it doesn’t have to look much further than the Twitter group known as #SMEcommunity. On Friday January 27 at 11am, the County Arms Hotel in Birr, Co Offaly is hosting a free, offline event for members of #SMEcommunity. The first of its kind in Ireland, there will be representatives from the 32 counties.
Renault will update the Scénic and Grand Scénic models in the spring.