Atlantic Technological University (ATU ) officially announced Professor Patrick Pollock as its new Head of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery at the National Ploughing Championships in Tullamore last weekend.
The announcement of Professor Pollock's appointment marked the conclusion of the three-day event where ATU showcased its newest veterinary programme and other offerings from across their campuses. Thousands of visitors attended the ATU tent to learn more.
Professor Patrick Pollock is a globally recognised equine surgeon and educator who brings decades of experience to the role. He previously led major veterinary hospitals at the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow and became the world’s first Professor of Remote and Rural Veterinary Medicine.
"ATU Veterinary is more than a vet school," said Professor Pollock.
"It is a veterinary community, serving the people and animals of Ireland and beyond. Our graduates will emerge resilient, confident, and ready to make a difference anywhere in the world," he added.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD met with the newly formed veterinary team during the event, highlighting the national importance of the initiative. MEP Maria Walsh attended the official announcement and stated that Ireland is in "great need of more vets" and that she was pleased to see ATU "doing tremendous work on filling this gap and supporting the sector".
"Back in February, I brought a group of MEPs from other Member States on a visit to the ATU campus and I must tell you, my colleagues were highly impressed by the work they do. Hearty congratulations to everyone involved, and best wishes to your veterinarian students of the future," she said.
The new five-year Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (BVMS ) programme, set to welcome its first students in September 2026, will be based at ATU’s Letterkenny campus in Donegal, with one semester delivered at Mountbellew. The programme is supported by significant investment in veterinary teaching and clinical facilities and will initially offer 40 places. Applications will open via the CAO on November 5, 2025 under the CAO code: AU375.
By increasing the number of veterinary training places in Ireland, ATU aimed to enhance national provision of veterinary education, offering more students the opportunity to study veterinary medicine domestically and ensuring communities across Ireland have access to world-class veterinary care.
ATU’s BVMS was designed to meet the professional accreditation standards of the Veterinary Council of Ireland (VCI ), the European System of Evaluation of Veterinary Training (ESEVT ), and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS ). As accreditation requires assessment of the full programme, final approval will be granted after the first cohort
