Mary Immaculate College (MIC) was delighted to welcome back 180 graduates to the College on Saturday, 4 October, for its Alumni Reunion.
Graduates from as far back as 1960 and as recent as 2020 returned to MIC to reconnect with old friends, share memories of their student days, browse archival materials, and see the many changes to the campus since they last walked its halls.
Welcoming back the returning alumni, Professor Dermot Nestor, President of MIC, paid tribute to their lasting impact on the College:
“You have helped to raise this institution. You are the ones who matured it and helped it to develop. You became teachers and educators across Ireland; you shaped classrooms and communities; you developed imaginations and interests. . It is you and your work that give MIC its reputation – locally, nationally, and internationally. You have made future students want to come here. You have made this institution what it is today.”
Also in attendance was Dr Paul O’Brien, Associate Professor in Social & Environmental Education (Pedagogy of History) and member of the Class of 2010, who gave a brief reflection on the College’s 125-year history and how it has evolved.
The Class of 1975 was the most represented year on the day, with over 46 graduates returning to campus. This cohort holds a special place in MIC’s history as the final group to complete the two-year National Teaching Course before it transitioned to a three-year Bachelor of Education degree.
Martin Gleeson, Class of 1975 and former lecturer at MIC, spoke fondly of his time at the College, recalling the friendships and people who made his student years special:
“My best memory is the camaraderie. There was wonderful camaraderie among all the students in those years, and one standout person was Noreen Lynch (former Physical Education lecturer at MIC). She was an outstanding human being. She treated us so well, built our confidence, organised us into teams, and started the first hurling and football teams at MIC. She was a major influence on our lives.”
This year’s event celebrated milestone anniversaries for the graduating classes of 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020.
Live music was provided by Rachel Mahony and Aoife Connelly, both recipients of the Aisling Murphy Scholarship, while student volunteers were on hand to guide alumni on campus tours and share insights into MIC’s history and heritage.
The MIC Alumni Reunion takes place annually and invites graduates to return to campus every five years after their graduation. For further information on MIC’s Alumni and planned Alumni events, please see our website or sign up for MIC’s Alumni newsletter.
Watch the 2025 MIC Alumni video below.
