Laois/Offaly – A ground-breaking new partnership has been launched for Transition Year (TY) students in nine schools across Laois and Offaly, designed to equip students with cutting-edge skills in Virtual Reality (VR), filmmaking, and podcasting.
Launched at Clonaslee College, the LOETB TY Digital Arts Programme is a collaborative initiative between Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) and Laois and Offaly County Councils. The expert guidance of Film Offaly and the Laois Arts Office were also central to planning and developing the new programme.
High-Tech Skills and a €5,000 Prize Fund
The initiative moves beyond the traditional classroom, providing students with access to specialised equipment and professional training. Participating schools will compete for a generous €5,000 prize fund, funded by the two county councils.
Students are tasked with a creative brief: to utilise their new digital skills to tell the unique stories of their schools and local communities.
The “Oscars” of Laois-Offaly
The programme will culminate in a gala showcase and awards ceremony on 6 May at the Esker Arts Theatre. It will be an Oscars style occasion, which will see student work projected onto the big screen before the winning teams are announced.
A Launch Celebrating Innovation
Clonaslee College was selected to host the launch due to its burgeoning reputation for digital innovation, specifically its Transition Year Filmmaking course.
Speaking at the launch, Linda Tynan, Director of Schools for LOETB, highlighted the LOETB’s ‘commitment to providing a range of creative opportunities for our students.’ She thanked both County Councils for their ‘wonderful support’ of this initiative and its sister programme, the Junior Cycle S.T.E.A.M. Programme.
Representatives from the local authorities, Ray Bell (Offaly County Council) agus Antoinette Brennan (Laois County Council), emphasised their enthusiasm for a project that directly enhances digital creativity and innovation within the region. Muireann Ní Chonaill of Laois Arts Office encouraged students to seize these opportunities, citing the growing success of the film industry in the Midlands.
The event concluded with insights from Clonaslee College teacher Carina Dunne who works alongside fellow Film Studies teacher Pamela Wilson to teach filmmaking to their TY cohort. Having pioneered the filmmaking course at the school, she spoke passionately about the confidence and technical skills students have gained—and their determination to bring home the top prize in May.
