Third Level Options event takes place in Dublin

Players were advised about their Third Level Options and football in Third Level. The 64 students representing their provinces then got the opportunity to speak to all the colleges and universities in attendance.

They also had the opportunity to listen to two former interprovincial players. Guidance counsellor Rory White, who played in the competition in 1993 and with the winning Ulster team in 1994, gave advice on Career Guidance. Current SSE Airtricity League player Dáire O’Connor was a winner of the 2014 competition with Leinster and also part of the 2015 Centenary Shield winning team. Since then, he has graduated on to UCD where he is a recipient of the prestigious Ad Astra Scholarship and represented Ireland in this year’s World University Games. He spoke about the pathway his career took from the 2014 Interprovincials, demonstrating to the current players in the room the possibilities that are ahead of them.

There were 17 Third Level Institutions and the FAI ETB represented by football coaches, current scholarship students and staff from the admissions offices’ who were on hand to speak to all the students. The Institutions present were:

1. Athlone Institute of Technology
2. Carlow Institute of FE
3. Cólaiste Íde
4. Cork Institute of Technology
5. Dublin City University
6. Dublin Institute of Technology
7. Dundalk Institute of Technology
8. Institute of Technology Carlow
9. Institute of Technology Sligo
10. Institute of Technology Tallaght
11. Limerick Institute of Technology
12. Maynooth University
13. Trinity College Dublin
14. University College Cork
15. University College Dublin
16. University of Limerick
17. Waterford Institute of Technology 

The exhibition was a great success with the FAI's Third Level Football Department also developing a booklet for students which was very well received, and included information from 27 Third Level Institutions. The Third Level Options Booklet can be downloaded below.

National Co-Ordinator for Schools and Third Level Football, Mark Scanlon, discussed the importance of the event to Leaving Certificate students stating, “A very important focus for us in the FAI is the holistic development of young players and we were delighted to be able to provide this exhibition for the players to learn more about their Third Level options.

"I would like to thank the FAI Schools for allowing us to schedule this important event into their Interprovincial tournament weekend. All 64 players who are representing their province this weekend are playing at a high level as well as studying for their Leaving Cert and it is important for them to start thinking about their future careers. 

"We are keen to promote the scholarships that are available here in Ireland for young students who play at elite level as well as promoting the importance of education. It was great to have so many of the country’s top colleges and universities here in attendance to speak and to provide information on what they have on offer. Choosing your Third Level course is a very important decision so we encourage players to really think about what they would like to do in their career, research the different courses available and make the decision that’s right for their future.”