Michael Noonan (b. 1944), assistant principal, CIT

Michael Noonan, a native of North Cork, was educated by the Christian Brothers in Doneraile and graduated with a Science degree from UCC, followed by a Master’s and doctorate. While undertaking postgraduate studies in UCC, he taught biochemistry as a part-time teacher at the Crawford Municipal Technical Institute, and then spent a year working as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Agricultural Research Institute and UCD. He humorously recalls being interviewed for a position at the Crawford, an interview which had a successful outcome. He gives a fascinating insight into the recruitment of students at this time, though the Crawford had an edge because Cork (and Belfast) had led the development of technical education in the country. He recalls a Rural Science dinner when he, Pat Kelleher and Jim Roche met at the bar and decided to establish Cork RTC’s first degree course, a Degree in Chemical [ ]. This degree course was quickly joined by three further degree programmes in Mechanical Engineering, Electronic Engineering and Applied Computing. He recalls with special regard the initial group of outstanding students who revelled in the challenge of a new degree course in a new academic environment. He discusses his present position as assistant principal at CIT and his hopes and aspirations for the future.