A 10-part series exploring real issues in education, from pre-school through junior and leaving certificate, apprenticeships to third level education and beyond, each episode features expert interviews and insights, tips, tricks and practical advice, pointing you towards supports and resources that will help you to take the opportunities, and navigate the challenges, within our education system.
Presented by Úna ní Mhaoldhomhnaigh and supported by Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board.
S02E04 Music Generation's new mobile recording studio, Chats with fifth class at Kilkenny Model School and talking teaching for World Teachers' Day
On this week's programme we attend the launch of Music Generation Kilkenny's new mobile recording studio, which will bring recording, songwriting, and performance opportunities to young people all over Kilkennny. We pay a visit to Kilkenny Model School to chat to fifth class students. And we celebrate World Teachers' Day with two local teachers.
23 Sept 2026
Learning Local S02E03 Bookville, Financial Literacy and Ceol Cliste
On this evening's programme, Una heads to O'Connor Music to chat to Ciara O'Connor about Ceol Cliste, a schools music programme. She meets Denis Carrigan, a teacher of Home Economics who was recently appointed as one of Ireland's first ever financial literacy ambassadors. And she speaks to Nicky Reed, Creative Director and Festival Co-ordinator of Bookville Kilkenny.
16 Sept 2026
S02E02 World Skills Ireland - meet the apprentice, maintaining those 'back to school' habits and more from the KCETB Student of the Year Awards
On this week's programme, we speak with CEO of the KCETB, Dr. Lindsay Malone, from last week's Student of the Year Awards. We get advice on maintaining those healthy, new-school-year-eating-habits, and, we meet Casey Nolan, a tool-making apprentice, who is currently competing at World Skills Ireland.
9 Sept 2026
S02E1 Tertiary Degrees, Family Learning and Student of the Year Awards
The new academic year has begun and Learning Local is back for season two. This week we head to the KCETB Student Of The Year awards, we learn about tertiary degrees, and family learning opportunities, that are available locally.
18 Mar 2026
Learning Local S01E10: Online Safety, Help with CAO choices, Mindful learning, Backstage at a school play and Advice for 6th class pupils.
In the final episode of this series of Learning Local we celebrate Jessie Buckley’s big Oscar win by going backstage at St. Kieran’s College and Loreto Kilkenny’s recent joint production of Across the Barricades. We get details of a free, online cyber-safety & digital health talk. First years offer advice to 6th class students who may be starting to feel a little anxious about their transition to secondary school. We get tips that may help us to be more mindful as we learn and we hear about a website that provides help with CAO choices and picking subjects for Leaving Cert . With thanks, as always, to Kilkenny Carlow Education and Training Board.
11 Mar 2026
Learning Local S01E09: Advice ahead of the Foreign Language Orals and Kilkenny Steiner School
On this week’s episode of Learning Local, teachers answer your questions ahead of the Leaving Cert foreign language orals, which are coming up at the end of March. We hear about Kilkenny Steiner School’s alternative and holistic approach to learning, arm you a few phrases that can be used as Seachtain na Gaeilge continues and we find out about upcoming Taster Days that are happening in Carlow College. With thanks to Kilkenny Carlow Education and Training Board.
4 Mar 2026
Learning Local S01 E08: Irish Oral Advice, Third Level Options through Irish, Compulsory Irish for Leaving Cert and An Irish Oral at Junior Cycle?
The Irish language takes centre stage on this week's episode, as we celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge, on Learning Local. We get tips from a muinteoir Gaeilge, ahead of the upcoming Irish orals. We hear student voice on Irish being a compulsory subject for Leaving Cert, and we get feedback from students who have chosen to study their degrees through Irish. MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú talks us through career opportunites in the European Union for those with Gaeilge, we meet three TY students who are lobbying for the introduction of an Irish oral for Junior Cycle.
25 Feb 2026
Learning Local S01 E07: Overcoming Literacy Challenges and STEM Racing Ireland Competitors
On tonight’s programme, we hear the story of Brian O’Donnell who, aged 45, reached out for support with reading and writing. He shares how life-changing taking that first step proved to be. We’re also joined by Deirdre Geoghegan Regional Literacy Coordinator with Kilkenny Carlow ETB who highlights the local supports available for adults who would like to strengthen their literacy, numeracy and digital skills.
And we meet students from two local schools, who are taking part in the exciting STEM Racing Ireland competition, a competition which challenges students to form a Formula One team, design, build and race a fast and efficient F1 style miniature car that’s powered by compressed air. Anna Duggan and Dearbhla Convery from Loreto Kilkenny are on a team called Fusion Force and Dylan Kearney and Harry Jenkinson from Presentation De La Salle Bagenalstown are on Burnout Motorsports. They fill us in on the competition, their projects, their fundraising and the rest.
As always, Learning Local comes to us with the support of KCETB. You can get in touch with the show on una@kclr96fm.com
18 Feb 2026
Learning Local S01E06: A Whole School Move: Presentation Kilkenny and A Tour of the Mayfair Library
On this week’s episode we're out and about with thanks, as always, to KCETB. First stop is Presentation Secondary School in Kilkenny who moved into a brand-new building in September last. Pupils and staff give us a sense of what’s involved in such a move, and share how they’ve settled in. Then we’re off to Mayfair Library to take a tour of their beautiful building and learn more about their many resources, and services, that support local learning.
11 Feb 2026
Learning Local S1E05: Adult career, education and guidance supports, Post Leaving Cert courses and just how good are we are recognising AI?
We’ve reached the halfway point of Learning Local. In episode five, we meet Orla Reddy, Guidance Co-ordinator with the County Kilkenny Adult Guidance Service, who talks us through the career, education and guidance supports available locally.
We also hear from local student Grace Clune, who has been working on a social innovation project, exploring how well we recognise AI. She shares her research findings, along with practical tips for spotting AI-generated content.
David Forde, Principal of Carlow Institute of Further Education, gives an overview of the wide range of courses on offer, and shares details of their upcoming Open Day.
Supported by Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board; visit KCETB.ie
5 Feb 2026
Learning Local S01E04: Apprenticeship Expo, Grounded In Nature Forest School
On episode four of Learning Local, we head back to Paulstown, to Grounded in Nature Forest School, to continue our exploration of outdoor learning.
And we turn our focus to the world of apprenticeships — the programmes that blend hands-on training with classroom study. KCETB held their annual Apprenticeship Expo in Carlow last Thursday at Carlow Institute of Further Education. Learning Local was there to meet the businesses, educators, and job seekers in attendance, and to explore the wonderful career possibilities available through apprenticeship programmes.
For more information on apprenticeships, visit www.apprenticeship.ie (http://www.apprenticeship.ie/) or www.KCETB.ie (http://www.kcetb.ie/).
29 Jan 2026
Learning Local S01E03: Primary school conversations: Saint Canice's and Outdoor Learning: Grounded in Nature Forest School
Learning Local, our education series, with thanks to Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board, continues with episode three of ten.
On this evening's programme, we pay a visit to a local forest school to find out more about outdoor learning.
We highlight some upcoming local learning events and key dates.
And we chat to the principal of Kilkenny's biggest primary school, St. Canice's, to find out what the main topics of conversation are in primary schools today.
22 Jan 2026
Learning Local S01E02: From Transistion Year to Youthreach education services
We start episode two of Learning Local in Transition Year - an optional one-year programme taken after the Junior Cycle. Two local fifth-year students, Caoimhe Fitzgerald and Annabel Coonan, find out what their classmates, Amelia Wemyss, Elise Dooley, Kathy Phelan and Orla Greene, made of their Transition Year experience.
We also hear from the TY coordinator in Loreto, Marguerite Kehoe, who shares her insights into the benefits of TY.
We meet three Youthreach students, Rosie Ryan, Emily O’Brien Dunne and Abbie McDonald who share with us, the challenges they faced during their time at school, and how Youthreach helped them to move forward with their education.
We also speak to Michelle Murphy and Ann Marie Curley, Youthreach co-ordinators in Kilkenny and Carlow, who talk us through what the service offers, to whom, and how it can be accessed.
Learning Local is supported by Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board.
14 Jan 2026
Learning Local S01E01: Paths to education, nutrition advice, CAO, mock exams tips & more
On the first episode of Learning Local on KCLR with thanks to Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board
We hear from Waterford-native Dr. Lindsay Malone, who took up her role as Chief Executive of the Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board in late 2025. Dr. Malone discusses her own journey through education, along with some of the services offered through KCETB.
Linda Murray of Beoga Nutrition joins the conversation to discuss nutrition in education, exploring the hot school meals programme and whether it's helping or hindering parents, fuelling your learning through college and more.
And Eoin Houlihan, career guidance counsellor at The Carlow Academy discusses upcoming CAO dates and preparing for the mock exams this season.
Hear Learning Local live on KCLR each Wednesday evening for 10 weeks from 14 January, 2026, with thanks to Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board, each week exploring real issues in education with practical advice and tips along the way.
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