Teagasc's Kildalton College has begun marking its 50th anniversary today (May 11), as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon visited the campus to officially launch the celebration.

A Kildalton College alumni, Minister Heydon shared memories of his time there and commended the staff on how they prepare hundreds of students to work in an evolving industry.

Teagasc's largest agricultural college, Kildalton is located in Piltown, south Kilkenny, and has been offering courses in agriculture, horticulture and equine since 1971.

To celebrate 50 years of providing education throughout these sectors, the college will host an open day on June 25, which will run from 11:00a.m to 4:00p.m. The historical Bessborough House on the campus will be opened on the day, within which, different rooms representing various decades will display artefacts, letters and other historical items. There will also be a food market as well as various other events.

As a former student of Kildalton College, Minister Heydon was well placed to reflect on the changes that have taken place over the years. Speaking to Agriland, the minister said he was delighted to be invited back for today's launch.

Speaking about the the wide variety of courses offered at Kildalton and the multiple formats they're offered in, Minister Heydon outlined that his days in the college prepared him for much more than he realised at the time.

"When I think back on my classmates from Kildalton, many are farming full time, many are like me, farming part time, and many have gone into something else.

The minister also recounted some anecdotes of "having the craic" and said that he left Kildalton College with lifelong friends as well as lifelong skills.

Also speaking at the event was Dr. Anne Marie Butler, head of education in Teagasc, who is based in Kildalton College. Butler discussed how things have changed in Kildalton over the past number of years and outlined how this will continue to be the case, to prepare students for an everchanging world.

Kildalton college offers full time, part time and distance learning options and has most recently developed a link with the Technological University of Dublin, where they are collaborating on an engineering course with relation to milking systems.