Enjoy a full campus experience in Ireland’s “City of Culture.”
Western Europe Semester - Limerick
Students participating in the Western Europe Semester program, St. John's University's unique three-country program, will benefit from our collaboration with Mary Immaculate College, a vibrant Catholic college on twenty-five acres, with a 500-seat theater, student union, cafeteria, and a sports and recreation complex. Visit MIC's Orientation Tour website for additional information on their splendid campus, as well as their welcome video to Limerick City.
Students will reside in MIC student housing adjacent to campus and will be able to feel immersed in the local culture while having access to a full university campus with sculpture trails, state-of-the-art auditoriums and an active international and local student population.
The student residence is within walking distance to the Limerick Museum, the Limerick City Gallery of Art, King John’s Castle and Saint Mary’s Cathedral.
Our Programs and Location
Study Abroad
Through the Office of International Education, undergraduate students can spend a semester gaining knowledge and earning course credit at our Limerick location.
Directions and Map
Mary Immaculate College is located between the South Circular Road and the Dock Road in the leafy southern suburbs of Limerick City.
Our Limerick Team
Mary Immaculate College's experienced and dedicated on-site staff is committed to doing everything they can to make your experience abroad as educational, comfortable and fun as it can be.
Holly Cowman
Director of International Engagement
Holly is the Founding Director of the International Office at Mary Immaculate College (MIC), having managed the office since its establishment in 2013. She has worked at MIC since 2007. Holly herself was a student at MIC. She completed a BA in Media & Communication Studies and Philosophy and an MA in Philosophy & Literature. She also has an MA in Film Studies and an MA in Psychotherapy. Holly also holds an Executive EdD in Higher Education from Boston College. She is a proud Limerick native and loves to show visitors - particularly newly-arrived international students - around the historic, riverside city and the surrounding region.
Holly's love for travel began when she studied abroad in Florence, Italy for a year during her BA degree. There she studied History of Cinema, History of Art and History of Philosophy. During that year she was an extra in the movie Hannibal and did promotional work for the British Institute. She used the opportunity to travel throughout Italy and Greece and to develop her language skills.
Holly's experience of studying abroad had a direct impact on her career choice. She now advises students from MIC looking to study abroad as well as international students coming to study at MIC. Holly considers study abroad to be the most beneficial part of college life and she is looking forward to playing a part in facilitating enriching, life-changing experiences for students from St John's University at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Holly is a member of Mary Immaculate College’s Strategic Planning Committee and a member of the High Level Group on Internationalisation of Higher Education in Ireland, which is convened by the Irish Government’s Department of Education & Skills. She is also Chairman of the Irish Council for International Students.
Breeda Cahill
International Office Manager
Breeda has completed a BA in Language and Cultural Studies in the University of Limerick and also completed a Diploma in Human Resource Management and a degree in Management Practice from the University of Limerick.
As part of her BA degree, she completed an Erasmus exchange in Aix en Provence and this highlighted the beginning of her love of travelling and working with students. After her degree, she took a year out to travel around the world and she worked in Australia for approximately eight months. After this she returned to Ireland and worked in Dublin for ten years, in Human Resources for over six years and a Dublin University for over three years, before returning to the West of Ireland, where she is from.
She is delighted to be back working closer to home and to also be able to promote the lovely city of Limerick to the St John’s University students on the Western Europe Semester program. She is always available to answer any query no matter how big or small and thoroughly enjoys accompanying the students on excursions and field trips and looks forward to the continued success of the program at Mary Immaculate College and meeting enthusiastic students who are eager to learn and explore Irish culture!