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Opening of New Library
On Tuesday, 12th December 2006, the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese opened the P.J. Brophy Library, the Kathleen Brennan Student Services Centre and the Delany Archive at Carlow College
 The president of Carlow college introduced her to the Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin, the college Trustees, the Board of Management of the college and student representatives.
 President McAleese met with and answered questions from students of both the Humanities an Social Studies Departments. 
 The President then went to the Kathleen Brennan Student Services Centre where she met the president of the Students Union Dawn Nolan who introduced her to the other committee members. The President of the college introduced the members of the Brennan Family to President McAleese. 
A gathering of 300 people packed the library, among them Trustees, Staff members, Council officials from Carlow Local Authorities, public representatives, past students, both lay and clerical and patrons and friends of the college. The president was greeted by the librarian, Mr. David Murphy and entered the Library to a salute on the organ, played by John Egan, a local musician.
The President was welcomed by Fr. Caoimhín Ó Néill who said that the opening of the new facilities by President McAleese was a glorious day for the college, a special day for the Brophy and Brennan families, for the architects Eamon Hedderman and Ken Anderson, for the builders James Farrell & Sons, for the past students of the college and especially for the current staff and students of Carlow College.
 President McAleese then addressed the gathering and said how pleased she was to be in Carlow College where her late parish priest, Mons. Arthur Bradley had been ordained.
She explained her delight in the progress of the college and complimented all concerned on the magnificent adaptation of the college Chapel to a library. She spoke of the decline in vocations to the priesthood but reminded her listeners of the enormous contribution Irish clergy and religions had made to culture and education across the world. She said she hoped Carlow College would continue to prosper and would grow from strength to strength.
Bishop Moriarty, Chairman of the Trustees of Carlow College thanked the President for her kind words of encouragement and congratulated the college authorities on their achievement.
The President then unveiled a
commemorative plaque to mark her visit. 
She was presented with a bouquet of flowers by Roisín Brennan, niece of the late Kathleen Brennan.
The college choir under the direction of Mary Almond-O’Brien then sang a Ukranian carol, after which the President greeted the County Manager and the council officials, the architects and the builder, the Brophy Family and some clergy from Down & Connor and Dromore who had come south for the occasion.
Before she left President McAleese met the housekeeping and maintenance staff and as she departed she expressed her satisfaction that Ireland’s oldest Catholic College was adapting so confidently to the challenge of a very changed world.
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