JJ Rhatigan & Company Delivers State-of-the-Art STEM Facility ‘An Cuan’ at MTU Kerry North Campus

JJ Rhatigan & Company is proud to have delivered An Cuan, Munster Technological University’s new state-of-the-art STEM facility at the Kerry North Campus in Tralee.

The building was officially opened last week by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, alongside MTU President Professor Maggie Cusack and Chair of MTU Governing Body, Jimmy Deenihan.

Delivered under the Higher Education Public Private Partnership (PPP) Programme, this landmark project strengthens Ireland’s Technological University sector and supports MTU’s ambitions to provide high-quality education and research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

At the topping-out ceremony in April 2024, Ger Ronayne, Chief Executive Officer of JJ Rhatigan & Company, said:

“This latest building marks a significant milestone in the Government’s higher education public-private partnership (PPP) programme and I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our project team for their dedication and hard work, which are crucial to the successful delivery of this important facility for the students of MTU Kerry.”

Now complete, An Cuan is a three-storey state-of-the-art STEM facility accommodating approximately 1,000 students. The building features lecture theatres, laboratories, classrooms, machinery workshops, and an engineering and agri-tech yard.

Architecturally, the building’s elongated form with gentle cranks defines its distinct zones and functions. A double-height heavy engineering workshop anchors the western section, framed in structural steel and expressed externally with Staffordshire blue brick and modern light-grey cladding. The facility also features a screened rooftop plant area and was designed to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, reflecting both MTU’s and JJ Rhatigan’s commitment to sustainability and environmental performance.

JJ Rhatigan & Company is delighted to have contributed to the creation of this landmark facility, which will inspire the next generation of STEM students and support innovation, learning, and regional growth in the South West for years to come.