Accommodation shortages and rising costs push Leitrim students to delay college or head north

It was a proud day in Ballinamore last week as 47 students at Ballinamore Community School received their Leaving Certificate results — a strong number for the local area, according to Principal Diarmuid McCaffrey.

“Anyone I was talking to was very happy, very pleased,” McCaffrey said, noting that this year’s cohort faced particular challenges beyond the exams themselves. Rising accommodation costs, increased college fees, and the wider housing crisis are weighing heavily on students and families.

McCaffrey acknowledged that some students are already adapting by delaying their progression to full-time third-level education.
“In the last couple of years, a number of students have taken a year out. They might wait for the first round of offers, then work for a year before going to college,” he explained. “Rather than go straight into full-time education again, a number of them would, would go into maybe either work or maybe a supplementary course with a view then to making maybe a more informed decision going forward.”

The national accommodation shortage has made headlines in recent weeks, with reports of students sleeping in cars and the government introducing a tax break for homeowners who rent out spare rooms. But McCaffrey believes most young people will still aim for the traditional college path.
“What a student really wants is that full experience — the first taste of being away from home. I think they would prefer to be away. But financially, that may not be possible for all,” he said.

Affordability is also driving more students to look north. Applications through UCAS have risen in recent years, with many Ballinamore students considering universities in Northern Ireland.
“That’s predominantly down to affordability, particularly accommodation and subsistence,” McCaffrey said. “The costs are lower and the distance is manageable for travel at weekends. Even if you can afford Dublin accommodation, you might not be able to get it.”

While no single course dominated this year’s choices, McCaffrey stressed that career guidance has been central in helping each student map their own path.
“It’s very individual. A lot depends on the work done with career guidance in fifth and sixth year, and on each student’s own preferences,” he said.

For now, the focus is on celebrating the achievements of Ballinamore’s class of 2025. But as McCaffrey pointed out, the realities of Ireland’s housing crisis mean the journey to college is becoming as much about affordability and access as it is about ambition and grades.

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