There were hugs and kisses for the director of Cork Regional Technical College at the annual students' ball last week, the day the Minister for Education, Mr Martin, had promised the RTC institute status by Christmas. When the sister college in Waterford was granted that status earlier this year, it is not unfair to say that the Cork RTC went ballistic.
The student body, the staff and local politicians mounted a dogged campaign demanding that the then government should confer the institute tag on the Cork college. At the time, the "whinge" factor was much commented on in the media.
Cork has never been backward in coming forward - but in a university city, unlike Waterford, the question was - "what are they moaning about now?"
In a sense, the RTC had been living in the shadow of UCC, a great institution in its own right, which attracts not a little favourable media attention because of its innovative work.
But the RTC was pursuing its own agenda and it did so vigorously. The case made was plain and simple.
If the RTC in a neighbouring county was elevated, what would the popular perception be?
How would the Cork college, still down the pecking order, be regarded? Students thought they would be attending a lesser centre of learning; staff felt that the upgrading of Waterford was tantamount to the downgrading of Cork.
The reason for the hugs and kisses bestowed on the RTC's director, Mr Pat Kelleher, at the ball was that the students felt they were back on a level playing field.
Their studies would receive similar recognition to that of their counterparts in Waterford. The staff believed, too, that the excellence of the college in which they were teaching had been recognised.
At the end of a long day of conferrings, Mr Kelleher was a happy man and accepted gratefully the congratulations of all and sundry.
What's in a name? you might ask. For the Cork RTC it means everything - but what does it really mean? Mr Martin has promised that by the year's end the college will be designated an institute of technology.
For the RTC that is the important first step on a road that should lead to new heights. And on the Bishopstown campus, it is worth noting, there is a staggering level of activity.
The permanent student body numbers some 4,600 people; there are 3,000 part-time students; 2,000 music students, and some 1,800 students who attend the college during the block release terms.
The staff numbers, full and part-time, are approaching 1,000, and the annual budget is close to £25 million. The RTC - the new institute - is a huge local industry. And up ahead? For a start, the initial campaign has been won. The college, though, would like to be empowered to make its own certificate, diploma and degree awards.
At present, this function is carried out by the National Council for Education Awards. However, an evaluation process is now under way, which will lead, Mr Kelleher believes, to the institute being given full power over its own affairs. That's for another day. For now, stage one has been achieved.
The importance of it all, according to Mr Kelleher, is that students attending the college/institute will feel that they too are part of a place of excellence - and perhaps of even more importance for their combined futures, the mobile investors, such as multinational companies, etc., will view the college anew.
Institute status across a county boundary and regional status for the Cork college, on the other hand, could have persuaded foreign companies that one was of lesser significance than the other.
The Cork RTC's campaign effectively began in 1989 - and of course it became more intense in the past year.
There is a proud history of education in the city - and the history of technical education stretches back almost 200 years.
The newly-elevated college has a role to play in bringing industry to Cork - in remedying the much-talked about skills shortage - in putting right the perception that everybody must go to a university college to succeed.
Speaking to The Irish Times a few days ago, Mr Martin said he considered that the elevation of the RTC had been achieved on merit. The concept of the regional technical college was now outdated, he added, and institute status would more properly reflect the modern era and diverse role of colleges like Cork and Waterford.
No doubt, the Minister and his Department will have other battles to fight on this front.
Mr Martin said that while he could not comment on the evaluation of the colleges, which is well under way, and which may lead to them granting their own awards, the likelihood was that a decision would be made within eight to 12 months.
The Interim Review Committee, which is carrying out the assessment, began work in July. It includes national as well as international academics, but the process, Mr Martin explained, was a different one from the issue of status.
The aim of Government, he went on, was to develop a highlycharged technical sector in the State, and to this end, the question of resources would be crucial in the years ahead.
"I think the new status will allow the colleges to go forward with a renewed confidence. For some time they had a sense that they were being left behind - I think, somehow, that has all changed," he said.