Opportunity Knocks: by the Irish Centre for Talented Youth (CTYI). Based in DCU, the centre is looking for second-level students who have exceptional verbal and/ or mathematical reasoning abilities and are between the ages of 12 and 16. In the past six years, several thousand students have taken part in the search by sitting an aptitude test. Those who score highly are offered places on a range of academic programmes run by the CTYI during the summer. Last year nearly 800 took part and some 400 students attended the course at DCU. A number of scholarships are made available to students on the basis of their test scores. For information, contact the CTYI at fax number (01) 704 5693.

Art Beat:

A free lecture on Baroque art (including Caravaggio) will be run this Thursday at the National Gallery on Dublin's Merrion Square. The one-hour lecture starts at 5 p.m. in the gallery's lecture theatre. It's part of the gallery's schools' programme. The lectures are open to all young people, who may come by themselves or in a group with their teacher. Future lectures include one on the Spanish masters on Thursday, October 2nd, and one on Vermeer and the golden age of Dutch painting the following week. For information contact Jackie Ryan, school programme coordinator at the gallery - at fax (01) 676 6488 or phone (01) 661 5133.

Film Buffs:

Keep your eyes and ears open over the coming weeks for information about Murphy's Cork Film Festival. It will include a number of screenings and workshops aimed at young audiences. Edie Demas, festival education programme director, is available for information and questions at (021) 271544. Also see back page for details about a competition for would-be film critics.

Send news in good time. Write or fax: Catherine Foley, Education & Living, The Irish Times, 13 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2. Phone (01) 679 2022 or fax (01) 679 2789.