content: <PAGE>
  
                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  
                              Washington, DC 20549
  
  
                                    FORM 8-K
  
  
     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
  
                                October 19, 1999
  
                Date of Report (date of earliest event reported)
  
       Commission File Number:  0-25674
  
                        CBT GROUP PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
        Republic of Ireland               0-25674               Not Applicable
        -------------------               -------               --------------
  (State or other jurisdiction of  (Commission File Number)    (I.R.S. Employer
  incorporation or organization)                            Identification Number)
  
                              900 Chesapeake Drive
                         Redwood City, California 94063
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
  
                                 (650) 817-5900
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
  <PAGE>
  
  ITEM 5.  Other Events
  
  On October 19, 1999, CBT Group PLC issued the following press release attached
  hereto as Exhibit 99.1, which is incorporated herein by reference.
  
  This Current Report on Form 8-K may contain forward-looking statements within
  the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
  Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Any forward-
  looking statements in this Current Report are subject to certain risks and
  uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
  stated. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include those
  discussed in CBT Group's Form 10-K, as amended by Form 10-K/A, for the year
  ended December 31, 1998 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1999. Any
  forward-looking statements in this Current Report reflect management's opinions
  only as of the date hereof, and CBT Group assumes no obligation unless required
  by law to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to any such
  forward-looking statements.
  
  ITEM 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits
  
  (a)  Not Applicable
  
  (b)  Not Applicable
  
  (c)  Exhibits.  The following exhibit is being filed herewith.
  
       (99.1)  Press Release, dated October 19, 1999
  <PAGE>
  
                                    SIGNATURE
  
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
  
                                        CBT GROUP PLC
  
  
  
  Date: October 19, 1999                By:  /s/ Gregory M. Priest
                                             ---------------------
                                             Gregory M. Priest
                                             President and Chief Executive Officer
  
  Date: October 19, 1999                By:  /s/ David Drummond
                                             ------------------
                                             David Drummond
                                             Executive Vice President of Finance
                                             and Chief Financial Officer
  <PAGE>
  
                                  CBT GROUP PLC
  
                            EXHIBIT INDEX TO FORM 8-K
  
  
  
  Exhibit
  
  (99.1)    Press Release, dated October 19, 1999
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metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CBT GROUP PLC", "cik": "0000940181", "assigned-sic": "7372", "irs-number": "000000000", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-25674", "film-number": "99730864"}, "business-address": {"street1": "900 CHESAPEAKE DRIVE", "city": "REDWOOD CITY", "state": "CA", "zip": "94063", "phone": "6508176900"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "900 CHESAPEAKE DRIVE", "city": "REDWOOD CITY", "zip": "94063"}}
text: UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  
                              Washington, DC 20549
  
                                    FORM 8-K
  
     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
                                October 19, 1999
  
                Date of Report (date of earliest event reported)
  
       Commission File Number:  0-25674
  
                        CBT GROUP PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
        Republic of Ireland               0-25674               Not Applicable
        -------------------               -------               --------------
  (State or other jurisdiction of  (Commission File Number)    (I.R.S. Employer
  incorporation or organization)                            Identification Number)
  
                              900 Chesapeake Drive
                         Redwood City, California 94063
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
  
                                 (650) 817-5900
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
  ITEM 5.  Other Events
  
  On October 19, 1999, CBT Group PLC issued the following press release attached
  hereto as Exhibit 99.1, which is incorporated herein by reference.
  
  This Current Report on Form 8-K may contain forward-looking statements within
  the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
  Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Any forward-
  looking statements in this Current Report are subject to certain risks and
  uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
  stated. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include those
  discussed in CBT Group's Form 10-K, as amended by Form 10-K/A, for the year
  ended December 31, 1998 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1999. Any
  forward-looking statements in this Current Report reflect management's opinions
  only as of the date hereof, and CBT Group assumes no obligation unless required
  by law to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to any such
  forward-looking statements.
  
  ITEM 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits
  
  (a)  Not Applicable
  
  (b)  Not Applicable
  
  (c)  Exhibits.  The following exhibit is being filed herewith.
  
       (99.1)  Press Release, dated October 19, 1999
  SIGNATURE
  
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                        CBT GROUP PLC
  
  Date: October 19, 1999                By:  /s/ Gregory M. Priest
                                             ---------------------
                                             Gregory M. Priest
                                             President and Chief Executive Officer
  
  Date: October 19, 1999                By:  /s/ David Drummond
                                             ------------------
                                             David Drummond
                                             Executive Vice President of Finance
                                             and Chief Financial Officer
  CBT GROUP PLC
  
                            EXHIBIT INDEX TO FORM 8-K
  
  Exhibit
  
  (99.1)    Press Release, dated October 19, 1999