November 2015 Recipients of Sports Scholarships Treated to Address by Irish Rugby Player and NUI Galway student Robbie Henshaw

NUI Galway Award 30 New Sports Scholarships

NUI Galway Vice President for the Student Experience, Dr Pat Morgan, recently presented 30 outstanding athletes with NUI Galway Student Sports Scholarships. The ceremony commenced with a special address by Irish and Connacht Rugby player, Robbie Henshaw, who is also an NUI Galway student. Fresh from his return from Ireland’s recent Rugby World Cup campaign, Robbie spoke to the scholarship students and parents about his recent experiences and the demands of world class sport.

Kathy Hynes, Acting Head of Sport, who manages the scholarship scheme was delighted to welcome Henshaw back to NUI Galway: “It is important for our students to have role models such as Robbie who is competing at the highest level but continue to maintain their academic pathway. Robbie is an athlete who embodies all that is positive in sporting excellence and academic achievement. It is very rewarding to support athletes from a range of sports in their academic and athletic endeavour to achieve in both areas the best they can be.”

This year’s ceremony saw the Performance Points Sports Scholarship awarded to eight outstanding athletes. The scheme provides 40 additional points to those earned in the Leaving Certificate for elite athletes, for academic courses over 350 entry points.

This year’s scholarship recipients represent some of the finest young talent in Irish sport today including Naomi Carroll, Irish International Hockey player who has 69 caps. Jamie Fallon, track and cross country athlete who has already three appearances in an Irish vest, Jamie will be competing mid-November for a place in the Irish U20 for the European Cross country team in France. Ladies soccer continues to grow in strength with Aoife Walsh, Performance point’s recipient and youngest player to represent Galway Women’s Football Club (WFC) season 2013-2014 and former FAI senior cup winner. Shauna Fox, WFC team member and Louise Creaven current goalkeeper for Castlebar WFC all received awards. Conor Melody and Kevin Horgan, Galway United team players conclude the soccer awards.

The NUI Galway Basketball club will host the prestigious Intervarsity competition in April 2016. As winners of this elite competition in 2015 of the men's A tournament and the women completing the double in the B tournament the University hopes 2015 will be an equally successful year. Patrick Lyons and Joseph Tummon are both scholarship recipients 2015 and NUI Galway varsity players. Sporting success continues with Ronan O’Sullivan, former scholarship recipient and Patrick Lyons being selected for the “Hibernia” select team for International competition.

NUI Galway continues to grow its success in Rowing, with 2014-2015 winning the Men’s Intermediate 4 of Ireland for NUI Galway. The squad included Daniel Buckley and Jack Bennett both recipients of this year’s scholarship. The squad also included Aidan Kinneen and Kevin Neville. Recipient, Katie McEneff was a member of both the club and intermediate crews that took national titles at this season’s championship, with the Intermediate 4 setting a new national record time. And Ailbhe Ní Ghríofa who in 2014 was part of the successful women’s club eight and four.

Rugby scholarships were presented to Roy Stanley, Connacht U20’s, Mark Dolan, Ireland schools and U20’s, John Moloney Ireland U19’s and Shannen Lane, a member of the Irish 7’s Development squad.

Swim Ireland Connacht Performance centre based on the NUI Galway campus has continued to attract high performance athletes. The wider reach of this partnership supports the University strategic direction of community engagement. David Dowling and Alannah Leonard were both recipients of the Performance point’s scholarship.

Scholarships in individual sports such as Golf were awarded to Cathal Nolan, a Commerce and Accountancy student from Barna in Galway. Cathal is a member of the prestigious Galway Golf Club playing off par 1.

Gaelic Games within NUI Galway continues to attract high profile players and future talent including All-Star hurling nominees Conor Whelan and Padraic Mannion. Kerry Hurler Darragh Shanahan, Sligo footballer Kevin McDonnell, Roscommon footballer David Murray and Mayo’s Adam Gallagher; Ladies Gaelic Footballer, Emer Gallagher from Donegal and Camogie All-Star nominee in 2015 Chloe Morey from Clare, all secured scholarships on the night.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Vice-President for the Student Experience, Dr Pat Morgan, said: “I would like to congratulate the recipients of this year’s awards and remind them of the honour of representing the University and we hope they will aspire to even greater successes such as those achieved by the recent scholarship holders in Hurling, Camogie, Rowing, Rugby and Swimming who have reached the pinnacle of their sports.”

NUI Galway Performance Points awardees:
• Gaelic Football: Adam Gallagher from Claremorris, Co. Mayo
• Hurling: Darragh Shanahan from Lixnaw, Co. Kerry
• Rugby: Shannen Lane from Drumolga Wood, Co. Cavan
• Rugby: John Moloney from Shortcastle, Co. Cork
• Ladies Soccer: Aoife Walsh from Clybaun Road, Galway City
• Ladies Soccer: Louise Creaven from Galway City
• Swimming: Alannah Leonard from Devenish, Enniskillen
• Swimming: David Dowling from Oranmore, Co. Galway

NUI Galway Sports Scholarships awardees:
• Athletics: Maebh Brannigan from Circular Road, Galway
• Athletics: Jamie Fallon, from Craughwell. Co. Galway
• Basketball: Patrick Lyons from Moycullen, Co. Galway
• Basketball: Joseph Tummon from Circular Road, Galway
• Hurling: Conor Whelan from Kinvara, Co. Galway
• Hurling: Padraic Mannion, from Ahascargh, Co. Galway
• Gaelic Football: Kevin Mc Donnell from Castleconner, Sligo
• Gaelic Football: David Murray from Ballydangan, Co. Roscommon
• Camogie: Chloe Morey from Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare
• Golf: Cathal Nolan from Knocknacarra, Galway
• Rowing: Jack Bennett from Renmore Galway
• Rowing: Dan Buckley from Blackrock, Co. Dublin
• Rowing: Ailbhe Ní Ghríofa from Salthill, Galway
• Rowing: Katie McEneff from St Raphaels Manor, Co. Kildare
• Rugby: Roy Stanley from Thurles, Co. Tipperary
• Rugby: Mark Dolan from Athlone, Co. Westmeath
• Soccer: Shauna Fox from Headford Road, Galway
• Soccer: Kevin Horgan from Clybaun Road, Galway
• Soccer: Conor Melody from Doughiska, Galway
• Gaelic Football: Emer Gallagher from Churchill, Donegal
• Hockey: Naomi Carroll from Cratloe, Co Galway
• Hockey: Alice Meagher from Knocknacarra, Galway City

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