February 2017 NUI Galway Announce 2017 Alumni Award Winners

NUI Galway has announced the winners of the 2017 Alumni Awards to be presented at the 17th annual Alumni Awards Gala Banquet on Saturday, 4 March, 2017 in the Bailey Allen Hall located in Áras na Mac Léinn on campus.

The Alumni Awards recognise individual excellence and achievements among the University’s more than 90,000 graduates worldwide. The Awards programme will this year boast an impressive roll call of 100 outstanding graduates who have gone on to honour their alma mater, including, for example, President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins; Olympian Olive Loughnane; Rugby great Ciarán FitzGerald; RTÉ broadcaster Sean O’Rourke; Attorney General, Máire Whelan; former Creganna CEO, Helen Ryan, Tony Award-winning actress, Marie Mullen and broadcaster Gráinne Seoige.

The winners of the six alumni awards to be presented at Gala 2017:

Award for Arts, Literature and Celtic Studies - sponsored by Galway University Foundation

 - Mike McCormack, Irish novelist and short story writer.

Alumni Award for Business and Commerce – sponsored by Bank of Ireland

  -  Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia.

Alumni Award for Law, Public Policy and Government – sponsored by Ronan Daly Jermyn

  -  Dr Tom Courtney, Corporate Partner in Arthur Cox.

Alumni Award for Engineering, Science and Technology – sponsored by AIB

 - Anne Marie Farrell, Head of Behavioural Economics Research Global SMB Marketing, Google.

Alumni Award for Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences – sponsored by Medtronic

 - Dr Eileen Naughten, Retired Consultant Paediatrician.

Joint Alumni Award for Contribution to Sport – sponsored by Bank of Ireland

 - Dr Eoghan Clifford, Paralympic medal winner and NUI Galway Lecturer

 - Deirdre Mongan, Paralympic Athlete                       

Speaking on the announcement of the Award recipients, President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim Browne said: “Our Alumni Awards programme recognises the many Galway alumni who are leaders in their professions and excel in their pursuits at national and international levels. These awards celebrate the life-long value of an NUI Galway education and recognise individual achievements among the University’s more than 90,000 graduates worldwide. I congratulate each of the Award winners and look forward to welcoming them back to their alma mater for the Gala Banquet in March.”

For ticket and booking information contact the Alumni Office on 091 494310 or email alumni@nuigalway.ie. Online bookings at www.guf.ie

  -Ends-