Alumni Awards Gala Banquet

Alumni Awards Header 2023

‌(For internal bookings, please email alumni@universityofgalway.ie)

The Alumni Awards Gala Banquet 2023 is a special occasion to celebrate the remarkable achievements of University of Galway alumni worldwide. These awards serve as a tribute to the outstanding contributions and accomplishments of the university's 128,000 graduates across the globe. The recipients include exceptional individuals who have made significant impacts on local, national, and international levels in various fields. Over the past 22 years, the Awards programme has honoured 133 distinguished University of Galway alumni.

The winners of the 2023 Alumni Awards to be presented at the Gala Banquet on Friday June 16, 2023 are:

Alumni Award for Business and Commerce - Sponsored by Bank of Ireland
Jim Clarken, chief executive of Oxfam Ireland and Executive Director of Oxfam International ... more

Alumni Award for Arts, Literature & Celtic Studies -
Ray Burke, Journalist and former Chief News Editor at RTÉ ... more

Alumni Award for Engineering, Science and Technology - Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson
Professor Oliver O'Reilly, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, University of California, Berkeley ... more

Alumni Award for Law, Public Policy and Society - Sponsored by RDJ
Major General Maureen O'Brien, Deputy Military Adviser to the Secretary General of the United Nations ... more

Alumni Award for Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences - Sponsored by Medtronic
Dr Dapo Odumeru MBE, Regional Quality Assurance Manager, NHS Blood and Transplant ... more

Gradam Alumni don Ghaeilge - Sponsored by Ollscoil na Gaillimhe
Máirín Ní Ghadhra, Broadcaster, RTÉ ... more

Alumni Award for Contribution to Sport
Tony Regan, former Head of Sport at University of Galway ... more

Alumni Award for Emerging Leaders - Sponsored by Deloitte
Geraldine Lavelle, Author and Assistant Lecturer at Atlantic Technological University, Sligo ... more

If you're interested in attending the event, tickets are priced at €150 per person, or you can reserve a table for 10 at €1500. For booking details and further information, please contact alumni@universityofgalway.ie

Roll of Honour - Alumni Award for Arts, Literature and Celtic Studies

2002 - Eddie Lenihan
2003 - Sean McGinley
2004 - Dr Michael D. Higgins
2005 - John Coll
2006 - Dr Pat Wallace
2007 - Séan O’ Rourke
2008 - Julian Gough
2009 - Dr Brendan O’Connor
2010 - Gerard Donovan
2011 - John Walshe
2012 - Dr Marie Mullen
2013 - Joyce McGreevy
2014 - Norah Gibbons
2015 - Dr Thomas Mitchell
2016 - Siobhán Ní Ghadhra
2017 - Mike McCormack
2018 - Lisa Coen
2019 - Fiona Mitchell
2021 - Nicola Coughlan
2022 - Tom Kenny

Roll of Honour - Alumni Award for Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

2001 - Dr Jerry Cowley
2002 - Prof Luke Clancy
2003 - Prof Maurice Manning
2004 - Prof Fred Given
2005 - Prof Orla Conneely
2006 - Prof Donald P. McDonnell
2007 - Prof Patrick J. Gullane
2008 - Dr Frank J. Giles
2009 - Prof Michael O’ Brien
2010 - Prof Rose Anne Kenny
2011 - Dr Brian Griffin
2012 - Prof Tim O’ Brien
2013 - Prof Mary D’Alton
2014 - Prof Ray Dolan
2015 - Dr Morgan O’Connell
2016 - Prof Joe Murray
2017 - Dr Eileen Naughten
2018 - Professor Declan Sugrue
2019 - Dr Ronan Waldron
2021 - Dr Colm Henry
2022 - Dr. Marie Healy

Roll of Honour - Alumni Award for Business and Commerce

2001 - Michael Maloney
2002 - Hugh Friel
2003 - Pádraig Ó Céidigh
2004 - Dr Ronan Lambe
2005 - Declan Kelly
2006 - Maria Mahon
2007 - Irial Finan
2008 - Brian Joyce
2009 - Michael Higgins
2010 - Margaret Sweeney
2011 - Gabriel D’Arcy
2012 - Máire Whelan
2013 - Adrian Jones
2014 - Dr Helen Ryan
2015 - Catriona O’Farrell
2016 - Ruth Curran
2017 - Tara McCarthy
2018 - Aedhmar Hynes
2019 - Dómhnal Slattery
2021 - Áine Ní Chonghaile
2022 - Ger Rabbette

Roll of Honour - Alumni Award for Engineering, Science and Technology

2001 - Eamon Corcoran
2002 - Dr Áine Brazil
2003 - John McGowan
2004 - Tom Costello
2005 - Anne Butler
2006 - Noel Fogarty
2007 - Patrick and Thomas Coffey
2008 - John Ryan
2009 - Finian O’ Sullivan
2010 - Dr Brian Moran
2011 - Mike Conroy
2012 - Gerard Kilcommins
2013 - Hugh O’Donnell
2014 - Michael McNicholas
2015 - Pearse Mee
2016 - Gearóid Faherty
2017 - Anne-Marie Farrell
2018 - Bernard McGuinness
2019 - Dr John Lyons
2021 - Professor Mark Costello
2022 - Mark Butler

Roll of Honour - Alumni Award for Law, Public Policy, and Society

2003 - Seán O’hUiginn
2004 - Dr Eamonn Hall
2005 - Cardinal Wilfrid Napier
2006 - The Hon. Ms. Justice Mary Faherty
2007 - Brian O’Donnell
2008 - Séamus Brennan
2009 - Dr John Hegarty
2015 - The Hon. Ms. Justice Carmel Stewart
2016 - The Hon. Chief Justice Dr Mathilda Twomey
2017 - Dr Tom Courtney
2018 - Pat Rabbitte
2019 - Grainne McMorrow
2021 - Antoinette Cunningham
2022 - Mary-Ellen McGroarty

Roll of Honour - Alumni Award for Contribution to Sport

2008 - Joe McDonagh
2009 - Ciaran Fitzgerald
2011 - Colm Murray
2015 - Olive Loughnane
2016 - Dr Paul Hession
2017 - Dr Deirdre Mongan & Dr Eoghan Clifford
2018 - Joe Connolly
2019 - Prof. Michael Molloy
2021 - John Prenty
2022 - Aifric Keogh

Roll of Honour - Gradam Alumni don Ghaeilge

2004 - Phádraigh Firtéar
2005 - Dháithí Mac Cárthaigh
2006 - Máire Mhic Uidhir
2007 - Mairéad Ní Nuadháin
2008 - Gráinne Seoige
2009 - Pádraig Ó Ceithearnaigh
2010 - Pádraig Ó hAoláin
2012 - Peadar Mac An Iomaire
2018 - Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh
2019 - Póilín Ní Chiaráin
2021 - Neansaí Ní Choisdealbha
2022 - Ré Ó Laighléis

Roll of Honour - Alumni Award for Emerging Leaders

2022 - Catherine Ludden

Roll of Honour - Alumni Award for Science (Previous Category)

2004 - Prof Emer Colleran
2005 - Prof Frank Imbusch
2006 - Prof Frank Gannon
2007 - Dr Reg Shaw
2008 - Dr Peter Heffernan
2009 - Dr Catherine Caulfield
2010 - Dr Paul Duffy
2011 - Dr Gerald Farrell
2012 - Prof Fergal O’ Gara
2013 - Dr Seamus Kavanagh
2014 - Prof Gerard Jennings