University of Galway has awarded 29 students with sports scholarships – recognising them as among the elite and finest young talent in Irish sport today.

A further 57 athletes from previous years were also recognised at the special ceremony.

The University of Galway Sports Scholarship programme has been developed o reward student’s ability and performances and to assist outstanding athletes to develop their sporting ability hand-in-hand with academic progress.

            Des Ryan, Director of Sport and Physical Wellbeing at University of Galway, said: “It was energising to see so many talented players and athletes from the University of Galway catchment in one room. Our mission is to be the most progressive and caring University sports programme on the island of Ireland. University of Galway will provide the scholars with a high level of challenge and support. This will be led by the experienced Feargal O’Callaghan, our High-Performance lead. I wish all the scholars well for the year ahead and I look forward to getting to know them better and supporting them on the field, on the water, in the pool and on the courts.”

University of Galway 2024 Sports Scholarships awardees:

Athletics – Aisling Lane, Ava Rochford, David Mannion, Oisín Murray and Stephen Mannion

Basketball – Cillian Cannon and Fortune Igbokwe

Camogie – Carrie Dolan, Ellen Baker and Mairead Dillon

Gaelic Football – Aoife Staunton, Eanna Monaghan and Jack Lonergan

Hurling – Liam Hoare, Sam O’Farrell and Shane Murray

Rowing – Donnacha Keeley, Emma Fagan, Rian Claffey, Séan Morris, Shane McLoughlin, Shane Rafferty and Zach Meegan

Soccer – Darren Darcy, Eleanor Hernon and Milo O’Malley

Volleyball – Benedikt Licht, Emer Phelan and Ruairí Grier

As part of the special event, the University held a panel discussion to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Galway Senior Ladies All-Ireland Football championship win in 2004. Footballers from the winning team and graduates of University of Galway, Dr Lorna Joyce, Trish Gleeson and Lisa Coohill, reflected on their sporting and career journeys and shared their wisdom with scholars on the progression of women’s sport, the transferable skills of sport to professional careers and the benefits of participation in sport.

Feargal O’Callaghan, High Performance Sports Lead at University of Galway, said: “The launch of the scholarship program is always an exciting time for the University of Galway Sports Unit. We are extremely lucky to attract athletes of such quality and I very much look forward to watching their journey over the next number of years.”