Two Limerick students receive prestigious Camogie 120 Teacher Education Bursaries

TWO Mary Immaculate College students have received prestigious Camogie 120 Teacher Education Bursaries valued at €20,000 each.

The First Year Bachelor of Education students that received the bursaries are Cliodhna Queally, from Clare who plays for Inagh Kilnamona and Niamh Hally, from Waterford, who plays for St Anne’s Camogie Club. The Limerick college students were among seven first year students from a number of HEIs to receive the awards at Croke Park last week.

These bursaries were launched by the Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education and the Gaeltacht, Thomas Byrne on Saturday 16 November and are designed to support the awardees, allowing them to remain engaged with camogie in their clubs and teams during the course of their studies to be primary school teachers. They not only recognise camogie players but mentors, referees and administrators.

The bursaries were generously supported by Dr Carmel Naughton, who is an MIC Alumna and the inaugural recipient of MIC’s Alumna of the Year award in 2017—presented to her in recognition of her outstanding contribution to society.

President of MIC, Professor Dermot Nestor, attended the event, meeting with Cliodhna and the Queally family and Niamh’s mother, who was present on her behalf as she was playing in a club final on the day. He emphasised that it was “a great honour” for the College.

“My heartfelt congratulations to Cliodhna and Niamh, who were both presented with scholarships that will see them receive a bursary worth €5,000 per annum for the duration of their four-year programme. Sincere thanks to Dr Carmel Naughton and the Naughton Foundation for their generous sponsorship of these awards. I look forward to seeing Cliodhna and Niamh compete on the pitch in Croke Park on many more occasions!”

Speaking at the presentation, Carmel Naughton said: “Friends often say ‘Carmel, why camogie?’ I am surprised that they don’t understand that down through the centuries, the sliotar and hurl have been such an important part of our national heritage. Yes, I do appreciate this new world of cultural diversity and how important that is for Ireland, but we must also treasure and hold fast to the traditions that make us unique in Europe and the World.”

Brian Molloy, Uachtarán of the Camogie Association, added: “The Camogie Association is absolutely delighted to partner with Carmel Naughton in this extremely generous initiative marking our 120th anniversary this year. The Camogie 120 Teacher Education Bursaries provide student teachers with vital financial support when they are balancing their commitments to their studies with their continued involvement in the camogie community. I wish the recipients the very best with their studies and continued success on and off the Camogie pitch over the coming years.” 

Cliodhna and Niamh will be further honoured later this month at the MIC College Awards Ceremony.