This month we take a look at Sports Scholarships Schemes on offer throughout our third level institutions. These initiatives have seen a sufficient increase in the number of applicants each year to such schemes.
The Scholarships are offered to students of exceptional sporting ability each academic year. The Scholarships afford the elite sports person the opportunity to compete at the highest level while pursuing a course of academic study.
The scheme is designed to nurture and develop individual talent and maintain the third level institution’s sporting tradition.
Scholarships offer financial support to athletes to assist with the cost of accommodation, coaching and specialised training equipment.Here’s an example of some of the Soccer Scholarship Schemes on offer to students:
The Trinity College Sports Scholarship Awards began 17 years ago and to date over 300 awards, valued at circa €500,000 have been presented. This year 2009, Scholarships will be awarded in 13 different Sports and to 25 students. The Scholarship is awarded on the basis of high performance in Sport, the benefit to the particular Trinity Sports Club, and the achievement of academic excellence.
There are two soccer scholarships recipients this year, they are Evin O’Reilly and Niall O’Carroll. Both of these players received scholarships last year and have made a significant contribution to the DU Soccer Club.
Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) Sports Scholarship Scheme was established in 1997 and continues to grow steadily. Up to forty students are awarded sports scholarships annually at the institute. Full scholarships are valued at €1,500 plus free access to all institute fitness and training facilities. Each scholarship is awarded for a minimum period of one year and may be renewed as the student progresses up the academic ladder at AIT.
This year will see three former FAI Schools Internationals included in their list of recipients namely Neil Harney, Stephen Relihan, Garvan Broughall. Other successful applicants include Liam Lynch, Carmine Russo, Aisling Egan and Sinead Taylor.
Last year, DIT awarded Sports Scholarships to some 90 students in a wide range of sporting codes. This year, they continued to support six existing recipients including, Stephen Roche (UCD Senior Team), Niall Flynn, Conor McMahon (Monaghan United), Bean Zambra (Bray Wanderers), Eoin Kavanagh, Conor Corone (Cherry Orchard) while offering ten new places to Greg Hyland (Crumlin United), Mark Cahill (Shamrock Rovers U20), Tohobe Abigen (Athlone Town U20), Michael O’Connor (Bray Wanderers U20), Sean Fitzgerald (Greystones AFC), Tiarnan Rossiter (Wexford Youths), Shauna Cooke (St. Francis), Emily Hanney (Stella Morris) and Amy O’Connor (Bohemians).
NUI Maynooth’s Sports Scholarship Scheme is in its infancy with four recipients offered places for the first time this year, namely Keith Walsh, Eoin Powderly, Paul O Brien and Ciaran Hoey.
Carlow IT has offered soccer scholarships to three recipients; Kilkenny’s Adam Byrne, Dublin’s Sylvester Eigbogha and Kildare’s Shane Harris.
ITT Dublin Sports Scholarship Scheme was established in 2002. Eight students were awarded Soccer Scholarships at the Institute this year namely, Declan Carroll (Crumlin Utd), Ian Ryan (Dundalk FC), John McGuinness, Rob O'Neill (Shelbourne FC), Shane Kelly (Terenure CYM) and David Vickery, Rob Bolger and Shaun Griffin as part of the Shamrock Rovers FC Scholarship Scheme.
UCD offered 124 sports scholarships this year with 33 going to new first year recipients. Among this year’s recipients are three members of the UCD Soccer team that recently won the FAI National League first division title, Gerard Barron (Limerick), Paul Corry (Dublin) and Sean Houston (Donegal). Other colleagues include Stephen Doyle (Kildare), Daniel Fallon (Mayo), Barry McCabe (Galway), Mark McGinley (Donegal) and David O’Connor (Meath).
The FAI also offers soccer scholarships to a number of girls with the FAI’s initiative to increase female participation in sport. These recipients include Louise Quinn (UCD), Aine O’Gorman (Carlow IT), Zoe Doherty (DCU), Stephanie Roche (Sallynoggin IT) and Grace Murray (Dundalk IT)