The scholarships were presented by Director of Services for Gaeltacht Affairs Barry Lynch of Meath County Council to students at a special ceremony in Buvinda House, on Thursday, March 13.
The list of recipients are:
Máire Nic Shiubhlaigh Scholarship:
- Róise Crowley
- Polly Tiernan
- Cian Healy
- Daniel McCaughey
- Jim Dorrigan
- Ava Connolly
- Michael Daniel Shannon
- Saoirse Sludds
- Ignas Tukaciauskas
- Rachel O’Connor
- Dylan Cooke
- Bronagh Enright
- Cleopatra Stratulat
- Ciarán Melady
- Róisín Reeves
- Alex McGibney
- Sandra-Jane O’Connor
- Charlie Smith
- Maria McLoughlin
- Suzy Fitzpatrick
- Danny Gorman
- Cormac Ó Dorchaidhe
- Oisín Ó Madáin
- Tadhg Browne
MOTHER COLUMBA SCHOLARSHIP:
- Ruby McEllin
- Callum Byrne
- Tom Ó Riagáin
- Oisín Kavanagh
- Kate Butterly
- Liliana Meehan
- Tomás Ó Raghallaigh
- Grace Dempsey
MÁIRE NÍ RAGHALLAIGH SCHOLARSHIP:
- Saidhbhe McMahon
- Fiachra Farrelly
- Emma Conboy
- Conor Ó hEifearnain
- Layla Travers
- Charlie Farrow
The scholarship scheme was set up in 2018 to honour Máire Nic Shiubhlaigh, a founder actress of the Abbey Theatre and a leader of Cumann na mBán in Jacob’s Biscuit Factory during the 1916 Rising. Máire was also an employee of Meath County Council where she worked as a branch librarian in Laytown during the 1950s.
The scheme was extended in recent years with new scholarships introduced for students attending DEIS schools. The two DEIS scholarships honour the memory of two other Irish language activists from the county, Mother Columba Gibbons, Loreto Navan and Máire Ní Raghallaigh from Drumconrath.
The students and their families were treated to a short performance from Máire Ní Churraoin, a native Irish speaker and Sean-Nós singer from the Ráth Chairn Gaeltacht.
Commenting on the scholarship scheme, Barry Lynch, Director of Services for Gaeltacht Affairs at Meath County Council said: “Tonight we are celebrating the Irish Language and the memory of three revolutionaries who otherwise would have got lost in the passage of time. Meath County Council Culture team continues to promote the Irish Language through initiatives and the funding of projects such as the recent launch of Ceann Scríbe Baile Ghib publication which details the lives of 59 Irish speaking families from the Western Counties of Cork, Donegal, Kerry and Mayo who settled in Gibbstown in the 1930’s. The Council is proud to be associated with the publication of this very important book detailing the history of the Meath Gaeltacht, and the culture team looks forward to funding future Irish Language projects here in Meath.”
Meath County Council wishes all the young people who received a scholarship all the best in their Gaeltacht adventures this summer.
