UCD Sports Scholarships

(17 Nov 2008)

At a reception in UCD last Friday 14th November, the President of the University, Dr. Hugh Brady announced the names of the 45 first year sports scholarship recipients for the 2008/2009 academic year.


Since it was initiated in 1979 by Dr Tony O’Neill to help talented soccer players who wished to stay in education, the UCD sports scholarship programme has expanded and supported over 750 students across athletics, basketball, camogie, cycling, ladies gaelic football, men’s gaelic football, golf, handball, ladies hockey, men’s hockey, hurling, rowing, rugby, women’s soccer and table tennis. Sport at UCD is now under the directorship of Brian Mullins.

Some of Ireland’s best known sports figures are former UCD sports scholars including the current international rugby players Brian O’Driscoll and Robert Kearney, captain of the Dublin County Gaelic Football team, Colin Moran and team mates Alan Brogan and Paul Griffin, and international golfer Peter Lawrie.


The UCD sports scholarship programme aims to develop elite athletes who can compete at the highest national and international level. In total 111 UCD students are in receipt of sports scholarships in 2008/09. Team sport is specifically encouraged through the scholarship programme and the University fields teams at the highest competitive level. The rugby team competes in Division 1 of the AIB All-Ireland league, the ladies and men’s hockey teams compete in the top flight of their respective Leinster leagues, the soccer team are the only university side to play in the Eircom League, while the senior hurling and gaelic football sides have a strong tradition in both the University and Dublin Championship competitions.

New UCD Sports Scholarship Recipients 2008/2009 (Rugby)

Richard Bent (Dublin), Risteard Byrne (Dublin), Michael Cawley (Wicklow), John Cooney (Dublin), Gareth Crotty (Wicklow), Niall Earls (Wicklow), Tom Fletcher (Dublin), Shane Grannell (Dublin), Liam Hyland (Laois), Terry Jones (Dublin), Chris Lilly (Wexford), Keelan McKenna (Dublin), Ian McKinley (Dublin), David McSharry (Dublin), Kieran Moloney (Dublin), Andrew Pollard (Dublin) and Noel Reid (Dublin).

 

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