IT Sligo has announced that it is allocating €50,000 under its Sports Scholarships Scheme in a bid to continue its tradition of encouraging excellence in a wide variety of sports.
The deadline for applications for the 2012/2013 academic year is September 28th, 2012.
This year’s impressive roll call of recipients includes Ross Donovan, Captain of the senior Sligo GAA team, senior Donegal player Mark McHugh, Ione Byrne a gold medal winner at the 2012 National Student Surfing Intervarsities hosted by IT Sligo in Strandhill, and Ireland Under 19 soccer international Aileen Gilroy (pictured right).
The 57 students who received sports scholarships for 2011/2012, included 23 first time recipients as well as 34 who had scholarships renewed.
The maximum amount awarded under the scheme is €1,750 and beneficiaries come from a wide range of sports including Soccer (ladies/men), Gaelic Football (ladies/men), Basketball, Athletics, Surfing, Boxing, Camogie, Hurling, Golf and Martial Arts.
IT Sligo has a strong sporting tradition, as President of IT Sligo, Professor Terri Scott, explained: “We strongly encourage our students to take part in sport, whether it’s for recreational or competitive purposes. Our Sport Scholarship Scheme is an additional support system for students who are serious about achieving in sport. As well as the financial benefits, recognition and status that come with being awarded a scholarship, it provides important peer recognition because it’s a competitive process. Students also benefit from the Institute’s extensive sporting facilities and receive mentoring to help them achieve the best they can in their chosen sport.”
Joe Cox, chairman of the Sports Scholarship Committee said that the Institute has a tradition of fostering excellence across a wide range of sports and because of that reputation was increasingly attracting sports men and women of the highest calibre. “The bench mark is high and we are finding that talented young people are attracted to IT Sligo when they see our students making a mark at national and county level,” explained Mr Cox. He pointed out that investment in state of the art sports facilities at the Institute was also a major attraction and a benefit for those striving for excellence on the sports field.
Beneficiaries of the scheme are expected to be ambassadors for the college, not least by representing IT Sligo in their sport. Many of this year’s recipients need no introduction to sports fans having represented their counties and indeed in some cases, their country with distinction.
Aileen Gilroy from Killala Co Mayo, also a BB Recreation & Leisure student won her scholarship in the soccer category. Aileen made history when she sat one of her Leaving Certificate subjects in UEFA headquarters in Nyon in Switzerland, days before lining out with the Under 17 Irish team against Spain in the European Championships final.
Ross Donovan, a native of Gurteen who is a student on the Bachelor of Business (Recreation & Leisure) programme is captain of the senior Sligo team. Another GAA star who received a sports scholarship this year is Donegal’s Mark McHugh, an Accounting & Finance student from Kilcar. Peadar Seoighe, a native of the Aran Islands who won a soccer scholarship, played with Galway United in the Eircom League at Under 21 level and won a number of underage national titles with Mervue United. Peadar, who is a second year Advanced Wood & Sustainable Building Technology student, is something of an all-rounder being a member of the IT Sligo Sigerson panel.
Not surprisingly, given its location in the centre of the North West surfing hub, IT Sligo surfers have been making their mark. Another sport scholarship winner, Applied Archaeology student Ione Byrne from Templeboy, Co Sligo won a Gold Medal for the Institute in the Women’s Long Board category at this year’s National Student Surfing Intervarsities in Strandhill.
For more information on how to apply for a sports scholarship at IT Sligo click here
 Brendan McCafferty from Ballina, a Health Science & Physiology student at IT Sligo who has received a sport scholarship for golf. |
 Ross Donovan, from Gurteen, Co Sligo, is the captain of the senior Sligo GAA team and is a sport scholarship recipient at IT Sligo. |
 Donegal GAA player Mark McHugh from Kilcar, Co Donegal who is an Accounting & Finance student and Sport Scholarship recipient at IT Sligo. |
 Peadar Seoighe, a native of the Aran Islands, won a soccer scholarship at IT Sligo. Peader played with Galway United in the Eircom League at Under 21 level and won a number of underage national titles with Mervue United. He’s a second year Advanced Wood & Sustainable Building Technology student at IT Sligo. |
 Ione Byrne from Templeboy, Co Sligo is a surfing Sport Scholarship recipient at IT Sligo. She won a Gold Medal for the Institute in the Women’s Long Board category at this year’s National Student Surfing Intervarsities in Strandhill. |
 Some of this year’s Sport Scholarship recipients at IT Sligo. |