Nine Laois students receive prestigious Trinity College Dublin entrance awards

NINE students from Laois have received ‘Entrance Exhibition’ awards from Trinity College Dublin, in recognition of outstanding performances in their Leaving Cert and final school examinations.

The prestigious awards are presented to first year undergraduate Trinity students who achieve the highest points among entrants from their secondary school, above a minimum of 500 CAO points or equivalent.

Former awardees have later contributed to the economic, cultural, and political life of Ireland and beyond. Past winners include former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

The Laois students who have received awards are Daniel Corbett (St. Mary's C.B.S.), Isabel Conroy (Presentation Secondary School), Gaia Rizzuto (Coláiste Íosagáin Secondary School), Clodiagh Kennedy (Vocational School Portlaoise), Nathan Dewing (Portlaoise College), Brianna Bergin (St. Fergal's College), Lily Van Den Bergh (Dunamase College), Maxim Syomushkin (Community School), and Charles Donnery (Mountrath Community School).

A total of 602 first-year students from across the 32 counties of Ireland and abroad have received entrance awards from Trinity this year.

The students and their former school principals were invited celebrated their success at ceremonies in Trinity’s Examination Hall between 20 – 22 January 2026.

There are 59 students receiving awards from 39 countries outside Ireland. Of the Irish awardees, 393 are from schools in Leinster, 67 are from Munster, 42 from Connacht and 41 from Ulster.

Trinity Provost Dr Linda Doyle congratulated all winners, noting that it is a “great privilege” to welcome these students to Trinity College Dublin.

“They deserve enormous credit for the hard work and commitment that have brought them to this point. I have every confidence that they will thrive in Trinity’s incredible academic environment”.