Two Laois students receive prestigious All Ireland Scholarship
Pictured (L-R): Sponsor JP McManus, All Ireland scholarship winner Shauna Traynor, Deputy Willie O'Dea TD, and Principal of Scoil Chríost Rí Sean Smyth.
TWO Laois students have been awarded an All Ireland Scholarship, which will cover the full cost of their undergraduate studies.
Scott Duffy from Portlaoise College and Shauna Traynor from Scoil Chríost Rí were both honoured at the All Ireland Scholarships awards ceremony on the 4 April in the University of Limerick.
The scholarship was established by JP McManus in 2008 to provide financial support to gifted students pursuing third-level education.
Each year, 125 scholarships are awarded across the 32 counties of Ireland. Recipients receive €6,750 per annum in Ireland and £5,500 per annum in Northern Ireland.
The scholarship is awarded to 125 high achieving students, with a minimum of two students from each county.
Recipients must also attend a non-fee-paying school and be in receipt of a third level grant from Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) or be in receipt of an Education Maintenance Allowance in Northern Ireland.
In attendance at the ceremony was All Ireland Scholarships sponsor JP McManus, who said he was delighted “to celebrate the outstanding academic achievements of the 2025 All Ireland Scholarship winners from across the island of Ireland”.
He continued: “To date, 2,051 students have received an All Ireland Scholarship and 1,437 of those students have since graduated from university. Today is a very special occasion for the scholarship winners, their families, and teachers.
“We wish them every success as they continue their studies at university and look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the years to come.” The ceremony’s guest of honour, two-time Olympic gold medallist Kellie Harrington, said she was delighted to attend the ceremony.
“It is a very special occasion for the 2025 winners, their families, and school principals, and they should be very proud of themselves and their accomplishments”, she commented.
Also in attendance were Deputy Willie O’Dea TD, and Head of the Skills and Education Group for the Department for the Economy NI Louise Watson, as well as the family, friends and school representatives of the scholarship recipients.
