Two Mayo students awarded MIC Elite Sports Scholarships

Two Mayo sportspeople are among five to be awarded scholarships by Mary Immaculate College (MIC) in recognition of their sporting prowess.

Irish athlete Thomas Devaney and Mayo ladies footballer Sinéad Walsh were awarded MIC Elite Sports Scholarships alongside Irish hockey player Anna Horan, Kerry ladies footballer Aoife Dillane and Limerick hurler Cian Scully.

MIC’s Elite Sports Scholarship scheme is open to those who have excelled in their chosen sports and this year, the number of scholarships awarded has increased from two to five for the first time.

The scholarships are tiered, with one gold recipient, two silver and two bronze, with Mayo’s Thomas awarded silver and Sinead awarded bronze.

The scholarships are offered in memory of former MIC staff members and sporting stalwarts, the late Noreen Lynch and Leonard Enright.

Congratulating the scholarship awardees on their achievement was Professor Niamh Hourigan, vice-president academic affairs at MIC, who said: “This is the fourth year of this scholarship and the calibre of our sporting ambassadors continues to be outstanding. This year’s talented awardees have proven their sporting excellence at international, national and inter-county level. They have also committed to achieving academic success here at MIC and balancing the two commitments is no easy task so we are delighted to offer our support to such worthy recipients.

“We anticipate that these recipients will achieve a lot on and off the pitch and we will be delighted to watch them grow as scholars and as sportspeople.”

This is the second year that fourth year B Ed student Thomas Devaney has received an Elite Sports Scholarship from MIC. Thomas, who hails from Islandeady, has won medals in athletics for his local club Castlebar AC, at third level with UL Wolves in Limerick, and at European level representing Ireland. Thomas was a key member of the gold medal-winning six-man Irish team in the 8,000m team event at the European Cross-Country Championships in December 2021. At 19, this win was even more impressive as Thomas was the race’s youngest qualifier.

Also, in 2021, Thomas placed second in the 5,000m race at the Irish Under 23 Athletics Championships before again taking silver at the event in 2022. In January 2022, he was a member of the Irish Under 23 team that took gold at the Celtic Cross Country before going on to set two records at the Irish Universities Athletics Association Outdoor Championships in April as he took gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m races.

Speaking as he was announced as an scholarship awardee, Thomas said: “I'm very proud to be selected as an Elite Sports Scholar at MIC for the second year running. I've had a great three years as a student at MIC and I'm delighted to have this honour for my fourth and final year.

“The scholarship helped me so much last year. I was injured for a large part of the year and the support allowed me to get the help I needed to get back to the highest level through financial support and access to facilities on campus such as the college gym. I look forward to the coming year and hopefully representing MIC on the intervarsity, national and international stage.”

The second bronze awardee, Sinéad Walsh, a first year B Ed student, is from Lahardane in Co. Mayo. Sinéad has represented her county in ladies football since an early age and first tasted success when she was vice-captain with the Mayo team that won an All-Ireland title in 2017. Sinéad helped Mayo reach Connacht finals in 2018 and 2019 at Under 16 level and in 2021 at minor level. She made her debut with the senior ladies team in 2022, scoring 4-6 during the league campaign and later scored 1-8 during the championship, when Mayo reached the All-Ireland semi-finals. Sinead scored 3-6 in the 2023 league campaign before scoring 2-7 in the championship, and was named player of the match performance against Laois as Mayo again reached the last four.

At club level, Sinead plays for CL MacHale Rovers and was a member of the team that reached the 2020 intermediate championship final and won a Mayo minor club championship in 2021.

Said Sinéad: “I’m delighted to be an MIC Elite Sports Scholar. The scholarship will help me to balance my academic and sporting goals for the year, and I’m privileged to have the support from MIC.

“Sport is a big part of my life and I’m very lucky to have the opportunity to represent my county for the last three years. I look forward to also be representing MIC on the pitch over the next few years and in particular in this year as one of the college’s sporting ambassadors.”

Find out more about MIC’s Elite Sports Scholarship by clicking here.