Mary Immaculate College (MIC) has announced the five recipients of its annual Elite Sports Scholarship Scheme in recognition of their outstanding sporting achievements.
Kerry Senior Ladies Footballer Aoife Dillane, is this year’s Gold Scholarship recipient, while Clare Senior Hurler, Shane Meehan and Clara Barrett of Ireland Women’s Rugby, have been awarded Silver Scholarships. They are joined by Laois Ladies Footballer Katie Donoghue and Clare Under 20s Hurler, Ronan O’Connor, who were awarded Bronze Scholarships.
In its fifth year, MIC’s Elite Sports Scholarship—offered in memory of former MIC staff members and sporting stalwarts, Noreen Lynch and Leonard Enright—continues to support students who have demonstrated excellence in their chosen discipline.
The scholarships are aimed at helping students to balance their commitment to furthering their academic and sporting careers in tandem.
Congratulating the awardees on their achievement, Professor Niamh Hourigan, Acting President of MIC said: “I warmly congratulate this year’s MIC Elite sports scholars. This is the fifth year of the scheme and the calibre of our sporting ambassadors continues to be exceptional. This year is no exception and our talented awardees have proven their sporting excellence at intercounty, national and international levels with two All-Ireland winners and a rising star in Irish women’s rugby among them. They are also aiming for academic success at MIC and balancing the two commitments is no easy task so we are delighted to offer our support. I wish them all the best for the coming year.”
The scheme is delivered through a bursary and additional benefits and is offered at three different levels as follows:
- One Gold Scholarship valued at €4,000 (applications invited from current and incoming undergraduate and postgraduate students)
- Two Silver Scholarships valued at €2,000 each (applications invited from current and incoming undergraduate and postgraduate students)
- Two Bronze Scholarships valued at €1,000 each (applications restricted to incoming CAO applicants only)
Applications for the MIC Elite Sports Scholarship Scheme 2025-26 will open next week (6 November 2024) at: www.mic.ie/scholarships. The deadline for receipt of applications is 1 May (on year of entry).
MIC Elite Sports Scholars 2024/25 Profiles
Aoife Dillane, Kerry Ladies Football (Gold Scholarship)
Aoife Dillane, who is a Third Year Bachelor of Education student at MIC was awarded the Gold Sports Scholarship. This is the second year Aoife, from Tralee, has received the scholarship; she was awarded a Silver Scholarship in 2023. She was a member of Kerry’s All Ireland-winning Senior Ladies Football team in 2024—playing a key role in defeating Galway in a thrilling encounter to help Kerry to a 12th championship win in that code. Winning the Brendan Martin Cup was the culmination of an excellent year for the team, which also won a Munster title and were close runners-up in the Ladies National Football League Division 1 final with Armagh. She has represented her county in Ladies Football since U14 grade and was called up to the Senior squad in 2021. She has won a Division 2 National League medal in 2022 and Division 1 medal in 2023, as well as playing in the Senior Ladies All Ireland Football finals in 2022 and 2023, where Kerry was the runner-up. She plays at club level with Austin Stacks in Kerry, where she won an Intermediate Kerry County Championship in 2017. Aoife was an integral part of MIC’s Giles Cup winning team of 2022 and captained MIC's O'Connor Cup squad in 2023.
Shane Meehan, Clare Senior Hurling (Silver Scholarship)
2024 Clare Senior All-Ireland Hurling champion Shane Meehan has been awarded a Silver Sports scholarship. A Fourth Year Bachelor of Education student at MIC, Shane made his debut on the inter-county scene with the Clare minor hurling and football teams in 2018. Captaining the Clare footballers the following year, Meehan’s talents also shone as Clare’s minor hurling top scorer, showcasing his skills as a dual player. Munster Footballer of the Year in 2019, that year also saw Meehan make history for his hurling club, as the first Banner player to be named on Electric Ireland’s Minor Hurling Team of the Year. Going on to choose the small ball for his senior career, 2024 has been a year of sporting achievements for Shane, returning the Fitzgibbon Cup to MIC as part of the winning team in February, closely followed by a win on the Croke Park stage in July 2024, where he came on as a substitute as Clare took home their first All-Ireland in 11 years in an extra-time win against Cork.
Clara Barrett (Mayo), Ireland Women's Rugby (Silver Scholarship)
Third Year Bachelor of Education student and Ireland Women’s rugby player, Clara Barrett has been awarded a Silver Sports Scholarship. From a small village in Geesala, Co. Mayo, where there was no rugby club, her career began at the young age of 10, on the nearby team, Erris Rugby. Playing with mostly boys and only a handful of girls, her passion for rugby took flight at U12/U14 level, when she joined the Ballina girls’ team. From there she played for Connacht and Irish U18 squads. A rising star, Clara made her first appearance on the Connacht Senior team in 2023 and plays her club rugby with UL Bohemians. She was subsequently named in the Ireland Combined Provinces squad and in the Irish U20 squad before being called up for the Irish Senior Women’s squad. She is now on the Irish 7s development pathway.
Ronan O'Connor, Clare Under 20s Hurling (Bronze Scholarship)
Clare U20 hurling captain and First Year Bachelor of Education student at MIC, Ronan O’Connor has been awarded a Bronze Sports Scholarship. An accomplished young hurler with an impressive track record, Ronan captained the 2022 winning Harty Cup team with St Joseph’s Tulla, claiming Man on the Match in the final. Previously playing with the Clare minor team (2019/2020), he captained the Clare U20 team in 2024. Amongst his other accolades are: reaching the All-Ireland Final and winning a League title with UL freshers in 2023. Ronan was a member of the Feakle senior hurling team which recently bested Sixmilebridge 1-17 to 0-13 to win its first county championship in 36 years.
Katie Donoghue, Laois Ladies Football (Bronze Scholarship)
First Year Bachelor of Education student at MIC and Laois Senior Ladies footballer, Katie Donoghue, has been awarded a Bronze Sports Scholarship. Demonstrating an impressive Ladies Football career from a young age, Katie made her Laois senior debut in 2023, scoring 2-1 as a corner forward in her first All-Ireland series appearance vs Armagh. Katie has already made significant contributions in her sporting career, playing at U16 county level, where she captained the winning Leinster B team in 2021, to minor club and county, senior club and senior county level. She went on to captain her school’s senior team and being named Club Player of the Year at minor level for Timahoe Ladies.
