Ballydesmond’s Karina Cronin wins 2018 Sean Moylan scholarship
A STUDENT from Ballydesmond has been unveiled as the winner of the prestigious 2018 Sean Moylan postgraduate scholarship.
Katrina Cronin from Tureen was presented with the award, worth €2,500, recently by members of the trustee committee in front of her proud mother, Mairéad.
The 24-year-old, a final year Professional Masters in Education student at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick where she initially graduated from.
Karina, a former pupil of Ballydesmond National School and Scoil Pobail Sliabh Luachra in Rathmore, told The Corkman she was thrilled to have won the scholarship. “This will make a big difference to my life. This money will be of huge use for college fess and for my upcoming work placement. This will definitely make my life that little bit easier,” she said.
Karina was among dozens of third-level students who applied for the scholarship, which is open to students from colleges across the island of Ireland. It is tenable for one year at a university approved by the board of trustees that oversee the initiative.
Each application goes through a rigorous selection process, with the winner being judged on a number of specific criteria.
Karina is no stranger to winning accolades having won the Kanturk District Garda Youth Awards while fifth-year secondary school student in 2011. She also served as the chairperson of the Rathmore Social Action Group (SAG).
“The fact that I am gaeilgeoir will not have done my application any harm,” said Karina whose ultimate goal is to pursue a career in national school teaching.
“There is no doubt but that this money will open up certain avenues and I am grateful to the judging panel for the faith they have shown in me,” he added.
The scholarship is named in memory of the late Sean Moylan from Kiskeam who served as a commandant in the IRA during the War of Independence and on the Republican side during the Civil War.
Elected to Dáil Éireann in 1921 as a Sinn Féin deputy, Moylan joined the Fianna Fáil party in 1926 and was elected TD for Cork North in 1932. He served on the cabinet under Éamon De Valera on four occasions, holding various Ministries including Education, Lands and Agriculture.
The scholarship was set up three years after his death in 1960 from money invested in a trust fund by his family.
Managed and maintained by a board of voluntary trustees, the scholarship was initially established to assist graduates pursing studies in the areas of education and agriculture.
Over the years its remit has changed and over the years it has been awarded to students studying in other fields.