Kemmy business school launches womens gaelic play

The Kemmy Business School at the University of Limerick has announced a graduate business scholarship programme for female county GAA players. Dr. Philip O’Regan, Dean of the Kemmy Business School and Aoife Lane, WGPA Chairperson, signed a memorandum of understanding at the launch of the programme at the University of Limerick this week.

KBS-WGPA scholarships will see recipients receive a 50% fee waiver for taught postgraduate programmes at the KBS, in areas such as economics, finance, taxation, human resource management, entrepreneurship, marketing, project management and many more along with the opportunity to study at a campus equipped with some of the best sporting facilities in the country.

Speaking at the launch event, Dr. Fergal O’Brien, Assistant Dean, Postgraduate Studies at the KBS noted ‘the shared competencies in sporting and academic success – determination, persistence, hard-work and dedication’. WGPA Chairperson Aoife Lane spoke about the close ties between UL and the WGPA with five of the seven founding members of the association currently or previously affiliated to the university.   She went on to state that ‘female athletes have an enhanced set of skills and characteristics around leadership, teamwork, respect and hard work that make them particularly suited to study and work in the business industry'.

Deirdre Murphy, GAA Development Officer reiterated that ‘UL GAA Club are delighted with the partnership between the WGPA and the Kemmy Business School. Our players are top class sportspeople and this partnership with the KBS endorses the leadership skills, dedication and work ethic that our players display on the field as having huge relevance and transferability to how they perform in an academic and work context.

Attendees at the event included senior intercounty players, Niamh O’Dea (Clare), Julia White (Cork) and Niamh Richardson (Limerick). All three have won both the O’Connor Cup (Ladies Football) and the Ashbourne Cup (Camogie) with UL in the past 2 years (Football 2014 and 2015 and Camogie 2014).

The WGPA are committed to ensuring that their members progress and develop professionally throughout their playing career. The purpose of the WGPA scholarship programme is to support players in managing this dual career; balancing their academic and sporting commitments while representing their county in camogie and ladies football.

For further information on this scholarship opportunity, please contact info@wgpa.ie