Tipperary trio among athletes awarded UCC Sports Scholarships
A trio of talented Tipp GAA players were among the 86 students to be named beneficiaries of the University College Cork Sport Scholarship Programme for 2024-2025.
Camogie player Eimear Heffernan (Agricultural Science) from Kilfeacle and hurlers Peter McGarry (Arts), from Fethard and Darragh Stakelum (Commerce) from Knockeen all received scholarships under the programme.
In total, the 86 athletes awarded represent 15 sports from across ten counties.
Athletics, basketball, golf, rugby, hockey, rowing, soccer, GAA and kickboxing are among the sports represented in the Programme this year by talented students from Cork, Dublin, Kilkenny, Kerry, Mayo, Laois, Waterford, Tipperary, Limerick, and Offaly.
Designed to help students achieve their full potential, the programme is divided into two key strands, with scholarships for athletes in both team and individual sports.
The scholarship programme is supported by Bank of Ireland, Gym+Coffee, MJ Dowling, the Moss Keane family and Jason Foley Family.
These scholarships are integrated with UCC Sport’s Performance Programme, which provides tailored support to help students balance their academic and athletic pursuits. The programme’s ultimate goal is to empower UCC athletes and teams to compete at their best, from third-level competitions to international arenas.
High-Performance Collaboration
UCC partners with clubs, coaches, and experts in sports science, conditioning, nutrition, sports medicine, and analysis to enhance athlete development. Collaborations with national governing bodies, provincial organizations, and Sport Ireland further bolster UCC’s high-performance strategy.
This initiative reflects UCC’s commitment to nurturing Ireland’s next generation of sports stars, supporting them in achieving excellence both on and off the field.
Announcing this year’s recipients, UCC President John O’Halloran said:
"At UCC, we deeply value and celebrate our exceptional student-athletes for the immense contributions they make to their sports, communities, families, and schools, as well as their personal development.
“We extend heartfelt thanks to our dedicated coaches, volunteers, Clubs Executive, and staff who work tirelessly to support these athletes. A special acknowledgment goes to our generous sponsors—Bank of Ireland, Gym+Coffee, MJ Dowling, the Moss Keane family, and the Jason Foley Family whose support of our scholarship programme plays a vital role in the growth and success of our student-athletes."
Morgan Buckley, Head of UCC Sport said:
"Congratulations to all our teams and athletes. We are incredibly proud of their achievements, as well as the dedication of their coaches, volunteers, and clubs, supported by our outstanding staff and services at UCC.
“The UCC Sport Scholarship Programme significantly enhances the services we offer to our performance teams and athletes, ensuring they can successfully balance their academic and sporting pursuits. We are also proud to continue holding the Accreditation for Student-Athlete Support (UCC Sport ASAS) standard, recently developed by Sport Ireland, which ensures equal opportunities for high-performing student-athletes to excel both in sport and education."
Donnchadh Mac Aodha, UCC Club’s Executive President, said "UCC’s commitment to supporting our students truly makes it a fantastic place to both study and excel in sport. We are incredibly proud of the outstanding levels of participation and achievement in sport across the university."