Six Offaly students receive prestigious entrance awards from Trinity College

Six students from Offaly have received prestigious Entrance Exhibition awards from Trinity College Dublin in recognition of outstanding performances in their final school examinations.

Each of the students and their former school principals were invited to receive and celebrate their awards at ceremonies which took place in Trinity’s Examination Hall from January 20-22.

The Offaly students were Cillian Colman Byrne (St. Mary's Secondary School, Edenderry), Sean Purcell & Samuel Merrick (Coláiste Choilm, Tullamore), Adriana Strembu (Convent Secondary School, Tullamore), Daniel Scally (Tullamore College, Tullamore) and Karo Bekker (St. Brendan's Community School, Birr). 

They were part of a total of 602 first-year students from all 32 counties of Ireland and overseas who have received entrance awards from Trinity this year.

59 students received awards from 39 countries outside of Ireland. Of the Irish awardees, 393 are from schools in Leinster, 67 are from Munster, 42 from Connacht and 41 from Ulster.

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Every awardee also received a certificate and an €150 book token as recognition of their academic achievements. 

The awards go to students accepted into the first year of a full-time undergraduate degree who achieve the highest points among Trinity entrants from their secondary school, above a minimum of 500 CAO points (or equivalent).

Trinity College Provost, Dr Linda Doyle congratulated all of the awardees: "It is our great privilege to welcome these wonderful students to Trinity College Dublin. They deserve enormous credit for the hard work and commitment that have brought them to this point. I have every confidence that they will thrive in Trinity’s incredible academic environment and enjoy the creativity and fun of our 150 sports clubs and societies."

She added: "I also want to congratulate all those who have supported these students on their journeys. In addition to their parents and guardians, I want to acknowledge the dedication of school principals, teachers and wider school staff - both primary and secondary - who play such a vital role in bringing out the best in students during their formative years."