Two Mayo students awarded MIC Elite Sports Scholarships

Two Mayo sportspeople are among five to be awarded scholarships by Mary Immaculate College (MIC) in recognition of their sporting prowess. Long distance runner Thomas Devaney and Mayo footballer Sinéad Walsh were awarded MIC Elite Sports Scholarships, alongside Irish hockey player Anna Horan, Kerry footballer Aoife Dillane and Limerick hurler Cian Scully.

MIC’s Elite Sports Scholarship scheme is open to those who have excelled in their chosen sports and this year, the number of scholarships awarded has increased from two to five for the first time. The scholarships are tiered, with one gold recipient, two silver and two bronze, with Mayo’s Thomas awarded silver and Sinead awarded bronze. The scholarships are offered in memory of former MIC staff members and sporting stalwarts, the late Noreen Lynch and Leonard Enright.

This is the second year that Fourth year B Ed student, Thomas Devaney, received an Elite Sports Scholarship from MIC. Thomas, who is from Islandeady, has won medals in athletics for his local club Castlebar AC, at third level with UL Wolves in Limerick, and at European level representing Ireland. Thomas was a key member of the gold medal winning six-man Irish team in the 8,000m team event at the European Cross-Country Championships in December 2021. At 19, this win was even more impressive as Thomas was the race’s youngest qualifier. That same year, Thomas placed second in the 5,000m race at the Irish U23 Athletics Championships before again taking silver at the event in 2022. In January 2022, he was a member of the Irish U23 team that took gold at the Celtic Cross Country before going on to set two records at the Irish Universities Athletics Association Outdoor Championships in April as he took gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m races.

“I’m very proud to be selected as an Elite Sports Scholar at MIC for the second year running,” explained Thomas Devaney. “I’ve had a great three years as a student at MIC and I’m delighted to have this honour for my fourth and final year.

“The scholarship helped me so much last year. I was injured for a large part of the year and the support allowed me to get the help I needed to get back to the highest level, through financial support and access to facilities on campus such as the college gym. I look forward to the coming year and hopefully representing MIC on the intervarsity, national and international stage.”

Sinéad Walsh, a first year B Ed student, is from Lahardane. Sinéad has represented Mayo in ladies football since an early age and first tasted success when she was vice-captain of the county’s All-Ireland winning U14 footballers in 2017. Sinéad helped Mayo to Connacht finals in 2018 and 2019 at U16 level and in 2021 at minor level. She made her debut with the senior ladies team in 2022 where she scored 4-6 during the National League campaign and later scored 1-8 during the championship, when Mayo reached the All-Ireland semi-final stages. She scored 3-6 in the 2023 league before scoring 2-7 in the championship, including a Player of the Match performance against Laois, as Mayo again reached the last four.

At club level, Sinead plays for MacHale Rovers and was a member of the team that reached an All-Ireland Club junior final, the county intermediate final in 2020 and won the Mayo minor championship in 2021.

“I’m delighted to be an MIC Elite Sports Scholar. The scholarship will help me to balance my academic and sporting goals for the year and I’m privileged to have the support from MIC,” Sinéad Walsh said.

“Sport is a big part of my life and I’m very lucky to have the opportunity to represent my county for the last three years. I look forward to also be representing MIC on the pitch over the next few years and in particular in this year as one of the college’s sporting ambassadors.”