Cork and Aghabullogue camogie ace Clíona Healy awarded top Mary I scholarship

CORK camogie star Clíona Healy has been awarded an Elite Sports Scholarship by Mary Immaculate College. 

The MIC Elite Sports Scholarships recognise MIC students who have excelled in their chosen sport and are offered in memory of former MIC staff members Noreen Lynch and Leonard Enright.

The Aghabullogue native won the scholarship in recognition of her achievements in camogie for club and county. 

Recently she delivered an Echo Player of the Match performance and scored the winner in the Intermediate final, where she hit 1-11 in total to clinch the title and secure senior status for next year’s campaign for the Muskerry outfit. The replay against Blackrock went to extra time and Healy was the club's saviour in the drawn match with late, late free under pressure as they came back from eight points down. 

On the inter-county scene, she has three Munster senior titles and also secured medals at Intermediate All-Ireland and Munster level in 2018, in addition to a Minor All-Ireland in the same year. As well as this year's intermediate triumph, Healy's roll of honour at club level includes two Minor B medals as well several Cork Féile nan Gael trophies. 

She also captained Coachford College Secondary School to a Munster Senior A League win in 2019, as well as playing an important role in the panel that won the title in 2016. 

Healy is a final-year Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) student at MIC and plays with the College's camogie squad.

"I am delighted to receive the Elite Sports Scholarship as I know there have been some very impressive awardees previously and it’s an honour to be among their company. It was also great to be acknowledged for my role in my sport, camogie. This scholarship will relieve the financial burden associated with combining study with competing at an elite sports level."

Looking to the year ahead, Healy says she hopes for academic and sporting success: "From a study perspective I hope to graduate as a Primary School Teacher from Mary Immaculate College this academic year. From a sporting perspective, I hope to win the Intermediate Camogie Cork County title with my club Aghabullogue. 

"From an inter-county point of view, I hope to win a National League medal, Munster Medal and All-Ireland medal with Cork next year. And finally, from a college point of view, I hope to win an Ashbourne medal with Mary Immaculate College this coming season."

The other Elite Sports Scholarship recepient is MIC third-year Bachelor of Education student Thomas Devaney, Mayo, who 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.

Professor Niamh Hourigan, Vice-President of Academic Affairs at MIC, who said: “I warmly congratulate this year’s MIC Elite sports scholars, Thomas and Clíona. This is the third year of the scheme and the calibre of our sporting ambassadors has been outstanding. This year is no exception and our talented awardees have proven their sporting excellence at national and international athletics in Thomas’s case, and in intervarsity, club and inter-county camogie for Clíona. 

"They have also dedicated themselves wholly to achieving academic success at MIC and balancing the two commitments is no easy task so we are delighted to offer our support to such worthy recipients.” 

Applications for the 2023/2024 academic year are now open and will see an additional three scholarship awardees under an exciting revised scholarship scheme. The new format will see one gold scholarship valued at €4,000, two silver scholarships valued at €2,000 each and two bronze scholarships valued at €1,000 each. The gold and silver tiers are open to both incoming and current students, while the bronze level is open only to CAO applicants.