13 local students are among those in receipt of entrance awards from Trinity College Dublin.
They’re among 602 first-years across the country to be awarded – 393 are from second level educational facilities in Leinster with 67 from Munster, 42 from Connacht, 41 from Ulster and 59 from 39 countries outside Ireland – all of whom were accepted into the first year of a full-time undergraduate degree who achieved the highest points among TCD entrants from their respective schools, above a minimum of 500 CAO points, or equivalent.
Seven are from schools in Carlow – three from St Leo’s College alone, Eve Heidi Black, Emma Curran and Lily Higgins, with Jia Hao Zhou (Presentation College), Aideen O’Keeffe (Borris Vocational School), Shane Lawlor (Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach) and Ciara Tooher (Tullow Community School).
Six more from Kilkenny are Declan Iverson San Juan (Christian Brothers College), Seán Moloney (St Kieran’s College), Hongnian Wang (Kilkenny College), Irene Bijoy (Loreto Secondary School), Morette Aylward (Presentation Secondary School) and Tomás Ó hOldáin (Coláiste Pobal Osraí).
Trinity Provost Dr Linda Doyle congratulated all saying; “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.
“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.” 
Images by Paul Sharp show Irene Bijoy (Loreto) with Dean of Undergraduate Studies Vincent Wade, Vice-Provost Dr Orla Sheils, and her former Principal Marian Moran; also Hongnian Wang with Vincent Wade, Vice-Provost Orla Sheils and Mark Stafford, Guidance Counsellor, Kilkenny College
