Waterford Senior Camogie Player, Niamh Murphy and Galway Senior Hurler, Eoin Lawless, have been announced as the recipients of the 2024 MIC Gaelic Players Association (GPA) Scholarship.
Originally introduced in 2021, this scholarship scheme is open to GPA members who have applied for and are successful in securing a place on MIC’s postgraduate programmes in education and the liberal arts. Under the scheme, MIC contributes 50% of the successful applicants’ programme fees and the GPA contributes the remaining 50%—allowing them to avail of fee waivers of up to €5,000 per annum, an increased sum which was recently agreed.
This is the second year that Niamh has been awarded the scholarship and she is in her second year of the Professional Master of Education (PME) – Primary Teaching programme at MIC. Niamh graduated from University College Dublin with a Bachelor of Science degree in physiology, microbiology and pharmacology before deciding to follow her dream of becoming a Primary School teacher. Niamh is a Waterford Senior Camogie player and won a Division 1B National Camogie League medal and reached the final of the All-Ireland Camogie Championship with the Déise this year. Niamh has represented her county on the pitch since she was 12 and holds three All Ireland Championship medals with Waterford at U14 and U16 level and a Munster and All Ireland medal with St Angela’s School in 2018. Niamh is a member of the De La Salle club in Waterford and holds Junior and Intermediate County Medals in 2015, 2016 and senior county medals 2022 and 2023. Niamh is also a Purcell Cup winner with UCD and hopes to continue her third level success with MIC’s camogie team. Outside her playing career, Niamh has coached underage teams for both club and county and is a national referee.
Speaking about the announcement, Niamh had this to say: “I am delighted to receive the MIC GPA scholarship. It is great that the College is acknowledging camogie players and helping them financially as they understand the cost related to playing the sport like the need to travel, for example. It allows me to keep playing camogie at a high level whilst completing my Master’s. I would advise anyone who is interested to apply for this as it helps take the pressure off and allow you to focus on your studies and continue playing your chosen sport."
Eoin, from Athenry, is a First Year Professional Master of Education (Primary Teaching) student, having graduated from the University of Galway with a Bachelor of Arts degree. The full-back made his debut with the Galway Senior hurlers in 2023 but was already seasoned at county level—playing for Galway’s Under 20s team and on the minor team that won back-to-back All Ireland Minor Hurling Championships in 2018 and 2019. In the latter year, he was included in the Minor Team of the Year. At his alma mater, he played on the Fitzgibbon Cup team that reached the final in 2022 and 2023. Eoin was included in the 2024 Electric Ireland GAA Higher Education Hurling Rising Stars Team of the Year. At club level, he plays with St Mary’s in Athenry and won a Galway Under-21 A Hurling Championship with the club in 2019. He began his hurling career with Presentation College, Athenry and was member of his school’s team that won consecutive Connacht Colleges SAHC titles in 2018 and 2019.
He said he was “delighted and honoured to receive the MIC GPA scholarship this year”.
“Mary Immaculate College has always been my first and only choice to complete my Master's and I look forward to becoming an ambassador for the college. The MIC GPA scholarship provides crucial financial support which allows full time students and athletes like myself to achieve results in both academic and sporting careers. This award gives students a chance to balance the intense teaching programme with the demands sport at a high level.”
This dynamic duo will also become ‘MIC GPA Scholars’ and will act as ambassadors within MIC’s sporting community and will play a key role in supporting Gaelic Games at MIC.
Wishing Niamh and Eoin “the very best in their academic and sporting endeavours over the coming year” was Professor Niamh Hourigan, Acting President of MIC, who said:
“We are delighted to partner once again with the Gaelic Players Association in these postgraduate scholarships, offering GPA athletes the opportunity to further their academic journey at MIC whilst continuing to pursue their sporting career. MIC has a long sporting tradition with sport and recreation playing a significant role in the lives of our students, and the MIC GPA Scholarships are a great addition to our suite of awards and supports available.”
Adding his congratulations was GPA CEO, Tom Parsons: “The GPA’s mission is to enable players to balance the huge demands placed on players with the opportunities, support and investment required for them to be at their best, on and off the pitch. The support of our education partners is a fundamental component of the work we do and on behalf of players I want to thank MIC for its ongoing collaboration and its support of our members. Congratulations to Niamh and Eoin on being awarded this year’s MIC GPA Sports Scholarship. We hope this assistance will enable you to achieve your full potential away from the rigours of inter-county action.”
Applications for the MIC GPA Sports Scholarship scheme are open now until Friday 25 July 2025.
Interested applicants can enquire about the scheme and make their initial scholarship application by submitting their CV and cover letter to Brian.Howard@gaelicplayers.com.
Under the scheme, MIC contributes 50% of the successful applicants’ programme fees and the GPA contributes the remaining 50%—allowing them to avail of fee waivers of an increased sum of up to €5,000 per annum.
For further information on the MIC GPA Scholarship scheme and other MIC scholarships please see www.mic.ie/scholarships.
