DCU marks 25 years with awards ceremony

SPORTING, media, education and business leaders were among those honoured as the first recipients of the Dublin City University Alumni Awards yesterday.

The honours were set up this year to mark the college’s 25th anniversary and to salute DCU graduates who have contributed in a significant way to the country’s social, artistic or economic development.

For his role in leading the Cork hurlers to senior All-Ireland glory last year, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín was one of those to be presented with an Alumni Award by President Mary McAleese at yesterday’s ceremony. He graduated from DCU in 1999 with a BSc in Airgeadas, Riomhaireachet and Fiontraiocht (Finance Computing and Entrepreneurship).

Emma Kiernan, co-ordinator of the Collinstown Park School Completion Programme, part of a national initiative aimed at improving retention of pupils in primary and post primary education, was also among the inaugural award winners.

A former DCU access student with a BA in Business Studies and a Masters in Education and Training Management, she is a powerful advocate of access to third-level education for second-level pupils from non-traditional backgrounds.

The other winners were: Michael Dwyer, chief executive of the company behind successful goods and services discount website, Pigsback.com; Dr Ena Prosser, a partner in the venture capital company, Fountain Healthcare Partners, and a former director of Enterprise Ireland’s biotechnology directorate; and Liavan Mallin, founder of Ireland’s largest mail order company Celtic Hampers and ShopDirect.

Irish Times photographer and 1985 communications graduate, Bryan O’Brien, also received an award.

President McAleese was also introduced to 10 students from Dublin job centres, schools and colleges who are learning how to set up their own business.

DCU president, Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski, said that, although the university is the country’s youngest, the breadth of its graduates’ contribution to Ireland was well-represented in the awards.

“DCU has led the drive to increase the numbers of Irish people from marginalised communities receiving third-level education,” he said.