Students from Cavan and Waterford City awarded renewable energy scholarships

They impressed the judges with their commitment to working to tackle the climate emergency and their passion for their chosen fields of Mechanical and Sustainable Engineering and Energy Systems Engineering.

The Niamh Burke Memorial Bursary, established in memory of the former Arthur Cox LLP partner, fosters and supports study and research in the field of renewable energy. It annually awards a sum of €10,000, which may be split between recipients, to support students pursuing education in this area. The bursary is administered by Wind Energy Ireland and funded by Arthur Cox LLP.

Danielle Conaghan, Partner at Arthur Cox LLP, said: “We are very enthusiastic about and deeply committed to fostering the next generation of leaders in renewable energy. This bursary represents not just financial support, but also our belief in the power of education. We are proud to honour Niamh's legacy by supporting Jarlaith and Thomas in their studies and wish them the very best in pursuing them. Their commitment to tackling the climate emergency will contribute to a greener, more sustainable future.”

Dave Linehan, Head of Research at Wind Energy Ireland, said: “Supporting education in this area is vital. We need to encourage and enable the climate champions of the future to reach a zero-carbon Ireland. There are thousands of jobs in wind energy in Ireland and that is only going to grow.”

The two successful applicants for the 2024 bursary are Jarlaith Brady and Thomas Walsh.
Jarlaith hopes to pursue his studies for an MSc in Mechincal and Sustainable Engineering in DCU. Thomas is studying for his MSc in Energy Systems in Engineering at UCD.

Jarlaith Brady said: “I am overjoyed and honoured to be a recipient of this year's Niamh Burke bursary. With my previous experience in renewables and the completion of this Masters degree, I hope to accelerate Ireland's energy transition towards 2030 and beyond."

Describing hIs future plans Thomas Walsh said: " We're building a whole new clean-energy system, changing how we produce electricity, heat our homes, move around and how industries work. Ireland has lots of work to do in managing affordability, sustainability and security throughout the transition. There's nothing I'd rather do with my career. I'm extremely grateful to the family of Niamh Burke, Arthur Cox and Wind Energy Ireland for receiving the Niamh Burke bursary towards my masters degree in Energy Systems Engineering at UCD.

Notes for Editors

The Niamh Burke Memorial Bursary was established in memory of a former Arthur Cox partner who played a significant role in the Irish wind energy sector and is administered by Wind Energy Ireland.
Over a 20-year career Niamh advised on some of Ireland's largest energy, infrastructure and construction projects. The bursary was established in 2020 to honour her memory and contribution to the development of renewable energy in Ireland.

It offers up to €10,000 each year to individuals wishing to study or to carry out research in the fields of renewable energy and climate action. For more on jobs in wind energy visit www.workinwind.ie