Four Waterford students honoured with prestigious Trinity College entrance awards

Four students from Waterford have received prestigious Entrance Exhibition awards from Trinity College Dublin in recognition of outstanding performances in their final school examinations.

The students are among 602 first-year entrants from across Ireland and overseas to receive Entrance Awards from Trinity this year, marking them out as some of the highest-achieving students accepted into the university.

The Waterford recipients are Jennifer Mooney from St Augustine’s College, Dungarvan, Michael Hennigan from Coláiste De La Salle, Waterford, Aaron Breen from Newtown School, Waterford, and Isobel McGovern from Ard Scoil na Mara, Tramore.

The students, along with their former school principals, were invited to Trinity’s Examination Hall between January 20 and 22 to formally receive and celebrate their awards.

Entrance Exhibition awards are presented to students who achieve the highest CAO points among Trinity entrants from their secondary school, above a minimum threshold of 500 points. Where more than one student from a school achieves the same top score, all are recognised.

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Congratulating the awardees, Trinity Provost Dr Linda Doyle said: “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 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,” she added.

Of the Irish awardees this year, 67 are from Munster, with Waterford’s four students contributing to that total.

Award recipients receive a certificate and a €150 book token, and many past Exhibitioners have gone on to play significant roles in Irish public life, including former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.