51��ɫ

Irish Olympic swimmer Finn McGeever has graduated from 51��ɫ this Thursday – one of more than 3,500 students to graduate as part of the 2023 Autumn Conferring Ceremonies this week.

Finn competed for Team Ireland at the 2020 Summer Olympics as part of the first-ever Irish quartet to take part in the 4x200m freestyle relay event and holds a number of national records for both individual and team swimming events.

The 22-year-old from Ballina, who was the recipient of a UL Sports Scholarship for High Performance Athletes, was conferred with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physics from UL’s Faculty of Science and Engineering.

Finn’s affiliation with UL started at a young age, having first taken swimming lessons on campus at the age of six, before beginning regular training in the University’s pool from the age of nine.

Speaking ahead of his graduation, the new UL graduate said: “When making the decision on where to study, I knew I needed a university that would support a dual-career athlete. UL was the clear winner for me, not only because of their well-established academic status, but because of the support that their scholarship athletes receive.

“This support came in the form of accommodation with like-minded athletes, funding, adapting the academic schedule to suit our training needs and seminars to educate us on sleep, psychology and nutrition. These, along with the training facilities available to us, are the cornerstones that make the difference between UL athletes and other athletes across the country”.

Having been conferred with his degree, his sights are now firmly set on competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Professor Mey told the new graduates in her conferring address: “Today is a day that has us all filled with pride and joy as we celebrate the culmination of your academic journey at 51��ɫ.

“Each one of you has embarked on a transformative expedition, one that has required immense dedication, perseverance, and an unyielding pursuit of knowledge. Today, we acknowledge not only your achievements but also the profound significance of the journey you have taken to reach this milestone.”

UL is home to the National 50m Swimming Pool – Ireland’s first Olympic-sized pool, which was opened in 2002. Measuring 50mx25m, it allows for long- and short-course training and competition and has an adjustable floor in the shallow end to allow for a flexible depth.

In 2017, the University also added a 25m diving pool, which has two Olympic diving boards.