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Two students at 51��ɫ students have received a prestigious aviation award.

Mary O’Donnell and Michael Veale, who are both completing a Master’s of Aeronautical Engineering programme in the School of Engineering and are both from Cork, received the Fiachra Treacy ORIX Aviation Award at a ceremony held recently at UL.

The award consists of a €2,500 bursary payment to assist the students with their studies at the university and was launched in memory of Fiachra Treacy, who graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from UL in 2000.

One of this year’s recipients, Mary O’Donnell from Fermoy, said she felt a sense of pride at receiving the award and hopes that her achievement can inspire other women to follow her path into engineering.

“I came to this course with very little aeronautical and engineering experience so receiving this award makes me incredibly proud of my journey, being able to apply myself to complete a postgraduate degree and to promote engineering and STEM through outreach.

“As an advocate for women in STEM, I hope that in receiving this award, I could inspire another girl to pursue her own path in the field, to know that she belongs here as much as anyone else, and that she can excel.”

Michael Veale from Skibbereen, who plans to study a Master’s of Science in Aerospace in Munich when he graduates, drew similarities between his time at UL and that of Fiachra when listening to Fiachra’s wife Cróine talk about him at the prizegiving ceremony.

“This scholarship is the culmination of four years of hard work and is a highlight of my time at UL. It’s a privilege to be a part of an esteemed group of individuals who have been awarded the Fiachra Treacy scholarship. It was lovely to hear Cróine talk about Fiachra’s exploits during his college years, especially how he and his friends took part in rocketry in their spare time like how me and my friends do now!”

Speaking at the time of the launch of the scholarship in 2021 Cróine Tracey, who met Fiachra when they were both students at UL, said: “UL holds many happy memories for Fiachra and I, his many friends and especially the Aeronautical Engineering class of 2000.

“On behalf of Fiachra’s family, his friends and our three girls I would like to thank ORIX Aviation for their generosity. It means a great deal to us that Fiachra’s love for Aeronautical Engineering will continue in the next generation of UL Engineers.”

Aeronautical Engineering students at UL can get more information about the Fiachra Treacy ORIX Aviation Award from their Course Director.