Four UCD agricultural science students have been awarded ASA scholarships, sponsored by AIB, to help them undertake the work experience element of their course overseas.

  • Following an intense competition, the 2015 scholarships have been awarded to:
    Maeve Regan, Cloonfad, Co Roscommon, a student in animal science, who is travelling to South Dakota to work on a 3,000-cow dairy farm run by Irish couple Rodney and Dorothy Elliot who moved from Monaghan to South Dakota in 2006.
  • Jason Meenaghan, Belmullet, Co Mayo, who is studying forestry at UCD and will work at the UC Berkeley Blodgett Forest Research Station in California.
  • Michael Cox, Rathowen, Co Westmeath, a student in animal science, who will work on farms in Scotland and England and undertake a genetics internship in the US as part of his UCD/AIB bursary. Agriland featured part of Michael’s trip to the US in two articles, where one of his classmates described their ‘small’ farm of 4,500 acres and the influence of cattle breeds in the US beef system.
  • Tarlach Mac Giolla Cheara, Carrickmore, Co Tyrone, who is studying animal science – equine. Tarlach is travelling to Japan to work at Paca Paca Farm, the highly acclaimed horse breeding operation owned and run by Irish veterinarian Harry Sweeney.

Expressing gratitude to AIB for its generous support for the work experience scholarships, ASA President Eoin Lowry said the initiative is part of the association’s comprehensive range of services and career guidance supports to the next generation of agri-food industry leaders.

AIB bursaries

Pictured at the presentation of the 2015 scholarships are: Eoin Lowry ASA President and Shane Whelan (second from right) AIB, with scholarship winners: Michael Cox, Rathowen, Co. Westmeath, Tarlach Mac Giolla Cheara, Carrickmore, Co. Tyrone, Maeve Regan, Cloonfad, Co. Roscommon and Jason Meenaghan, Belmullet, Co. Mayo.