The Union of Students in Ireland was delighted to be involved in this week’s Teaching Hero Awards, held at Dublin Castle. USI President Laura Harmon was on hand with Jan O’Sullivan, minister for Education and Skills, to present the awards and greet recipients along with guest of honour, former President of Ireland Mary McAleese.
In all, 53 Teaching Heroes from 27 higher education institutions throughout Ireland were recognised at a special awards ceremony on Tuesday, September 30th. USI was proud to partner with the Teaching and Learning Forum for this amazing and groundbreaking event.
Speaking after the awards, USI President Laura Harmon said: “It’s a great honour to recognise the people who make learning possible and without whom students experience of education could be just good. The recipients of these awards make education an inspiration for many students.”
A full list of the recipients of the awards is given below, alongside some photos from the event.
| Institution | Teaching Heroes | Department |
| Athlone Institute of Technology | Jean Russell | Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology Pharmacology Clinical Laboratory Techniques |
| Athlone Institute of Technology | Joseph Egan | Marketing |
| Institute of Technology Blanchardstown | Marie Brennan | Department of Humanities |
| Institute of Technology Blanchardstown | Pamela Kelly | Department of Humanities |
| College of Computer Training | Colette Kirwan | Computing |
| College of Computer Training | Gemma Davis | Business |
| Cork Institute of Technology | Roy Sleator | Biological Sciences |
| Cork Institute of Technology | Maurice Murphy | Management & Enterprise |
| Dublin Business School | Siobhan Magner | Marketing Department |
| Dublin Business School | David Wallace | Management Department |
| Dublin City University | Stella Vlachou | Nursing and Human Sciences |
| Dublin City University | Brian Leavy | Management, DCU Business School |
| Dublin Institute of Technology | Bryan Duggan | School of Computing |
| Dublin Institute of Technology | Pat Hannon | School of Media |
| Dundalk Institute of Technology | Marese McCabe | Applied Sciences |
| Dundalk Institute of Technology | Paula Mullen | Business and Humanities |
| Galway Mayo Institute of Technology | John Carty | Hospitality and Tourism |
| Galway Mayo Institute of Technology | Richie Hoare | Business |
| Griffith College Dublin | Tony Mullins | Programming |
| Griffith College Dublin | Eilis O’Leary | Business |
| Hibernia College | Muireann Conway | Early Childhood Education |
| Hibernia College | Redmond Connolly | Lead Music and Drama Tutor |
| Insititute of Technology, Limerick | Alan Kavanagh | Electrical and Electronic Eng. |
| Insittute of Technology, Sligo | Paula Roddy | Marketing, Tourism and Sport |
| Insittute of Technology, Sligo | Francis O’Regan | Computing and Creative Practices |
| Institute of Physical Therapy and Applied Sciences | Breda Berry | IPTAS |
| Institute of Physical Therapy and Applied Sciences | Terry Christie | IPTAS |
| Institute of Technology Tallaght | Elizabeth Mathews | Humanities |
| Institute of Technology Tallaght | Gerard Phelan | Accountancy & Professional Studies |
| Institute of Technology, Carlow | Eileen Doyle-Walsh | Department of Humanities |
| Institute of Technology, Carlow | Jenny Russell | Department of Electronic, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering |
| Institute of Technology, Tralee | Mary Brosnan | Nursing and Health Care Sciences |
| Institute of Tecnology, Tralee | John Brosnan | Computing |
| Mary Immaculate College | Diarmuid O’Driscoll | Mathematics & Computer Studies |
| Mary Immaculate College | Mary Moloney | Early Childhood Care and Education |
| Maynooth University | Frank Mulligan | Experimental Physics |
| Maynooth University | Kevin Kavanagh | Biology |
| National University of Ireland, Galway | Deirdre Curran | School of Business & Economics and Whitaker Institute (Employment Relations) |
| National University of Ireland, Galway | Mark Lang | School of Physics (Centre for Astronomy) |
| Open Training College | Raymond Watson | Social Care |
| Open Training College | Alacoque McAuley Savage | Social Care |
| Royal College of Surgeons Ireland | Mary Leader | Department of Pathology |
| Royal College of Surgeons Ireland | Michelle Flood | Department of Pharmacy |
| Trinity College Dublin | Nicola Marples | Zoology |
| Trinity College Dublin | Stephen Connon | Chemistry |
| University College Cork | Eileen O Leary | Chemistry |
| University College Cork | Kieran Keohane | Sociology |
| University College Dublin | Sinead Sheerin | School of Veterinary Medicine |
| University College Dublin | Kevin Costello | School of Law |
| University of Limerick | Joseph Lynch | Department of Mathematics and Statistics |
| University of Limerick | John Heneghan | Accounting and Finance |
| Waterford Institute of Technology | Olivia Freyne | School of Humanities, Languages Tourism and Hospitality |
| Waterford Institute of Technology | Tony Reid | Health Science, Nursing |