Westmeath students among Leinster GAA bursary recipients

Leinster GAA last night broke the 700 mark in its annual bursary award scheme.

At a ceremony at Áras Laighean Leinster GAA Chairman John Horan awarded the funding to the 37 students from 11 counties who have been selected in the 2015 programme.

With six recipients, Westmeath, along with Meath, was the largest beneficiary outside of Dublin. The six students from Westmeath who received bursary awards were: Darragh Lyons (Bunbrosna), Alan Coffey (Tubberclair), Alan Fitzpatrick (Caulry), Darren O’Connell (Rosemount), Valentinas Sizychas (Tyrrellspass) and Odhran Daly (Tubberclair).

The funding, which is made in conjunction with support from Croke Park, will see €750 awarded to each student in a special bursary payment.

And this year’s awards has seen Leinster break the 700 mark for the number of bursaries that have been awarded to students in the province since this scheme was inaugurated by the then Leinster GAA Chairman Nickey Brennan in 2002.

Ballyboden St Endas forward Colm Basquel is among those who have made awarded a bursary in a week that will see him line out for the Firhouse Road club against Portlaoise in Sunday’s AIB Leinster senior club football championship final in Tullamore.