Patrick Galvin of Abbey Community College, Waterford, has won this year’s Gráinne O’Neill Memorial Legal Essay Competition for transition-year (TY) students.
He received a prize of €1,000, and a trophy to be held by his school for one year.
The judges described the winning entry as “an excellent essay with superb analysis of the law”, and commented that the essay was “a very enjoyable read”.
Students were asked to submit a 1,500-word essay examining the topic: ‘Climate Change Mitigation: the role the law can play in addressing the climate crisis’.
Ceremony
The three top students, two merit-award winners, and finalists were presented with their prizes by the President of the Law Society Barry MacCarthy at a ceremony at Blackhall Place yesterday (30 April).
The national competition honours the life and legacy of the late Judge Gráinne O’Neill, whose father Terry spoke at the ceremony.
Her sister Fiona and brother Olaf also attended the ceremony.
Jack Wu (Jesus and Mary Secondary School, Enniscrone, Sligo) won the second prize and Ella Mae Gavigan (Wilson’s Hospital School, Westmeath) was third.
There were also two merit award winners: Evie Quigley (Loreto College, St Stephen’s Green, Dublin) and Conal McMahon (Saint Joseph’s Secondary School, Tulla, Clare).
More than 180 entries were received from across the country.
The finalists were:
- Amelia O'Donnell (Loreto College, St Stephen’s Green, Dublin),
- Anna Rose Nic Mhanais (Coláiste Íde, Dingle, Kerry),
- Aoibhe Gordon (Jesus and Mary Secondary School, Enniscrone, Sligo),
- Aoibhinn Redington (High Cross College, Tuam, Galway),
- Barra Powell (Marist College, Athlone, Westmeath),
- Cain Brady (Lucan Community College, Dublin),
- Charlie Roberts (CBS Secondary School, Kilkenny),
- Conal McMahon (Saint Joseph’s Secondary School, Tulla, Clare),
- Ella Mae Gavigan (Wilson’s Hospital School, Westmeath),
- Ellie Cowley (Jesus and Mary Secondary School, Enniscrone, Sligo),
- Emma McCarthy (St Brogan’s College, Cork),
- Erin Sharp (Loreto College, St Stephen’s Green, Dublin),
- Evie Quigley (Loreto College, St Stephen’s Green, Dublin),
- Florence Donohoe (Loreto Secondary School, Ballynagee, Wexford),
- Grace Binu (Lucan Community College, Dublin),
- Isaac Jocher (Marist College, Athlone, Westmeath),
- Jack Wu (Jesus and Mary Secondary School, Enniscrone, Sligo),
- Kate O'Boyle (Coláiste Chraobh Abhann, Kilcoole, Wicklow),
- Katelyn Byrne (Lucan Community College, Dublin),
- Lily Crocker-Dunne (Lucan Community College, Dublin),
- Maria Plesa (Wesley College, Dublin),
- Michael Holland (CBS Secondary School, Kilkenny),
- Michael McDonnell (Summerhill College, Sligo),
- Ornaith O'Donoghue (Coláiste Muire, Realt na Mara, Cork),
- Patrick Galvin (Abbey Community College, Waterford),
- Rebecca Kelly (Lucan Community College, Dublin),
- Robyn Collins (Lucan Community College, Dublin),
- Sarah Cullen (Alexandra College, Milltown, Dublin),
- Sarah Rockett (Our Lady's Bower, Athlone, Westmeath), and
- Shane Cunningham (St Vincent’s, Castleknock College, Dublin).
Awareness of the law
The Law Society President told attendees that the organisation believed in championing initiatives that increased awareness of the law, the legal system, and how the law affected society.
“This competition stands for just that. We are delighted to support this competition and to bring Gráinne’s legacy to a national platform,” he said.
The president pointed out that dozens of students had taken the time to consider what the law meant to them by examining the essay title.
“Every student in this room has considered what the law means to them, what this topic means to them, and how this impacts our society. It has taken a huge amount of effort and time to get to this place and I want to congratulate you all,” he concluded.
Who was Judge Gráinne O’Neill?
The Gráinne O’Neill Memorial Legal Essay Competition honours the life and legacy of the late Judge Gráinne O’Neill.
In 2014, she became the youngest judge ever appointed in Ireland.
Gráinne died in 2018 following a period of illness but, during her life, and especially during her years as a judge, she worked diligently to apply the law in a fair, rigorous, and compassionate manner.
The Gráinne O’Neill Memorial Legal Essay Competition was initiated by Judge Keenan Johnson (Judge of the Circuit Court), in collaboration with the Midland Solicitors’ Bar Association, in 2019.
Following two successful years of engagement across Offaly and Westmeath, the Law Society rolled out the competition at a national level for the first time last year.