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Kerry TY student wins top legal-essay prize

Kerry transition-year (TY) student Hazel Barrett from Presentation Secondary School, Listowel, was the overall winner of the Law Society national Gráinne O’Neill memorial legal essay competition 2025.

The winners were announced at a special ceremony held at Blackhall Place in Dublin yesterday (14 May).

The Law Society has hosted the national competition for the past three years. It invites TY students from across the country to submit a 1,500-word legal essay on a specific topic.

This year, more than 300 essays were submitted by students exploring the theme: ‘The role the law can play in addressing hate crime’.

Inspire young people

The competition aims to inspire young people’s legal learning by encouraging students from a wide range of backgrounds to consider contemporary justice issues.

The winning essay won a €1,000 prize and a cup for her school. The judges described Hazel’s entry as “an excellent essay with superb analysis of the law”, as well as “an enjoyable read”.

“I’m honoured to win the overall award this year. The competition gave me a chance to learn more about the law and learn how the legal system can be used to protect people and uphold equal rights,” she said.

Alanna Crean (Loreto College, Dublin) took second prize and Saoirse O’Connor Buckley (Coláiste Muire, Cork) came third (small pcture).

Six merit certificates were awarded to:

• Julie Murphy (Scoil Mhuire, Cork),
• Angelina Sewell (Sacred Heart School Tullamore, Offaly),
• Honor Geary (Loreto Community School, Donegal),
• Donncha O’Keefe (Coláiste Choilm, Cork),
• Mary Nderesi (Lucan Community College, Dublin), and
• Donagh White (Lucan Community College, Dublin).

Law Society President Eamon Harrington, said: “This year’s topic challenged students to explore how our laws respond to hatred and discrimination in society."

'Mature understanding'

“Their essays demonstrated a mature understanding of the role that legislation can play in protecting vulnerable groups and promoting inclusion for all in society.”

The competition honours the life and legacy of the late Judge Gráinne O’Neill, who became the youngest judge in Ireland when she was appointed to the District Court in 2014.

She died in 2018 following a period of illness. 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.