This year’s Paul Giblin Memorial Bursary has been awarded to Aifric Keogh and Fiona Murtagh, two exceptional athletes who have represented NUIG Boat Club and are members of the Irish heavyweight women’s squad that has qualified to race a heavyweight coxless four in the Tokyo Olympics.
Paul Giblin was one of the most successful oarsmen to represent NUIG Boat Club, with 19 national titles, multiple representations and medals at international level and two medals from the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta.
Paul Giblin tragically passed away in 2017 after a long battle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Friends and family of Paul set up the Paul Giblin Memorial Bursary as a legacy to Paul, and to support developing and high-level athletes who display the same ambition, drive and ability as he did. Aifric Keogh and Fiona Murtagh are natives of Galway who began their rowing careers as juniors in Coláiste Iognáid Rowing Club and Galway Rowing Club respectively.
Subsequently they went on to represent NUIGBC, winning multiple senior championships for the club, before making the transition to full-time, international athletes on the Irish squad.
Thanks to the generosity of the Giblin family, and donors to the Paul Giblin Memorial Bursary, each athlete has been awarded a €1,000 bursary.
