Trinity Sport unveiled its sports scholars for the 2025/26 season on November 10th at the Dining Hall in Trinity College Dublin. This year’s awardees, comprising 31 Trinity Sport scholars and 31 club academy scholars, will represent Trinity across twenty sports: alpine skiing, basketball, cricket, fencing, Gaelic Men’s & Ladies’ Football, hurling, camogie, handball, rugby, sailing, tennis, triathlon, volleyball, water polo, squash, para table tennis, deaf swimming, rowing, and hockey.
Trinity College Dublin has a unique sporting calibre established over four centuries. Along with its strong academic and research heritage, it has educated a significant number of Olympians, world champions, and national champions, and is home to some of Ireland’s top sporting teams and athletes. Trinity has evolved from its historic amateur roots into a modern, integrated programme of recreational and performance sport. This legacy is supported by considerable investments in facilities, coaching, physiotherapy, medical support, sports nutrition, and sports science. Additionally, Trinity provides scholarships to help students excel both on and off the field. The scholarships are divided into five tiers:
- Global Graduate: For international students completing a postgraduate course at Trinity.
- Podium: For carded or Olympic-pathway athletes who compete at the highest level.
- Performance: For students who have achieved representation at the Senior, U20, County, and/or international level.
- Club Academy: For athletes endorsed by High-Performance Pathway coaches or a National Governing Body as having significant potential, typically at the Junior International level. Returning scholars must meet progression targets to remain eligible.
- Trevor West: For exceptional athletes who have made an outstanding contribution to sport at Trinity and demonstrated strong engagement with their club.
Applications for sports scholarships are available annually, and with student needs constantly changing and expectations setting high, the selection process is rigorous. Applicants are assessed sport by sport, with their national standing and international ranking factored into the decision. Therefore, the scholarships serve not only as a financial award but also as an acknowledgement of the awardees’ accomplishments and an encouragement for their future development.
During the Scholarship Award Evening, Irish international rugby star, Trinity alumni and former sport scholar, and Trinity Sport Ambassador Linda Djougang; two-time Olympian, Ireland’s first-ever Olympic medal in women’s rowing, and Trinity Business School Executive MBA scholar Eimear Lambe; and Offaly senior football captain, Division 3 League title holder, and former Trinity sport scholar Lee Pearson were invited to give a discussion about ‘why sport matters’.
Ava Learn, a Global Graduate Scholarship awardee, reflected that the event felt both grand and intimate. “It was big, but at the same time, it was small, because everyone was gathered and united,” she said. She was surprised when her name was called, as her friends and teammates had kept the result a secret. She was relieved the procedure was simple—receiving the award and taking a photo—as she was not asked to give a speech. Behind that simplicity, however, lies a deep connection to basketball.
With both her parents having played, Ava was introduced to the sport at age five. She loves basketball but also feels bound by it, as it once dominated her personal life. Reflecting on her high school and college years, she said, “Outside of school, it was a hundred percent basketball.” Her dedication paid off, helping her earn a college scholarship in the United States and now the opportunity to pursue a postgraduate degree at Trinity. At Trinity, she plays for both the college team and the basketball society, training three times a week and competing regularly. Speaking about what the award means to her, Learn said, “I feel grateful because I know it is competitive. Many people submitted applications, and I did mine very late.” Nevertheless, her ability was the determining factor, and Learn undoubtedly deserved the award.
The scholarship also provides crucial financial relief for Ellen Barbour, for whom both sailing and college are expensive. The award allows her to continue both pursuits. Awardees have full autonomy over how they use the funds. As Barbour explained, “The scholarship will be paid to me, and I decide where to use it, either paying the tuition fee or paying for sailing.” Barbour earned her scholarship by winning a bronze medal at the U23 World Sailing Championships in August. When asked how long she has been sailing, she paused to think and was astonished to realize it has been fourteen years. A former member of the Northern Ireland Sailing team, she now competes with the Irish Sailing Team and will be upgraded to the senior squad next year. Trinity supports her athletic career by accommodating her as a part-time student, allowing her to balance her degree with training without sacrificing either. “I don’t know how they make it, but I can keep training and also finish my degree, no more quitting classes,” she said. Barbour found the award evening enjoyable and helpful, providing a chance to connect with scholars from other sports and learn from the guest discussion about planning for a future after an athletic career.
Michelle Tanner, Director of Sport and Physical Activity, Trinity College Dublin provided a wonderful summary of the event, “We’re delighted to be here this evening to recognise the achievements and commitments of Trinity’s student athletes. We are truly delighted to celebrate this year’s exceptional calibre of student athletes for the 2025-26 academic year. With representation from twenty sports and a diverse array of internationally acclaimed and emerging athletes, Trinity College Dublin continues to reaffirm its commitment to nurturing sporting talent and fostering excellence both on and off the field and courts of play.”
