Wind Energy Ireland has awarded the Niamh Burke Memorial Bursary to students from Cavan and Waterford City, supporting their study and research in the field of renewable energy.

The recipients of the 2024 bursary are Jarlaith Brady and Thomas Walsh. Jarlaith aims to pursue an MSc in Mechanical and Sustainable Engineering at DCU, while Thomas is currently enrolled in the MSc in Energy Systems in Engineering program at UCD.

The students impressed the judges with their commitment to working to tackle the climate emergency and their passion for their chosen fields of Mechanical and Sustainable Engineering and Energy Systems Engineering.

Established in honour of the late Arthur Cox LLP, the bursary grants an annual sum of €10,000, which can be divided among recipients, to assist students pursuing education in this field. Administered by Wind Energy Ireland, the bursary is funded by Arthur Cox LLP.

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Danielle Conaghan, Partner at Arthur Cox LLP, said: "We are very enthusiastic about and deeply committed to fostering the next generation of leaders in renewable energy. This bursary represents not just financial support, but also our belief in the power of education. We are proud to honour Niamh's legacy by supporting Jarlaith and Thomas in their studies and wish them the very best in pursuing them. Their commitment to tackling the climate emergency will contribute to a greener, more sustainable future."

Dave Linehan, Head of Research at Wind Energy Ireland, stated: "Supporting education in this area is vital. We need to encourage and enable the climate champions of the future to reach a zero-carbon Ireland. There are thousands of jobs in wind energy in Ireland and that is only going to grow."

Jarlaith Brady said: "I am overjoyed and honoured to be a recipient of this year's Niamh Burke bursary. With my previous experience in renewables and the completion of this Masters degree, I hope to accelerate Ireland's energy transition towards 2030 and beyond."

Describing his future plans Thomas Walsh commented: "We're building a whole new clean-energy system, changing how we produce electricity, heat our homes, move around and how industries work. Ireland has lots of work to do in managing affordability, sustainability and security throughout the transition. There's nothing I'd rather do with my career. I'm extremely grateful to the family of Niamh Burke, Arthur Cox and Wind Energy Ireland for receiving the Niamh Burke bursary towards my masters degree in Energy Systems Engineering at UCD."