Athlone students among finalists at Gráinne O'Neill essay competition
The Law Society of Ireland announced the winners of the national Gráinne O’Neill Memorial Legal Essay Competition at an event held at the Law Society on Tuesday last, April 30.
The annual competition is organised in honour of Gráinne O'Neill, from the Retreat Road, Athlone. A district court judge and a hugely popular figure in Athlone, Gráinne died in 2018, following an illness.
At the essay competition this year, Transition Year student Patrick Galvin, of Abbey Community College, Waterford, was announced as the overall winner.
Sarah Rockett from Our Lady's Bower in Athlone, and Marist College Athlone students Isaac Jocher and Barra Powell, were also among the 30 finalists at the event in Dublin.
Ella Mae Gavigan, from Wilson’s Hospital School in Westmeath, was awarded third place in the competition this year.
The initiative aims to inspire young peoples' legal learning by encouraging students from a wide range of backgrounds to consider contemporary justice issues.
Almost 140 essays were received this year, from 48 schools across 16 different counties. Each student submitted a 1,500-word essay examining the topic, 'Climate Change Mitigation; the role the law can play in addressing the climate crisis'.
President of the Law Society Barry MacCarthy, said, "The solicitors’ profession is changing, and the Law Society is committed to supporting legal education for the next generation. With this year's essay focused on climate change, the students offered passionate, engaging and reflective essays.
"This competition encourages students to consider the law and helps them understand how the law can impact issues that are close to their hearts and areas of their daily lives.
"We hope this essay competition will inspire students from across the country to continue their legal education, nurture their curiosity for justice issues and to consider a future career in law."
Patrick Galvin's essay was selected as the top entry and won a €1,000 prize and a cup for his school.
The judges commended Patrick for his essay’s superb analysis of the law. The judges said, "it was clear he was passionate about the law and the subject matter, making him a deserving winner".
Commenting on the competition, third place winner, Ella Mae Gavigan, said, "I knew Gráinne when I was younger, and I always remember her as a kind, caring woman who always saw the best in people. I never thought that I could ever place in the top three entries as it was a very tough competition.
"There was so many things that I learned from this experience, and I hope that people who do Transition Year in the future consider entering this competition."
The Gráinne O’Neill Memorial Legal Essay Competition was initiated by The Hon Mr Justice Keenan Johnson of the Circuit Court, in collaboration with the Midland Solicitors’ Bar Association, in 2019.
This is the second year the competition has invited entries from Transition Year students across the country.
"I hope Gráinne would be honoured to know that her legacy is making a positive difference to the next generation of legal learners, encouraging education, and helping them better understand how the law impacts everyone in society," said Mr MacCarthy.