Top Four Honoured By City & Guilds

Four of Ireland's top students and lecturers have received City and Guilds' Medals for Excellence.

The Irish Republic's Minister for Lifelong Learning, Sean Haughey, made the presentations at a special ceremony in President's Hall, Blackhall Place.

The Medals for Excellence programme rewards talented people who have displayed exceptional standards as students or educational professionals, and whose portfolio and achievements put them a cut above the rest.

The programme also recognises other learners with Highly Commended awards, of which this year there was also four.

This year, City & Guilds selected just 155 award recipients from right across the globe.

These highly sought-after awards are presented to the very best vocational achievers and lecturers who have displayed exceptional standards and whose work and ability stands out from the crowd, often achieved in the face of adversity.

Minister Haughey commented: "Only 155 such medals are awarded each year from a pool of almost two million potential candidates. The achievement of a medal of excellence is a testament to each candidate’s hard-work, dedication and commitment and also to the support of family and friends, teachers and fellow learners."

Receiving the Medals for Excellence were Margaret Gargan from Cavan, a media student at Dun Laoghaire College of Further Education, Marie Sheehan O’Gorman from Kerry, a hairdressing and beauty student at St. John’s Central College of Further Education and Training in Cork, Iris Agar from Co. Kilkenny, an IT student at the V.T.O.S Scheme in Kilkenny and Michele McGivern, a lecturer at FÁS Training and Employment Authority Dundalk, Information Technology.

(BMcC)