WIT Sporting Alumni

The following are a selection of people that have gone through Waterford IT and successfully married their Sporting and Academic careers. Since graduating all have gone on to achieve success at the highest level.

Photographs by www.Sportsfile.com

Michael Walsh - Hurling, Waterford Waterford IT 2001 to 2006 Completed his MA in Business and Finance in Waterford IT in 2006, first made his mark as a footballer when helping Waterford defeat both Cork and Kerry to win the Munster Under 21 Football Championship in 2003. Came to prominence as a hurler in the Fitzgibbon Final of 2004 and went on to clinch his place on the Waterford Senior Hurling team that won the Munster Championship that year. Michael “Brick” Walsh is currently centre back of the Waterford Senior Hurling team and has three Fitzgibbon Cup winners medals with WIT as well as an All Star at centre back in 2009.

Henry Shefflin - Hurling, Kilkenny Waterford IT 1997 to 2002 Business Studies Graduate, made the Kilkenny senior team in his second year, has so many hurling honours it would be difficult to list them all. He has been selected on a number of All-Star teams, has 2 Fitzgibbon medals with Waterford IT as well as numerous All Ireland medals in all grades with Kilkenny. In 2006 he was selected as the RTE Irish Sports Personality of the Year and was awarded both the Vodafone and Texaco Hurler of the Year.

Declan Browne - Football, Tipperary Waterford IT 1997 to 2000 Won his first football All Star in 1998, the first Tipperary footballer ever to win one. Playing in what would be considered a weaker football county he went on to win another All Star football award in 2003. Declan has also captained his county to the Tommy Murphy Cup in 2005. As a student he won 2 Fitzgibbon Cup medals and while here in WIT he described himself as a footballer that tried to hurl.

Sinead Nealon - Camogie, Tipperary Waterford IT 1992 to 1999 Sinead Nealon arrived as a Recreation and Leisure Management student in Waterford IT in 1992 and just a few weeks later she played in the winning Tipp side in the Junior All Ireland Final. From there she has gone on to have a hugely successful sporting career with both WIT and her native county. She has Purcell Cup, Ashbourne Cup and Colleges Division 1 League medals for WIT as well as Minor, Junior, Intermediate and Senior Medals for Tipperary.

Karen Shinkins - Athletics, Dublin Waterford IT 1994 to 1998 Business Studies Graduate, a member of the Dublin City Harriers Athletic Club, represented Ireland in the European Championships in her final year in WIT reaching the semi final stages of the 400 meters. Went on to represent Ireland in all of the major indoor and outdoor championships including the Sydney Olympics. Won a Bronze Medal in the European Indoor Championships in 2002. In July 2004 Karen won the Women's 400m National Title for the 8th time.

Peter Barry - Hurling, Kilkenny Waterford IT 1992 to 1996 Won a Fitzgibbon medal with Waterford IT in 1995, a player with the James Stephens club in Kilkenny, Peter joined the county Senior Hurling panel in 1996. An accountant by profession, Peter has won many honours with the Kilkenny hurlers, including 3 All-Ireland Senior Hurling medals, 1 All-Ireland U-21 medal as well as several Leinster Senior Hurling Championship and National Hurling League medals. He is the recipient of 3 All Star Awards.

Colm Bonnar - Hurling, Tipperary Waterford IT 1984 to 1987 and 1994 to 1995 Colm was already the holder of an All Ireland minor medal from 1982 when enrolling in the Diploma in Recreation Management course at the then Waterford RTC in the autumn of 1984. Coming from a great Tipperary hurling family he is the holder of Minor, Under 21 and two All Ireland Senior medals. Coached Waterford RTC to their first Fitzgibbon Cup in 1992 and captained the team to their second success in 1995 when coming back to finish his degree. Made history by becoming the first ever-full time GAA Officer to be appointed to a third level Institution, Waterford IT.

Gary Ryan - Athletics, Tipperary Waterford IT 1991 to 1994 Recreational Management Student, sprinted for Ireland at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics and has been one of the most consistent Irish performers of the past decade. He retired from competition in August 2006. He is the Irish 100m champion is a former national record holder at 100m and 60m, with both records recently surpassed by Paul Hession. A member of the Irish team that took bronze in the 400m relay at the World Indoor Championships in Budapest in 2004. In January 2007 Gary was appointed Irish Director of Coaching for Athletics.

WIT Sport & Recreation Roll of Honour 1998 to 2010

 

WIT Sport & Recreation Roll of Honour 1998 to 2010

2009-2010

Camogie:                Anne Dalton crowned Vodafone Player of the Year                  

Athletics:                 Orla Barry represented Ireland

Equestrian:              Gary Flynn and Kevin Veale made the Irish team for the student nations cup in Canada

Ultimate Frisbee:      Martin Kelly represented the Irish team

Men’s Soccer:          Kevin Burns represented the Irish Colleges Team

Ladies Soccer:         Lynn Marie Grant selected on the Irish Colleges squad

Camogie:                Ashbourne and League Cup Winners, Fresher blitz winners

Handball:            60 X 30 A Team Open   Mens A Singles / Mens B Singles

Gaelic Football:       Munster Junior Winners

Karate:                   National Intervarsity Champions

Badminton:              Division 4 College league winners

WIT Sports Star of the Year: Ursula Jacob, Camogie

WIT Societies Personality of the Year: Barry Reid, Music Society

WIT Team of the Year: Camogie 

 

2008-09

Athletics:            Orla Barry represented Ireland at the Paralympics in the discus

Camogie:            Ashbourne and League Cup Winners

Cycling:              Sam Bennett and Philip Lavery both represented Ireland at under 23 level in Belguim

Equestrian:         Gary Flynn made the Irish team for the student nations cup in France

 Rugby:               Senior college cup winners

Swimming:          Colm Dowling and Tommy Bergin both won national senior championship events as well as gold medals in intervarsity competitions

Ladies Soccer:    Lyn Marie Grant made the Irish team played in the world university games

WIT Sports Star of the Year: Colm Dowling, Swimming

WIT Societies Personality of the Year: Karen Bolger

WIT Team of the Year: Camogie and Rugby

 

2007-2008

Hurling:                Fizgibbon cup winners

Rugby:                 Senior College cup winners

Fresher Rugby:    Colleges Cup Winners

Camogie:             League Winners

Fresher Ladies: Football Shield

WIT Sports Star of the Year: Kevin Moran, Hurling

WIT Societies Personality of the Year: Suzanne Parker, Law Society

WIT Team of the Year: WIT Senior Hurling Team

 

2006-2007

Hurling:                Fresher Hurling Shield

Camogie:             Fresher Camogie Shield

Rugby:                 Fresher Rugby Colleges Cup

WIT Sports Star of the Year: Martin O’Leary, Sailing

WIT Societies Personality of the Year: Pat Sweeney, Engineering Society

WIT Team of the Year: WIT Senior Hurling Team

 

2005-2006

Hurling:                Fitzgibbon Cup Winners. Division 1 Hurling League Winners

Camogie:             Fresher Camogie Shield

WIT Sports Star of the Year: Michael Walsh, Hurling

WIT Societies Personality of the Year: Laura Forsey, Business Society

WIT Team of the Year: Senior Hurling Team

 

2004-2005

Hurling:                 Intermediate Hurling Winners

Camogie:              Fresher Camogie Cup

Men’s Soccer:      Division 2 league champions

Ladies Basketball: League and Cup Champions

WIT Sports Star of the Year: Andrew Bourns, Equestrian

WIT Societies Personality of the Year: Thomas Grant, Equestrian

WIT Team of the Year:  Ladies Basketball Team

 

2003-2004

Hurling:      Fitzgibbon Cup Winners, Intermediate Hurling Winners, Division 2 Freshers Hurling

WIT Sports Star of the Year: JJ Delaney, Hurling

WIT Societies Personality of the Year: Aishling Dunne, Business Society

 

2002-2003

Hurling:               Fitzgibbon Cup Winners, Division one fresher hurling winners, division two fresher hurling champions

Ladies Football:   Division 3 ladies football champions

Ladies Soccer:    Fresher cup champions

WIT Sports Star of the Year: Paul Curran, Hurling

WIT Societies Personality of the Year:  Gemma Shaughnessy, Business Society

 

2001-2002

Hurling:               Division one hurling league

Ladies Football:  Fresher Ladies Football Shield

Ladies Soccer:    Premier league champions, division one league champions, Intervarsity club champions, challenge cup champions

WIT Sports Star of the Year: Julie Cunningham, Soccer/Football

WIT Societies Personality of the Year: Enda Grenham, Business Society

 

2000-2001

Camogie:           Ashbourne Cup Winners

Men’s Rugby:    Senior All-Ireland Champions

WIT Sports Star of the Year: Henry Shefflin, Hurling

WIT Societies Personality of the Year: Niall Crowley, Music Society

 

1999-2000

Hurling:               Fitzgibbon cup winners, Division one hurling league, Division one fresher hurling league

Soccer:               Premier league champions

Ladies Soccer:    Intervarsity Cup Champions

WIT Sports Star of the Year:  Andy Maloney, Hurling

WIT Societies Personality of the Year: Niall Crowley, Music Society

 

1998-1999

Hurling:                Fitzgibbon cup winners

Camogie:             Ashbourne cup winners, division one Camogie league winners

Ladies Football: Division one ladies football league winners, division one fresher ladies football championship, O’Connor Cup Plate

WIT Sports Star of the Year:  Annalisa Crotty, Ladies Football

WIT Societies Personality of the Year: Gearoid Mc Cauley, Engineering Society