Former Irish women's soccer international is special guest at Tipperary school's awards ceremony

Sixth Year student Rachel O’Keeffe is presented with Scoil Mhuire Secondary School's Student of the Year Award for 2024 at the school’s awards ceremony on May 3. Picture Mary Kinsella

RTE soccer pundit and former Irish international soccer player Karen Duggan was the special guest speaker at the annual awards ceremony at her alma mater – Scoil Mhuire Secondary School in Carrick-on-Suir.

The Piltown native, who currently plays for Peamount United, returned to her old school on Friday, May 3 to talk about her exciting sporting career.

She was interviewed by Ms Annette O’Connell at the awards ceremony and gave thoughtful and insightful answers to the teacher’s questions.

As well as being a hugely successful women’s soccer player, Karen Duggan played on the Kilkenny minor camogie team that reached the 2009 All-Ireland final.

The audience of Scoil Mhuire students were inspired to hear about her sporting career at school, club, university and county level leading up to her incredible success with the Republic of Ireland International soccer team and her RTE punditry upon her retirement from international soccer.

The changing role of women in sport was also discussed and debated. 

Scoil Mhuire’s end of year awards ceremony, meanwhile, celebrated the students’ wide variety of achievements and accolades.
Awards

Among the awards presented were for Class Spirit, recognising the students in each year who contribute positively in the classroom and who are held in high esteem by their peers. The award winners were chosen by the votes of their classmates. 

Special awards were given to those who excel in certain areas of school life, for example, attendance, art, music, drama, Green schools and Gaisce as well as sports including basketball, soccer, Gaelic football, camogie and athletics. 

Rachel O’Keeffe received the Student of the Year 2024 award while Cina Musse was presented with the CEIST Student of the Year 2024.

Scoil Mhuire Secondary School congratulated both students and said they well deserved this recognition. “

The awards ceremony took place on the same day as the Scoil Mhuire Talent Show where the school’s students showcased their music, dancing singing and gymnastics talent before a packed audience in the Strand Theatre in Carrick-on-Suir. 

Check out more photos from Scoil Mhuire Secondary School's annual awards ceremony in the latest edition of The Nationalist now on sale in local shops. 

Pictured below: Sixth Year student Cina Muse receiving the CEIST Student of the Year Award award at the Carrick-on-Suir school’s end of academic year awards ceremony. Picture Mary Kinsella.