Buncrana schoolgirl is a winner in Rotary Youth Leadership Competition

By Staff reporter
Published 16th Nov 2025, 10:33 GMT
Updated 16th Nov 2025, 10:33 GMT
Aoife McColgan pictured with Cynthia Fuery, Assistant District Governor, parent Mr McColgan, Rob Holmes, vice president Letterkenny Rotary, and Letterkenny Rotary President Wendy McGarveyplaceholder image
Aoife McColgan pictured with Cynthia Fuery, Assistant District Governor, parent Mr McColgan, Rob Holmes, vice president Letterkenny Rotary, and Letterkenny Rotary President Wendy McGarvey

Winner Aoife impressed the interview panels in both rounds with her knowledge and, to date, involvement in EU organisations, her leadership roles in her school, as well as her ability to communicate with the panels in an articulate and confident manner.

Aoife McColgan, a fifth-year student in Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana, has been selected as the Rotary Zone final winner in this year’s prestigious Rotary Youth Leadership Competition. 

The Zone includes Rotary Clubs from Letterkenny, Enniskillen, Omagh, Limavady, and Strabane/Lifford. Aoife had been previously selected from seven second-level students in Donegal as Letterkenny Rotary’s candidate to go through to the Zone finals, which were held in the Station House Hotel, Letterkenny. Students from Rotary clubs in Strabane/Lifford, Enniskillen and Omagh also took part in the Zone finals.

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The competition, which is one of Rotary Ireland’s longest-running youth projects, rewards young people with clear leadership potential. It is run in conjunction with the EU Parliament Liaison Office in Dublin and Euroscola in Strasburg. It is open to 16 and 17 year-olds who are living on the island of Ireland. 

Letterkenny Rotary member and organiser of the competition at both local and Zone level, Fintan Moloney, praised all the students who had got through to the final and who had entered the competition at local level. He also thanked the interview panel for the Zone finals, Gary Clarke, Joan Crawford and Evelyn Smith for giving their time to the competition. It was recognised by all that standard of presentations from every student was excellent and the contribution of parents and schools to the competition was invaluable.  placeholder image
Letterkenny Rotary member and organiser of the competition at both local and Zone level, Fintan Moloney, praised all the students who had got through to the final and who had entered the competition at local level. He also thanked the interview panel for the Zone finals, Gary Clarke, Joan Crawford and Evelyn Smith for giving their time to the competition. It was recognised by all that standard of presentations from every student was excellent and the contribution of parents and schools to the competition was invaluable.  

Winner, Aoife impressed the interview panels in both rounds with her knowledge and, to date, involvement in EU organisations, her leadership roles in her school, as well as her ability to communicate with the panels in an articulate and confident manner. Aoife as a result of her win will now enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to the EU parliament in Strasbourg, Stormont in Belfast and the Dáil in Dublin in the coming months with winners from other Rotary Zones from all over Ireland.

Related topics:LetterkennyBuncranaInishowen
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