Alumni Ball at Maynooth College, 2010

Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason and Mrs Mary O'Rourke TD are presented with awards by President John Hughes at the Alumni Ball

The Maynooth Alumni Association honoured two of the College's most distinguished former students at the annual Alumni Ball on 12 June 2010. Ireland’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU, Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason received the President’s Alumni Award for 2010, while Mary O’Rourke TD was named as the inaugural member of the “Made in Maynooth” alumni hall of fame.

The Maynooth Alumni Association and the Alumni Ball are joint ventures between St Patrick's College and the Naional University of Ireland, Maynooth. Monsignor Hugh Connolly, President of St Patrick's College, welcomed the alumni and friends to a magically transformed Pugin Hall where the banquet was held.

The awards were presented by Professor John Hughes who said that both women had excelled in their chosen careers and had represented Ireland with distinction.  “Geraldine has been a tremendous Ambassador to the EU. She has achieved much for Ireland’s Agriculture and Forestry industries, and has driven the climate change agenda forward. It is for this service that we honour her with the President’s Alumni Award.  And Mary, as one of Ireland’s great political leaders for decades, has been a trailblazer for graduates of this University".

Geraldine Byrne Nason graduated from St Patrick’s College with a BA in English and Irish in 1980 and completed an MA in  English in 1981.  She is currently Ireland’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU, having previously been Director of the National Forum on Europe.

Mary O’Rourke is TD for Longford-Westmeath.  She has served as Minister for Education, Minister for Health and Minister for Public Enterprise.  She was in the first lay graduating class of St Patrick’s College completing a Higher Diploma in Education in 1967.

Alumni and friends of St Patrick's College
Back Row: Mr Dominic McNamara, Dr John O'Keeffe, Monsignor Hugh Connolly, President,
Dr Michael O'Dwyer, Rev Gearóid Dullea, Mr Donal McMahon
Front Row: Mrs Mary McMahon, Mrs Gráinne O'Keeffe, Mrs Anita McNamara, Ms Fidelma Madden

President John Hughes of NUI Maynooth and Monsignor Hugh Connolly, President of St Patrick's College attended the Ball.

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Memories of the Alumni Ball 2009