WIP

Derwin Brennan

Derwin Brennan is a second year Economics, Politics and Law student at Dublin City University. Derwin is heavily involved in college life and has served as both a class rep and accommodation officer of the Union Council. As a student on the Access service at DCU, Derwin has become actively involved with the student shadowing program. Derwin is the current chairperson of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual society, the Treasurer of the DCU branch of Labour Youth and Secretary of the Debating Society representing DCU at two World University Debating Championships.

Peter Coulter

Peter Coulter is a final year Drama and Modern History Student at Queen’s University Belfast. Peter currently sits on the BBC NI Appeals Advisory Committee and is a former Trustee for YouthBank UK, a charity devoted to the empowerment of young people. Peter’s hobbies include going to the theatre and he has trained with the National Youth Theatre in London. Peter is also a publicity officer for the Brian Friel Theatre and he writes for a number of local magazines. Recently, Peter worked as a Press Assistant for the visit of the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Queen's in October 2009.

Catherine Craig

Catherine Craig is a final year American Studies with International Development student at the University of Ulster, Coleraine. Catherine has participated in the 'Streetreach' programme in Belfast and has years of experience volunteering with local church and community groups. In 2008, Catherine spent a year studying in Vermont, USA, where she joined the University community service group, learnt to snowboard and met students from all over America and the world. Catherine enjoys a range of sports including rowing and badminton.

Sarah Davis

Sarah Davis is a second year Arts student at NUI Maynooth, specializing in English and Music. Sarah has a heartfelt interest in music and has spent two years singing as a Soprano with the Irish Youth Choir (IYC). For the past four years, she has been actively involved in and dedicated to the Gluais Leadership Training Programme for secondary school students. Sarah cares deeply about issues surrounding racism and mental health awareness and hopes to help facilitate a change in how these issues are addressed and understood by society.

Edith Delaney

Edith Delaney is a first year Law and Business student at Trinity College Dublin. Edith studied at St. Leo’s College Carlow where she was appointed Head Girl. She has a wealth of interests which include music (Irish harp), speech and drama (Grade 8 Trinity Guildhall) and sport. Edith was elected chairperson of her school’s chapter of both SVP and Amnesty International. In 2009, having won a National leadership competition, Edith represented Ireland in Vermont, USA to debate and discuss social and current issues concerning young people. In addition, she is an alumnus of the Rotary Youth Leadership Competition.

Brian Feehily

Brian Feehily is currently in his final year, studying Economics at Trinity College Dublin. He was granted exemptions in the Scholarship exams in his senior freshman year. Brian is a member of several societies and served on the politics society committee 2008/09. Brian is an active member of Trinity College boxing club and was twice Senior Intervarsities (flyweight) champion. Brian has a strong interest in Politics, History and Foreign Affairs and intends to pursue his studies on his return from Washington D.C.

Eamonn Fitzgerald

Eamonn Fitzgerald is a final year civil engineering student at the National University of Ireland, Galway. He has a keen interest in active citizenship and international politics as well as community service that led to him being awarded the President’s Gaisce Award. He is currently working on a research project regarding sustainable development in rural Zambia, which gave him the opportunity to travel to western Zambia where he was involved in promoting science and engineering amongst local school children and orphans.

Ciara Fitzpatrick

Ciara is a final year Law and Criminology student at The University of Ulster, Jordanstown. Ciara is currently engaged with a Street Law programme which entails teaching juvenile offenders the positive impact that a basic knowledge of the law can deliver. Ciara has a passion for drama. The pinnacle of her acting career was playing the lead in ‘What I Did Last Summer’ by A. R. Gurney, while she spent an exciting year abroad in Salzburg, Austria as part of the ERASMUS program. She has also hosted numerous drama workshops in her home town.

John Friel

John Friel is a recent graduate of Queens University and is currently reading a Masters in Human Rights Law at the University of Ulster. John was selected to take part in the Business Education Initiative and studied at St John’s University, Minnesota. He has worked in his local community with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and has also worked in many local community projects including fundraising for Habitat for Humanity and the Muscular Dystrophy campaign. John is a committed member of the charity Serve and has recently completed a mission to Brazil.

David Gilmartin

David Gilmartin is a first year student in Dublin City University, where he is studying Law and Society and is the Class Representative for his course. David attended Kilkenny College and during his time there raised €10,000 for Habitat for Humanity and the Susie Long Hospice Fund. He has demonstrated his public responsibility by volunteering on team pilgrimages to Lourdes for eight years and through his service project working with the charitable organisation JOMAC. David has a passion for drama and music, playing the guitar and drums, and joined the National Performing Arts School at the age of four.

Adrian Hall

Adrian Hall is currently in his first year studying a Bachelor of Technology (Education) in Materials and Engineering Technology at the University of Limerick. Adrian was awarded an All Ireland Scholarship by the J.P. Mc Manus Foundation based on his outstanding Leaving Certificate results. Having a keen interest in engineering, Adrian was awarded runner up in the young engineer of the year competition 2009. Adrian has a strong interest in education and is currently undertaking a community service project with Access Campus, which caters to a diverse range of students, from children to mature learners.

Sharon Hickey

Sharon Hickey is a second year student of Law with Arts (English), at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Having also been honoured with an All Ireland Scholarship she continued her academic success in creating NUIM’s first law-student publication, The Golden Thread. Being elected to Comhairle and Dáil na nÓg, Sharon actively pursues her passion of improving youth facilities throughout Ireland and was instrumental in setting up Lucan’s award-winning youth café - Mega-Bites in 2008. Her many achievements include Gaisce and winning the Physics category of the Young Scientist in 2007. She is also an accomplished debater, singer and volunteer in her community.

Cormac Mangan

Cormac is currently a final year student of commerce at University College Cork. His personal and academic interests lie in the areas of Economics and Development. Last year he studied on scholarship at the University of California, San Diego where he achieved Dean's List Honours. Cormac has spent time volunteering in Malawi and currently works with St. Vincent de Paul on two projects in Cork City. Cormac was admitted to UCC as an entrance scholar and has been named college scholar every year. He is an avid Gaeilgeoir and spent past summers working with young people at an Irish college in West Cork.

Nuala McAllister

Nuala McAllister is a second year law student at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown. Nuala has participated in cross-community work from a young age, being part of the Northern Ireland Children’s Enterprise (N.I.C.E). For four years, Nuala and her family have played host to children from Chernobyl, helping them to overcome the difficulties associated with the 1989 disaster, whilst Nuala herself learns the Russian language. During her free time, Nuala enjoys cooking, shopping and spending time with her family and friends.

Conor McAndrew

Conor McAndrew is studying History and Politics at University College Dublin. He has just come to the end of a sabbatical year as Auditor of the Literary and Historical Society, the College's Debating Union. Conor has an active interest in public service and community projects from his involvement with his local division of The St. John Ambulance to his Habitat for Humanity work in Zambia. He built on this by helping to found the first annual Gonzaga College SJ Alumni Project with Habitat. Conor has seen success in Schools and University debating from winning the All Ireland to being Runner Up in the Irish Times Debate 2010.

Maev McDaid

Maev McDaid is a final year History and Irish Studies undergraduate at the University of Liverpool where she was awarded the Iliff Institution Scholarship for academic performance. In her home city of Derry, Maev was an active member of the SDLP Youth and volunteered with a variety of charities including Oxfam Ireland and the Foyle Downs Syndrome Trust. In Liverpool Maev is a student representative who sits on the Arts Faculty Board and she also runs a student society dedicated to stimulating debate on campus. Maev enjoys debating, travelling and playing the harp in her popular folk band.

Aoife McKenna

Aoife is a second year graphic design student at the Limerick School of Art and Design. On completion of her leaving cert, she was awarded an All Ireland Scholarship to attend college. In the past, she has worked with the elderly, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and has also participated in the Gaisce awards. Aoife has been a member of local environmental and fair-trade groups and is currently volunteering as a leader at a local youth club. Aoife has a passion for culture and the arts and regularly takes part in local theatrical productions. She also has a love of the Irish language and has spent summers as a ‘cúntoir’ in Colaiste chonnacht in the Gaeltacht

Caitlin McKinney

Caitlin Mc Kinney is a third year Business and Law student at University College Dublin. Caitlin has been actively involved in numerous volunteer projects both abroad and in her local community. These include working with the Newry & Mourne Volunteer Bureau’s Summer Scheme and building a house in El Salvador with Habitat for Humanity. Caitlin has won many awards for dancing, which include Ulster and All-Ireland Irish dancing titles and holds Grade 8 in Speech & Drama. Travelling is one of her great passions and she thoroughly enjoys meeting new people and experiencing new cultures

Enda McNamara

Enda is a third year student at University College Cork (UCC) studying Law with International Law. He is currently undertaking the international dimension of his degree at Leiden University, the Hague in the Netherlands. Enda has played an active role in UCC Societies and held the position of Vice-Auditor in the UCC Law Society and the UCC Free Legal Advice Centre Society in 2008/09. He has an interest in local politics and is an active member of Fine Gael in North Cork. Enda is also a keen sportsman and won a European Senior Football County Championship with Den Haag GAA Club in 2009.

Conor McRitchie

Conor McRitchie is a fourth year History, Politics and International Relations student at University College Dublin. He has a deep interest in Chinese politics and language. In 2008, Conor spent the academic year at the University of Hong Kong where he continued his study of Chinese Mandarin which he began in second year at UCD. Whilst in Asia, he also spent three months volunteering in a refugee village along the Thai-Myanmar border. Conor is a former member of the Ulster and Irish National swimming squads and continues his interest in the sport through a coaching qualification he gained in 2004.

Darragh Minogue

Darragh Minogue is a final year student studying International Relations in Dublin City University. He has a keen interest in Third World Issues and has considerable experience in this area. In 2007, Darragh worked in Nigeria for a HIV NGO, Living Hope Care, and he returned in 2008 in order to maintain the project he had undertaken the previous year. In 2009 he set up UNICEF on Campus at DCU in order to fundraise and raise awareness for developing countries.

Liam Murphy

Liam Murphy is an undergraduate student of History and Political Science at Trinity College, Dublin. Liam has achieved academic excellence at Trinity College, coming top of his class in annual examinations. Liam has developed a keen sense of social justice. His many contributions to those in need include three trips to Lourdes working with the sick and elderly of the Dublin Diocese, working for several years as the Public Relations officer for the Belvedere Sleep-Out, spending the summer working in a home for the dying in Kolkata, and current work on a kid's literacy programme.

Ruth Murray

Ruth Murray is a final year Law and European Studies student at the University of Limerick. She represented the Munster constituency at EUROSCOLA in Strasbourg in 2005 and has held many positions of authority, including Auditor of the University of Limerick Law Society and Generation Yes Regional Coordinator in Limerick. Ruth currently sits on the Special Olympics Fundraising Committee. She holds bronze, silver and gold medals in LAMDA public speaking exams. Ruth has worked as a stagiaire in the European Parliament, Brussels as part of her cooperative education placement in 2008.

Anya O'Connor

Anya O Connor is a third year English Literature and Politics student at the University of Glasgow. Her involvement in the student body has been extensive and she was elected to serve on the Glasgow University Union Board of Management 2009-2010. Anya has a strong interest in current affairs and has spent the past year as Editor in Chief of the GUUi Magazine. In Glasgow, Anya has been involved in volunteer projects through the Student’s Representative Council.

Ian Plunkett

Ian Plunkett is a final year student in Dublin City University. He is studying International Relations. Ian is an avid reader and music fanatic, teaching guitar in a music school and playing in a group. Ian has spent time away volunteering in South Africa on two occasions with the Niall Mellon Township Trust. Last year, he volunteered in Kolkata, India for three months. Ian is passionate about travelling, sport and film.

Thomas Redmond

Thomas Redmond is a postgraduate student at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown and is undertaking a Masters degree in Political Lobbying and Public Affairs. He is a strong advocate of human rights and has previously interned for the Human Rights Consortium and Amnesty International. A keen linguist, Thomas has spent almost two years living and working in Madrid. He is very active within university life and is currently on the course committee for his Masters degree and is President of the UUJ Amnesty International group.

Neill Rogers

Neill Rogers is a final year Law and Accounting student at Queen’s University Belfast. Throughout his time at university he has continued to play an active role in his local community, as principal cornet player of St. Mary’s Silver Band, Tempo, and as a playing member of his local Gaelic football team. The highlight of his musical career to date was when St. Mary’s was crowned South of Ireland Senior Band Champions in 2008. Aside from his musical and sporting interests, Neill has also been involved in politics for many years and he served as vice-chairman of Fianna Fáil at QUB from 2008-2009.

Rosie Smyth

Rosie is a final year History student at Trinity College Dublin. Rosie attended the first integrated school in Northern Ireland, Lagan College, and this privilege has helped develop her understanding of the situation in Northern Ireland. Rosie has a keen interest in dance and drama and before moving to Dublin was captain of the Belfast Giants cheerleading team. Rosie has also been an active volunteer for many years, beginning as a Young Leader for the Girl Guides. This year Rosie has continued with her interest in civic engagement as Chairperson of Trinity Volunteering Opportunities Forum. In summer of 2008 Rosie also travelled to Kolkata with Suas.

Claire Sugden

Claire Sugden is currently studying towards a Masters in Irish Politics at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), having already achieved a Bachelor of Arts in Politics also at Queen’s. Claire completed an internship with the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2008 and hopes to eventually work within Northern Ireland politics. Claire also works part time for David McClarty MLA, deputy speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, as a constituency researcher. In her spare time Claire is a talented artist, currently experimenting with caricatures and cartoons.

Emma Swift

Emma Swift is a third year student reading Modern History at the University of St. Andrews. Emma has involved herself in a range of activities as a student; she is the leader of a church home group, has been a committee member of both a drama and sport society, and continues to play for the St Andrews Shinty sports team. Encouraged by her faith and participation in youth work, she spent her gap year in Toronto with Urban Promise volunteering with 'at-risk' inner-city children and became Day Director for their summer program in 2007.