Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada student Seán Boyle was honoured with an ETB Hero Award at the ETB Excellence Awards in Croke Park last Thursday.
The awards took place during ETB Week, which showcases Ireland’s sixteen ETBs and the services they provide to learners of all ages.
The awards, hosted by former ETB learner and RTÉ Newsreader Ray Kennedy and featuring a special musical performance by former ETB student and singer-songwriter Tolü Makay, highlighted learner and staff excellence across primary, secondary, further education and training, and youth services.
Speaking of her pride at Seán for receiving this award, Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada Principal Derval Newman said this award couldn’t have gone to a more deserving young person.
“He’s an inspiration to all of us here in Gairmscoil Mhic Diarmada and to the wider community on Árainn Mhór,” she said.
“His kindness, his drive, and the way he includes and uplifts everyone around him really reflects the best of what education should be. It was a very special day for our school and for Donegal ETB — one we’ll never forget.”
Donegal ETB Chairperson Cllr Donal Coyle pictured with Donegal ETB Director of Schools Dr Martin Gormley at the launch of a landmark book on ETBs edited by former Education Editor of the Irish Independent Katherine Donnelly: Education and Training Boards: Shaping the Future, leaving no one behind. It includes a chapter by Donegal ETB on supporting island communities.
Opening the event and addressing over 200 staff and learners from across Ireland’s ETBs, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD congratulated the winners.
“Your dedication reminds us that education is not just about what we learn, it is about what we become,” he said. “It is about pushing limits, breaking barriers, and striving for excellence every single day.
“My Department is committed to removing barriers to education and ensuring that opportunities are available to all—regardless of background, age, or circumstance.
“Education changes lives, and through your efforts, we are ensuring that more people in Ireland have access to learning opportunities that empower them to reach their full potential.
“True excellence can only be achieved when everyone has an equal chance to succeed.”
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