Pictured L to R: DCU President Professor Daire Keogh, recipient Tomasina McGinnity, DCU Channcellor Brid Horan, and Executive Dean Anne Looney

Outstanding student, inspiring teacher and talented Monaghan musician awarded DCU Chancellor’s Medal

23/02/2022

Dublin City University’s prestigious Chancellor’s Medal has been awarded to Tomasina McGinnity in recognition of her extraordinary academic achievements and engagement in student life during her studies at DCU.

The award was presented at a graduation ceremony which took place on DCU’s Glasnevin Campus earlier today.

Tomasina, who has been living and commuting daily from outside Castleblayney in Co. Monaghan throughout her studies and is currently teaching in St. Michael’s College in Ballsbridge, graduated having received first-class grades for all four years of her Bachelor of Religious Education and Music programme.

An outstanding musician across multiple genres, she was a leading member of the DCU Lumen Chorale and Solas Geal Traditional Music Group, and was central to a range of significant performances, including representing DCU in New York during the St Patrick’s Festival in 2019.

In a citation delivered at the ceremony, Professor Anne Looney, Executive Dean, DCU Institute of Education, said:

“Throughout her time as a student in DCU, Tomasina continued to contribute to the cultural life of her home town of Castleblayney. A founder member of the Castleblayney Musical Society, she is also a volunteer leader with the community arts group ‘Fusion’, which involves 180 children in music and dance. Through her work as a music teacher at ‘Born 2 Perform’ stage school, Tomasina brings a passion for teaching that instils a drive for excellence among her young students.”

Prof Anne Looney also spoke about the challenge of school placement during Covid-19 restrictions which brought out the best in Tomasina.

“She set about researching and testing digital tools for remote teaching Religious Education and Music. She showed remarkable independence of thought, resourcefulness, and creativity in her efforts to maximise her students’ learning experience during an extraordinarily challenging time, and was generous in sharing her findings with others.

Across her activities in both Religious Education and Music, Tomasina is admired and respected not only for her talent, but for her willingness to help out, to make herself available, to prepare diligently, and to lead, sometimes from the front, sometimes from within.”