Westmeath Student awarded Richard O’Carroll Empowerment Bursary

The Labour Party is delighted to announce that Emmanuella Jagha, of Westmeath, is the recipient of the 2018 Richard O’Carroll Empowerment Bursary which was first awarded in 2016 as part of the Labour Party’s centenary commemoration of the 1916 Rising.

Emmanuella Jagha who completed her Leaving Certificate at Columba College Killucan is now a second-year International Relations student at Dublin City University.

The Labour Party’s Richard O’Carroll Empowerment Bursary is named in memory of the leader of the Labour Group on Dublin Corporation who was killed in the 1916 Easter Rising, Councillor Richard O’Carroll.

The presentation was made to Emmanuella, at her former school on Wednesday 12th December by Dick and Dessie O’Carroll, grandsons of Richard O’Carroll, and in the presence of Willie Penrose TD.

Speaking at the cheque presentation Dick O’Carroll, the grandson of Richard O’Carroll said, “The O’Carroll family is delighted and proud to see the Richard O’ Carroll Empowerment Bursary continue and awarded to such a deserving student as Emmanuella and we wish her every success in her chosen course of study. 

In line with a proclamation that wasn’t yet written, Richard O’ Carroll was a man who cherished children and worked across a number of fronts to ensure childhood was protected, that marginalised children would have access to a home, decent standards of living and access to education.  In our grandfather’s name, we say to Emmanuella, you have chosen a path of study with potential to do great good. Hold on to the passion that motivated you thus far and in your future success, always remember your roots with pride and do some good.”

Speaking at the presentation, Deputy Penrose said:

“I would like to extend the warmest of congratulations to Emmanuella. She is a very deserving recipient of this bursary and I hope it helps her to achieve all that she can in her education.

“It is awards such as this, and recipients such as Emmanuella, that serve to remind us that everyone, absolutely everyone, is deserving of a quality education. It is the most empowering thing anyone can receive in their life.

“That was what Richard O’Carroll believed, it is what I believe and it has been a core principle of the Labour Party for over a century.”

Background

Councillor Richard O’Carroll was a Labour Councillor on Dublin Corporation and an official of the Brick and Stonelayers Trade Union. Richard was shot by a British officer on Camden Street on the 26th of April 1916. Despite being rescued by a passing bread van and brought to hospital, Richard died nine days later in Portobello Military Hospital, leaving behind his widow, Annie, and seven children.

In agreement with Richard O’Carroll’s family, the Labour Party has chosen to commemorate the life and legacy of Cllr O’Carroll by assisting young people in continuing their education. Education is the great liberator. It is, and always has been, a key priority of the Labour Party over the past 103 years. Throughout his activist years, O’Carroll believed passionately in empowering young people through education and we hope that the Richard O’Carroll Empowerment Bursary will assist young people in further or higher education. 

The Bursary of €2000 is awarded to the successful candidate under the following criteria:

• Attended a Deis School
• Completed the Leaving Cert within the past three years
• Currently in further or higher education
• Completes the online application outlining what the Bursary would mean to them, how they will pay forward the benefit to their old school and community and outlines what the 1916 Proclamation means to them personally.