Pictured, from left: Councillor Al McDonnell, Councillor Michael Loftus, Aidan Dunleavy, Mayo Sports Partnership committee, Councillor Harry Barrett, Bernie Finan, John McDonnell committee, Terry Reilly, John McDonnell committee, Ann Mulroy Martin Sheridan committee, Charlie Lambert, head Mayo Sports Partnership, cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council Councillor Sean Carey, Martina Carney, scheme adjudicator, Joe O'Neill, Martin Sheridan committee, Harry Hughes, Portwest, Tom Gilligan, director of services, Councillor Blackie Gavin, Councillor Michael Kilkoyne and Collette Fahey, community section, Mayo County Council.

€25,000 Mayo sports bursary awards launched

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THE Sheridan McDonnell Mayo Bursary Awards for minority sports for 2026 were launched in Aras an Chontae by the cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Councillor Sean Carey, and the scheme is now open for applications.

This year the bursary scheme has a fund of €25,000 thanks to the generosity of Mayo County Council, who are providing funding of €15,000, and Portwest who will sponsor the scheme to the tune of €10,000 per annum over the next five years.

There are two fundamental reasons for the bursary awards scheme:

1.To recognise and support young sports people from Co. Mayo who have achieved success in their chosen sport and have the potential to achieve even greater success with additional financial support and backing. This additional funding could be a gamechanger for some of the young elite athletes from the county. It is the hope that some day one or more of these young athletes will qualify for the Olympic Games and follow in the footsteps of the great Martin Sheridan.

2. To commemorate two Mayo sporting legends, Martin Sheridan from Bohola - Ireland's greatest Olympian and regarded as the greatest athlete of his era - and John McDonnell from Ardagh, near Ballina, the greatest coach in US colleges athletics history.

The Martin Sheridan Bursary Awards scheme with a budget of €5,000 has been running successfully since 2013 and has supported many young sports people from the county in their endeavours to achieve success in their chosen sports. The awards were presented annually to young sports people who have been nominated by their clubs because of their ability, potential and desire to perform at the highest level possible in their chosen sport and who have the potential to achieve success at national and international level. While the achievements of previous winners are very impressive it was felt that with additional funding and support these young people can achieve a lot more.

To this end the Martin Sheridan Bursary Committee joined forces with the John McDonnell Memorial Committee and they have been successful in getting the fund up to €25,000. The committee expressed sincere thanks to the cathaoirleach and councillors who supported the scheme, the staff of Mayo County Council and Portwest, who agreed generous sponsorship. The support of the Western People, who are partners in the scheme, and the local media in promoting the awards scheme was also acknowledged, along with the adjudicators and Mayo Sports Partnership for their support.

The scheme is now officially open, and applications should be submitted by June 26, 2026. Details of the scheme and the application form are available here or by email to sheridanmcdonnellbursary@gmail.com.

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