Trailblazing jockey, Rachel Blackmore, and Olympian, Thomas Barr, were honoured at the 18th annual University of Limerick Alumni Awards. Both awardees have strong ties to the Waterford area. The ceremony took place on September 26th at the Castletroy Park Hotel in Limerick. Humanitarian Joseph Kinahan and activist Thomás Heneghan also received awards. The awardees join a distinguished group of just 56 alumni who have been honoured since the Alumni Awards began in 2006 to acknowledge graduates who have made outstanding contributions to their field.
Professor Shane Kilcommins, who is Acting UL President, spoke at the event and acknowledged that each recipient had made a “profound contribution to society.” Professor Kilcommins, told the audience that the awardees remind the University “what is possible when talent, purpose and perseverance come together”, describing those honoured as “the embodiment of the values we hold dear at UL: leadership, dedication, compassion and service”.
Rachael Blackmore is from Killenaule, County Tipperary. She studied Equine Science in the University of Limerick and had a prestigious sporting career which saw her win BBC World Sport Star of the Year, RTÉ Sportsperson of the Year and an honorary MBE for her contributions to sport. In 2021 she became the first woman jockey to win a championship race at Cheltenham Festival, on the Waterford trainer, Henry de Bromhead’s, Honeysuckle. Rachel won another five races during that year’s Cheltenham Festival and was awarded Leading Jockey, she was the first woman to gain this honour. Just weeks later she made history again, becoming the first woman to win the Aintree Grand National, again doing so on a de Bromhead horse, this time Minella Times. Rachel went on to repeat her Championship Hurdle win in 2022 and added the Cheltenham Gold Cup to her accolades, having won the on de Bromhead’s A Plus Trad. Rachel retired in May 2025.
Thomas Barr is a Waterford native. He studied Mechanical Engineering and Sports Performance at University of Limerick. Thomas broke through in 2015 when he won gold at the World University Games. Thomas produced one of the great Irish sporting performance’s in 2016 at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, where he ran in the final of the 400m hurdles, coming fourth, and setting a national and personal best record of 47.97 seconds. In 2018, Thomas won bronze at the European Championships, becoming the first Irish men’s sprinter to medal at an outdoor European Championship event. Thomas was part of the 2024 Irish team which won gold in the mixed 4X400 relay at the European Championships and bronze at the World Relay Championships.
There were over 200 guests in attendance at the event which was supported by event partners Analog Devices, Stryker, Unijobs and the UL Foundation. UL alumna and broadcaster, Máire Treasa Ní Cheallaigh, acted as host for the night.
Addressing the awardees directly, Professor Kilcommins concluded: “You are the bridge between past and future. You are the living legacy of this university. And you are the architects of its next chapter.”
AARON KENT
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
