BILLIONAIRE philanthropist JP McManus has spoken of the “enormous satisfaction” he and his family receive from watching the progress of young students he is helping through college.
Mr McManus made his comments at the University of Limerick (UL) where he met 126 students from across the country who have received scholarships as part of a €30 million programme sponsored by the businessman.
Since the scheme’s inception 244 students have been awarded the JP McManus All-Ireland Scholarship.
This is the first year that students from Northern Ireland are among the recipients and it is estimated that over 1,300 students from the 32 counties will benefit from the scheme over its duration.
The scholarships are worth €6,750 a year in Ireland and £5,500 a year in Northern Ireland for the duration of recipients’ chosen undergraduate courses.
Scholarships are awarded to the top performing Leaving Cert students in each county who attend non-fee-paying secondary schools and are subject to a means test. This year’s recipients include 25 students from the North and 101 from the Republic.
“Education is the future of our country and it is exciting and hugely satisfying for me and my family to follow the progress of these students,” said Mr McManus.
“We get a lot of letters from some of the students and they would bring a tear from your eye . . . Whatever satisfaction they get from receiving the scholarships, believe me, I get as much in being part of it.”
President Mary McAleese was guest of honour at Saturday’s ceremony. She performed the official planting of an oak tree on the grounds of UL to mark the awards.
The President was joined by Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe and his Northern counterpart Caitríona Ruane.
Mrs McAleese described JP McManus’s philanthropy as “legendary”. “So many lives in the past were only half lived, so many talents wasted, so much potential still-born because the personal obstacles faced by individuals were too overwhelming,” she said.
“These awards, now happily extended to include students in Northern Ireland, are also a very reassuring sign of the growing good neighbourliness and common vested interests between North and South,” she said.