At a glance

• Value: €1,000
• You must be a current UCC Student of the BA in English (CK 109) to be eligible for this prize
• Questions about this prize can be directed to Dr Heather Laird at h.laird@ucc.ie

The Louise Clancy Memorial Prize, which is awarded to the best dissertation written in the final year of UCC’s BA in English, is named after a former UCC School of English student who died tragically in a road traffic accident on 22 December 2015. Louise, who had commenced her studies in 2013, was the student that every lecturer wants to have in her/his class. She was interested, she was engaged, and she always had something to say. For her, what was covered in class − whether the representations of slavery in American literature and film, or the obstacles faced by women writers − was important, relevant and mattered. Louise brought the same integrity and motivation that she demonstrated in her formal studies to her work as a talented student journalist and blogger, both in UCC and during a year abroad at the University of Sussex in Brighton. Louise had a way with words. She also had a keen sense of humour and a zest for the good things in life. In her journalism, she covered diverse topics ranging from coping strategies for students, including those who shared her own condition of autism, to ‘9 Reasons Why Tom Hiddleston is an Amazing Man.’ In class and in her extra-curricular activities, Louise clearly relished every moment of being at university: in her ‘Blog entry on First Year,’ Louise asks ‘what does college mean to me? It means EVERYTHING. It made me more confident, happier and smarter. It gave me friends, experience, and this is the best thing to ever happen to me.’ But this prize is named in memory of Louise not only because of what she got out of being at UCC, but because of what she gave back—to her teachers, her fellow-students, and her friends. 

Eligibility

The Louise Clancy Memorial Prize is open to all students enrolled on the dissertation module EN3110. No formal application process required, all dissertations will be considered.

Selection

This prize is awarded to the best dissertation written in the final year of the BA in English. All students taking the Dissertation module are automatically entered into the competition. For further information please contact Dr Heather Laird.