At a glance

• Value: €300
• You must be a current UCC Student to be eligible for this scholarship
• Questions about this scholarship can be directed to h.bohane@ucc.ie

PROFESSOR TADHG O'MULLANE (21 February 1919 – 14 April 2000) was appointed to UCC in June 1961 as Professor of Dairy and Food Microbiology. He retired on the 21st February 1984 and held the title of Professor Emeritus.
Tadhg graduated with a BSc (Dairying) at UCC in 1942 and went on to complete an MSc (Dairying) degree in 1943 specialising in Bacteriology, under the supervision of Professor Michael Grimes. For the next 18 years he worked with the Irish Sugar Company in Thurles, Co Tipperary as Chief Chemist. He also undertook industrial research on sugar production and waste utilisation.
Returning to UCC in 1961 as Professor of Dairy and Food Microbiology and Head of Department of Dairy and Food Microbiology (now the School of Microbiology) until his retirement in 1984, he brought a shrewd business approach to UCC and became the driving force behind the development and diversification of the Faculty of Dairy Science; he was involved in, or was responsible for, many of the developments during the next 20 years. One of the most important of these was the establishment of a BSc Degree programme in Microbiology, initially as a General and later at an Honours level which has become the flagship degree for the School of Microbiology.
He lectured in the area of dairy and food microbiology throughout his time at UCC and became Dean of the Faculty of Dairy Science in 1967, a post he held until 1976. He forged many links with US universities in the 60s and 70s, at a time when it was quite innovative to do so, and his dedication and devotion to UCC contributed magnificently to the development of what are now the thriving disciplines of Food Science, Nutrition and Microbiology in UCC. Always a keen sportsman, he played in goal for the UCC football team, winning a Sigerson medal in 1943. 

Professor Tadhg O'Mullane died on the14 April 2000. The O'Mullane family have established a student prize to honour the memory of the late Professor Tadhg O'Mullane.

The Prize will be awarded annually, subject to the following conditions:

1.  The award shall be known as 'Professor Tadhg O'Mullane Award for Academic Excellence'. 
2.  The Prize shall consist of a cash prize and a perpetual plaque. 
3. The Prize shall be awarded to the BSc Microbiology student who achieves the highest mark at the Third Science Examination at the first attempt.
4. The Prize shall be awarded by the Academic Council on the recommendations of the Head of the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science (or nominee) and the Head of the School of Microbiology.
5. The above conditions may be varied from time to time by the Governing Body, provided that such alterations are approved by the donor.