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The Mary Bary Wall Bursary
The Dr Mary Barry Wall Bursary at University College Cork was established through a generous donation of €337,000 by Dr Mary Barry Wall, a former Senior Lecturer and Head of the School of Education at UCC. The bursary is rooted in her lifelong commitment to widening participation in higher education and supporting students from underrepresented socio‑economic backgrounds. UCC launched the bursary fund as part of a wider effort to expand access and remove barriers for aspiring students.
Focus and Purpose
This bursary is designed specifically to support Access UCC students – supported by the HEAR programme in UCC - who wish to pursue a primary degree in the Humanities and potentially progress into a teaching career through the Professional Masters in Education (PME). Dr Barry Wall’s vision was to empower talented individuals who might otherwise face financial or structural obstacles, ensuring that capable students from diverse backgrounds can thrive in academia and, ultimately, in the teaching profession. The bursary reflects Dr Barry Wall’s lifelong advocacy for inclusive education and her dedication to expanding opportunities across communities.
What the Bursary Involves
Each year, selected HEAR students will benefit from the Dr Mary Barry Wall Bursary, receiving financial support to assist them throughout their undergraduate Humanities studies and, for others who were supported by the HEAR programme as undergraduates, their postgraduate PME journey. The fund provides transformational assistance that reduces the financial pressures of university life, enabling students to focus fully on their academic and professional development. The first cohort of recipients was welcomed in the 2022/23 academic year, marking the beginning of a long‑term initiative that continues Dr Barry Wall’s legacy of compassion, educational leadership, and community impact.