The perpetual trophy for the ‘Best Honours Graduate’ in the BSc Environmental Studies degree was awarded on the 12th March 2007 in Lifetime Lab. The award, now in its third year, was awarded to Ms Nora McNamara and Mr John O’ Meara, who both obtained excellent first class Honours degrees.

Award recipients John O'Meara and Nora McNamara receiving the award form Lord Mayor Michael Ahern and Eamon Timoney of Fehilly,Timoney & Co.

The trophy was established by the Lord Mayor and Cork City Council to recognise the dedication and hard work put in by students in their fifth and final year of the BSc Environmental Studies degree. The trophy is presented to the student(s) who obtains the highest marks overall in the Honours examinations and is supported by a cash award from Fehily Timoney & Company. The Lord Mayor Cllr. Michael Ahern was in attendance to present the students with their award and commended their hard work, “The endurance and dedication required by these students to complete this course and the great results they achieved is admirable.”

Prof. Patrick Fitzpatrick UCC, Debbie Chapman UCC, John O'Meara, Lord Mayor Michael Ahern, Nora McNamara, Eamon Timoney, Fehilly,Timoney & Co. and Michael O'Brien Senior Engineer, Cork City Council.

The evening BSc Environmental Studies degree programme at UCC enrolled its first students in September 1997 and has taken new students every second year since then. This unique degree programme allows mature students a chance to study for a BSc degree by night. Now in its tenth year, the programme has already graduated 31 students with a BSc Honours degree and 28 with a BSc Ordinary degree, and a further 27 students are still in the process of studying for their degrees. Director of the BSc Environmental Studies, Dr. Debbie Chapman attributes the success of the degree to “the many UCC staff who give up their free time to contribute to teaching the course. In addition, it could not have been so successful without the support and encouragement of external partners from Cork City and County Councils, local industries and the Environmental Protection Agency. Cork City Council has been closely involved in the programme since its inception through the work of Mr. Michael O’Brien, Senior Engineer. His teaching contributions, support, advice and enthusiasm have been invaluable.”