Previous Scholarship Recipients

Each year, the Irish American Society of County Will contacts every high school in the county, and publicizes its Scholarship. Most Organizations give money to further a deserving student's college education fund. The Society, however, awards this scholarship to send a high school student to Ireland, as part of the Irish Life Experience.
The Irish Way Foundation, takes high school students from all over the United States on an intense 5 week program in Ireland. Roughly, two weeks are spent at a University near Dublin, where students participate in classes in Celtic art, music, folk dancing, and traditional sports, such as hurling and Irish Football. Field trips to many cultural attractions compliment this phase of the student's education.
After the first phase of the program, the Student is placed with an Irish family. Here, he can see the whole spectrum of modern Irish life, completing the second phase of the Irish Life Experience.
For the third stage, the student is taken to another University, again where the student is exposed to another few weeks of intense study in Irish culture.
The final phase finds the student in Galway.  Again emphasis is placed on culture, history and sport.
The Irish American Society has, since 1983, sent many highly qualified students into this program.  Were the student to apply and not receive our scholarship, he or she still may attend the Irish Way at their own expense.
In 2009, due to internal problems in the Irish Way program, the scholarship committee and the board of the Irish American Society, felt that it would be best to award no scholarship this year.  However,  the previous director of the program began her own program in 2009, and the Society has decided that it is best to go with her on this venue.

We are proud to list our scholarship winners:

Irish Way High School Recipients:
1983 - Pat Nugent, Wilmington High School
1984 - Colleen Biggins, St Francis Academy
1985 - Bruce Ferguson, Joliet West High School
             Paul Leddy, Joliet Catholic High School
             Alicia Hobbs, St Francis Academy
1986 - John Connor, Joliet Catholic High School
1987 - Katie Boucher, St Francis Academy
1988 - Katie Gallagher, Peotone High School
1989 - Kathryn O'Donnell, Plainfield High School
             Beth Guest, Joliet Central High School
1990 - Bradley Ferguson, Joliet West High School
1991 - Nicole Ferguson, Providence Catholic High School
1992 - Kevin J. Malloy, Joliet West High School
1993 - Kip Cawley, Joliet Central
1994 - Erin Sellers, Wilmington High School
             Erin Malloy, Joliet West High School
1995 - Maureen Maloney, Joliet Central High School
1996 - Brian McNichols, Joliet Central High School
             Jay Keigher, Providence Catholic High School
1997 - Andrew Lenaghan, Joliet Central High School
1998 - Steve Bernardin, Lincoln Way High School
1999 - Stacy Colwell, Joliet Central High School
2000 - Kate McNichols, Joliet Central High School
2001 - Casey McGrath, Joliet Central High School
2002 - Brendan M. McHugh, Providence Catholic High School
2003 - Shannon McGrath, Plainfield High School
2004 - Katie Brogan, Lincoln Way East High School
2005 - Mary Kate McHugh, Providence Catholic High School
             Kaitlin Malloy, Plainfield South High School
2006 - Maureen McGreevy, Plainfield Central
             Janel Couch, Joliet Central High School
2007 - Michael Blatti, Joliet Catholic High School
             Kara Erb, Joliet Central High School
2008 - Meghan McGuire, Lincoln Way Central High School
2009 - No Scholarship Given due to Program problems
2010 - Patrick “P.K.” Creedon, Lincoln Way North High School
2011 - Alyssa Breidigan, Lincoln Way North High School
2012 - Shannon McGrath, Joliet Catholic Academy
2013 - Kate Lanagan, Minooka High School
           Clara Bohlin, Plainfield Central High School
2014 - Jessica Weiss - Joliet Central High School
            Katie Andrews - Providence Catholic High School
2015 - Catherine Spesia - Providence Catholic High School
           Johanna Bastas - Providence Catholic High School
2016 - Max Kottman, Joliet Catholic High School
            Shannon Davison, Providence Catholic High School
2017 - Hannah Borgra, Joliet West High School
2018 - Annie Moritz, Joliet Catholic Academy
            Ethyn Tibble, Joliet Central High School

Eamon DeValera Adult Scholarship Recipients:
Chris Maher
Megan McCarthy
Kathy Kanari
Sheila Frye
Kathleen Briick

---