Saint Eunan’s College honours the past and the present with new awards

Saint Eunan’s College held its annual awards ceremony last Friday, a night dedicated to recognising the achievements and talents of its students.

This year’s event was particularly special with the introduction of two new awards honouring the legacies of past pupils, adding to the growing tradition of celebrating excellence in diverse fields.

The school’s senior awards will now celebrate the legacy of Damien Blake and Paul Elliott with scholarships, while the Dermot Donohue Award for the Arts enters its second year.

The Damien Blake STEM Award: This new award commemorates Damien Blake, a student who embodied the spirit of innovation and technological curiosity.

As the ceremony speaker noted, “The legacy of Damien Blake extends far beyond the walls of Saint Eunan’s College. Though he sat his Leaving Certificate here in 2000, his impact on the school and its students continues to this day.”

Damien was remembered not only for his love of basketball, his intelligence and generous nature but also for his pioneering spirit in technology. At just 13 years old, he was coding websites, a rare skill at the time. He generously volunteered his expertise to develop the school’s first website, making Saint Eunan’s one of the first schools in Ireland with an online presence.

Blake’s passion for technology propelled him to great success. He founded his own web design company, became the youngest Mayor of Letterkenny at 22, earned an MBA, and ultimately landed a coveted role at Google and a lectureship at ATU Donegal. Throughout his journey, he maintained close ties with his alma mater, supporting the school’s website and hosting students for visits to Google.

The inaugural Damien Blake STEM Award was presented to Euclid DeGuzman, recognizing his outstanding achievements in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. A unique perpetual trophy, crafted by Mr. Daniel Nelis and Mr. Paul Nelis, was presented to DeGuzman by Blake’s wife Mary and son Ríain, who attended the ceremony along with Damien’s parents, Denise and Lawrence. 

The Paul Elliott Mathematics Scholarship: This scholarship honours Paul Elliott, a past pupil who exemplified dedication and passion for mathematics.

Elliott, who attended Saint Eunan’s from 1993 to 1999, was described as a student who “inspired many other students” with his mathematical abilities and enthusiasm. He was the first captain of the school’s Maths Team, leading them to victory in the Team Mathematics competition for Higher Level students.

Elliott’s pursuit of excellence led him to study Actuarial Science at UCD, specialising in investment and fund management. He worked with the Land Development Agency, who recently honoured him by naming their research library “The Paul Elliott Library.”

The Paul Elliott Mathematics Scholarship aims to motivate and assist students in their mathematical studies, both at the secondary and third level.

This year’s recipients were John Kealy and Ben Winters (Higher Level) and Calum Daly and Aiden Friel (Ordinary Level).

Elliott’s wife Hayley, along with his daughters Emma and Ava, and his parents and brothers, were present to witness the awarding of the first scholarships.

The Dermot Donohue Award for the Arts: The new awards join the Dermot Donohue Award for the Arts which was introduced at last year’s ceremony.

Dermot was a great friend of Saint Eunan’s College and was responsible for capturing the year group and staff photographs on the return to school for many years. 

Dermot’s passion for the arts lives on in this award and its recipient this year, John Quinn, was a deserving recipient having excelled in Art for his Leaving Certificate and producing a memorable and touching final project which was close to his heart. 

Dermot’s daughter Eva and her husband Joe, were on hand to present the award to John. 

The establishment of these new awards highlights Saint Eunan’s College’s commitment to recognising a wide range of talents and fostering a holistic learning environment. By celebrating the achievements of its past pupils, the school inspires current students to pursue their passions and strive for excellence in all areas.

The Senior House Awards held last Friday night was a fantastic celebration of student’s academics and extracurricular achievements.

St Eunan’s College welcomed past pupil Barry Gallagher, RTE news2day presenter, to hand out the honours.

See all the photographs below by Niamhín Herron:

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