Louth GAA Star Kieran balances DkIT studies with sporting ambitions

A past pupil of the CBS in Dundalk, Kieran completed his Undergraduate Arts degree in Geography and Business in Maynooth University, before commencing his Masters at DkIT.

 “The opportunity came up, I had a huge interest in business so I thought I should go for it," according to Kieran.

Although completing a masters in a year is no easy task, it was a challenge Kieran relished, with many highlights including a course trip to Austria for a real-life business world strategic management simulation.  Throughout the year, modules covered a full spectrum of entrepreneurship, marketing, strategy, and innovation skills, from venture finance and brand management to digital marketing and SME strategy. Stand out modules for Kieran included Business Strategy and Accounting, with the latter being a favourite which surprised him.

Despite juggling a high volume of continuous assessments and end-of-semester deadlines alongside elite sports commitments, Kieran credits the lecturers at DKIT for being incredibly helpful and approachable in helping him manage this balance. 

“You just need to put a plan in place and talk to the lecturers to keep on top of things,” he said.

A GAA enthusiast since the age of 5, beginning with his local club, The Brides, Kieran’s love for the sport has been greatly influenced by his highly supportive, sports-centric family-

“I always really enjoyed going to matches with my family and my sisters are big in to sport, so I just followed on from them.”

Playing in the forward position, he is adamant that he prefers to be on the attack rather than defence.

Being able to study and play at his current level has been greatly assisted by both the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) Enhanced Scholarship and the DkIT Sports Scholarship.

The Enhanced scholarship is designed to support GPA members who are undertaking postgraduate or MBA programmes and are seeking to further their education and career opportunities. The support ensures players are able to pursue higher education alongside the demands of elite performance and professional development.

The DkIT sports scholarship has also been a huge help to Kieran. Benefits have included access to dedicated physiotherapy services for the GAA team, as well as the gym facilities for recovery and training between lectures.  Most important for him has been the support network. He has found the scholarship staff and college personnel highly approachable for resolving any issues or managing the academic-sport balance.

Across college and county, Kieran has a host of fantastic achievements on his list. One of his proudest moments in the DkIT jersey was helping the college team achieve its primary objective of staying up in the top-tier Sigerson Cup following their return to senior college football. During his time in Maynooth University, he was part of the Freshers All-Ireland League competition and the team also finished as runners-up in the Championship. As an Inter-County player, Kieran also won the Leinster Senior Championship with the Louth senior football team.

Looking to the future, Kieran wants to see Louth GAA continue to grow and succeed, and is aiming to win silverware with his local club. In terms of his career, he’s leaving his options open, and is currently exploring going into teaching or entering the business sector, with his Master's at DKIT strongly nudging him towards a career in business.