The David O’Connor Memorial Medal
This prize commemorates David O’Connor, a 1994 Veterinary Medicine graduate, who died suddenly after football training within a year of qualifying as a Vet. David was heavily involved with gaelic football, soccer and rugby at club (Abbeyfeale) and University level. His enthusiasm, commitment and legendary event management skills are some of the qualities this award aims to enshrine.
A medal (and €250 bursary) will be presented annually to a student or member of staff from the Veterinary Medicine programme who has had significant success in sport, over the previous year. Strong performances, commitment, and general promotion in any sport are all valid reasons for nomination.
Candidates that may be nominated include MVB students and staff connected with this programme.
Candidates will be nominated via Veterinary Sports Clubs and from UCD Sports Clubs with Veterinary membership and the Student Union Class Reps from each year. Those who nominate an individual/team will outline what that person has achieved and why he/she/they should receive the award. There will be no limit on the number of people anyone may nominate. Nominations will be based on sporting activities in the previous 12 months.
The School Office, Veterinary Sciences Centre has agreed to act as a collecting point for these nominations.
Criteria used to evaluate Nominees (in rank order)
1. Commitment/ Endeavour towards the sport - putting in time and effort on a regular basis - the level of effort is important and the ability to do this while progressing with their academic studies.
2. Performance / Outstanding team/individual results – winning counts! Representation on a team that achieves success is important, the prize is awarded on the basis of being on a successful team but also on the basis of how notable that success is within the sporting world at large. An individual on a cup winning 8th team would be ranked lower than an individual on a major senior team that does not actually win a major title but achieves some level of success.
3. Consistency – if tied otherwise then success over a longer period should predominate.
4. Promotion/Contribution to the sport in question – although not actively a participant, managers and coaches will be considered. A good example would be organising a sports day for the Vet programme.
Selection Committee
- Sports Office UCD Representation
- 94’Classmate Representation
- Veterinary Student Representation.
- Dean’s Office Representation
It has proved impossible to evolve an absolute formula/weighting to give each and every sport therefore each circumstance will have to be considered individually using the outline described below.
Additional Selection Criteria
With team sports – two factors to be considered - individual performance and club success and in that order of importance.
Being a member of International /Allstars > Interprovincial/ County > Club/ inter-university team. (Actual off-the-bench players will have priority over people who are just on the panel of a successful team)
Other sports will also be considered, equally including:
Athletics/Swimming
Equestrian
Minority sports – fencing, martial arts, basketball, handball, etc
If an outstanding success is achieved by any Veterinary programme team, the whole team may be considered for the prize.
UCD sports leagues will also be considered – soccer super league, etc. But it is felt that representation on teams involved in external competition should predominate over intra-UCD sport.
There is no reason why if two candidates are tied on all accounts that a draw be declared and the bursary equally divided. It is unlikely that more than two will end up as a draw.
While it will always be possible for someone to receive the award more than once during their time on the Veterinary programme it is felt that where possible the award should not be given to the same individual in consecutive years.
Medal Presentation.
An engraved medal is presented in conjunction with €250 bursary. There is usually an accompanying photograph in the Irish Veterinary Journal.
Presentation will be in May along with the UCD Sport Awards ceremony, all nominations have to be in before Friday 14th April 2017.