LIT Honours its Grand Slam Leading Ladies President

Dr Maria Hinfelaar presented former LIT students Joy Neville and Niamh Kavanagh, members of the first ever Irish women’s winning Grand Slam team with a commemorative plaque to congratulate them on their success. Both ladies played a crucial role in securing the historic Women’s RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam victory.

Joy Neville, who was interviewed by Ryan Tubridy on the Late Late Show, graduated with a BA in Applied Social Care from LIT last year. Joy, who is from the North Circular Road in Limerick, is from a rugby family. Her brother Paul played for Garryowen and Connaght and has recently accepted a coaching position with Garryowen RFC. Joy was recently appointed as the Rugby Development Officer at LIT taking charge of the rugby club within the college. Joy has become a local celebrity since the win but is handling the success well, “I have been involved with the Irish women’s side since 2002. I am still in shock, after so many years of hard work and massive commitment levels involved throughout the years, it is amazing to be in a position to state that we are the 2013 Grand Slam winners.”

Joy’s teammate Niamh Kavanagh hails from Walsh Island, Tullamore but has strong Limerick connections having moved to Limerick to study at LIT in 2007. Niamh is also from a rugby family, her brother Anthony is a flanker for Limerick team Garryowen. Niamh graduated from LIT in 2012 with a BBS in Law and Taxation and was subsequently elected as the LIT Students Union President. It has been a busy year for Niamh, in addition to her success on the rugby field as SU President Niamh recently oversaw the successful amalgamation of the 3 students unions across LIT’s Clare Street, Moylish and Tipperary campuses. Niamh recently returned from a trip to Hong Kong & China where she was competing in the IRB Sevens Series with the Irish Women`s 7s Team.

Niamh said, “When I first started playing rugby it was to keep fit and meet new friends. Now it is still the same but with a few extra goals on the list. It has been the most amazing & unforgettable few weeks between winning the 2013 Grand Slam and travelling to Hong Kong & China with the Irish Women’s 7s Team. “ Speaking at the presentation Dr Hinfelaar said,” As a sports fanatic myself, I am so pleased and proud of Niamh and Joy. Not only are they graduates of LIT, they have stayed with us as Students Union President and Rugby Development Officer respectively. They have combined study, work and sport very successfully. I thoroughly enjoyed watching them play that final tough game in Italy to clinch the grand slam and I will be supporting them again next season."