FAHSS student winners at the All-Ireland Global Undergraduate Awards 2026

Congratulations to the FAHSS student winners of the Global Undergraduate Awards 2026: Katelyn, Robert, Emma, Sarah, Anna Sofia, Aoife, Éabha and Helena.

Image: Some of the TCD and FAHSS students at the award ceremony and supervisors, with Professor Carmel O’Sullivan, Dean of the Faculty of AHSS.

The All-Ireland awards ceremony was held in the Royal Irish Academy on 08 October 2026 to honour 20 of the most outstanding undergraduate students on the island of Ireland. The ceremony was an opportunity to recognise the students’ achievements, hear from those shaping the future of their fields and bring students, academics, families and institutional partners together around the value of exceptional undergraduate thinking. The Dean, Professor Carmel O’Sullivan, and members of the Faculty attended to congratulate the successful students on their exceptional achievement.

Image from left to right: Dr Melissa Sihra, Supervisor, School of Creative Arts, Éabha Burns-Teeling (Music, Film & Theatre), Aoife Haines (Literature), and Professor Carmel O’Sullivan, Dean of the Faculty of AHSS.

The students, representing ten universities and colleges north and south of the border, were recognised for exceptional undergraduate thinking across a range of disciplines, with their work ranked among the very best in the 2026 Global Undergraduate Awards, an international programme that recognises exceptional undergraduate thinkers from every discipline.

Leading the cohort were two Global Winners, both from Trinity College Dublin. A Global Winner is the programme's highest honour, awarded to the single best undergraduate submission in each category worldwide. Robert Finan was recognised in Philosophy, and Katelyn Sherry in Politics & International Relations, both based in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, placing these two students among 25 category wins worldwide this year.

A further 18 students were recognised including ten Regional Winners and nine Highly Commended. Trinity College Dublin was particularly well represented, accounting for nine awards.

The full list of Faculty students and their award designation, category and supervisor names are:

Image: Some of the TCD and FAHSS students at the award ceremony and supervisors, with Professor Carmel O’Sullivan, Dean of the Faculty of AHSS.

The Global Undergraduate Awards website states that it is ‘the world’s leading pan-disciplinary awards programme celebrating exceptional research. Founded to recognise emerging talent excellence and elevate original academic work, the GUA has grown into a dynamic global platform- connecting high-performing students, academics, and industry leaders across 48+ countries and every major field.

Each year, thousands of students submit their work for independent review by a panel of international academics and industry specialists. Representing the top tier of undergraduate talent worldwide - thinkers, creators and problem-solvers equipped to tackle the most pressing challenges of our time. At the heart of GUA is a belief in the power of student research to drive real-world impact. With our highest honour, the Clarkson Medal, awarded to students whose work exemplifies integrity, originality and the potential to shape a better future.’

For further information and photos of the All-Ireland awards ceremony please see the Global Undergraduate Awards website here: https://undergraduateawards.com/all-ireland-ceremony-2026/