O'Regan Arts Bursary 2011 recipients

The winners of the 2011 Ted & Mary O’Regan Arts Bursaries have been announced. The Award Scheme, designed to assist Waterford city and county artists to pursue and advance their career in the arts, is the brainchild of a group of friends and colleagues of the late Ted and Mary O’Regan. The Awards honour the couple’s invaluable contribution to the artistic and cultural life of Waterford and are financed by local arts organisations and statutory bodies as well as by the O’ Regan family and by friends and admirers of the much loved couple.

Waterford County Council’s Arts Office has supported the awards for a number of years and the other organisations who have contributed to the bursary are Waterford Youth Committee, Waterford City Council, Waterford City Enterprise Board, Red Kettle, Garter Lane Arts Centre, Spraoi, Theatre Royal and Waterford Youth Arts. Applications for the Bursaries are assessed by an independent adjudicator, Victor Merriman, a friend of the O’Regan family and currently lecturing in Drama Studies at the University of Liverpool.

Reflecting the wide range of artistic activity in Waterford city and county, a total of twenty seven applications were received for this year’s awards which were announced by His Worship the Mayor, Councillor Pat Hayes at a reception in City Hall.

The Ted & Mary O’ Regan Bursary for €4,000 went to ballet dancer, Aisling Kennedy, Waterford city and will assist her to take up a place at the prestigious Central School of Ballet in London. Tramore writer, Derek Flynn, has been offered a subsidiary award of €1,000 towards the cost of a Masters in Creative Writing at UCD. Jenny Fennessy, Lismore received the final €2,000 instalment of her three year bursary assisting her with her studies in Guildhall, London.

Additional awards of €1,000 each were presented to ceramicist, Jane Jermyn, Lismore, courtesy of Waterford City Enterprise Board and to dance student, Elaine Stone, Waterford city courtesy of the Variety Club to assist her with her studies in UL.