The was great news for Castleblayney this week when Dublin City University announced their decision to award their prestigious DCU Chancellor’s Medal to popular local girl Tomasina McGinnity, daughter of Bernard and Una McGinnity from Drumhowan, Castleblayney. Tomasina received first-class grades for all four years of her Bachelor of Religious Education and Music programme while been living and commuting daily from outside Castleblayney throughout her studies. Tomasina received her award from DCU Chancellor Brid Horan on Wednesday 23rd February at a graduation ceremony which took place on DCU’s Glasnevin Campus.
Many of us know Tomasina as a founder member of the Castleblayney Musical Society. She is also a volunteer leader with the community arts group ‘Fusion’, which involves 180 children in music and dance, as well as a music teacher at popular ‘Born 2 Perform’ stage school, where Tomasina brings a passion through her teaching that instils a drive for excellence among her young students. Back in 2014 she was central to a High School Musical as a singer at the well-known Muckno Mania Festival event.
Professor at DCU Anne Looney said that “Tomasina across her activities in both Religious Education and Music, is admired and respected not only for her talent, but for willingness to help out, to make herself available, to prepare diligently, and to lead, sometimes from the front, sometimes from within.”
