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Atlantic Technological University announces recipients of 2026 Alumni Awards
Atlantic Technological University (ATU) has announced the recipients of its 2026 Alumni Awards, marking the second year of the awards programme, celebrating graduates who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, innovation, and positive impact in their professions and communities.
This year’s recipients include an author, entrepreneur, journalist, technologist, environmental advocate, business and hospitality leader, healthcare governance expert and sport inclusion champion, whose work spans local, national and international arenas.
The 2026 ATU Alumni Award recipients are:
- Caragh Maxwell, Sligo based writer and author – Emerging Alumnus Award
- Fergus Grimes from Meath, entrepreneur and founder of the popular Score Beo app – Emerging Alumnus Award
- Caroline Faulkner from Donegal Town, leadership and performance coach and former Fortune 50 executive – Alumni Award in Business
- Michael Vaughan, Lahinch hotelier and former President of the Irish Hotels Federation – Alumni Award in Business
- Joe Dunleavy, European CTO and global AI leader at Endava – Alumni Award in Engineering and Computing (Sligo graduate, now based in Letterkenny)
- Georgia MacMillan, environmental advocate and dark sky conservation specialist based in Mayo– Alumni Award in Design, Education and Social Science
- Michael Lally, Galway broadcaster and journalist – Alumni Award in Design, Education and Social Science
- Patrick Keady, former NHS director and healthcare governance leader – Alumni Award in Science and Health (from Caherlistrane, Galway)
- Sara McFadden, sport inclusion leader and partnerships coordinator at Vision Sports Ireland – President’s Alumni Award (Sligo graduate)
All recipients are graduates of ATU and its predecessor institutions.
Announcing the recipients, ATU President Dr Orla Flynn said:
ATU’s Alumni Awards celebrate the remarkable achievements of our graduates and the many ways they contribute to society, both locally and globally. These awards recognise not only professional success, but leadership, creativity, service and a strong connection to place and community. The Alumni acknowledged today embody the values of Atlantic Technological University — ambition, innovation, resilience and social responsibility. We are proud to recognise them and to share their stories with our students and wider communities across the region.
The Alumni Awards were presented to the recipients during ATU’s Spring Conferring Ceremonies, held across the university’s campuses on the 28 April (Galway City), 29 April (Sligo) and 30 April (Letterkenny). Over 500 people were conferred over the three days including 14 PhDs.
These events brought together the ATU community, along with families and friends, to celebrate both the graduating students and the outstanding achievements of our alumni awardees.
Photo captions:
- Donegal- L-R: Paul Hannigan, Caroline Faulkner ( Alumni Award in Business), Dr Orla Flynn, Joe Dunleavy (Alumni Award in Engineering and Computing) and Dr Billy Bennett at the ATU Alumni Awards.
- Sligo – L-R: Author, Carragh Maxwell receives the Emerging Alumnus Award and Sara McFadden, sport inclusion leader and partnerships coordinator at Vision Sports Ireland receiving ATU President’s Alumni Award from Dr Orla Flynn, ATU President.
- Galway – L-R: ATU Alumni Award winners: Patrick Keady, former NHS director and healthcare governance leader – Alumni Award in Science and Health (from Caherlistrane, Galway); Michael Lally, Galway broadcaster and journalist – Alumni Award in Design, Education and Social Science; Fergus Grimes from Meath, entrepreneur and founder of the popular Score Beo app – Emerging Alumnus Award; Georgia MacMillan, environmental advocate and dark sky conservation specialist based in Mayo– Alumni Award in Design, Education and Social Science and Michael Vaughan, Lahinch hotelier and former President of the Irish Hotels Federation – Alumni Award in Business.
For media enquiries, contact:
Aidan Haughey
Communications Manager
Tel: 086 086 6913
E: aidan.haughey@atu.ie
