Established in memory of late Arthur Cox partner Niamh Burke, the bursary fosters and supports study and research in the field of renewable energy through an annual award of €10,000 to students pursuing education in this area.

The bursary is administered by Wind Energy Ireland and funded by the law firm.

Jarlaith and Thomas impressed judges with their commitment to working to tackle the climate emergency and their passion for their chosen fields of mechanical and sustainable engineering and energy systems engineering.

Danielle Conaghan, partner at Arthur Cox, said: “We are very enthusiastic about and deeply committed to fostering the next generation of leaders in renewable energy. This bursary represents not just financial support, but also our belief in the power of education.

“We are proud to honour Niamh’s legacy by supporting Jarlaith and Thomas in their studies and wish them the very best in pursuing them. Their commitment to tackling the climate emergency will contribute to a greener, more sustainable future.”

Dave Linehan, head of research at Wind Energy Ireland, added: “Supporting education in this area is vital. We need to encourage and enable the climate champions of the future to reach a zero-carbon Ireland. There are thousands of jobs in wind energy in Ireland and that is only going to grow.”

Jarlaith said: “I am overjoyed and honoured to be a recipient of this year’s Niamh Burke bursary.

“With my previous experience in renewables and the completion of this Master’s degree, I hope to accelerate Ireland’s energy transition towards 2030 and beyond.”

Thomas said: “We’re building a whole new clean-energy system, changing how we produce electricity, heat our homes, move around and how industries work.

“Ireland has lots of work to do in managing affordability, sustainability and security throughout the transition. There’s nothing I’d rather do with my career.

“I’m extremely grateful to Arthur Cox and Wind Energy Ireland for receiving the Niamh Burke bursary towards my Master’s degree in energy systems engineering at UCD.”