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University of Galway student Róisín Cunningham and graduate Colman Monaghan were joint winners of the Law Student of the Year category at the LEAP Irish Law Awards 2026. The Law Student of the Year award recognises and celebrates the academic legal achievements and other overall achievements of a student studying law in a third level college or university.

Professor Martin Hogg, Dean of University of Galway’s School of Law, said: “The University of Galway School of Law community is delighted that two of our students, Roísín Cunningham and Colman Monaghan, jointly won Law Student of the Year at the LEAP Irish Law Awards 2026. This award recognises the hard work and huge talent of Roísín and Colman, and serves to underscore the passion, commitment, and public service which University of Galway law students manifest in their studies and in all aspects of their lives.”

Róisín a final year Law (BCL) and Human Rights student who attended secondary school in St. Mary's College, Naas, Co. Kildare, said: “I am humbled to have been selected, especially among such incredible co-nominees. I would like to thank University of Galway and my lecturers for their unwavering support throughout every aspect of my undergraduate degree. The opportunity they provided me to complete an externship in the Homicide Unit of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in Boston has solidified my interest in pursuing a career in public interest law, particularly criminal prosecution. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.”

During Róisín’s time as a student she built up an impressive list of accomplishments including:

• As part of the School of Law’s partnership with Suffolk University Law School, Róisín was selected for an externship at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in Boston, working in the Homicide Unit.
• Won the David Altaras SC Award for Best Public Policy Article in the Trinity College Law Review for her paper ‘Miss Diagnosis’: The Inadequacies Surrounding the Patient Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Act 2023 and Women's Health in Ireland in Light of the CervicalCheck Debacle.
• Irish Language Officer & Founding Member - Effective Speakers Society 
• ALIVE President’s Award for Volunteering 
• Inclusivity Officer - University of Galway Surf Club 
• Intervarsity Mock Trial Finalist 
• Health & Safety Officer - Women in Law Society 
• Undertook a placement in Ireland’s largest criminal law firm as part of the School’s Clinical Legal Placement module.
• Completed the Dioplóma sa Ghaeilge C1.
• Trainee Court and Forensic Accompaniment Volunteer and Accompaniment Support Services for Children (ASSC) Volunteer. 
• Former Class Representative 
• Spent third year studying abroad through German at Julius Maximillians Universität Würzburg.

Colman a Law (BCL), Criminology and Criminal Justice graduate who attended Holy Rosary College, Mountbellew, Co. Galway said: “I am extremely grateful for the award as it represents a culmination of the work I’ve put in throughout my degree. I am currently undertaking the degree of Barrister–at–Law and am spending some time in Uganda volunteering to teach English to 120 kids whilst building a vocational school and helping in efforts to reafforest outside lake Victoria.”

While studying at University of Galway, Colman achieved many outstanding accomplishments including:

• Won twelve intervarsity moot competitions with sixteen awards in total, including first consecutive national moot court winner.
• Published an article on the theoretical and practical problems associated with rights of nature.
• Co-Chief Editor of University of Galway Law Review.
• Completed the Chief Justice's Summer Placement Programme.
• Volunteered with the Samaritans, in Ukraine hospitals and helped rebuild an 18th century fort in France.
• Organised and hosted a talk with Mr Justice Charleton of the Supreme Court on the nature of lies and crime.
• Achieved a 1st class honours degree.
• Co-authored a paper alongside University of Galway faculty, advising the government on the criminalisation of a new offence.