Robyn Dowling is the Teagasc/ FBD Student of the Year for 2025
Robyn Dowling, Skerries, County Dublin is the overall winner of the Teagasc / FBD Student of the Year 2025 award. The awards were presented in Kilkenny today, Thursday 7 May, by Mr Noel Grealish TD, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine.
Robyn Dowling, National Winner of Teagasc/FBD Student of the Year Awards 2025
The awards, sponsored by FBD, were presented to the top graduates of Teagasc Level 6 agriculture, horticulture, equine and forestry training programmes in 2025.
The overall winner, Robyn Dowling completed the Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Horsemanship (Equitation) at the Teagasc Kildalton College in Piltown, County Kilkenny. In addition to winning the Overall Teagasc / FBD Student of the Year 2025 award she was also successful in the ‘Other Land Based Category’.
Two other category awards were presented, Full-Time Agriculture Category and Part-Time and Distance Education Category.
Full-Time Agriculture Category
Edmund Motherway from Ladysbridge, Midleton, County Cork won the ‘Full-Time Agriculture Category.’ He completed the Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Agriculture (Dairy Herd Management) in Teagasc Kildalton College in Piltown, County Kilkenny.
Edmund Motherway, Full-Time Agriculture Category Winner is pictured receiving his award from Dr Anne Marie Butler, Teagasc Head of Education.
Part-Time and Distance Education Category
Bernadette Donohoe, from Kildavin, Enniscorthy, County Wexford, was successful in the ‘Part-Time and Distance Education Category.’ She completed the Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Agriculture at the Teagasc Advisory Office in Tinahely.
Bernadette Donohoe, Part-Time and Distance Education Category Winner is pictured receiving her award from Dr Anne Marie Butler, Teagasc Head of Education
Congratulating all the finalists in today’s awards, Teagasc Chairperson, Liam Herlihy said; “This is a proud day for you and your families, and I want to congratulate you on being finalists in these awards. The agriculture, horticulture, equine and forestry sectors need young people with new ideas, and the right skill sets and knowledge to drive the development of the Irish land-based sectors. You epitomise the high calibre of student emerging from Teagasc education courses. I would like to thank FBD for their ongoing support for these awards. “
Speaking at the awards, Michael Berkery, Chair of FBD Trust, said; “FBD have been supporting the student of the year awards since their inception and are proud of our involvement in these awards. We value education as a vital contributor to a progressive, sustainable farming sector, which we have in Ireland today. The Teagasc/ FBD Student of the Year finalists are wonderful ambassadors for this sector, and we are proud to sponsor these awards which highlight their accomplishments. On behalf of the team at FBD, I would like to congratulate Robyn Dowling and all the finalists on their achievements and wish them every success in the future.”
Dr Anne Marie Butler, Head of Education in Teagasc said; “This is a great occasion for all the finalists, as we celebrate their achievements, and their learning journey with Teagasc. These awards showcase the agriculture, horticulture, equine and forestry courses, and the best students that have come through those. In Teagasc, we continuously strive to improve our education offering and it is on days like this we see how you, the students, have embraced our education programme and blossomed as individuals ready to move to the next stage of your career. I congratulate all the finalists and wish you all the best in your future careers.”
Finalists
The other finalists in the awards were:
- Eileen Collins, Douglas, Co. Cork
- Róisín Corkery, Kinsealy, Co. Dublin
- Audrey Dunne, Drumcondra, Dublin
- Aoife Jones, Naas, Co. Kildare
- Jason Kelleher, Innishannon, Co. Cork
- Martha Langford, Piltown, Co. Kilkenny
- Eoin Loftus, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway
- Shane McAuliffe, Dromagh, Mallow, Co. Cork
- Charmaine McDermott, Redcastle, Co. Donegal
- Colin Mullahy, Claremorris, Co. Mayo
- Oscar Ó Marcaigh, Blackrock, Co. Dublin
- Jack Stevenson, Lifford, Co. Donegal
- Beth Thornton, Mallow, Co. Cork
- Christina Tobin, Castletownroche, Co. Cork