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21 Oct 2025

Laois student and Comhaltas member wins prestigious €25k scholarship

Heywood CS student Daniel Aylward is the pride of his parish!

Laois student and Comhaltas member wins prestigious €25k scholarship

Pictured: scholarship winner and Spink Comhaltas member Daniel Aylward

Staff and students of Heywood Community School are bursting with pride this week, following student Daniel Aylward's win of the prestigious Naughton scholarship. scholarship 

Heywood student and Spink Comhaltas member Daniel Aylward attended the award ceremony on Saturday, October 18, where the €25,000 scholarship was presented by Dr. Martin Naughton, and his wife Carmel, and Minister Jack Chambers, TD.

The Abbeyleix based student joins 37 other exceptional Irish students who were awarded third level scholarships towards their studies in the areas of engineering, science, technology, and maths.

 

Pictured: Carmel Naughton, Heywood CS Deputy Principal Peter Malone, winning scholar Daniel Aylward, Minister Jack Chambers TD and Martin Naughton at the 2025 Naughton Foundation Scholarship awards held at Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin. Photo: Kieran Harnett

Heywood Community School was also awarded a prize of €1,000 towards their school’s science facilities, for their support of their winning student.

"Everyone in Heywood is extremely proud of Daniel's achievement at the weekend," Principal Eamon Jackman told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

"The Naughton Foundation supports exceptional students across Ireland, and receiving this award places Daniel among the top young minds in the country. We extend our warmest congratulations to Daniel and his family on this remarkable achievement," Mr Jackman praised.

"Their success is a source of pride for the entire school community and serves as an inspiration to current and future students. The school was delighted to be represented at the ceremony by Mr. Peter Malone (Deputy Principal) on Saturday and celebrate this incredible achievement with Daniel's family," he finished.

This scholarship is just one of many awards and feats achieved by the Heywood CS student.

"During his TY year, Daniel and a few classmates entered the Senior Enterprise Competition. For this competition, Daniel designed and produced a product they called 'Hurlr', which was an attachment for carrying a hurl on a bike," the student's mum Úna Aylward told the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

 

Pictured: Naughton scholarship winners with Minister Jack Chambers TD, Carmel and Martin Naughton at the scholarship awards ceremony.

Hurlr won first place in the Laois heat, and with the continued help and support of a team of teachers in Heywood, Hurlr went on to place third in the national competition held in Croke Park.

"Daniel continued to run Hurlr from his shed at home, and sold many Hurlrs throughout the country. He only recently decided to close the website due to other commitments," Daniel's Mum explained.

At the 6th year awards night this year, Daniel was delighted to receive six separate awards, including the Senior Traditional Music contribution award, two subject awards for DCG and Physics and a senior perfect award.

"Daniel was one of five students to be nominated for the Bank of Ireland Student of the Year and was also very honoured to receive the coveted Selisian award for Outstanding Leadership," Ms Aylward praised.

Throughout Daniel's time in school, he has participated in the school trad group and has preformed many solos at carol services, school masses and events. Daniel has also travelled to Rome where the school choir and trad group preformed in Basicillas and surrounding churches, under the guidance of Miss Julia Woods.

 

Pictured: Spink Comhaltas member Daniel Aylward with his Uileann Pipe medal

The scholarship winner's musical roots run deep, having been a member of Spink Comhaltas since the age of six.

"Over the course of his 12 years with Spink, he has participated in many groups and band competitions achieving County and Provincial success. In individual competitions, Daniel has also achieved County, Provincial and All Ireland success on a yearly basis,"Ms Aylward explained.

At the age of nine, Daniel came second in the All Ireland Flute Slow Air competition and went on to win two more under 12 medals for the Flute and the Uilleann Pipes at All Ireland level.

"Daniel was also the first u15 Laois competitor to win an Uilleann Pipes Slow Airs All Ireland medal, and continued his winning streak the following year, earning second place in the U18 competition," Ms Aylward finished.

Up to recently Daniel has also been a member of Leinster Youth Orchestra and preformed on many stages throughout the country and abroad. The group also recorded a CD on which Daniel preforms a solo.

Congratulations to the Heywood student on his resounding success!

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