SETU horticulture students win Una McDermott Travel Bursary

Emma Hill from Dunboyne, Co Meath (right), Lydia Champion from Terenure in Dublin (left), and Chelirs Brecq from Birr, Co Offaly (centre)

The bursary continues to provide SETU horticulture students with opportunities to develop professional skills, gain international experience, and connect with leading gardens and horticultural institutions across Europe

Careers

8 April 2026

Three horticulture students from South East Technological University (SETU) have been announced as the recipients of the 2026 Una McDermott Travel Bursary, a prestigious award that supports students in gaining international horticultural experience.

The bursary honours the legacy of Una McDermott, a passionate horticulturist and former lecturer on the BSc in horticulture at SETU, and enables students to travel abroad and develop their horticultural knowledge through placements, internships, and volunteering opportunities.

This year, 11 students from across SETU’s horticulture programmes at the National Botanic Gardens and Teagasc Kildalton College applied for the bursary. Following a competitive selection process, six students were shortlisted and invited to interview.

After a strong round of interviews, three SETU students studying at the National Botanic Gardens were awarded the 2026 Una McDermott Travel Bursaries.

In first place was Emma Hill from Dunboyne, Co Meath. Emma will undertake a two-week internship at the renowned Beth Chatto Gardens in the UK, gaining experience in ecological planting and garden management at one of the most influential gardens in modern horticulture.

“I look forward to learning more about the practices used across Beth’s gravel garden, water garden, and nursery, at a time when choosing the ‘right plant for the right place’ is growing in importance in response to the environmental challenges we face,” Hill said.

In second place was Lydia Champion from Terenure in Dublin. Lydia is currently completing her professional placement at Tresco Abbey Garden on the Isles of Scilly, one of the most celebrated horticultural sites in Britain.

“I can confidently say that this trip will have long-lasting effects that will benefit me for years to come and I will always remember the generosity of the McDermott family,” Champion.

Last but not least was Chelirs Brecq from Birr, Co Offaly. Chelirs will take part in the Munn Volunteer Programme at Claude Monet’s House and Gardens in Giverny in France, contributing to the care and maintenance of the historic gardens that inspired Monet’s famous paintings.

“I’m really looking forward to using the bursary to go work in one of the most beautiful gardens in France,” Brecq said.

The Una McDermott Travel Bursary continues to provide SETU horticulture students with opportunities to develop professional skills, gain international experience, and connect with leading gardens and horticultural institutions across Europe.

Applications for travel in 2027 will be accepted from SETU Horticulture students from November 2026.