Two UCC School of Law students take part in prestigious Washington Ireland Programme 2024

11 Sep 2024

The Washington Ireland Program supports, inspires, and develops leaders from a wide range of communities and backgrounds who are committed to building a future of peace and prosperity for Northern Ireland and Ireland. 

As part of this programme, 30 students from across the island of Ireland travel to Washington DC during the summer to complete leadership and service experience, including a work placement in various organisations and public institutions in the US capital. Now in its 30th year, alumni of the Washington Ireland Program include former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, current deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland Emma Little-Pengelly and former Northern Ireland Minister of Justice Claire Sugden. 

Two students from UCC School of Law were selected for the WIP Class of 2024, namely Oisín Ó Síocháin (BCL Law & Irish) and Alex Sheehan (BCL Law & French).  Alex and Oisín spent 2 months in Washington DC undertaking a general service and leadership development programme, also completing a 2-month placement.

Alex completed a placement at the U.S. Senate in the Office of Senate Majority Leader and Senator for New York, Chuck Schumer, while Oisín completed a placement at the Laborers' International Union of North America. 

Speaking about the programme,

Alex wrote: "It was a pleasure to participate in the Washington Ireland Program 2024. As part of this program, I was given the opportunity to work at the heart of American politics in the U.S. Senate for Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer. The program also gave me the opportunity to meet with social and political leaders in the U.S. in iconic locations such as the White House, the United Nations, and the U.S. Supreme Court. I would highly recommend the Program to all UCC students seeking to deepen their knowledge of U.S. politics and wanting to develop their service and leadership skills."

Oisín wrote: "Being part of the Washington Ireland Program class of 2024 was the opportunity of a lifetime. The Program gave us a front-row seat to the drama that is U.S. politics, as well as an exposure to U.S. and international legal and diplomatic life. WIP has been the single greatest experience in my life of having views challenged, perspectives changed and unlikely relationships built. I would recommend the Program to all UCC students with a passion to lead change in Ireland and the world. Samhradh a bheidh ann a fhanfaidh leat dod’ shaol, agus déanfaidh tú buanchairde ó fud fad na hÉireann."

To find out more about the WIP, please visit: www.wiprogram.org