SETU sports scholar Róisín Sweeney graduated from the university’s conferring ceremonies at the Kilkenny Road campus in Carlow on October 28, 2025.
Graduate Róisín Sweeney. Image: Brownes Photography.
Naas native Sweeney, completed her Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Aerospace Engineering in Carlow after four years of study. She began studying aerospace engineering in 2021, receiving an academic scholarship on entry into first year of the course.
First female Motorsport Ireland karting champion
Sweeney established herself as the fastest driver of the SETU karting club early on in her time at the university. She was selected for the A team on first trials and went on to compete in the Student Sport Ireland Karting Championships throughout the four years of her degree.
'Karting has been a part of my life since my early teens.' Image: Dylan Vaughan.
“Karting has been a part of my life since my early teens. I discovered the sport while on holiday with my family; I was hooked right away. Karting is very important to me and brings back very fond memories,” she explained.
In her second year, Sweeney achieved runner up in the Karting Driver championship, in conjunction with becoming the first female Motorsport Ireland T4 Senior National Karting champion.
In 2023, Sweeney became the first female to win a Student Sport Ireland individual student karting championship, while also leading the SETU A team to third place in the team’s championship.
SETU sports scholarship and student recognition award
Sweeney was awarded a sports scholarship for karting, from 2022 to 2024. The SETU Sports Scholarship Programme is designed to assist high-performance athletes in their overall development. The programme supports high-calibre athletes to reach their maximum potential both in their sport and in their academic careers.
For four years running, she achieved the SETU Student Recognition Award in acknowledgement of her commitment to her studies.
When speaking about balancing her academic life and sporting career, Sweeney said: “The SETU Sports Scholarship was a huge help in balancing my national karting career and the various activities involved both inside and outside of the university.
Found the world of aviation extremely interesting
“Even with all I was working towards in sport, I wanted to keep up my grades and learn as much as possible within my degree in aerospace engineering, an area that I became very passionate about. I have always found the world of aviation extremely interesting, and the course gave me great exposure and insight into the aviation industry.
"Being able to physically work on aircraft was a very important experience, and I found that a lot of the topics I studied through the year related to my motorsport interests too. The course has left me well prepared for pursuing my future career in the aviation industry.
“The overall feeling of recognition and support from the scholarship made me feel even more motivated to commit into my university career, both academically and through clubs and societies."
Now graduating with a first-class honours' degree in aerospace engineering. Sweeney has already begun the next chapter, having gained a graduate position at Milestone Aviation, a helicopter leasing company.
Since completing her studies, she has also graduated to car racing, having just finished a successful season in 2025.