Tess Lambe Bursary Fund launch in Kilcullen tonight

A reminder that a Bursary Fund to celebrate the pioneering work of a Kilcullen-born woman in the development of a key Covid vaccine, AstraZeneca, will be launched in Kilcullen Heritage Centre tonight, writes Brian Byrne.

Professor Teresa (Tess) Lambe who comes from Nicholastown, where her parents Anthony and Mary still live, was one of the joint team leaders in the project.

The Bursary will benefit female students in Cross and Passion College who go on to study a Science-related course in third level after completing their Leaving Cert in CPC.

It will be launched in Kilcullen Town Hall on Friday 22 October at a meeting to which everybody is invited, beginning at 7.30pm. Covid precautions will be observed.

The first Bursaries will be payments of €500 to each of two successful applicants from the Leaving Cert class of 2021. Further Bursaries will depend on the level of support for the fund. The students will also travel to Oxford to see some of the great work being done there by Teresa and her colleagues, both in developing AstraZeneca and vaccines for other diseases.

“These are marvellous people and their work should be celebrated,”, said well known author Adam Kay on a recent RTE interview. Teresa has already  received an OBE from Queen Elizabeth and a special award was presented by Boris Johnson as part of the Who Cares Wins Awards in the UK.

"Now we are asking everyone in Kilcullen to join in celebrating Teresa’s great work," says Noel Clare, one of the directors of the Bursary Fund along with CPC teacher Denis Dennehy, Ray Kelly and Frances Clare. "It's not only about developing the Covid Vaccine, but also her work in many other vaccines as part of the research in the Jenner Institute at Oxford."

Following on from the launch, people can contribute to the Fund which is being administered through Kildare Credit Union in Kilcullen. (Account details: Tess Lambe Bursary Fund; IBAN: IE02KIRI99217910400892)

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