Ms Helen Concannon

Whether tied in with her day job as a Teacher or as a Volunteer with the Irish Girl Guides Association or the ‘Friends of Londiani' charity, this honours graduate of UL is committed to helping others. 

Originally from Bearna in Co. Galway, Helen Concannon BSc ‘98 arrived in UL in 1994 to pursue a Science Education degree in Biological Sciences. In 1999, she was awarded a Gold Gaisce Award in recognition of her voluntary work in her home village. This led to her role as a President's Award Leader charged with helping 30 young people to challenge themselves and strive to be the best they can be (already 12 of those in Helen's care have received Gaisce Awards under her guidance). 

Now settled in Loughshinny, Co. Dublin with her husband, Gerard , they are both involved in Scouting and Girl Guiding in their local area. As a full-time teacher in Killinarden Community School in Tallaght teaching Science, Biology and Maths , Helen (31) immerses herself in numerous extracurricular activities throughout the school year including sports and after-school groups as well as leading her students to participate in the Young Scientist Exhibition, a first for the school. 

Her involvement with the Irish Girl Guides Association from an early age (culminating in her appointment as Assistant Chief Commissioner for Ireland while still in her early twenties) was perhaps the catalyst which started Helen on a determined path to make a difference to the lives of others, particularly those less fortunate. It led her to the Republic of Georgia and to India and eventually to Kenya where the ‘Friends of Londiani' Charity operates in support of local communities. 

Established in 2002, this relatively new Irish charity is run by Volunteers including Helen as Vice-Chairperson. Their mission is to work in partnership with the local people of Londiani and its surrounding villages to develop and complete sustainable community projects including HIV/AIDS awareness, water and health education, malaria protection and the establishmnent of womens groups. Each summer, the Charity brings large numbers of volunteers from Ireland to work with the Kenyans. Recent projects include the construction of the Ndubusat Maternity Hospital and Bethel Clinic, both totally funded by ‘Friends of Londiani'. The hospital has 6 wards with 18 beds (the building is near completion) while the clinic is an outpatients medical centre (opened in 2004). 

Helen's track record in service of others is both humbling and inspirational. 

The above text is an extract from the 2007 UL Alumni Awards Souvenir Booklet.