Dear Friends of the St. Patrick's Day Parade,

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Celebration Committee is pleased to announce that it is once again sponsoring both a College Level Research Paper Contest and a High School Level Research Paper Contest. In memory of two outstanding Parade leaders who have gone on to their eternal rewards, these scholarships are named the Francis P. Beirne College Scholarship Contest and the Margaret O’Rourke High School Scholarship Contest.

1. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND CONTEST CALENDAR – FRANCIS P. BEIRNE COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST

1.1 College Level Eligibility: College Contest applicants must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student in an accredited college or university, school of nursing, medical school, business school or law school;

AND

The applicant's college, university or school, if affiliated with the Parade, must have paid its 2012 affiliation fee or the applicant must be a family member of any person belonging to an organization which has paid its 2012 affiliation fee to the NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee. (Family members may include son, daughter, spouse, brother, sister, niece, nephew, grandchild, grandniece, grandnephew and great grandchild.)

1.2 The enclosed official application form must be filed and postmarked no later than

MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2012.

1.3 Applicants must have completed and postmarked their research paper no later than MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2012.

1.4 Research Paper contest winners will be announced by Friday, May 14, 2012.

2. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS & CONTEST CALENDAR - MARGARET O'ROURKE HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST

2.1 High School Level Eligibility: High School Contest applicants must be currently enrolled in high school;

AND

The applicant's high school, if affiliated with the Parade, must have paid its 2012 affiliation fee or the applicant must be a family member of any person belonging to an organization which has paid its 2012 affiliation fee to the NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee. (Family members many include son, daughter, spouse, brother, sister, niece, nephew, grandchild, grandniece, grandnephew, and great grandchild.)

2.2 The enclosed official application form must be filed and postmarked no later than

MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2012.

2.3 Applicants must have completed and postmarked their research papers no later than MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2012.

2.4 Research Paper contest winners will be announced by Friday, May 14, 2012.

3. INDIVIDUAL - FRANCIS P. BEIRNE COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST

3.1 The first, second, and third place winners will receive individual prizes of $2,500, $1,500, and $1,000 respectively.

4. INDIVIDUAL – MARGARET O'ROURKE HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST

4.1 The first, second, and third place winners will receive individual prizes of $1,200, $800, and $500.

5. METHOD OF ADJUDICATION

5.1 A number of raters, who will not be provided with any identifying information regarding the names of the applicants or their affiliation, will independently rate each paper, based upon standards established by the members of the Scholarship Committee, St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Celebration Committee.

6.TOPIC & MANNER OF PRESENTATION - FRANCIS P. BEIRNE COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST

6.1 TOPIC - Ireland has experienced a recent economic boom and bust: Describe lessons learned and long-term impact on Ireland.

6.2 A minimum of 8 and a maximum of 10 typewritten pages double spaced, standard one inch margins, with accompanying bibliography, are necessary to satisfy requirements.

7. TOPIC & MANNER OF PRESENTATION - MARGARET O’ROURKE HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST

7.1 TOPIC - In honor of the 100^th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic: Discuss the voyages of Irish immigrants in their search for a better life.

7.2 A minimum of 6 and a maximum of 8 typewritten pages, double spaced, standard one inch margins, with accompanying bibliography, are necessary to satisfy requirements.

8. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

8.1 The St. Patrick's Day Parade and Celebration Scholarship Committee for 2012 is comprised of the following members: John Lahey, Chairperson, Deborah Shea, Rosemary Lombard, Ann Garvey, John Garvey, Hilary Beirne, Patricia Mannion, Mary Holt Moore, John Ridge, Janice Crisci, Kathleen McGreal, Bridget Higgins, Kathleen M. Reilly, Suanne Culligan and Michael Boyle.

8.2 It shall be understood that no award from this scholarship contest shall cause any other financial aid received by any students to be in any way diminished.

8.3 All entries become the property of the Scholarship Committee.

8.4 If there are any additional questions, contact the Chairperson, John Lahey. Office: (203) 582-8744 or (203) 582-8700.

All are encouraged to publicize the St. Patrick's Day Parade Scholarship contests, and to duplicate this announcement and the accompanying application, in order that the maximum number of eligible students might avail themselves of this opportunity.

Applications must be postmarked no later than MONDAY, April 2, 2012

Papers must be postmarked no later than MONDAY, April 2, 2012

Name ________________________________ Home Phone No. _________________

Address _______________________________________________________________________________________________

University, College or High School in which the entrant is enrolled

Name ________________________________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Principal or Faculty Advisor ______________________________________

Telephone No. _________________________

Name of family member belonging to an organization affiliated with the 2012 St. Patrick's Day Parade and Celebration Committee.

Name __________________________________________________

Relationship to Entrant _____________________________________

Name of Organization _____________________________________

Mail completed application and paper to:

John L. Lahey
Scholarship Contest
AB-PRS
Quinnipiac University
275 Mount Carmel Avenue
Hamden, CT 06518