On the 25th of February, students from LM094 and LM095 gathered once again for the annual Adam Mangan Memorial Match, marking the tenth year of this very special tradition within the School of Education at the ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ.
What began as a tribute to Adam Mangan, a student in LM094 whose untimely passing deeply affected his classmates and lecturers, has grown into something even more meaningful. In the year following Adam’s death, his peers organised a remembrance football match between the LM094 and LM095 teacher education programmes. Their intention was simple but powerful: to come together in friendship, to honour Adam’s memory, and to celebrate the bonds formed through their shared journey in teacher education.
Ten years on, that spirit not only endures but has expanded. The match has evolved into an occasion to remember all students who have passed away during their time studying on these programmes in UL. It provides a dedicated moment in the academic year to pause, reflect, and stand in solidarity as a community.
This year’s match was played in a wonderful spirit of camaraderie and respect, with LM094 claiming victory after an engaging and competitive contest. Yet, as always, the result was secondary. The true significance of the day lay in the togetherness it fostered — the laughter on the sidelines, the applause for moments of skill and sportsmanship, and the shared silence of remembrance.
The event was organised by the current third-year class groups, whose commitment and care ensured that the occasion was both meaningful and memorable. The professionalism, empathy and sense of responsibility demonstrated by the organising committee speak volumes about the kind of teachers they are becoming. In schools, these students will be entrusted not only with delivering curriculum content but with nurturing young people, building inclusive communities, responding sensitively to challenge and loss, and creating spaces where every child feels valued and supported. The way in which they steward this memorial event each year bodes extremely well for their future classrooms. It reflects their ability to lead with empathy, to honour relationships, and to cultivate belonging — qualities at the very heart of teaching.
We extend our sincere thanks to the class representative, Magdalena Burakiewicz, and her team for their dedication to organising this year’s event and for creating the memorial jerseys, which added a special and lasting touch to the occasion. Their work behind the scenes ensured that the match was conducted in a manner befitting its purpose.
We are also very grateful to our referee, Eamonn Stack Mulvihill, for generously giving his time to officiate the game, and to the many students and staff members who attended to show their support and respect. Your presence reinforces the strength of the School of Education community and the value we place on remembering those who were part of it.
As the Adam Mangan Memorial Match enters its second decade, it stands not only as a tribute to Adam’s memory and to the memory of other students we have lost, but also as a testament to the compassion, leadership and unity that define our programmes. It reminds us that education is fundamentally about people, relationships and community.
Long may this tradition continue — honouring the past, strengthening the present, and shaping the kind of teachers our future learners deserve.