Tuam granny moved to tears as granddaughter continues 90-year university tradition
Hannah Clarke followed three generations of women in her family to University of Galway, where seeing her great-grandmother’s signature in an old student register brought her granny to tears.
Among those celebrating at University of Galway’s latest graduations was a family marking a special connection with the college, spanning more than 90 years and four generations of women.
Hannah Clarke graduated today, Monday, October 19, following in the footsteps of her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, who earned her degree in 1934.
The History and Politics graduate, from Banagher in Co Offaly, joined her family for a visit to the University Library after the ceremony.
There, they were shown the signature of Hannah’s great-grandmother, Tuam woman Mary C. Whyte, later Mary Dwyer, in the student register from when she first enrolled.
Mary graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1934 and went on to work in accountancy for Coca-Cola in Tuam.
Her daughter, Margaret Moloney, said seeing her mother’s name in the register for the first time brought tears to her eyes.
“My mother was a very unassuming and humble person. She never bragged about anything, and she loved education,” she said.
“She let us all choose our own paths and what we did. There were six of us and our father died when we were young, so she had to work and provide for us. In fact, she worked two jobs to rear us. She was a wonderful woman.”
Margaret, also from Tuam, received a Certificate in Social Studies in 1996. Her daughter Anne Clarke, from Banagher, followed with a First-Class Honours Executive MBA in 2025.
Now Hannah has continued the tradition with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Politics.
“Walking around the college over the last three years, knowing that my great grandmother, grandmother and mother walked the same paths that I did, every day, was an inspiration,” she said.
Anne said the library visit made her daughter’s graduation day particularly moving.
“It was a really emotional day to see my mom crying seeing her own mother’s name in the book,” she said.
Her grandmother’s example had made education central to family life.
“Third-level education was a given. There was no finishing at Leaving Cert. We were all going to college.
“To follow, and to know that you stand on the shoulders of the legacy of the women who went before you, is truly humbling and amazing.”