The Pat Madden Sports Bursary

Pat Madden (1984) has generously donated $25,000 to establish an annual award of £500 to a Queens' student requiring support to pursue an elite sport.

The Pat Madden Sports Bursary is a permanent restricted fund, within the Student Support Fund. Awards will be agreed by the Fellows with responsibility for overseeing the College's endowed major sports bursaries. In 2022-23, those Fellows are Prof Marie Edmonds, Mr Rowan Kitt and Dr David Butterfield.

Pat Madden read Economics at Queens' and was involved with rugby, swimming, football and basketball. He won his half-Blue in the University basketball team that defeated Oxford for the first time in many years and he captained the Queens' basketball team which won Cuppers in 1985. Pat is now one of the founders of Never Say Die Bourbon, inspired by the first American racehorse since 1881 to win the English Derby in 1954, who was born on a farm owned by Pat's family. Never Say Die was indirectly responsible for The Beatles' first break, in a fascinating story that can be read here. The Bourbon is thought to be the first to be distilled in America, ocean aged and then matured in England.

In 2018 Pat donated The Madden Cup, which is awarded to the college winners of basketball Cuppers each year. Replacing the previous cup and saucer, the handmade silver-plated trophy features an engraved basketball on the centre front and a racehorse and jockey on the lid, paying tribute to Pat's family ties with horse breeding. On behalf of the College, we thank Pat for his generosity and for the opportunities that The Pat Madden Sports Bursary will present for young athletes at Queens'.

For more information about our current fundraising priorities, visit our dedicated page.