Staff at The Children’s Ark, University Hospital Limerick were delighted to welcome former colleague and Olympic rowing champion, Sinéad Jennings to the ward earlier this week.
Sinéad was invited by Consultant Paediatrician Dr Michael Mahony to drop by and share her experiences in Rio this Summer, where she competed in the lightweight double sculls taking sixth place in the race.
During 2013, Sinéad spent six months with the Children’s Ark, UHL as SHO (Senior House Officer) as part of her medical training to become a GP.
A Letterkenny native, Sinéad lives in Limerick and is a member of St Michael’s Rowing Club on O’Callaghan Strand in the city. She moved to Limerick after her marriage to Limerick’s two time Olympic rower Sam Lynch. They have three daughters Clodagh (5), Molly (3) and Hannah (2).
Speaking about her SHO training at UHL, the Olympic rower said, “Working as an SHO was much harder than training to be an Olympic rower, but just as rewarding! I really enjoyed my time here and am delighted to be invited back to meet former colleagues and get an opportunity to say hello to some of the children here as well.”
Dr Michael Mahony, Consultant Paediatrician at University Hospital Limerick said, “To have an Olympic finalist who worked with us here in UHL is extraordinary. We are very proud indeed – pharmacist, doctor, mother, world champion and Olympian, she has done it all but no doubt there is more to do, an incredible achievement!’
Sinéad is also delighted with the surge in interest in her sport ‘post – Rio’, particularly from young girls.
“My rowing club here have been inundated with juniors, its’ great for rowing, as a mother of three young girls it’s great to see this level of interest. Ive also been asked to be an ambassador for the Limerick Suicide Prevention Group so I’m delighted about that and am very happy to help them out to raise awareness.”
To compete in the Rio Olympics, Sinéad had put medicine on temporary hold, she returns to her GP Training programme in October which will take a further two years to complete.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.