Rose crown is just what the doctor ordered

A junior doctor at UHG’s A&E – who also lines out with Galway’s National League women’s team – is the new Rose of Tralee, the first ever from her native Offaly.

Jennifer Byrne – from Clonderrig on the Offaly/Westmeath border – was pronounced winner in front of nearly one million television viewers and an audience of 2000 people in the Festival Dome on Tuesday night.

“I think my heart is about to jump out of my chest but I’m really, really excited but I genuinely can’t believe it, it’s fantastic,” she said immediately afterwards.

“I wasn’t really expected it at all’. I thought ‘this is going to be incredible’. Maggie McEldowney is an unbelievable representative for the Rose of Tralee and I’ll be asking her for a few tips because I have got big boots to fill now,” she added.

The 24 year old – who is five feet eleven inches – plays soccer in the National League for Galway WFC.

She went to school in Ballinahown and Our Lady’s Bower in Athlone, before moving to Galway to study medicine at NUIG.

She is currently working as a junior doctor in the Accident and Emergency Department at UHG – although she admitted she was unsure how the next year would now pan out.

On her job, she admitted: “It can be challenging at times, but I genuinely love my job and I’m very fortunate to be working in such a rewarding profession.”

As well as starring for Galway WFC in the National League, Jenny has played for the past five years with the NUIG women’s team and scored the winning penalty to decide the 2016 WSCAI All Ireland Premier Division title.

She has represented Ireland at U17 and U19 level and at the World University Games in South Korea in 2015. Jennifer also played in the European U17 Final in 2010 when Ireland lost out on penalties to Spain.

She also played Gaelic football and was corner-forward on the Westmeath team that claimed All-Ireland intermediate honours in 2011.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.