New Rose wants to inspire young girls
North Westmeath has a newly crowned beauty and her first official function as north Westmeath Rose was to be grand marshal of the St Patrick’s Day Parade last week.
Sinead Lynch, 22, was crowned North Westmeath’s Rose at a ceremony in Hotel Castlepollard. “I am just so honoured by this and thanks to everyone who has been calling to congratulate me. All the girls that entered were brilliant, so to be chosen was a real surprise and I am delighted.”
The young Maths teacher from Castlepollard competed against 22 other hopefuls to be named ambassador for the area and become an official entry in the Westmeath Rose of Tralee competition.
“I would never have had the confidence to do something like this before. I guess that teaching kids has made me confident. You have to be confident when you are facing a classroom of kids and you want the lesson to go well.”
Representing Ringtown GAA, Sinead was chosen by the judging panel for her engaging personality, and her talent was a big hit too.
“My boyfriend Gordon Maxwell is a hurler with Ringtown and that is my connection to the club.
“I filled in on my form that Gordon and I were learning how to jive. We had taken a few lessons in the Newbury. Of course Gordon had told me never to tell anyone that we were at dance classes, so he was surprised to be called up and asked to show the whole room his moves. That was nerve-racking – and of course a big thanks to my friend who filmed it and put it straight up on the internet.”
The North Westmeath Rose will also tick all the boxes when it comes to competing in the Rose competition whether at county level or in Tralee.
“It is a privilege to have this role and if anything comes of it I hope that becoming a role model for younger girls is one of the outcomes. I am training the U14 girls in the Lough Lene Gaels this year and that is a huge responsibility, which I take seriously.
“I coached the same girls at U8 and U10. It is really important to me that I set them a good example in camogie and I hope I will be setting a good example for girls that know me in my new role too.”
Sinead will now go forward from north Westmeath to the competition to find the Westmeath Rose on April 5.