Newly crowned Galway Rose is truly a class act!
It’s a rare occurrence to find 200 primary pupils gathered in an assembly hall hanging on the every word of one of their teachers – but it probably helps when that teacher happens to also be the newly-crowned Galway Rose.
Jodie Kenny once sat in the same desks in the room where she now teaches at Oughterard’s Scoil Chuimín agus Caitriona – and, according to staff and parents alike, everyone who knows her loves her.
Most of all, her Junior Infants adore her, and they gave her the biggest welcome back after her weekend victory in the Galway Rose Finals at the Clayton Hotel.
Now the 23-year-old is off to represent the county at the Rose of Tralee itself, which takes place from August 14 to 18.
“There is great pride in Scoil Chuimín agus Caitriona and the community of Oughterard and across Connemara with Jodie making history by becoming the first Galway Rose from Oughterard,” said a spokesperson at the school.
Jodie is both hugely popular and multi-talented – and she is also intrinsically involved in the community she grew up in.
She has a big interest in sport, where she has a strong connection with Oughterard GAA. Having played Gaelic football herself, she followed in the footsteps of her brother Dan, who also is a teacher is now based in Sydney, playing for the Bondi Gaels. She also coaches the girls school Gaelic football team.
Jodie has also made a significant impact through her charity work. In 2021, she and her family raised €20,000 in funds for Breast Cancer Ireland.
The following year, she became a brand ambassador for the “100km in 30 Days” campaign, which went on to raise an impressive €1 million for Breast Cancer Ireland. Her dedication to raising awareness and supporting the Breast Cancer Charity is something close to her heart.
Her passion for education too was reflected in her studies; she completed a dual degree in Education and Psychology at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.
In 2024, as part of her studies, she travelled to New York where she attended St. Francis College. There, she explored areas such as global citizenship, equality, human rights, and anti-discrimination, which was project lead.
She hopes to build on this work in the future and would like to become an educational psychologist, supporting children’s learning and wellbeing.
Adding to the excitement, the children from the school won the Best Poster competition at the Galway Rose Selection night on Saturday.
Their creative entry, which highlighted key moments from Jodie’s life and her many interests, is a source of great pride for the entire school community.