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From Longford and now living in Mullingar, Sinéad Hussey graduated from MU in 2003 with a BA in Spanish and economics.
Sinéad Hussey
2003 BA, Spanish and Economics RTÉ Midlands Correspondent
Sinéad finished her Leaving Certificate when she was 16 and began her undergrad aged 17. She stayed in digs when she came to Maynooth, with the Kinsella family on Parson Street.
“It was a real home from home for me – my parents wanted me to have a dinner every evening,” she said. She recalls the extreme flooding that hit Maynooth when she was in first year and wading knee-deep to the MSU for the day. “The Defence Forces were out with sandbags. I remember that The Roost was closed during my first year, so we spent quite a lot of time at the SU and in the LA (Leinster Arms).”
Her economics lecturer, Jim O’Leary, who wrote in the Irish Times made a big impression. “I was starstruck by him,” she said. Speaking fondly of her Spanish class, there was only twenty of us which was unique and kind of nice in that we all knew each other so well. It was like being back in school.
College experience can be very daunting, and I think I was very immature when I arrived, but I got the opportunity to grow up in Maynooth. I didn’t feel overwhelmed, and besides, I knew I was only a train away from home and that there were many from Longford around who would look out for you
Sinéad’s initial career plans involved Spain and banking. “I had great plans to work in a bank in Spain! I studied Spanish in secondary school and loved it. But a stint reporting on football matches when I was twenty, showed me that I really liked reporting and perhaps being a journalist was more for me.”
After she graduated with her BA, she completed a postgrad (“one of the best things I ever did”) in Christian Communications and Development with Kairos Communications. Hussey’s stellar career has taken her from North West radio, LMFM, Newstalk Radio, Shannonside and The Six One News and Nine O’Clock news on RTÉ to becoming the RTÉ Midlands Correspondent in July. “Working in Newstalk was amazing – I covered stories that I could never have imagined. I didn’t have any ambitions to work in TV, but a dream of mine was to work for RTÉ. It’s a huge honour and I’m so proud to work there. The TV part just happened and I’m glad it did.”
One story Sinéad covered which meant a lot to her concerned a man from Co. Meath who had a blood disorder, but the HSE wasn’t funding the drug he needed. “Himself and his wife bravely sat down with me to do an interview for The Six One News.
About ten days later, the then Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar raised the issue in Dáil Éireann and announced that the HSE was going to fund the drug. They’re the stories for me that make the difference and make me feel that the job is worthwhile. I do get pleasure when I cover a story and people get a result.”
“Also, being able to cover stories like the Pope or US President Obama visiting Ireland, or Britain’s Queen Elizabeth when she came to Croke Park is wonderful. I feel really privileged to have witnessed these moments in history.”
Any words of wisdom that she’d share?
“Have a goal for yourself. I wanted to be a journalist and I kept focusing on that. Small steps eventually led me to RTÉ. I always say to people to keep your mind and your options open. I’m glad I did my arts degree. I gained key skills that are useful in journalism ie, research, working on your own initiative, getting your story, getting the facts, and pulling it all together. It helps that I’ve an inquisitive nature too – my husband slags me in that I never turn off – I’m always looking for a story.”
Watch this space!