Q: When did you first take up rowing?

A: I took up rowing at the start of my Junior Cert year in September 2013. I was 14 at the time so I was a small bit older than usual.

Q: I’d have thought it’d have been younger alright.

A: Usually people start in first year but I tried other sports. My friends were into rowing and they said, ‘Give it a try’.

Q: You must’ve started to take it seriously soon after so?

A: My friends that were into rowing were very good. Because I joined late, I was gunning to catch up with them. 2014 was my first season to compete at the Irish Championships, so that was the first year I took it seriously. 2015, my second season, was the first year I represented Ireland.

Q: Are you studying as well as rowing?

A: Yeah, I did my Leaving Cert last year and I went to Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa this year to do PE teaching. I’m hoping to go to UCC in September, if all goes well.

Q: How do you manage that balance of studying and competing internationally?

A: In Leaving Cert, it was my last year at junior [under-18] level, so I had goals for that year in rowing. I was going for PE teaching in UCC but I knew it was very high points, so I chose to prioritise rowing in sixth year. I knew I had the back-up of going to CSN this year. Delaying it by a year didn’t really bother me. We went to the Europeans and the Worlds in sixth year, and the European Championships, in Germany, was two weeks before the Leaving Cert. I missed the last week of school but I didn’t find it too hard to balance otherwise. It was just a matter of planning your days. No messing around down in the rowing club. It was a matter of going in and out, doing your session and getting home.

Q: You won silver with Aoife Casey at those European Juniors in 2017. What did that do for your belief?

A:  We went over with the intention of doing well, obviously, but we didn’t expect a medal at all. Looking back, it was really overwhelming for us because we didn’t expect it. At the end of the race, we were shocked it had even happened and all happened so fast. It was the year after the Olympics as well, so Gary and Paul [O’Donovan] had won their silver medal and Irish rowing was on a high. When we were off to the championships, everyone in school was so clued in with the rowing. It was so topical after the Olympics so it was a good atmosphere in the school. They were all really excited back at home and at the rowing club.

Q: You’ve started a new pairing with Denise Walsh in the lightweight double sculls. How and when did that come about?

A: We had a trial in the middle of May and then, two weeks later, we were competing at the first World Cup in Belgrade. There’s four of us lightweights in the mix at the moment, so we’re trying different combinations. In two weeks’ time, Lydia Heaphy from Skibbereen and I are going to the Under-23 World Championships in Poznan, Poland. Aoife Casey is in the mix as well. That keeps it competitive because there’ll be a final selection for the World Championships in September. It’s important to have the four of us because we’re all pushing off against each other and, at the end of the day, it’ll make whoever gets into the double faster.

Q: Is it difficult to establish a new pairing or can you jump between combinations without much difference?

A: It’s actually not [difficult]. I know people might think it is, but if you don’t have a lot of time in the boat with someone, you just have to make the most of the time you have. Denise and I only had two weeks before Belgrade to gel and we just got as much as we could out of every session. You just have to get on with it because you can’t think too much into that.

Q: How was that experience of your first senior international competition?

A: I learned as much off the water as on the water. Because it was my first regatta being a lightweight — when you’re junior it’s open weight — it was my first time weighing in. It was good to have the other athletes around me. Denise has years of experience, so having her was really good. There’s so much to lightweight rowing. You just have to be in tune with your body, in the days leading up knowing what to eat and maybe sweating down the morning of the race. The preparation leading up was totally different to anything I’d ever experienced before.

Q: I know qualification for the Tokyo Olympics is just over a year away. Is that the aim or could it come too soon?

A: I’d like to think I’d be competitive enough to get into the boat. There’s four of us eyeing up the double but I’d like to go. I think lightweight rowing may be going from the Olympics after Tokyo — there’s talks of it anyway — so I’d like to think I’d be competitive to get into the double.

Q: What are your big aims for the rest of this season?

A: The Under-23 World Championships would be the biggest one. I’m looking forward to the draw next Wednesday to see who we’re against. We’ve a very strong team of athletes going over there this year.

Q: And for this weekend, is this your first year racing at senior level at the National Championships?

A: Yeah, it’s my first year. I’m racing the lightweight single final on Sunday morning, so hopefully I’ll come away with a performance.