Fermanagh – Mairéad McHugh

Hello! My name is Mairéad McHugh and I am delighted to be the Fermanagh Rose 2016. I’m 25 and from Kinawley, a small village on the Fermanagh/Cavan border. I am the youngest of five, I am a very family orientated person and I love spending time with family, especially my four beautiful nephews. I graduated from University of Ulster, Jordanstown in 2012 with a degree in Speech and Language Therapy. I moved to Aberdeen, Scotland for my first job, living away from home for three years made me realise how important my Irish culture is to me. My time in Aberdeen was greatly enhanced by being part of the Dalriada Ladies Gaelic football club, I am proud to say I was on the founding committee of this team. I have recently rejoined my local GAA team, Kinawley Ladies. I am currently a Speech and Language Therapist in Belfast, working with adults with communication and swallowing difficulties. I love my job and it is a very rewarding role. I am a keen traveller, last year I visited 10 European cities for the first time and I also spent two months travelling around South East Asia. I have an active social life and I like meeting new people. I love music especially Irish country music and I enjoy dancing. I enjoy charity work and have been involved with many brilliant charities, the most rewarding was volunteering in Uganda with Nurture Africa in 2012. During my time as The Fermanagh Rose I have chosen to support Stroke Association NI.I am very excited to be involved in the International Rose of Tralee Festival and I am looking forward to meeting all the Roses and the entire Rose family. I hope that I will be a positive ambassador of Fermanagh and make my family, friends and county proud.