Horse Racing Ireland Student Interns Appointed
Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) has appointed six interns for the summer season of 2017, the fourth year of the HRI Student Internship Programme which was launched in November 2013. A record 288 applications were received from throughout the country, with 25 students shortlisted for interview.
The six successful interns started their ten-week work placements this week. Three of them will work in HRI-owned racecourses: Fairyhouse, Leopardstown and Tipperary and three interns will be based in the HRI head office at Ballymany, Kildare, in the Marketing and CARE Departments and one in TOTE Ireland.
The six successful candidates are:
Sean McNamee from Naas, County Kildare – HRI Marketing Intern
Orla Byrne from Hacketstown, County Carlow - Leopardstown Racecourse Intern
Barry Doyle from Bagenalstown, County Carlow – HRI CARE Intern
Aislinn Carey from Castletown Geoghegan, County Westmeath – Fairyhouse Racecourse Intern
Lisa Kirby from Tipperary – Tipperary Racecourse Intern
Niamh Browne from Kilkenny – TOTE Ireland Intern
Interns at the HRI racecourses will be required to assist in many areas of racecourse operations such as marketing, sales, digital media, website maintenance and raceday operations.
The HRI Marketing Department intern will work with the marketing team on the promotion of various racecourse events, media monitoring and digital media, and also assist with HRI’s central role in the promotion and administration of Longines Irish Champions Weekend, which takes place on September 9th and 10th at Leopardstown and the Curragh.
The CARE Department intern will assist with the management and maintenance of the workinracing.ie website and social media platforms. This will involve helping to develop relevant content to be featured across CARE’s web and digital channels. The TOTE Ireland intern will work primarily with the operations team and will also gain experience in marketing and digital media.
Commenting on the HRI Student Internship Programme, Helen Seery, HR Manager at Horse Racing Ireland, said: “We were really pleased with the level of interest in the Student Internship Programme which continues to grow each year. This year’s students will gain an insight into the world of work with a practical learning experience and the opportunity to develop their industry knowledge. We are delighted to welcome the students to HRI, the enthusiasm and passion they bring will be of great benefit both to HRI and to the students during their 12 week placement.”
Sean McNamee from Kildare, HRI Marketing Department intern, commented: “Working with Horse Racing Ireland offers an exceptional opportunity for me to gain valuable industry experience. I am very excited to get started as I have always been interested in working in the Irish horse racing industry. I hope to forge some great contacts and further develop my skills for future roles in my career. I am delighted with this opportunity and I look forward to being involved in a variety of tasks throughout my time with Horse Racing Ireland.”
Notes to Editor:
Intern Bios
Sean McNamee from Naas, County Kildare – HRI Marketing Intern
Sean McNamee from Naas in County Kildare has just completed a Bachelor of Business (Honours) from the Institute of Technology Carlow, having previously completed a Bachelor of Arts in Sports and Exercise. Sean has worked part-time with TOTE Ireland and is a member of the Go Racing Student Racing Society. He also plays rugby for Naas RFC.
Orla Byrne from Hacketstown, County Carlow - Leopardstown Racecourse Intern
From Hacketstown, County Carlow, Orla lives on a small farm in the heart of the Wicklow mountains. Orla is currently studying Agricultural Science – Equine in UCD, and also has an event management qualification with the College of Management and IT. Orla is a member of the UCD Horse Racing Society and is their in-coming PRO.
Barry Doyle from Bagenalstown, County Carlow – HRI CARE Intern
Barry Doyle from Bagenalstown, County Carlow is currently studying Media and Public Relations at Carlow IT and has gained four years work experience with Bambury Bookmakers, in which he held the role of social media manager and studio broadcaster. Barry is also a keen gaelic footballer, and plays for his local team St. Andrews GFC, Bagenalstown.
Aislinn Carey from Castletown Geoghegan, County Westmeath – Fairyhouse Intern
Aislinn Carey, originally from Castletown Geoghegan and now living in Galway, is a graduate of NUI Galway, with a B.Comm, and currently completing her Masters in Digital Marketing. Aislinn grew up on her family’s stud farm, Tullaghansleek Stud, where she gained huge interest in the equine industry.
Lisa Kirby from Tipperary – Tipperary Racecourse Intern
Lisa Kirby from Tipperary is a graduate of DCU, with a degree in Communication Studies. Lisa was treasurer of the Media Production Society in DCU and also actively involved in the St Vincent De Paul Society. Lisa has a keen interest in photography, gaining experience in Chicago, and also works part-time in promotions for Beat 102/103 FM.
Niamh Browne from Kilkenny – TOTE Ireland Intern
Niamh Browne from Kilkenny, currently living in Dublin has a BA in Business and Economics. Niamh is currently the brand ambassador for the start-up BetterExaminations.ie, and project leader of Enactus Social Entrepreneurship Society 2015 – 2017. Niamh has a keen interest in horse racing, camogie and travelling.