Welcome to SHSS Alumnae Link!

This is where we connect with past pupils and find out what they’re up to now.

This week we linked with Orla Finnerty who graduated in 2017.

Name and position:

Orla Finnerty, Trainee Trade Policy Officer DG TRADE European Commission.

Lives:

Brussels, Belgium.

Best memory of Sacred Heart:

It’s hard to pick just one stand out memory from my time at school. Our trip to Cappanalea in TY stands out. I loved being involved in the school musical ‘Me and My Girl’ in TY as a dancer.

The best part of every day was seeing my friends at lunch and hanging out in the 6th year prefabs chatting. I loved being involved in Díospóireacht Gaeilge with Ms Meade in TY and then joining the European Youth Parliament in 5th year and attending their national sessions and international forum in Norway in 2017.

What were your favourite classes?

I enjoyed most of my classes in senior cycle we’d always have a bit of craic with the teachers when we had a bit more time to spare. I loved Irish with Ms Meade and French with Ms Keane. I’ve always been interested in languages and use both of them day to day at work.

I always had a soft spot for Economics with Ms Hennessy – on the odd days we didn’t have tests!

Tell us about your career progression to date:

After the Leaving Cert in 2017, I studied Law and French at UCC. I had an Erasmus year in 2019/20 where I studied law in a French university in Lyon. I graduated in 2021, having done final year in my College Road bedroom in Cork (probably a good thing for keeping the head down).

In 2021 I moved to Edinburgh to start a masters in International Economic Law and just completed my masters dissertation this summer on WTO law. I graduated from Edinburgh in November and it was so nice to go back and see all my friends again. Edinburgh is a beautiful city and a great place for students.

After finishing my dissertation, I moved straight to Brussels to begin my traineeship in DG TRADE in the European Commission. I’ve been here nearly 3 months now and it’s amazing to see the inner workings of the European institutions and play a part in formulating trade policy and trade agreements between the EU and third party countries. So far the job has involved the use of all three languages and my knowledge of the law. I’m speaking more Irish in Brussels than I ever did at home!

If you weren’t in the job you have, what would you be doing?

My traineeship finishes in February and I am still figuring out what will come next. This experience has taught me that I love being abroad and working in multinational offices. If I ever find myself no longer working in policy I think I would go back to academia. I loved researching and writing papers at university.

Advice you would give your teenage self:

Just do your best. You cannot compare your personal best to other people’s and the only person who you have to make sure you don’t disappoint is yourself.

Favourite quote or motto?

The only people who don’t make mistakes are those who don’t do anything at all.

What is your hidden talent?

Beating google maps estimated walking time!

Huge thanks to Orla for taking the time to answer our questions.

See you soon for the next instalment of SHSS Alumnae Link.