Gaoth Dobhair student and champion cyclist Clodagh Ní Gallchóir is to feature in a new TG4 series, Céim Chun Cinn which airs tonight, Thursday 12 January at 8pm.
The series follows four students from across the country throughout the academic year to give a unique insight into the fun, pressures, joys and tribulations of life in as a college student in Ireland.
Clodagh started studying Chemistry in University College Dublin in September 2020, but due to the pandemic her hopes of moving to Dublin were put on hold.
The new series followed Clodagh as she moved to Dublin, her transitioning to in person classes, meeting her new classmates and exploring life on campus including joining societies and going out in Dublin.
“The show gives everyone a bit of an insight into what college is like for students now and how everyone is getting back into the swing of normality after covid,” said Clodagh speaking to the Donegal News.
“My mum didn’t go to college so it shows her what college is all about and how student balance studying with social life,” she added.
Clodagh spent her Christmas holidays at home in Gaoth Dobhair, she enjoys coming back home as it is “like hitting the reset button”. But she is now looking forward to heading back to Dublin at the end of the month.
She balances a busy life, as well as her studies she is also a superb cyclist. She has competed for the Irish junior team and has her eyes set on the Olympics, “if not for 2024 then I’m aiming for 2028,” she said.
Clodagh Ní Gallchóir who has her eyes set on the Olympics.
Clodagh is on a sports scholarship in UCD so she has access to excellent facilities on campus and she is working with fantastic coaches. But juggling college work and cycling can be tricky as she spends a lot of her time training and in recovery.
“First year was fine, because college was online so studies didn’t really take up too much of my time but I found second year when we transitioned back into being in person, it was hard to balance both,” she said.
Clodagh has decided to split her third year of college over two years so she has an opportunity to focus on cycling.