Rosemary Ryan on how she winds down at the end of the week and why her most treasured book is a dictionary
What are you thinking about right now?
I’m looking forward to playing my violin later today. I’ve been taking lessons now for about five years, but I’m still very much an amateur. I love having lessons on a Friday evening; it’s a lovely wind-down from the working week.
What is your greatest fear?
My greatest fear would be if anything happened to a member of my family. Professionally, it would be a fatality with any of our client groups, particularly with our local authority clients because of the high risks they deal with.
What is your most treasured possession?
My most treasured possessions are books, and my most treasured book is a dictionary, because it opens up a new word to you every time you open it. I love the actual experience of holding a book in my hands.
What makes you happy?
I’m generally a happy person because I’m a positive person.
I like being with other positive people and enjoy good conversation with them. Also, being part of the success of others. Recently I was working with a student who was putting in a thesis for a master’s course. They got a first-class honours, and I was absolutely delighted for them.
What makes you unhappy?
If people delay decision-making or if people don’t do their work within a reasonable time and it has a knock-on effect on me being able to complete my work. You can understand when someone’s busy, but when it goes on and the cascade effect is having an impact on others that really frustrates me.
Who is your greatest hero?
The previous president of Ireland, Mary McAleese, because of the work she and her husband Martin did behind the scenes to achieve progress on the peace process in Northern Ireland. I worked for almost 10 years in Northern Ireland, and I saw and worked with absolutely fantastic and wonderful people in all areas of the public sector. I just feel it’s a wonderful achievement that people are more or less living in harmony, side by side.
I honestly thought I was going to lose my life at Euro Disney’
What’s your greatest achievement?
Being appointed director of nursing at Altnagelvin Hospital Health and Social Services Trust in Derry when I was 31; then director of nursing at St James’s Hospital in Dublin, which is the biggest hospital in the country.
What is your most embarrassing moment?
We all went to Euro Disney as a family, and I was afraid to go on any of the rides. The children encouraged me to go on one of them, and I honestly thought I was going to lose my life! It was just dreadful.
Tell us a secret
I’ve just bought an electric bike. It’s exactly the same as an ordinary bicycle but there is a battery that gives you extra power if you’re tired or on a steep incline, so that’ll suit me just fine. SR
Rosemary Ryan, risk manager,
Irish Public Bodies Insurance
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