Helen leaves lasting legacy for female leadership

A SUCCESSFUL businesswoman who steered a company in a male-dominated field has left a lasting legacy after she sadly passed away in 2022.

Helen Flynn (née Ryan) was the managing director of HIRECO Ltd, having worked her way up through a male-dominated industry, earning the respect and admiration of colleagues, clients and business partners. As a mark of huge respect after her death, the company, under the leadership of Pat Carson, generously committed €100,000 over ten years to fund an educational scholarship in Helen’s name.

Helen was born in St Mullins, so the scholarship honours her legacy and supports young women from her native county to pursue a career in business/leadership.

This year, following the application process, which is overseen by the Access Office in Maynooth University, three candidates were shortlisted for interview and Emma Carbery, a student from St Leo’s College, emerged as the successful applicant. Emma fulfilled each of the criteria and certainly exhibited her academic prowess by achieving maximum points in her leaving certificate.

“I am incredibly honoured to have been awarded the Helen Flynn HIRECO scholarship. When I first received the news, I was overjoyed and could hardly believe it. It’s a moment that has made me feel recognised for the effort I’ve put into my studies and the warmth and support from everyone at HIRECO has been truly amazing,” said Emma.

“Thanks to this scholarship, I’m able to live on campus at DCU this year, which is a huge relief. Without the need to commute, I can focus more on my course in actuarial mathematics, which requires a lot of dedication and time. The course itself is both challenging and fascinating, blending mathematics, statistics and financial analysis ‒ skills that are essential for assessing risk in industries like insurance and finance.

She continued: “This scholarship has allowed me to fully immerse myself in both university life and my course. It’s taken away a lot of the stress that comes with balancing daily life in college, giving me more space to concentrate on what really matters: learning and making the most of my time at DCU.

“One of the things that excites me most about pursuing a career as an actuary is the opportunity to enter a field where women are often under-represented. I hope that, through my journey, I can inspire more young women to consider a career in this profession and show that we have an important role to play.

“This scholarship has made a significant difference for me, not just financially but also in terms of confidence. It’s given me the chance to focus on my goals and take the next step towards a career I’m passionate about. It’s a privilege to have this kind of support and I’m incredibly grateful for it.” Students in their application for the Helen Flynn memorial scholarship must demonstrate academic achievement, a commitment to serving others in school, their parish, their community or at home, a strong work ethic and leadership qualities. Importantly, it must be demonstrated that the bursary would ease the financial burden on a family and enable the young woman to pursue her studies, knowing that some financial scaffolding was in place. Last year, Hannah Dunphy was the inaugural recipient and she is successfully pursuing her university studies in University College Dublin.

In early spring, the application process for 2025-26 will open for sixth-year students. Application forms will be available through each school and HIRECO encourages students to make that application and ensure Helen’s legacy lives on through female participation in business and leadership.