Professor Rose Anne Kenny Professor of Cardiovascular Research at Trinity College, Dublin Trustee and Patron of STARS
Age is honourable “As an expert in geriatric medicine, Rose Anne Kenny has wide-ranging experiences, but care for the elderly is her passion” Claire Egan. “UNFORTUNATELY, there is a very ageist attitude in Ireland and the challenge is to change people’s attitudes so that ageing is something we can look forward to,” declares Professor Rose Anne Kenny. The Mayo woman is two years into a demanding post as Head of the Academic Department of Medical Gerontology at Trinity College, Dublin and Director of the new Centre for Successful Ageing at St James’s Hospital. Furthermore, she heads up the new Falls and Black-Out Unit at the Dublin hospital. She is thriving in a position which sees her conducting clinical sessions at St James’s, lecturing at Trinity and overseeing major research projects. Throw in fortnightly
lecturing appointments in myriad European cities, not to mention the demands of family life, and the word ‘busy’ becomes a slight understatement. Geriatric medicine is her field and providing a better standard of care and quality of life for people as they enter their twilight years is her mission. Her father, Dr Billy Kenny, a native of Claremorris and a member of the 1950 All-Ireland winning Mayo team, passed on the medical genes to two of his four daughters. He also imbued Rose Anne, the eldest, with an enduring passion for Mayo and its football teams.
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‘‘We try to get to as many matches as possible, and haven’t missed an All-Ireland,” she says. Billy Kenny graduated from University College Galway with a degree in medicine and two hard-won Sigerson Cup medals, captaining the side. He left Ireland, married and settled in Canada where he worked as a doctor for a number of years. Unfortunately, he passed away at a young age having contracted a very aggressive form of Multiple Sclerosis. “I would have been seven when he got sick. He had a remarkable physical illness yet he had a fantastic mental outlook. He was always cracking jokes, very positive and very funny. I suppose that as
