3 mins
Caoimhe Dempsey
Nationality
IRL
Height
179cm
School/high school/secondary school
St Joseph of Cluny, Killiney
Club
CUBC
Undergraduate/graduate
Graduate
Previous university Trinity
College Dublin, Ireland
Undergraduate course
BA Psychology
Graduate course
PhD Psychology
Cambridge college
Newnham
Why are you studying your course?
To understand and better support positive development in young children.
What is the most interesting part of your course?
Working with practitioners and policy makers to apply our research findings.
Year you first started rowing
2015
First rowing club
Dublin University Ladies Boat Club
Why/how did you get into rowing?
Some tall girls approached me at the freshers fair and I was too intimidated to say no!
Name of first rowing coach
Andrew Coleman
Who is your rowing idol?
Grace Prendergast
How do you balance rowing and academic life?
Putting everything in a calendar, making a plan and not worrying about it too much.
Who would be your dream team eight to row with from everyone in the history of rowing?
Any Kiwi-Irish combination, for the good vibes.
What is your rowing history, and what has been your biggest achievement so far?
I learnt to row in my undergrad at Trinity College Dublin (7 years ago), raced there for four years, represented Ireland at the U23 European championships and won a national title in the pair. Spent a year rowing in New Zealand with the University of Otago before coming to Cambridge for my masters and PhD (2020-present). Selected for the Blue Boat 2020 and 2021. Biggest achievement was making it through all the pandemic lockdown erging and being part of a winning Blue Boat that had such great energy it made the year of work all worth it.
Have you raced in the Boat Race before? If yes, when?
2021 Blue Boat
Have you ever been at school/university/on a team with anyone at ‘the other place’?
We’ve adopted Emma Lepinay this year, who was in Osiris 2021, but we love her now she’s been whole-heartedly converted.
Your favourite race so far?
Women’s Henley 2021 in the 4-with three others from the Blue Boat. We had so much fun in that crew and threw everything we had at our opposition. Pure red-line stuff.
What is the best place you have ever rowed?
Lake Ruataniwha, New Zealand. The colour of the water is crazy.
Where would be your dream place to row?
Lake Bled. So scenic.
Obviously, there are long hours and hard work, what inspires you to keep rowing?
The friends, the satisfaction, the endorphins. Race day.
What has been your most embarrassing/funny rowing moment?
Watching Rebecca Smith catch an ejector crab during a battle paddle down the Ely straight in the middle of winter. Comedy gold.
What is your favourite sports quote?
“Do today what others won’t, so tomorrow you can do what others can’t.”
How would you describe the sport to a non-rower?
Making a lot of hard work look effortless, in perfect time with other lunatics.
How does being an athlete make you a better person?
It keeps you humble, gives you autonomy and self-satisfaction, tops up your endorphins, and surrounds you with a fantastic support system of friends.
Why do you think someone outside of the sport can relate to your career as an athlete?
I never thought I could do any of what I have, I’ve just enjoyed the process and it’s taken me where I am.
What are your strengths, as a person and as an athlete?
Positive attitude, team oriented, confident.
What do your friends think of your athletic success? How do you handle missing out on activities with friends because of your athletic schedule?
They are happy to see me happy and share in the experiences. I catch up with them when I can, and we know we will be friends even if it’s been a while.
Do you think you can win the Boat Race? Why?
Yep, because I’m part of a great team and we know what we need to do to win. We have fun, train hard, and the rest will take care of itself.