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In the latest instalment of our Alumni Spotlight series, we speak to Ryan Meaney, a graduate of Professional Masters in Education (PME) with Physical Education. 

Ryan always knew he wanted sport to play a big part in his life. From taking an unconventional career route after graduating from the PME, Ryan takes us through his UL journey, where he discovered the possibilities in the world of physical activity and health promotion that led him to his current roles with Limerick Sports Partnership and Sport Ireland.

Could you tell us a bit about yourself - where you're from, etc? 

I’m a proud Limerick man, even though I grew up just across the border in Gillogue, County Clare. My parents are both from Limerick City and moved to Gillogue before I was born. In fact, I could see UL’s North Campus from our house, but despite technically being on the Clare side of the Limerick border, I’ve always considered myself firmly Limerick through and through.

Sport was a constant in my life growing up. I got involved in everything, with a particular love for rugby. When I went to secondary school at Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh it was a brand-new school at the time and I was part of the first-ever year group, so I am also a keen Gaeilgeoir. There were only 30 of us, so you can imagine the same names popped up across every team sheet. 

It was there that I first realised sport could be more than a hobby and that it could become a career, which led me to pursue PE teaching.

Why did you choose to study the Professional Masters in Education at UL?  

After completing my undergraduate degree in Health and Leisure Studies with Physical Education at IT Tralee, I knew I wanted to continue along the physical education path. 

UL’s Professional Masters in Education, Physical Education (PME) stood out because of its variety of content and strong practical elements. The two extended teaching placements really appealed to me, as they allowed me to apply what I was learning in real-life classrooms. That hands-on experience made all the difference.

What did you enjoy most about studying at UL?

The campus, without a doubt. It’s world-class. I’ve always been amazed at how UL blends beautifully into the natural environment around the River Shannon, while still feeling like a vibrant, modern campus. As someone who commuted in from the city, I often cycled or walked along the riverbank path, which made for a great start to the day.

Throughout your time in UL, you had the opportunity to learn from some of the top academic talent, in state-of-the-art research facilities. How did your UL experience prepare you for your career in research? 

There were many members of staff that had a real formative impact on my career choices and experience to date. The Physical Education and Sport and Exercise Sciences (PESS) department is certainly making a real-world impact, and the academics are at the top of their field. 

Not only are they excellent researchers they are also brilliant teachers and are very happy to mentor students as the navigate their way into the workplace. While completing my PME, Dr Missy Parker was a great mentor and gave me some excellent advice while completing my teaching placements. 

Following my PME I became a member of staff in PESS where I worked as a Teaching Assistant for two academic years. I must give special mention to Professor Giles Warrington who was Head of Department during my time and was an excellent mentor, I still meet him from time to time in my current role and it’s always good to catch up. 

Are there any campus locations that hold special significance to you or anything that you will always remember from your UL experience?

I have two places in particular that are significant. I used to live on the Clare side of the campus and would commute everyday across the living bridge. It’s such a significant piece of architecture that connects both sides of the river and is full of life day and night. 

The second place would be the lovely riverbank trail that is accessed from behind the PESS building which is named after a former colleague Dr Tom Comyns, another great mentor. 

While I try to pound the pavements on the ‘Tom Comyns Olympic Trail’ when I get the chance, I don’t think I’ll be able to manage his times! It’s a great place to go for a walk or run to take a break from the day. 

How did your studies prepare you for entering the workplace upon graduating?

It is everything. Your studies give you the foundation and platform to launch yourself into your career. Like everything, you have to work hard to get yourself into the positions you want, but there is a lot of learning that takes place by doing that. A qualification from UL gives you such a strong starting point, as it is an internationally recognised university with excellent teaching and research. 

Tell us about your own career journey so far.

I’ve taken a bit of an unconventional path. After the PME, rather than going straight into secondary school teaching, I took up a research internship with Dr Ian Sherwin in the PESS Department. That experience opened my eyes to other possibilities in the world of physical activity and health promotion.

After the internship, I became a Teaching Assistant in PESS for two academic years, where I gained experience teaching on both the Physical Education and Sport and Exercise Science programmes. This exposure really helped me understand the evolving landscape of physical education and physical activity. 

I then moved into a community-focused role as Hub Coordinator for the Moyross Sport & Physical Activity Hub, supported by Limerick Sports Partnership. The role aimed to increase participation opportunities in sport and physical activity in disadvantaged communities, which taught me a lot about working with hard-to-reach groups.

Currently, I work as a Physical Activity for Health Officer (PAFHO) with Limerick Sports Partnership. This is a pilot collaboration between Sport Ireland and the HSE that aims to create pathways for people with chronic health conditions to engage in community-based physical activity as a form of preventative healthcare. 

It’s a really rewarding role that involves working across multiple sectors and projects and provides opportunities for ongoing upskilling. 

I also had the opportunity to train as a Clean Sport Educator with the Sport Ireland Anti-Doping Unit, delivering education workshops to athletes and organisations about clean sport and the anti-doping process as part of the World Anti-Doping Programme. It's an area I never thought I’d end up working in when I started out, but I’ve found it incredibly fulfilling.

Are there any particular highlights in terms of projects you’ve been involved in? 

Two highlights to date stand out in my mind. While in my role as Hub Coordinator for the Moyross Sports & Physical Activity Hub, I was in a position to fund and support two young mothers from the community to qualify as Personal Trainers. 

The model of the Hubs is to create sustainable links for sport and physical activity in the community that can continue to impact long after funding for the hub is completed. These two individuals are now delivering physical activity programmes in the community throughout the week working with older adults and promoting physical activity in the community.

My current role as a PAFHO is a particular highlight. It is a new space with massive potential for growth, so it is nice to be in from the start to help shape the landscape for people living with chronic health conditions who want to reengage with physical activity. As part of this work, we developed a suite of programmes titled ‘MoveWell’ which are targeted programme towards chronic health conditions. Designing the ‘MoveWell’ programmes and seeing them come to life has been a particular highlight to date. 

What are your hopes and plans for the future? 

Keeping one foot in front of the other! Work is busy, but I love it, which is such a privilege to be able to say. The sport and physical activity space is an exciting place to be in at the moment, so I hope to continue with that. 

What advice would you offer to students considering studying at UL? 

I would say to consider all your contact hours, such as lectures, tutorials, etc as the tip of an iceberg. It's all the stuff you have to do as part of studying in UL, but there is so much more there for you beneath the surface. 

Reach out to the staff and meet them and discuss career plans. There is so much power in having a conversation with someone working in the area, it could open the door to opportunities and can make you stand out from others who don’t take those steps.

Is there anything else you would like to share? 

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