Killeshandra's Ruth shines in The Apprentice

Ruth O'Dowd from Killeshandra is one of 14 candidates vying to be Bill Cullen's next apprentice. The 30-year-old daughter of Tom and Marietta O'Dowd appeared on the first episode of the new TV series The Apprentice on Monday night and is already in strong contention to win the show. The winner will get a 12-month contract to work as Bill's apprentice in Renault Ireland with an annual package worth €100,000. Speaking to The Anglo-Celt yesterday (Tuesday), Ruth said she was happy with how she was portrayed in the first episode. Ruth was project manager for the girls' team Platinum and cooly and calmly led them to their first victory in Bill's boardroom. Ruth's contract prohibits her from revealing details of the show until she's fired or wins, but Paddy Power has put her at 10/1 to win. Delighted with her first win as project manager, Ruth said that "co-operation, leadership and teamwork" are crucial in any business and she was pleased that the girls pulled together on the task as a team. "There was a good sense of continuity among the team members," she said. This was in stark contrast to the boys' team, where a few strong characters clashed and jostled for position. Ruth's background is in marketing, having attained a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from UCD and a Master of Business Studies in Marketing from DCU. After graduating, she moved to London, where she worked for Bord Bia and then Marketing Week Conferences before travelling the world. Eventually Ruth ended up working with Unilever as a Channel Activation Manager in Auckland, New Zealand. But she returned to Ireland about 12 months ago. "I want to make Ireland my home. I love rural Irish life and I'm a big fan of the many lakes of Cavan," she said. Apart from her qualifications and international experience, Ruth has entrepreneurial blood running through her veins. The popular O'Dowd's Diner in Killeshandra has been the family business for 25 years now and is currently run by her sister Sophia, an accomplished chef and business woman. Prior to that, the cafe was known as O'Dowd's Bakery and run by Ruth's grandfather. The family also owns and runs Trinity Island Lodge just outside Killeshandra. Ruth is an equestrian enthusiast and spent a year working with horses before studying for her degree. "I have the lovely pleasure of riding my horse around the grounds (of Trinity Island Lodge) every day," she revealed. Ruth also works on a voluntary basis with Lucca Leadership, enabling young people to recognise their potential and become leaders in their own right. She also volunteers with an outdoor pursuit centre specialising in facilities for disabled children and young adults. Readers will have to wait another 12 weeks to learn who will be Bill Cullen's next apprentice. The programme continues on TV3 on Mondays at 9pm.