Paralympic hopeful awarded at Limerick and Clare College of FET conferring ceremony

A LIMERICK and Clare college of FET graduate hopes to partake in 2028 Paralympics, 20 years on from an accident which “left her on death’s door”. 

Tara Flynn is a gold-medallist horserider.

Most recently, she graduated with a Equine Breeding (QQI Level 6) course from Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board’s (ETB) College of FET in Croom, having completed a marketing course in the University of Limerick (UL) some years ago.

A member of the Irish dressage team who won Individual Gold at the 2007 European Championships in Working Hunter Pony 153cm before her life-changing injury, Tara now rides on the Irish para-dressage team. 

She studied Horsemanship (QQI Level 5) before Equine Breeding at Limerick and Clare ETB, to work towards her goal of competing in the 2028 Parlympics in Los Angeles.

“It was a fantastic [course] and very educational. I would recommend it for anyone who loves horses like me. My favourite part of the course was the hands-on experience working with horses in Clonshire.

“To compete in the Paralympics would be a dream come true for me,” she said.

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In January 2008, shortly after graduating from UL with a gold medal in her marketing degree, Tara took a snowboarding trip to Mammoth Lakes, California.

Tragically during her trip, as she was walking to a bus stop, a snowplough that was clearing heavy snowfall was driving with the front loader up, and failed to see Tara, running her down.

The accident led to Tara spending six months in a minimally conscious state. She said: “It took me so long to recognise anything or anybody. 

“I really was on death’s door… it took a long time to learn how to speak or even use my mouth muscles again. My horses helped me an awful lot.” 

After nine months she finally spoke again and by November 2008, she was back on her horse Cosmo with assistance. Four years later in 2012, Tara returned to riding lessons and was even competing in competitions again. 

“I’ve been riding since I was four years old. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else,” she said.

In summer 2024, she competed on the Irish Para Dressage team for the first time at the Para Home Nations competition in the UK. Now, she’s hoping to be on the plane to Los Angeles in 2028 for the Paralympics with her horse Kenny.

Tara went back to study Horsemanship and Equine Breeding at the Limerick and Clare ETB campus in Croom, which was one of a number of campuses across Limerick and Clare recently conferring awards to graduates at ceremonies in the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa in Limerick.