Gráinne McElwain: 'As a mother, I struggle to maintain my own identity'
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I was born in Alberta, Canada. My earliest memory is actually being in a toboggan there with my dad. He's a musician and was playing music there until we came back to County Monaghan when I was four years old. I had a really idyllic childhood. I've always loved where I'm from and I love heading back home to Monaghan.
Myself, my husband, and our three kids live in a Connemara Gaeltacht now beside the sea. Éabha is aged nine, Ferdia is eight, and Eoghan just turned six. I went back to Canada for the first time on my honeymoon in 2008 for three weeks and it was just beautiful. It was a dream come true. I really want to go back with the kids and spend longer there. It's such a fascinating country.
Like my father, I played traditional music for years; accordion, flute, tin whistle. I won All Irelands, county, and Ulster competitions playing and singing. My brother is a professional musician now with Téada and has travelled the world playing. I still love music but life took me in a different direction I suppose.
I think I was born to be in the line of work I'm in now. I loved performing as a child and in college, I got a job working for my local radio station reporting on sports, music, and the Irish language; which were all huge in our house growing up. It was my dream job. I wrote match reports at the same time for so it all gave me a big grounding for getting involved in my line of work now, doing what I love.
As a mother, I've struggled to maintain a career and my own identity. Sometimes looking after kids can be all-consuming and it's something I find challenging. You want to have a career and be who you are, but at the same time, you want to be a good mother and be there for your kids the whole time. I find balancing that very difficult.
My proudest achievement on a professional basis is presenting live GAA for Sky Sports and TG4. I've been very lucky to work with both of them. Another programme that stood out for me was Gradam Ceoil on TG4, which I co-presented in 2018. It's like the Oscars of Irish traditional music, so I was really proud because I had started out playing music and would have revered all of those musicians. It was like going full circle, being the person interviewing them. My brother won an award the year before so it was really special to be there.
On a personal level, my proudest moment was holding my first baby in my arms. I had a miscarriage before I had Éabha. When you're going through that, you wonder if you'll ever get pregnant again and then you spend the next pregnancy in total worry and panic. When Éabha was put in my arms, the relief and the love I had for that baby were just overwhelming.
I'd like to be remembered as someone who always gave her all and was kind and a great friend to those who knew her. My greatest quality then is getting things done. I'm quite driven. When I say I'm going to do something I'm going to do it. I'm good at planning too, which has its advantages and disadvantages. You're usually left to do it all when you're that person.
I’m best at making people comfortable. I love talking to people and I get my energy from it. That's why I love working as a freelance broadcaster. You get to meet so many different people. It sometimes surprises me that I’m still working, though. Media is such a fickle business. I never thought I’d still be in this industry 15 years on. It makes you appreciate every job and every opportunity to learn.
The person I turn to most is my husband Gearóid. We've been married for 13 years and together for 18. He's a great friend and a really honest and good person. He always has other people's interests at heart. He is always trying to help me achieve my ambitions and goals. It's so important to have a partner who fully supports you all the way and he definitely does that.
The lesson I would like to pass on is to give everything a go. What do you have to lose? I really believe in following your heart and not having regrets. Life is for living and it's important to enjoy the ride. No one knows how long we’ll be here for. Appreciate each day.
The best advice I've ever been given is to leap and a net will appear. I actually left a full-time pensionable teaching job in 2003 to work in sports production with that in my head. In six months I changed jobs, moved county, and moved into a completely new industry. Everyone said I was mad to leave teaching but it was the best move I ever made and it led me to where I am today. I took the fork in the road and I haven’t regretted it.