FORMER broadcaster Grainne Seoige has hit the campaign trail in her bid to win a seat in Dail Eireann.
The TVstar, 51, is in the running to nab a seat as a Fianna Fail candidate in the general election in the Galway West constituency.
After being selected to run alongside Cllr John Connolly in September, Seoige dived headfirst into canvassing – confessing she’s not a “light and fluffy” celeb candidate.
From landing her first media gig at 21 to being a powerhouse presenter at all major Irish broadcasters, here’s everything you need to know about Ireland’s ambitious star.
WHERE IS GRAINNE SEOIGE FROM?
Grainne Seoige was born in Spiddal, Co Galway on November 5, 1973 to dad Mairtin, a Garda and mum Philomena, a gaelgoir.
She’s the eldest of four children who were raised in a bilingual household and has two brothers and one sister Sile, who is also a famous Irish television presenter.
She was raised in Spiddal and attended Mercy Convent before heading to University College Galway, now University of Galway to study English, Sociology and Political Science.
She also completed a Higher Diploma in Applied Communications for Television and Radio through Irish at the same university.
DOES GRAINNE SEOIGE HAVE KIDS?
Grainne has one son, Conall, who is 31-years-old with her ex-fiance Ultan O’Brien.
Seoige’s son Conall keeps out of the spotlight and she has always remained private about him to protect his wishes.
However, she revealed to the Sunday Independent that her son was “shocked” when she revealed she would be running in the upcoming general election.
Seoige said: “I’ll give you this one thing, because he has always said, ‘I don’t want to be in the public eye mum.’
“From the time he was a tot he has always been like that.
“But, when I told him, he had this jaw-dropping look on his face.
“Then after a few minutes he said: ‘Well fair play to you mum. You still have the ability to shock me.”
Grainne has previously opened up about becoming a mum at 20, saying her world “changed overnight”.
Grainne decided to speak up about her experience on her new documentary, Meanapas: Meon Nua.
She said: “I don’t have anything to compare it to. Because that’s how I always was. That was my normality.
“Your world changes overnight, but that happens to you when you become a mother, whether you’re 20, 30 or 40.
“Your focus is on this little human being that you are completely responsible for, and you are in love with.”
Grainne explained how becoming a mum was the “best thing that ever happened” to her.
She said: “Because it’s a love like no other. It takes over your life and it makes your priorities laser sharp.
“It just happened to me younger than most of my friends.
“I actually think it was the best thing that ever happened to me, because it gave me a head start.”
HOW DID HER CAREER START?
Grainne Seoige was a mainstay and trusted news anchor on Irish television from 1997 to 2011 and has made appearances ever since.
She delivered the inaugural news bullitons on two Irish TV stations – TG4 and TV3.
The powerhouse presenter began her on-screen career reading the 10pm news bulletins on TG4 with Gillian Ni Cheallaigh.
She moved to TV3 to anchor from its launch in the prime time 5.30pm First Edition news broadcast in 1998.
With TV3, she covered many breaking stories and presented for seven and a half hours by herself on 9/11.
She worked with Sky News Ireland and at Sky’s London network headquarters for a period of time.
Seoige went on to nab roles presenting on morning television shows – with appearances across Ireland AM and the afternoon chat-show she anchored with sister Sile.
She landed a regular presenting gig on GMTV as well as working as features editor on breakfast morning show Daybreak.
Other roles include presenting on RTE with her own afternoon chat show, Seoige, Crimecall for RTE, the All Ireland Talent Show, Up For The Match and others.
In 2022, Seoige appeared on the fifth series of Dancing With The Stars. She was partnered with John Nolan.
In the past few years she presented Gra ar an Tra on Virgin Media television but the series was pulled this year when Seoige became a prime election candidate for the upcoming general election.
This is because of a possible breach in regulatory guidelines that could have cost Seoige her election run.
Comisiun na Mean, Ireland’s broadcasting authority, requires “fair allocation of air time” during elections, and Seoige’s primetime anchor slot could have jeopardised her political run.
IS GRAINNE SEOIGE MARRIED?
Seoige is married to Leon Jordaan, and the pair wed in an intimate ceremony at the Cliff at Lyons in Co Kildare in December 2019.
Grainne met former rugby coach Leon met in Dublin back in 2011 and moved to South Africa to live in his native country for a time but returned to Ireland in recent years.
During their time in South Africa, Grainne and Leon set up Grace Diamonds by Grainne Seoige – a high-end luxury diamond and gemstone jewellery dealing business.
The political candidate was 38 when she first met Leon and said they dated secretly before going public.
She told Weekend Magazine: “During that time, I just concentrated on myself, and think if you look after yourself in that time, concentrate on self-care and self-love, you tend to attract somebody then.
“I think sometimes these things happen when you’re not looking for them and I know that might seem strange to somebody who’s open to a relationship.”
She continued: “That’s genuinely what happened to me, I wasn’t looking at all when I met my husband.”
She was previously married to former TV3 sports editor Stephen Cullinane who she met following her first day of training in TV3 in 1998.
The couple were married in October 2002 and split around June 2010.
WHEN DID SHE DECIDE TO RUN FOR ELECTION?
Rumours swirled earlier this year that the Irish telly star was plotting a career switch and would be lodging her nomination papers with Fianna Fail.
The Irish Sun revealed how Fianna Fail were in talks with the TV star to swap showbiz for politics and run for the party in the Galway West constituency.
It came after veteran Galway TD Eamon O’Cuiv – who is a grandson of Eamon De Valera – decided to retire from politics at the age of 74.
Fianna Fail veteran Eamon O’Cuiv said at the time: “She said she would be seeking the nomination. She is definitely interested in running for the party.
“She is a native speaker and comes from a very Fianna Fail background.”
She got backing for her nomination and was successful in her bid for to run as a candidate for the party.
Seoige began campaigning with Fianna Fail politician Peter Keane on the campaign trail last week where they were warmly received.
Cllr Keane shared on Facebook: “Top candidate Grainne Seoige – thank you Salthill for a lovely reception on last night’s canvas.”
And the telly star told The Irish Sun: “Look, I think as somebody who went into the media at the age of 21, I’ve been labelled many things and this is an easy label isn’t it?
“It doesn’t really take account of who I am, what I bring to the table and not least my degree in politics.
“A celebrity candidate gives you the idea of something light, fluffy, without substance and without grounding — everything I’m not.”
But the Galway woman pushes back against the idea that she is a “celebrity candidate” parachuted into the constituency and says there has been no negativity on the doorsteps.
She said: “I’ve experienced almost nothing. Almost nothing.
“You know what really gratifies me — women in particular on the doors are, ‘Yes we need more women in the Dail, yes we need a strong voice for women’.
“Because I have made that documentary about the menopause, I have been active with women’s charities in the past so people identify with that and people identify me with that.”
