Former Irish president Mary McAleese follows Saint Patrick’s trail on TV show

Mary McAleese has travelled to the heart of Saint Patrick’s country as part of an RTE programme featuring a Saint Patrick Centre guide and a champion runner.
By Helen McGurk
Published 4th Feb 2021, 14:31 BST
Updated 4th Feb 2021, 15:26 BST
Ciara Mageean, Duane Fitzsimons and Mary McAleeseCiara Mageean, Duane Fitzsimons and Mary McAleese
Ciara Mageean, Duane Fitzsimons and Mary McAleese

Mrs McAleese interviewed European bronze medallist Ciara Mageean from Portaferry, on a walk along the Down coast that includes Duane Fitzsimons, a guide from the Centre in Downpatrick.

Their coastal adventure – via Ballyhornan towards Saint Patrick’s Well, Sheepland - will be broadcast tomorrow night as part of the RTE series All Walks of Life, presented by the former Irish president.

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In the programme, Mrs McAleese and Ms Mageean are greeted by Saint Patrick Centre guide, Duane Fitzsimons, who has his own historic links with the area going back generations. The Ardglass man is descended from an Anglo-Norman Savage family of the Ards, who arrived in the 12th Century under the leadership of conquerer John de Courcy.

Mr Fitzsimons, who met the former president for a picnic at Ballynornan, said:“I came up with the idea of doing the coastal path and following the Pilgrim path to the holy well.

“The reason we did that was because of the outstanding natural beauty that is there.

“It is a really undiscovered kind of gem in the whole of the island in terms of the natural beauty.”

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*All Walks of Life is aired tomorrow night, February 5, at 8:30pm on RTE ONE.

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Related topics:Portaferry

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