On The Hard Shoulder today, Newstalk reporter Henry McKean shared the second episode of ‘Henry’s Front Bench’, where he sits down with election candidates up and down the country on park benches for a chat.

TV presenter and Fianna Fáil candidate Grainne Seoige sat down with Henry for the second episode.

Sitting on a bench in Kylemore Abbey, Galway West, Ms Seoige started out speaking about her pride at being involved in Teilifís na Gaeilge – now TG4.

“We went on air Halloween 1996 - nearly 30 years ago,” she said. “It was a dream to grow up eight miles away and to be able to work in what was at the time, the most modern TV station in the world, and completely in Irish.

“It was something that was wasn't even dreamt of years before that, but it was a real highlight of my life to have been a part of it – I’m so proud of it.”

Newsreader Grainne Seoige during the opening of Tnag. 1996

 

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Ms Seoige said her want to get into politics now is “part of the same reason” she is so proud of her time at TG4.

“I'm a really proud Galway woman,” she said.

“I think everybody knows that I'm from here, the culture, the language, this region, I'm super proud of it, but I also know that Galway isn't getting every advantage that it needs to thrive.

“We have challenges here in Galway, and the main thing for me is there are four generations of my family living in this constituency at the moment… I want the best for my family coming.

“I want them to prosper - I want them to be able to grow up here, marry here, live here, bring their kids up here.”

Ms Seoige said she wants “Gaeilge to survive”.

“We have challenges to make sure that happens, make sure that people don't continue to leave the west of Ireland,” she said.

Grainne Seoige pictured at the National Breast Cancer Research Institure Lunch at the Shelbourne 30/5/2007. Photo: Nic Mac Innes/Photocall Ireland.

Speaking about her recent controversial advertisement about cancer services in her local newspaper, she said, “the ad is very clear”.

“What I've been criticised for, I never said at all, and by the way, I will never apologize for standing up for women's health or health in general,” she said.

“I was a very big supporter of the NCBRI as It started out in Galway - I was the first patron of that charity.

“I've worked very closely with Cancer Care West as well fundraising.

“So I will never apologise for standing up for people in the West who deserve better health outcomes than they're currently getting.

Ms Seoige said the ad was “not an attack on anybody working in those facilities”, rather on the “facilities themselves”.

Grainne Seoige and her dog, Murphy. Image: Grainne Seoige

Moving on to things voters might not know about the Galway West candidate, Ms Seoige said she can “sing a bit of Sean-nós”.

“Not very well, but I can do it”, she said.

The TV presenter also said she “loves dogs”.

“I have one currently, I used to have three - I lost my other two babies to old age,” she said.

“If I could, I'd have loads more dogs, I really, really would – but my husband won't let me.

“We brought dogs home from South Africa, that's how much we love them in our house, and I'm meeting a lot of them as I'm out on the canvas.

“I've been bitten once and I've had a tetanus injection as a result - but it hasn't dimmed my love for canines one bit.”

Grainne Seoige canvassing. Image: Grainne Seoige

Ms Seoige said “the dream” is to be on the actual front bench.

“I don't think there's any point in someone like me with everything that I'm bringing to the table going into this if I don't want to make a very big success of it, not for me, but for Galway West,” she said.

Ms Seoige said she is really enjoying canvassing, especially the country canvassing.

“The welcome I'm getting is fantastic,” she said.

“I've had a big welcome from the people of Galway West, because I think they realise that if somebody likes me wants to get involved, it's to be a success, and it's a success on their behalf, that's the thing people know you.

“They know I'm one of their own, they know I'm a local girl.”

Listen back here:

Main image: Grainne Seoige, L, pictured with Henry McKean, R. Image: Newstalk