Mairead Ronan leaving Today FM to spend more time with family

Mairead Ronan. Pictures: Moya Nolan

Radio presenter Mairead Ronan has announced she is stepping down from her role with Today FM after two years.

Ronan, who won Dancing with the Stars in 2019, says the pandemic has made her reassess her life and she wishes to spend more time with her children. She will present her last show in December.

The Ireland's Fittest Family host is mother to three children, Dara, Eliza and Bonnie, and married businessman Louis Ronan in 2015. She has fronted The Mairead Ronan Show between 12pm-2pm on the station since 2019.

In a post on social media, the station paid tribute to Ronan’s “incredible” time with Today FM.

“We are going to miss Mairead Ronan massively after an incredible two years behind the mic and many more years behind-the-scenes, running the show (literally!) at Today FM.

“Mairead announced today that she will be stepping away from her lunchtime show in December to spend more time with her lovely family after Covid made her realise that we only get one life and she doesn’t want to miss out on any important family moments.” 

Industry figures have paid tribute to Ronan's time with Today FM. Broadcaster, Maïa Dunphy, said she's "looking forward to whatever comes next for you."

Anton Savage agreed: "Very sad to see Mairead go. (Although at least her Da will get a break from sitting with the dog."

Mairead Ronan with her youngest daughter Bonnie.

Fans signalled their simultaneous sadness at losing a favourite presenter and praise her for her move with comments including: "There could not be a more beautiful reason for you stepping away, Mairead Ronan you're amazing" and "I am going to miss you so much in the afternoons, as will many others! Wishing you and your family all the very, very best!"

In an interview with the Irish Examiner last month, Ronan spoke about how she has started saying no to more things so she can prioritise family life.

“The passing of time has hit me so hard in the last 18 months,” she said.

"People say when your kids start school, the years speed up. I hadn’t noticed that until this year when, oh my God, Eliza has gone in, Bonnie has started her journey and Dara is halfway through secondary school. How the hell did that happen? 

I’m very aware of time and what I do with my time now. Some might feel I’ve become a bit mean with my time and that I’m not giving it away as freely as I used to, but we were busy fools.

"Before when somebody asked me to do something, appear on a TV show say, I would have said yes, of course no problem. But it’s not the 15 minutes on the telly, it’s the entire day of getting ready for that. Possibly a hair appointment the day before, and possibly a nail appointment the day before that. That’s what I mean.

“Now, I definitely turn my phone off. I say no to things. I take my time before I say yes to something because it all eats into time with the kids or cooking a decent meal. I’m just very aware of that stuff now, far more than I was before.

"A really good pal asked me to meet the other day and I had to say no, I can’t make it work, 18 months ago I would have gone to Today FM to do my show, run to do voiceovers for Fittest Family, got home, said hi to the kids and run out the door again. That’s not fair on anyone. I was tying myself in knots, crazy stuff, I just don’t do it now. I’m more selfish with my time for the immediate family.”